Although Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School differed significantly from ordinary high schools in terms of rules and structure, its overall layout remained largely conventional. For instance, the homeroom teachers' office was located at the end of the first-year corridor, separate from the offices of subject teachers.
Since subject teachers had no involvement in class competitions, their workspaces were positioned on the opposite side of the academic building—an intentional measure to prevent information leaks between classes.
Walking side by side behind Hoshinomiya, Hikaru and Ichinose made their way toward the office to retrieve teaching materials.
But more importantly, they had another task—printing the contract prohibiting the resale of the school's hidden rules.
The contract template was stored in the school's internal system, accessible only through faculty computers. Having an officially sanctioned contract was a crucial step in their plan.
---
"Drip, drip, da-la-la~!"
As they walked through the corridor, Hoshinomiya hummed an unfamiliar tune, her tone cheerful and melodic.
With her youthful appearance and voice as clear and bright as a child's, it was hard to believe she was actually a teacher.
"Sensei, are you in a good mood?"
As the ever-reliable mood-setter, Ichinose took the opportunity to lighten the atmosphere with a casual question.
"Of course!" Hoshinomiya responded playfully, tapping the ground lightly with her feet as she walked.
"Today, I discovered two amazing students—and the best part? They're from my own class! How could I not be happy?"
"...Is that so? Well, I suppose that's a good reason to celebrate," Ichinose replied with a slightly awkward smile, still adjusting to Hoshinomiya's eccentric way of speaking.
"Sensei, what time do the morning activities officially conclude?"
Hikaru had no interest in their lighthearted exchange. He was more concerned with the actual schedule.
"Hmm… 11:30 AM. That gives you about an hour," Hoshinomiya answered, pausing briefly as they neared the office.
"Since today is the first day, there isn't much planned after the opening ceremony. Besides receiving textbooks and dormitory key cards, the only other scheduled activity is the election of class representatives."
"Once that's done, everyone is free to relax and prepare for tomorrow's lessons."
"But you two are heading to Class 1-A later, aren't you? That means you'll need to speed things up once you're done here. Make sure to finalize the class representative selection quickly before you go."
"Got it," Hikaru replied.
"Oh, by the way, our school's class representative system is a bit different from what you might be used to," Hoshinomiya added with a mischievous smile.
"Because here, there's only one position available."
"..."
Hikaru and Ichinose exchanged glances.
After learning about the school's hidden rules, they now had a much clearer understanding of how things worked.
If only one student could hold the role of class representative, then the implications were obvious.
Hoshinomiya, seeing their realization, shrugged casually.
"Class representative is just a title," she said lightly. "You could call it class leader, class delegate, or class head instead. The name doesn't really matter."
"The important thing is that this person will be responsible for leading the class forward."
"That makes sense."
After observing Hikaru for a while, Hoshinomiya finally shifted her gaze toward Ichinose.
"But personally, I think Ichinose-san should take the role."
"Eh? Why me?" Ichinose was visibly surprised by the teacher's suggestion. "Wouldn't Hikaru be a better choice?"
She immediately tried to decline, expressing her lack of confidence in taking on such a responsibility.
"No, I agree with Hoshinomiya-sensei," Hikaru said calmly.
He met Ichinose's gaze and spoke in a composed tone.
"I think you possess something I lack."
"...And what's that?"
"Charisma."
Hikaru didn't hesitate to praise her. It didn't cost him anything to say nice things, and who knew? It might even boost her stock price.
"Ichinose-san has a natural trustworthy aura. Even people meeting you for the first time feel comfortable opening up to you. That's a rare, innate talent."
"And this ability is crucial for uniting the class. If conflicts arise, I believe you'd be the best person to resolve them quickly and smoothly."
"Wh-what? I'm not that amazing…!"
Ichinose's face turned a soft shade of pink at his straightforward praise.
Her usually composed expression faltered, and a touch of shyness seeped into her delicate features.
From the front, Hoshinomiya was thoroughly enjoying the scene, unable to hold back her amusement.
"Aww, isn't this just youth?" she teased.
After observing them closely, she made an interesting remark.
The tall, sharp-featured boy on the left and the graceful, bright-eyed girl on the right—despite wearing identical school uniforms, they looked like a pair straight out of a fashion magazine.
"Hikaru and Ichinose should get along well~" Hoshinomiya mused aloud, her tone playful. "Maybe in the future, you two might even—"
"Sensei, let's focus on finalizing the class representative later. Right now, we should deal with more pressing matters."
Hikaru swiftly cut her off before she could continue.
"Fine, fine~ But I'll be looking forward to seeing how this plays out, hahaha."
---
Upon entering the homeroom teachers' office, Hikaru immediately noticed a tall, slender female figure standing near the bookshelves.
"Oh my, Sae-chan, are you here for textbooks too?"
Hoshinomiya's casual tone indicated familiarity as she greeted the woman with a nickname.
"Yes."
It was only when Hikaru got closer that he noticed the stunningly elegant teacher.
Unlike Hoshinomiya, who had a trendy and youthful look, this woman wore a perfectly fitted black business suit, paired with a crisp white blouse.
Her long, shapely legs were wrapped in black tights, emphasizing an impeccable silhouette.
Her refined features carried a cold, distant air, yet the mature and commanding aura she exuded gave her a completely different kind of appeal.
"I'm here to collect teaching materials too," Hoshinomiya declared smugly. "And I brought two exceptional students with me~!"
She turned toward Hikaru and Ichinose as if showing them off.
"This is Hikaru, and this is Ichinose."
Then, she introduced the woman to them.
"And this is Chabashira Sae, the homeroom teacher of Class 1-D. You can call her Chabashira-sensei."
"Good morning, Chabashira-sensei."
Hikaru and Ichinose politely greeted her, but Chabashira simply gave them a slight nod before briskly exiting the room without saying another word.
"She's always like that—not much of a talker," Hoshinomiya explained with a light laugh.
But Hikaru caught something different in her eyes—a flicker of resentment.
Huh…
Looks like even the teachers have their own power struggles. Interesting.
Hikaru mentally filed away this new discovery.
But before he could dwell on it further, a system notification suddenly popped up in his vision.
[Ding!]
[New Stock Unlocked: Chabashira Sae]
[Current Stock Price: 50]
…Huh???
Hikaru blinked, momentarily stunned.
He had been amused by Hoshinomiya's rivalry, but this?
Wait, wait, wait… Teachers can have stock values too?!
What kind of system is this?!