Classroom Of The Elites

I disliked the entrance ceremony and imagined that many first-year students probably felt the same. The principal and the students exchanged excessive words of gratitude, there was far too much time spent standing in lines, and, with so many irritating things to deal with, it all felt like a huge pain in the butt. But those weren't my only complaints. The entrance ceremonies for elementary school, junior high, and high school all mean the same thing: the start of another major trial for children. In order for students to enjoy their time at school, they must make friends, and there are only a few key days after the entrance ceremony to properly do that. Failure to do so signals the beginning of a rather tragic three years.

As someone who dislikes trouble, I decided I'd like to establish proper relationships. Unfamiliar with the notion, I'd spent the day before in preparation, running through different scenarios. For instance, should I burst into the classroom and actively start talking to people? Should I secretly pass around a slip of paper with my email address, so as to better befriend someone? Someone like me needed to practice, because this environment was so different from what I'd experienced thus far. I was completely isolated. I had ventured alone into a battlefield, and it was do or die.

Looking around the classroom, I walked toward the seat that bore my nameplate. It was at the back of the room, near the window. A good place to sit, generally. As I looked around, I saw that the room was already halfway filled with students. The others were either immersed in their class materials or already talking with other people. Perhaps they'd all been friends beforehand or had only recently gotten acquainted. Well then, what should I do? Take action during this free time and try to meet someone? In front of me, a rather rotund boy sat at his desk, hunching over. Perhaps it was my imagination, but he appeared lonely.

The boy exuded an aura that seemed to shout, "Please, someone be my friend!" However, if you just went up to someone and start talking, you might be bothering them. Should you wait for the right time? But then you might wait too long and be left friendless. I just had to. No, no, wait, I couldn't be hasty. If I started a thoughtless conversation with someone I didn't know, I ran the risk of making a serious social gaffe. Not good. I was trapped in a downward spiral.

In the end, I couldn't talk to anyone at all. At the rate things were going, I'd be completely alone. Had I heard someone say, "Is he still all alone?" Had I heard chuckling? Perhaps it was all in my head. What on earth are "friends," anyway? Where do friends come from? Do people become friends after sharing a meal together? Can you become friends with someone after you walk to the bathroom together for the first time? The more I thought about it, the more I wondered: What is friendship? Is it something deep and meaningful? I tried to piece it together.

Trying to make friends is incredibly bothersome. Besides, don't human relationships tend to form naturally? My thoughts were in utter disarray, as though a raucously loud festival was being staged inside my head. While I sat lost in a haze, the classroom quickly filled. Fine. Whatever. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? After a long period of conflict, I finally began to rise from my seat. However.

Before I knew it, the rotund, bespectacled boy in front of me had started to talk with another classmate. Wearing a bitter smile, I realized that there was no new friendship to be cultivated there. I'm happy for you, Glasses-kun. It looks like you made your first friend.

"I got beaten to the punch!" I was at my wit's end, stuck in useless navel-gazing. Reflexively, I let out a deep sigh. My high school experience seemed poised to be exceptionally dour. Then, someone sat down beside me.

"That's quite a heavy sigh, considering the school year has only begun. Meeting you again makes me want to sigh."

It was the girl who'd fought with me at the bus stop and then walked into class. "So, we were placed in the same class, huh?" I mumbled.

"Well, there were only four classes for all of the first-year students, after all. Statistically, it wasn't impossible for us to be together."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Ayanokouji Kiyotaka."

"You just went ahead and introduced yourself?" she said.

"Well, this is the second time that we've spoken. Isn't it fine for me to do so?" I had wanted to introduce myself to someone anyway, so it wasn't as though I could just keep quiet. Besides, in order to become familiar with my class, I had to at least know my neighbor's name...even if she was this audacious girl.

"Do you mind if I refuse?" she asked.

"I don't think sitting next to someone for an entire year without knowing their name would be comfortable."

"I disagree."

Shooting me a glance, she placed her bag on her desk. Apparently, she wasn't going to tell me her name. Lacking any interest in the classroom, the girl simply sat upright in her chair like a model student.

"Do you have a friend in another class? Or did you enroll here all on your lonesome?" I asked.

