A Simple Life in the Classroom of the Elite

I stood with Dad and Arisu inside a strange facility.

White stretched as far as the eye could see—walls, floors, ceilings. It was spotless.

Yet, despite the overwhelming brightness, an invisible weight pressed down on my shoulders.

"How did you find the tour, Sakayanagi-san?"

A black-haired man approached us, his smile lacking warmth. "I apologize for not accompanying you. I had some important business to attend to."

"It's alright, Ayanokoji-sensei. We've seen enough." Dad responded politely, though his gaze held an unmistakable chill.

The man chuckled, his eyes drifting toward Arisu in Dad's arms before settling on me.

"You have great kids. Observant and curious."

"Of course." Dad replied, his tone carrying a trace of amusement. "They take after me."

A brief silence followed before Dad turned to me.

"Ryuto, could you watch Arisu for a few minutes? Stay here. I have something to discuss in private." He set Arisu onto a chair and smiled.

"I can take care of myself." Arisu huffed.

"Well, I'd feel better knowing you had each other's backs." Dad chuckled, then walked off with Ayanokoji.

I glanced at Arisu. She was staring into the distance, lost in thought.

"What did you think?" I asked.

"That it's stupid." She huffed. "You can't create artificial geniuses."

"Really? But I don't think anybody's born a genius."

Arisu turned to me like I had just grown a second head.

"On the contrary. Natural geniuses are as such because of their DNA. The blood flowing through one's veins determines it."

"Oh…" I nodded, though I wasn't convinced. Natural or artificial, does it really make a difference?

"What about that boy from earlier?" I asked, unable to hide the slight edge in my voice. "You seemed interested in him."

"He's intriguing. A child who can defeat experts in chess isn't something normal." A small smile tugged at her lips.

"So that's why you suddenly want to pick up chess? Just to beat him?"

She didn't respond.

I sighed. "I guess I'm curious too. Even if I didn't understand any of it, I still think he was cool!" I said, raising a fist in the air.

"Cool…? That's what you base his skill upon?" Arisu's eyebrow twitched.

I shrugged, then a thought struck me. "Let's go see him!"

"What?"

"C'mon, you're still curious, right?" I grinned.

Arisu looked away, silent.

"I'll take you there!" I crouched in front of her.

She hesitated, then sighed before wrapping her arms around my neck.

I rose, taking a few steps forward before grinning. "Alright! Let's go!"

…

"Do you even know where you're going?" Arisu questioned as I carried her down the halls.

"To be honest, no…" I sighed, setting her down on a nearby chair as I tried to regain my breath.

"Well, I do. We took a wrong turn."

"Why tell me now!?" I shot her an exasperated look.

She shrugged, clearly amused.

I sighed again. "Alright, wait here. I'll go find something for you to use as a crutch, then we'll look for him together."

"It's not like I can leave." She crossed her arms, turning away.

I stared at her for a moment. 'Did she just like being carried?'

Shaking my head, I turned back to the halls. "I'll be quick!"

…

I wandered through the empty corridors, searching for anything that could help Arisu move around.

As I passed by a window, something made me stop.

Inside the room beyond the glass, a boy sat on the pristine floor, dressed in a plain hospital gown. He didn't move. Didn't fidget. His expression was blank, his gaze fixed on nothing.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

The artificial genius Arisu and I had been talking about.

Curiosity got the better of me.

I walked to the door and turned the knob. To my surprise, it was unlocked.

Stepping inside, I glanced around. The room was almost empty. No decorations. No distractions.

Just him.

"Hey." I waved.

He didn't respond. His eyes shifted to me, but there was no change in his expression.

"You're that chess guy, right?" I asked, my voice unintentionally sharper than intended. 'What does Arisu find so interesting about him?'

Silence.

After a moment, he finally spoke. "What are you doing here?"

"Huh? My father brought me." I shrugged. "What about you?"

"I'm on break."

"Break?" I frowned. "And you're just sitting on the floor?"

He didn't reply.

"Why don't you go out?"

"I can't."

"Who says so?" I scoffed. "The door's open, so what's stopping you?"

He hesitated for just a fraction of a second.

"...Well?" I pressed.

No answer.

