Fujii Shu spread his textbook out in the midst of the classroom's chatter.
Thanks to his "Basic Professional Knowledge Mastery" skill, he no longer felt as lost as he had a month ago, when he first arrived and found himself staring at the textbook in confusion, as if reading an ancient language.
As he flipped through the pages, various concepts and ideas started to connect in his mind, one by one.
Fujii Shu had a feeling that, even if he stopped attending classes from now on, he could probably breeze through the final exams without any issues.
"Impressive," he thought to himself.
Just the basic skill alone had saved him hours of studying, so what about if he leveled up to an intermediate or advanced mastery? Would that let him skip ahead and just take the certification exam to become a professor?
A gleam flashed in his eyes.
It seemed like he'd have to spend some extra time getting back at Shimizu Airi when he got home.
Just a few snide comments in the morning had earned him 100 revenge points—definitely a good source for farming points.
Ding dong!
The bell rang, signaling the start of the first class of the morning.
Specialized courses were small, so they were held in the student's assigned classroom. General education classes, on the other hand, were held in designated lecture halls.
In Japan's short-term colleges, academics were light, and the atmosphere in class was relaxed. Prestigious universities were much more competitive, but life as an average university student was relatively easygoing.
The professor busied himself with writing on the chalkboard, while students did their own thing beneath him.
Some were looking in mirrors, reading manga, chatting with friends, texting, browsing forums, or checking inS, as long as they didn't make noise and disrupt the class, the professor didn't seem to care.
Ding-ling-ling!
Time passed quickly, and before long, it was afternoon.
There was only one specialized class left in the afternoon. After the lesson ended, students packed up and got ready to leave.
The majority headed off to various club activities—baseball, wind instruments, tea ceremonies, dance clubs, and more—while a few others went home to play video games and embrace their inner shut-ins.
Fujii Shu packed his bag as well. However, he wasn't heading to any club, nor was he going home to relax. Instead, he was preparing to take the train to a convenience store for his part-time job.
Such was life when you're poor—every moment counted, and his schedule had been packed since birth.
After all, the only valuable asset he had was his good looks... and his time.
If he didn't work hard to make money, the only other option was to head to a host club in Shinjuku and trade his looks for cash.
Rustle, rustle.
After flushing, the automatic sensor on the urinal triggered the sound of water running. Fujii Shu fastened his belt and walked to the public sink outside to wash his hands.
"Hey—"
Suddenly, a scuffle came from the nearby women's restroom, loud enough to be heard outside.
Thud!
It sounded like something heavy had hit the floor.
Unable to resist, Fujii Shu glanced in the direction of the noise.
Inside the restroom, a girl's voice called out sharply, "Ogihara, you're getting bolder, huh? You didn't even say hello to the 'big sis'."
"Yeah, seriously, you don't even respect the big sis anymore," another girl chimed in, almost like a comedic sidekick.
"Sorry, sorry, Chiba-senpai, I didn't mean to..." came a weak voice from behind.
The voice was soft and frail, like a cotton candy cloud floating by.
"'Big sis'? Who do you think you're talking to!" the first girl snapped.
"Sorry, Ch-Chiba-senpai..." the timid voice stammered.
"Pathetic."
The girl, who was called "Big Sis" by the two, finally spoke up:"Ogihara, next time, must be remember your place."
Clearly, a form of bullying was happening inside the women's restroom.
In Japan, where the social environment could be suffocating and bullying was rampant, this was sadly all too common. Fujii Shu had experienced it firsthand many times.
Click-clack.
The sound of black, round-toed shoes echoed as someone approached.
A tall girl with dyed blonde hair walked out first. Her long, flowing hair framed a delicate, well-made face, her features sharp yet graceful. She wore a modified black school uniform and bubble socks—quite the delinquent style.
The two girls behind her looked nearly identical—long skirts, bubble socks, and heavy makeup—but their appearances paled in comparison to the girl in front.
Fujii Shu immediately recognized her—Chiba Shinako, the "big sis" of the second-year Sociology department.
Her family ran a judo dojo, and she had been training since she was young, making her a formidable fighter.
She had earned her reputation by using her judo skills to defeat a local gang leader, which brought her widespread notoriety at school and turned her into a leader of a pack of troublemakers.
Fujii Shu knew this all too well, having been one of her targets in the past. And it hadn't happened just once.
The other two girls, Matsui Aoi and Onodera Rei, were familiar as well. Both had bullied him before, so of course, he remembered them vividly.
"Hey, Fujii, what are you zoning out for? Don't you know to greet the big sis when you see her?" Matsui Aoi called out, standing with her hands on her hips like a loyal henchwoman.
"Yeah, haven't seen you in a while. Got some guts now, huh?" Onodera Rei joined in, sneering.
"...Boring," Fujii Shu muttered, giving them a dismissive glance before turning to leave.
He was in a hurry to catch his train for work, and didn't have time to deal with delinquent girls.
"Stop right there!"
His indifferent attitude clearly annoyed the three of them. Chiba Shinako, the self-proclaimed "big sis," was seething now.
"Did you hear me? Stop right there!" she snapped.
"Matsui, Onodera, pull him into the restroom!" she ordered, her voice dripping with authority.
"Be careful, there are too many people around. Don't let a teacher see you."
"Got it!"
At the order, Matsui Aoi and Onodera Rei eagerly grabbed Fujii Shu's arms, dragging him towards the restroom with excited expressions.
Damn Fujii Shu, how dare he ignore Chiba-senpai!
Now he's in for it!
Fujii Shu, his face impassive, allowed himself to be dragged along by Matsui and Onodera.
Bang!
The door to the women's restroom slammed shut behind him.
Once inside, they shoved him hard, sending him stumbling into an open stall.
In the corner of the stall, crouched a girl who looked vaguely familiar.
Saki Ogihara, Fujii Shu's classmate.
With her ponytail, round glasses, and frumpy outfit, she looked like she didn't quite fit in. Her bangs hung low, covering half of her face, and she was the quiet, reserved type—hardly noticed in class except for her excellent grades.
Other than that, she was pretty much a mirror image of Fujii Shu in terms of being inconspicuous.
"Are you okay, Fujii-kun...?"
Seeing Fujii Shu stumble from the push, Saki Ogihara instinctively reached out to steady him.