"You're a curious one, aren't you? You won't find talking to me very interesting, though."

"If I'm bothering you, you can just tell me to be quiet."

I wouldn't introduce myself if it made her angry. I thought that the conversation was over, but then the girl sighed. Apparently, she'd changed her mind. She turned her gaze on me and introduced herself.

"I'm Horikita Suzune."

For the first time, I got a good look at her face. Wow. She was cute. Or rather, she was beautiful. Even though we were in the same grade, I'd have believed it if you told me she was a year or two older. Such a calm, cool beauty.

"Let me tell you about myself," I said. "I have no particular hobbies, but I'm interested in just about anything. I don't need many friends, but I think it would be nice to have at least a few. And, well, that's about it."

"Spoken just like someone who avoids trouble. I don't think I could ever like such a person," she said.

"Jeez, I feel like you trashed my entire existence in one second," I muttered.

"I pray this will be my only upset."

"I sympathize, but, unfortunately, I don't think your prayers will be answered." I pointed to the classroom entrance. Standing there was the boy who'd quarreled with those women on the bus.

"This seems like a rather well-equipped classroom. It would appear to live up to people's expectations, hmm?" Yes, it was him. The troublemaker had been placed in Class D with us. Without seeming to notice our presence at all, he went over to the seat labeled "Kouenji" and sat. I wondered if such a person had ever considered even the idea of friendship. I tried observing him for a little bit. Kouenji put his feet on top of the desk, took a nail file from his bag, and hummed while he treated his fingernails. He acted as though he were completely alone.

Apparently, the rude comments he'd made on the bus had been an accurate reflection of his opinions. Within ten seconds, more than half the class had begun drawing away from Kouenji. His imposing nature dominated the space. Looking over, I saw that Horikita's gaze had lowered, and she seemed to be reading one of her own books. Oh, shoot. I'd forgotten that conversational back-and-forth was one of the basics of maintaining interest. I'd squashed one of my chances to become friends with Horikita. Leaning down, I glanced at the title of her book: Crime and Punishment. Now that was interesting. A story that debated whether it was right to kill someone, so long as it was done for the sake of justice.

So sad. Perhaps Horikita's taste in books was reflected in her personality. Well, at any rate, we'd introduced ourselves, so perhaps we could at least become neighborly. After a few minutes, the first bell rang. At that precise moment, a woman entered the classroom. When I first saw her, my initial impression was that she firmly believed in discipline. If I had to guess, I would have placed her age at thirty. She wore a suit and had delicate features. Her hair seemed long, and she'd tied it into a ponytail.

"Ahem. Good morning to you, students. I'm the instructor for Class D. My name is Chiyabashira Sae. I usually teach Japanese history. However, at this school, we do not change classrooms for each grade. For the next three years, I will be acting as your homeroom teacher, so I hope to get to know all of you. It's a pleasure to meet you. The entrance ceremony will be in the gymnasium one hour from now, but first, I will distribute written materials with information about this school's special rules. I will also hand out the admissions guide."

The students in the front seats passed back the familiar documents I'd received after being accepted.

This school differed from the multitude of other Japanese high schools in a few key ways. Here, all students were required to live in dormitories located on school premises. Also, except for special cases, such as studying abroad, students were forbidden to contact anyone outside the school. Even contact with your immediate family was forbidden without authorization. Naturally, leaving school grounds without permission was also strictly forbidden.

However, the campus also came equipped with many excellent facilities. With its own karaoke spot, theater, café, boutique, and more, you could easily compare this school to a small city. The campus spread over more than 600,000 square meters.

This school boasted another unique feature: the S System.

"I will now hand out your student ID cards. By using your card, you can access any of the facilities on campus, purchase goods from the store, and so on. It acts like a credit card. However, it is imperative that you pay attention to the points that you spend. At this school, you can use your points to buy anything. Anything located on the school premises is available for purchase."

Our points, loaded onto our student ID cards, acted as a kind of currency. The lack of paper money would prevent many students' financial troubles. However, students needed to keep a watchful eye on their spending habits. At any rate, the school provided these points free of charge.