A small grin tugged at my lips. I couldn't help but feel proud to get the upper hand on him.

I took a step forward. He didn't react.

Then I grabbed his hand.

His fingers twitched—only slightly—but his eyes finally shifted.

"I saw how you beat that guy in chess. I didn't understand any of it, but it was really cool!" I beamed.

"It was training." He replied, his tone flat and distant.

"Is that so? Well, I've been training too!" I puffed out my chest. "I want to protect my sister and everyone I care about!"

His gaze remained indifferent, offering no hint of acknowledgment or judgment.

"Speaking of my sister, she also wants to meet you." I continued, tugging gently on his arm. "So c'mon, let's go!"

His eyes stayed fixed on mine, silence hanging in the air. But seeing no resistance, I started to guide him toward the door, his footsteps barely making a sound as he followed.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself, didn't I?" I exclaimed suddenly, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over me. The boy glanced at me, his expression unchanged.

"I'm—" Just as I reached for the doorknob, it turned unexpectedly.

The door swung open to reveal Dad standing there, his brow furrowed in disapproval. Behind him stood the man with dark hair, observing us with keen interest.

"Dad…" I managed to smile awkwardly, fully aware that I wouldn't be getting out of this with just a simple slap on the wrist.

…

"Ughh…" I groggily opened my eyes, rubbing them in a futile attempt to shake off the sleepiness.

As the initial fogginess cleared, I found myself staring at the ceiling.

"Shit…"

…

Eighth Day of School.

Because of the seat arrangements, I now sat between Koenji and Sudo, tasked with making sure they behaved for the rest of the month.

I rubbed my forehead, feeling a headache coming on. 'Can't believe I didn't recognize him until now…It's been nearly nine years, though.'

Even so, it made sense. The White Room wasn't something I particularly liked or cared about. Putting it in the back of my mind was a logical choice for my younger self.

'Though seeing him again isn't that bad…'

Before I could dwell on it further, Koenji's voice snapped me back to reality.

"Stress will eventually leave wrinkles, Simplici-ryu. That's why I live as I please." He mused with a chuckle.

"Really? Can't believe I actually learned the secret to why you act like such a weirdo." I snarked back, making his grin widen.

"Jealousy isn't good for your body either."

I let out a small laugh. "Can't you let me have the last word for once?"

"That's impossible. No matter the discussion, it must always end with me."

"Of course." I shook my head. Despite how annoying he could be, he was at least entertaining.

"Be quieter. I'm tryna sleep." Sudo grumbled from my other side.

"I'm not going to listen to a brute." Koenji scoffed.

"Why you—" Sudo growled, irritation clear in his tone.

I sighed, already regretting my seating arrangement. 'Are these guys children?'

"Sudo, why are you always sleeping in class?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"I've got basketball practice. I gotta regain energy somewhere." He scoffed.

"If you dedicate so much time to sports, when do you find time for schoolwork?"

"I don't." He muttered. "Not like I care about it anyway."

"Not unexpected." Koenji commented, looking at his nails.

"That's it!" Sudo shot up from his seat, drawing the attention of a few students.

I quickly raised a hand, stopping him. "Sudo, calm down. He's just joking."

Sudo grumbled under his breath, but sat back down.

Despite the chaos these two brought, his words lingered in my mind. 'There are a lot of students in this class who aren't academically inclined…If exams affect our class points, this could be a serious problem.'

Before I could dwell on it further, Hirata approached with his usual easygoing smile.

"Is everything alright?" He asked, glancing between the three of us.

Koenji ignored him, occupied with his mirror, while Sudo responded with an incoherent grumble.

"I know this adjustment period is tough, but we'll manage." Hirata reassured us before turning his attention to me. "I wanted to talk to you for a second, Ryuto."

"Is it about the school?" I asked, knowing there weren't many other reasons he'd approach me directly.

"That's right." He nodded, pulling out his phone and showing me a school-issued message. "They approved our plan, as long as we don't monopolize the communal kitchen and keep it strictly as charitable work."

"Of course." I shrugged, lying as easily as breathing. "I said it's not a business, you said it's not a business, and the class will do the same."