"Your student cards can be used simply by swiping them through the machine scanner. The method is simple, so you shouldn't get confused. Points are automatically deposited into your account on the first of every month. You should all have received 100,000 points already. Keep in mind that one point is worth one yen. No further explanation should be necessary."

The classroom erupted. In other words, we had received a 100,000-yen monthly allowance from the school upon admission. I'd expect nothing less from a massive institution run by the Japanese government. 100,000 yen is a rather large sum of money for a high schooler.

"Shocked by the amount of points you've been given? This school evaluates its students' talents. Everyone here has passed the entrance examination, which itself speaks to your value and potential. The amount you've received reflects the evaluation of your worth. You can use your points without restraint. After graduation, however, all of your points return to the school. Because it's impossible to exchange your points for cash, there's no advantage to saving them. Once points have been deposited into your account, it's up to you how to spend them. Do as you like. In the event that you don't want to spend your points, you may transfer them to someone else. However, extorting money from your peers is not allowed. This school monitors bullying very carefully."

As bewilderment spread among the students, Chiyabashira-sensei looked over the room.

"Well, it appears no one has any questions. I hope that you enjoy your time here as students."

Many of my classmates could not hide their surprise at the large amount of points.

"This school doesn't seem as strict as I thought," I muttered. I thought I was talking to myself, but Horikita looked in my direction. She must have imagined I was speaking to her.

"This school is extremely lenient, isn't it?"

Despite all of the restrictions, like being forced to live in the dormitories, being forbidden to leave the campus, and being prohibited from contacting anyone on the outside, no one here seemed to have any complaints. In fact, you might even say that we'd been given such preferential treatment that it was like we'd been transported to paradise. Of course, the Advanced Nurturing High School's most impressive statistic was its near 100 percent placement rate for students advancing into higher education or entering the workforce.

This government-sponsored school's thorough guidance of its students hoped to ensure a better future. In fact, the school heavily advertised this. Many of its alumni went on to achieve fame. Typically, no matter how famous or impressive a school might be, the areas of specialization are limited. For example, one school might specialize in sports or in music. Another might focus on something related to computers. However, at this school, any student could hope to succeed, regardless of their field.

Only this school had that kind of name-brand value. I'd assumed that the atmosphere would be cutthroat, but the majority of students looked like typical kids.

No, that wasn't quite right. After all, we'd been capable enough to pass the entrance exam. If we could reach graduation day peacefully, without incident, then we would have achieved our goal... Was such a thing really possible, though?

"This is almost too much preferential treatment. It's frightening." As Horikita spoke, I realized I felt the same way. We hardly knew anything about this school. It was as if a veil of mystery shrouded everything. Because a school like this could make any wishes a reality, I'd thought some kind of risk would have to be involved.

"Hey, hey! Do you want to check out a store with me on our way back? Let's do some shopping!" one girl cried.

"Sure. With this much, we can buy anything. I'm so glad I got into this school!" another said.

Once the teacher was gone, the newly rich students began to grow restless. A student with the air of an upstanding young man quickly raised his hand. His hair wasn't dyed. He looked like an honors student. Based on his appearance, I got the impression he wasn't a delinquent.

"Everyone, can you please listen to me for a moment?"

"Starting today, we're all going to be classmates. Therefore, I think it'd be good for us to introduce ourselves and become friends as soon as possible. We still have some time until the entrance ceremony. What do you say?"

He'd just done something incredible. The majority of students were lost in thought, unable to speak up.

"Agreed! After all, we still don't know a thing about each other, not even our names," someone shouted.

After the ice had broken, the previously hesitant students began to speak.

"My name's Hirata Yousuke. Back in junior high, lots of people called me Yousuke. Feel free to use my first name! I guess my hobby is sports in general, but I especially like soccer. I'm planning on playing soccer here, too. Nice to meet you!"

Hirata had effortlessly introduced himself to the class. He seemed exceptionally brave. And he'd talked about his love for soccer, too! His level of popularity must've increased two, no, maybe four times. Why, the girl seated next to Hirata had hearts in her eyes! If someone like Hirata became our class's linchpin, I wondered if he'd keep everyone honest and motivated until graduation.

Someone like him would probably end up dating the cutest girl in class. That was how these things typically went.

"Well then, I'd like everyone to introduce themselves, starting from the front. Is that okay?"

Although the girl at the head of the class looked a little bewildered, she quickly made up her mind and stood. Or rather, she'd been pressured, in response to Hirata's words.

"M-my name is...Inogashira Ko-Ko..."

The girl, last name Inogashira, seemed to freeze during her introduction. Was she drawing a blank, or had she not considered what she was going to say beforehand? As her words halted, she paled. It was rare to see someone get so incredibly nervous.

"Do your best!"

"Don't panic! It's okay!"

Kind words poured out of our classmates. But it seemed to have the opposite effect on the girl; the words stuck in the back of her throat. The silence continued for five seconds. Ten seconds. You could've cut the tension with a knife. Some of the girls started giggling. Inogashira was paralyzed with fear. She couldn't move a muscle. Another girl spoke up.

"It's okay to go slowly. Don't rush."

Although it might seem kind, saying "Do your best!" and "It's okay!" actually conveys a completely different meaning. To someone who is extremely nervous, "Do your best!" and "It's okay!" can actually seem forceful, as if indicating she needs to match her classmates. On the other hand, saying, "Just take things slowly. Don't rush," allows her to take things at her own pace.

After that, the girl calmed down and regained her composure. She took a few small breaths and tried again.

"My name is Inogashira...Kokoro. Um, my hobby is sewing. I'm pretty good at knitting. I-It's nice to meet you all."

She was able to finish without stopping. Looking alternately relieved, delighted, and embarrassed, Inogashira sat down. Other introductions followed hers.

"I'm Yamauchi Haruki. I competed in table tennis during elementary school, and in junior high I was the ace player on our baseball team. I was number four. I got hurt during the inter-high school championships, though, and I'm undergoing rehab now. Nice to meet you."

I didn't think that the number of his baseball uniform was essential information. Besides, I'd thought the inter-high championship was a national sports competition for high school students. Junior high school kids were supposed to be ineligible. Was he trying to crack a joke? He seemed like a talkative guy who got carried away pretty easily.

"Well then, I'm next, aren't I?"

The cheerful girl who stood up was the same one who'd told Inogashira to go slowly and calm down. She was also the same girl who'd helped out the elderly woman on the bus that morning.

"My name is Kushida Kikyou. None of my friends from junior high made it to this school, so I'm alone here. I'd like to get to know all of your names and faces right away and become friends as soon as possible!"

While most of the students had only said a few words of introduction, Kushida continued to talk.

"My first goal is to become friends with everyone. So, after we're finished with introductions, I'd love for you to share your contact information with me!"

She wasn't just saying that. I could tell right away that this girl was the type to open up her heart to anyone. Her encouraging words to Inogashira hadn't been platitudes, but a genuine reflection of her feelings.

"So, after school or during vacations, I want to make all sorts of memories with lots of people. Please feel free to invite me to lots and lots of events! Anyway, I've talked for a long time, so I'll end my introduction here."

She said it as though she knew I'd been critiquing everyone's introductions. I felt strangely uncomfortable, and I wasn't sure why.

What should I say when my turn came? Should I make a joke? Should I go into it with really high energy in order to get some laughs? No, that wouldn't work. Going out of control would just ruin the atmosphere. Besides, that didn't really fit my personality anyway.

The introductions continued while I wrestled with my anxiety.

"Well then, next up is..."

As Hirata looked encouragingly toward the next student, that student glared back. His hair was dyed a fiery red. He both looked and sounded like a delinquent.

"What, are we a bunch of little kids or something? I don't need to introduce myself. People who want to do that can go ahead. Just leave me out of it."

The red-haired guy scowled at Hirata. He had quite a presence, his attitude intense and overpowering.

"I can't force you to introduce yourself, of course. However, I don't think that getting along with your classmates is a bad thing. If I've made you uncomfortable, I apologize."

When Hirata bowed his head, some of the girls glared at the guy with red hair.

"Isn't it fine to introduce yourself?" one of them snapped.

"Yeah, yeah!"

As I'd expected, the pretty-boy soccer star had captured most of the girls' hearts in the blink of an eye. However, half of the male students started to look angry, probably out of jealousy.