"Still, isn't it kind of risky? What if they catch us?" Hirata asked, concern creeping into his voice.

"As long as no one says anything out of line, they won't." I reassured him before leaning in slightly. "And do you think anyone would volunteer their time cooking without getting something out of it? We have to make a profit somehow."

Hirata hesitated, clearly uneasy, but sighed. "I guess not."

I watched him leave, mulling over our plan with a sigh.

Despite repeating that this wasn't a business…well, it obviously was. Big shocker.

It wasn't anything complicated. We just followed the same model countless businesses use.

I buy the ingredients, and with the help of the girls who offered, prepare the meals. If a meal costs 500 points to make, we'd add a 40% markup and sell it for 700. Since we were using the school's high-end kitchens, there were no extra costs eating into our profits.

Assuming a steady flow of customers, that meant by the end of the month, we'd be looking at around 720,000 points in profit.

Of course, these were just estimates, considering variations in how many meals each student bought and portion sizes. But even with adjustments, our monthly earnings would be astronomical for any student.

Not that I could keep it all to myself. Each student helping with the cooking would receive a share of the profit based on their contributions.

Now that we had confirmation from the school, I was ready to contact Kusunoki-san, the store manager, to finalize the contract and buy the first batch of ingredients. The first meals would be ready for tomorrow.

But before that, I had a small detour to make.

…

Later, on the School Balcony.

I leaned against the railing, gazing at the campus below.

Fortunately, Hirata had gone ahead to the store, so by the time I arrived, the necessary paperwork would already be prepared.

'I kind of feel bad…' I thought, exhaling softly. I'd been making him run around, handling errands. But knowing him, he probably didn't mind—he wanted the class to thrive, after all.

I couldn't help but sigh at such selfless kindness.

"It seems you're pretty punctual."

A woman's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

I turned to see Chabashira-sensei approaching, a bag slung over her shoulder.

"Shouldn't you be the same, sensei?" I shot back, my eyebrow twitching in annoyance. We were already a few minutes past the agreed time.

She ignored my jab, reaching into her bag and pulling out a document.

I frowned, glancing at it. "What's this?"

She didn't reply to my question. "I've been keeping my eye on you these past few days. The seat arrangements, making sure your classmates stay focused in class…and this little 'initiative' the school has approved."

She paused, a small smile forming. "I don't know exactly what new information you found, but I'll admit—I'm impressed."

"That so…?" I muttered, unsure of her angle.

"Still, before I can believe we have a common interest, I have to ask—have you decided on a goal for your time here?"

There was something sharp in her gaze.

I hesitated. 'A clear goal, huh…?'

She wasn't wrong to ask. I promised to stop being passive, to actually live my life for myself. But as for an actual goal—that was still forming. Just as it took time to break out of my old mindset, it would take time to figure out what I truly wanted.

But for now, Chabashira was testing me. If I wanted to keep her attention, I had to give her an answer she'd approve of.

"I want to prove to myself that I can be better. That I will be better." I met her gaze head-on. "And to do that…I'll reach Class A."

Her eyes flickered with interest.

"That's a good answer." She nodded. "But you won't get there alone. You'll need allies—people you can rely on."

She handed me the document. "That's why I'm giving you this. They're only copies of publicly available information—if you know where to look. Consider it a shortcut, but not a free pass."

As I was about to look inside, she stopped me. "Still, don't open it on school grounds, else we both might get in trouble." She exclaimed with a cool tone.

'Is it really public information then?' The corner of my mouth twitched.

She then turned to leave, pausing briefly.

"I'll be waiting for results next month."

I exhaled, watching her go.

"Guess I better not disappoint…"

…

"Thank you, Kusunoki-san!" I smiled as the man handed Hirata and me the boxes of ingredients, totaling over 60,000 points. The hit to my balance stung, but I knew I'd recover it after selling the meals we'd prepare.

"No problem! But you should've let me know sooner. I could've arranged for the supplies to be sent to the dormitory." He replied with a chuckle, his demeanor a bit more relaxed now.

"It's fine. We can handle it." Hirata said, balancing a few boxes in his arms.

"You know, a small discount wouldn't have hurt." I added with a hopeful grin.

Kusunoki stared at me for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Absolutely not! I told you that large quantities have a set price." A sly smile appeared on his face. "Of course, if all goes well, I might reconsider in the future."

His doubt about the school accepting our operation was clear. Why would he lower his prices when our program could still be shut down at any moment?

"Either way, I hope we can have a happy cooperation." I said, returning his smile.

"As long as we abide by the contract, everything's good for me." He replied before turning to head back into his store.

The contract was simple, but the stakes were pretty high.

Clause 1 – Terms of Agreement

Party A agrees to purchase cooking ingredients exclusively from Party B.

Party B agrees to supply ingredients at standard market price.

Clause 2 – Conditions and Compliance

Party A must adhere to school regulations. Any violation leading to the shutdown of operations nullifies the contract. Party B will receive compensation of 350,000 points.

Party B retains the right to refuse further transactions if Party A engages in activities that risk school intervention.

If the contract is terminated early, any pending orders must still be fulfilled and paid for by both parties.

Clause 3 – Breach of Contract

If Party A fails to make payments, Party B may terminate the agreement.

If Party B unjustifiably refuses to provide ingredients, Party A may seek an alternative supplier.

Clause 4 – Duration

The contract remains valid until either party provides formal notice of termination.

"Shall we go now?" Hirata asked, glancing at me.

"Yeah, we don't want to keep the girls waiting." I chuckled, though I knew they might not be that eager.

"I doubt they're too anxious." He confirmed my thoughts with a wry smile.

"Still, it's nice to see the class finally coming together on something. I just wish I could've helped a little more…" Hirata sighed.

"You are helping, though." I gestured to the boxes. "Without you, this would be a lot harder."

"I suppose. But the heavy lifting is still on you guys." He rebutted.

"Oh, c'mon, don't turn this into a pity party!" I rolled my eyes jokingly. "Everyone who wants to help is doing what they can, and it matters."

"Yeah, you're right." He nodded, his expression brightening slightly. "I'm glad you took the initiative with this, Ryuto."

I shrugged, trying to brush it off. "By helping the class, I also help myself. It's not that big of a deal."

"I don't know. Everyone will expect you to step up more often now." He said thoughtfully.

"Kushida mentioned something similar." I sighed. "But I really don't want to be seen in such high regard."

I had just started to come to terms with my family's expectations and my own. Adding the class's expectations on top of that would be a headache.

To shift the conversation, I added. "You know, I've been thinking about expanding this plan even further. Imagine if we could get the upperclassmen to pay for our meals! We could make millions!"

"Ryuto, that's impossible. We don't have time for that." Hirata said, his tone serious.

"I know…" I replied, disappointment creeping in.

"And with such a large scale, the school would catch on immediately." He continued.

"Alright, no need to destroy my fantasy." I said, rolling my eyes again.

"Sorry…"

…

I tightened the strings of my apron, glancing around the communal kitchen of the girls' dormitory. The place was spacious but bustling. Some girls passing by gave me curious or confused glances, a few even whispering to each other.

An awkwardness settled over me, creeping in like an unwelcome guest. I tried to recall a piece of advice Hinata had once shared with me."Even if you feel out of place, act confident, alright? Confidence is key."

Taking a deep breath, I gave a smile and waved at those walking by. To my relief, it seemed to ease the tension a bit.

"Alright, is everyone ready?" I then asked, trying to push past the weirdness of the situation.

"It's just cooking. There's nothing to prepare for." Horikita muttered, already focused on setting up her part.

"Cooking can be pretty hard, though." Kushida countered, shaking her head as she organized the ingredients.

"I'm ready, Ryuto!" Sato beamed, practically bouncing with enthusiasm.

"Me too, I guess." Karuizawa muttered.

I blinked at her. "Huh? You actually decided to join?" I remembered her being the least interested in this whole thing.

"Well, you didn't let me be the taste tester. What else was I supposed to do?" She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms.

"You didn't have to join—"

"Let's just start already." She cut me off with a scoff.

"Ryuto, don't overthink things." Matsushita whispered, nudging me with her elbow.

"I just wanted to say—"

"Seriously, take a hint. She joined willingly." Shinohara sighed, sounding exasperated but not necessarily annoyed.