"Shut it. I don't care. I didn't come here to make friends." The guy with red hair got up from his seat. It seemed he had no intention of getting to know anyone. Several other students followed suit and left the classroom together. Horikita got up and briefly glanced my way. When she realized I wasn't moving, she started to walk out the door. Hirata looked a little lonely when he saw Horikita head out.

"They're not a bad bunch. It's my fault. I was being selfish and made people do this."

"No way. You didn't do anything wrong, Hirata-kun. Let's just leave those guys be, okay?"

Although some people had rebelled at the idea of introductions, the students who remained were happy to continue. In the end, things wrapped up in a rather ordinary fashion.

"I'm Ike Kanji. I love girls, and I hate pretty boys. I'm currently in the market for a new girlfriend. It's nice to meet you! All the better if you're a cutie or a beauty!"

It was difficult to tell if he was joking or not. At the very least, the girls looked at him with revulsion.

"Wow. You are so cool, Ike-kun," one girl said, in a completely emotionless voice. Of course, her statement was 1000 percent false.

"Seriously? Seriously? Oh, man. I mean, I thought that I wasn't bad or anything, but...heh heh."

Apparently, Ike thought that she was being serious. He blushed. Instantly, the girls started to laugh.

"Oh, wow. He's cute, huh, everyone? He's looking for a girlfriend!"

Dude, they're making fun of you. Ike continued to jovially go along with the teasing. He didn't seem like a bad guy, though.

Next up was the combative boy from the bus, Kouenji. While inspecting his bangs in a hand mirror, he combed his hair.

"Excuse me, can you introduce yourself?" Hirata asked.

"Hmph. Fine."

He smirked like an aristocrat, displaying his impudent attitude. As he shifted in his seat, I thought he might leave, but Kouenji placed both of his legs on his desk and introduced himself.

"My name is Kouenji Rokusuke. As the sole male heir to the Kouenji conglomerate group, I will soon be tasked with carrying Japan into the future. I sincerely look forward to making your acquaintance, ladies."

He aimed his introduction solely at the opposite sex, rather than the entire class. After hearing that he was rich, some of the girls looked at him with sparkling eyes, while others regarded Kouenji as if he were nothing more than a weirdo. That was only natural.

"Starting today, I will mercilessly punish anyone who makes me uncomfortable. Please exercise proper precaution so that you may avoid that."

"Um, Kouenji-kun. What exactly do you mean when you say, 'anyone who makes me uncomfortable'?" asked Hirata, who looked uneasy at the word "punish."

"I meant exactly what I said. If asked to give an example, well... I would say I hate ugly things, for instance. So, if I saw something ugly, I would do just as I said."

Fwish! He flipped his long, flowing bangs.

"Ah, thank you. I will be careful then."

There was the guy with red hair, Horikita, Kouenji, Yamauchi, and Ike. Apparently, this class was full of people with bizarre idiosyncrasies.

I, too, was especially peculiar, in that there was nothing peculiar about me. I had wanted to be free, free as a bird, but prior to this, I'd languished in a cage. I had wanted to fly into the expansive open skies. If you looked out the window, you could watch birds gracefully soaring... Well, not right now, but in general. Anyway, that's the kind of guy I was.

"Well then, time for the next person. Can you please introduce yourself?"

Huh?

Oh, shoot. My turn had come while I'd been daydreaming. Students turned, waiting for my introduction. Hey, hey! Don't look at me with so much anticipation. Oh well, I might as well try my best.

Clack! The chair rattled as I stood.

"Um. Well, my name is Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. And, uh, I don't really have any special skills or anything. I'll do my best to get along with all of you. It's, uh, nice to meet you."

Well? Was that my introduction?

I'd failed!

I instinctively buried my head in my hands. I hadn't had time to construct a proper introduction because I'd been too busy daydreaming. It was the worst possible intro. It didn't attract attention, and absolutely no one would remember it.

"It's nice to meet you, Ayanokouji-kun. I always want to be friends with everyone, just like you. Let's both do our best, okay?" Hirata responded with a refreshing smile.

Everyone clapped. Their applause felt somewhat like pity, which strangely pained me. Despite that, however, I felt kind of glad.