"...Right." I decided to shut up and focus on cooking. Though, in the back of my mind, I began to worry for my sanity.

We got to work, the kitchen soon filled with the sounds of chopping, sizzling, and the occasional muttered complaint when someone fumbled with a task. Time passed faster than I expected, and before I knew it, an hour had already gone by—but we had only made about half the meals we needed.

"Who left the stove on!?" Sato suddenly yelped, waving a hand in front of her face as a small amount of smoke curled up from the pan.

"That would be you." Horikita said flatly, barely glancing away from slicing vegetables.

"Eh?! No way!" Sato panicked, quickly turning down the heat and stirring the pan in a desperate attempt to save whatever she was cooking.

"Be more careful, we don't have many ingredients to waste." I sighed, wiping my hands before checking the trays of finished meals.

"Jeez, stop acting like some head chef." Karuizawa muttered, carefully plating food.

"Hey, someone has to keep things from burning down." I shot back.

Matsushita let out a small laugh as she flipped a piece of meat in her pan. "Honestly, we're doing better than I expected."

"Yeah, I thought this would be a little harder." Kushida admitted with a sheepish smile.

Shinohara sighed. "It still could be."

The tension lightened as we kept cooking. Despite the occasional misstep—like Karuizawa grumbling after spilling some sauce on her apron or Horikita scolding Sato for nearly dropping an entire pan—the process was going smoother than I'd anticipated.

Then, just as I started to relax, I heard another voice.

"Um…did someone forget the rice?"

Everyone froze.

Slowly, all heads turned to Karuizawa, who was standing stiffly in front of the rice cooker, eyes darting between us and the empty pot.

"…Oh." She muttered.

"…Oh?" Horikita repeated, clearly unimpressed.

"…I thought someone else did it."

A collective groan filled the kitchen.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Alright, someone start the rice, and we'll make sure the rest doesn't go cold."

"I knew something was missing." Sato mumbled.

This was definitely going to take a while.

…

"Finally…" I sighed, leaning against the counter, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle into me.

After more than two hours, we had finally finished our cooking marathon. Throughout that time, familiar faces drifted in and out of the kitchen—Shiina and Ichinose among them—but a few girls lingered near the entrance, their whispers and giggles filling the air.

I glanced over at them, noticing their curious stares directed at me. 'Just smile and wave.' I reminded myself, hoping it would diffuse the situation. However, my attempt only seemed to stir them up more, their laughter growing louder and more animated.

I tried to ignore them, but as I began helping the girls clean up, two familiar faces passed by the kitchen.

"Arisu! Kamuro!" I waved with a smile.

They stopped, turning back with raised eyebrows.

"What are you doing here?" Kamuro asked, skepticism written all over her face.

"Just working." I shrugged, hoping to sound casual.

"I thought I told you yesterday not to get involved with all kinds of girls. Are you trying to annoy me on purpose?" Arisu questioned, gripping her cane tightly and glaring at everyone around her.

'Why would you be annoyed?' My eyebrow twitched at the unfairness of it all.

"Ryuto, is this your sister?" Kushida asked, her eyes darting between Arisu and me.

"Yeah. Arisu, these are my classmates." I introduced them, trying to defuse the tension.

"Is that so…?" Arisu replied, her frown deepening.

"Are you having a party or something?" Kamuro asked as she strolled closer, eyeing the setup.

"No, it's for our class." I admitted. This would be a daily routine, so eventually, it would get out.

"So, you can cook, huh?" Kamuro smiled slyly, and I felt a familiar dread creeping in.

'Not that smile…' Memories of yesterday flooded back.

"Kamuro, come here. I feel my blood pressure rising…" Arisu mumbled, but her annoyance was clear.

"Are you alright?" I asked, concern in my tone.

"I think I'm getting a little light-headed." She replied with a feeble smile.

"You should rest then." I suggested, glancing back at the girls. "Can you all handle this? I'll go with Arisu."

The girls murmured their agreement, and I left with Arisu and Kamuro, feeling the weight of their gazes on my back.

As we exited, Shinohara's voice cut through the air. "Is it just me, or did Ryuto's sister just call that girl over like a dog?"

"..."

…

Once they were in Arisu's room, Ryuto couldn't help but ask. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"The headache passed." She assured him.

"Good. If you need anything, just call." He sighed, turning to leave.

"Hey, next time, you don't have to make me jealous to get my attention." Kamuro teased, a playful glint in her eyes.

Ryuto chuckled. "Don't worry, I've never had that kind of luck with girls."

"Really? Now I'm wondering why…" Kamuro shot a glance at Arisu, who remained stoic.

After the boy left, Arisu sat up, looking perfectly fine.

"What was that about?" Kamuro raised an eyebrow.

"I was outnumbered. I took the easy way out." Arisu replied plainly.

"Right…" Kamuro nodded, seemingly accepting the explanation but not letting it go. "Is there something you want to share?"

"A few days ago, Father called me to his office." Arisu exclaimed, swiftly changing the subject.

Kamuro's brows furrowed. "What's that got to do with anything?"

Ignoring the question, Arisu continued, "He seemed ready to jump for joy when I saw him. After telling me about a discussion he had with Ryuto, I understood why."

"Hm, Why?" Kamuro asked, her curiosity suddenly piqued.

"After such a long time, Ryuto finally decided he wants to become something more. Which is great for Father, since that means he'll finally be able to hand over the family business to him."

"Huh? Why can't you take it?" Kamuro became invested.

Arisu smiled sadly. "Do you think the board of directors would agree for me to be the head?" She gestured to her cane.

"Oh…that sucks." Kamuro mumbled.

"Indeed." Arisu nodded, her tone becoming more serious. "Anyway, it's clear to me that Ryuto actually meant those words, seeing him actively play a role for his class. But even so, my father and I know he was, and still is, adamant about not being involved with the family business."

"Unless he finds a reason to want the position of head of the family, that won't change." Arisu sighed, finishing her story.

"So you're saying Ryuto can have lots of money?" Kamuro summarized, a hint of excitement in her voice as she placed a hand on Arisu's shoulder.

"Don't worry, I'll guide him on the right path." She declared, her expression suddenly serious.

"Don't even think about it." Arisu shot Kamuro a glare so intense it could have burned a hole through her.

"Alright, fine…" Kamuro backed off, but then paused, her brow furrowing. "Wait…weren't we talking about something else?"

…

I walked toward the boys' dormitory, my tired body dragging, but sleepiness was far from me.

"Seems it's gonna be a night marathon." I mumbled, deciding to dive into Shiina's overwhelming number of book recommendations.

As I approached the dorm, I spotted a figure standing on a bench in the distance, a vending machine beside him.

'Is that…Ayanokoji?' My face stiffened.

Despite knowing he probably didn't recognize me after all these years, my body went into panic mode.

Still, I tried to keep my cool as I walked toward him.

"Hey." I waved.

He glanced my way, cold eyes boring into me for a moment before nodding and taking a sip from the can of soda in his hand.

"It's pretty late. Waiting for someone?" I attempted to break the ice as I crouched down to grab my own drink.

"No." He leaned back casually. "Just standing around."

"Yeah, I get it." I chuckled lightly. "Sometimes I just like to stay outside and watch the sky. What about you?"

"...Same here." He replied after a moment, his gaze drifting to the stars.

We fell into a silence that felt heavy with unasked questions. I subtly glanced at him, wondering why and how he was here, but pushed it to the back of my mind.

Sighing deeply, I sat down on the bench. "Guess I'll stay for a while too."

I remembered the whispers about the capabilities of the White Room students. Still, I didn't want to judge him based solely on those rumors.

I treated him as Ayanokoji Kiyotaka in the past and would continue to do so in the future.

Was I making a mistake? I couldn't know. But for now, I didn't regret my choice.

.....

Points amount: 108.500

I used the estimate from the beginning of the chapter so I can make a set amount of points Ryuto would receive each month.

Here it is, if anyone was curious.

Ryuto (Head Chef - 30%) → 216,000 points

Horikita (Assistant Chef - 20%) → 144,000 points

Kushida (Assistant Chef - 20%) → 144,000 points

All the other girls (Basic Helpers) → 216.000 split among each of them.