On the second day of the new school term, Sudou from Class 1-D was absent for the entire morning. Although their homeroom teacher, Chabashira Sae, gave the reason as "not feeling well," the students of Class 1-D weren't that gullible. Given Sudou's strong physique and his arrogant attitude during the entrance ceremony, it was hard to believe he was the type to suddenly fall ill and skip class the very next day.
Although Chabashira tried her best to suppress the incident from the day before, rumors still spread. Since everyone in Class 1-D was still in the stage of getting to know each other, the incident involving Sudou quickly became the hot topic during breaks. Even though Hirata Yousuke thought it wasn't appropriate to gossip about a fellow classmate, as long as that empty seat remained, speculation and jokes would continue to grow wildly.
Adding to the chaos was the surprisingly relaxed classroom atmosphere. None of the teachers, not even Chabashira, attempted to stop students from sleeping, playing on their phones, or whispering during class. This leniency only helped fuel the gossip.
"Attention everyone, there will be a club introduction event this afternoon. If you're interested in joining a club or the student council, please head to the gymnasium," Hirata tried his best to redirect the class's focus.
"Yamauchi, didn't you say you were the ace pitcher of your middle school baseball team?" Ike Kanji grinned and turned toward Yamauchi.
Despite having ruined his reputation among the girls with his cringey self-introduction the previous day, Yamauchi Haruki didn't seem to realize or care, continuing to act the same as always.
"Well, I already said I got injured during the tournament and can't play anymore, right? Honestly, the baseball club is the one missing out. They lost a star player."
"If a cute upperclassman girl invites me to join her club, I just might say yes," Ike added, flicking his long hair, oblivious to the disgusted stares from nearby girls.
Sitting in the back row, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was still trying to adjust his mindset to that of a normal high school student, but he couldn't understand why Ike, who always said he wanted to be popular with girls, kept saying things that only made him more disliked.
"Hey, Horikita—"
"I'm not interested in clubs," replied Horikita Suzune, her eyes still fixed on her book without even glancing up.
"I didn't even ask anything yet."
"Then what were you going to say?"
"Are you not joining any club, Horikita?"
Hearing Ayanokouji's awkward question, Horikita shot him a sharp glance.
"Ayanokouji-kun, are you senile? Or just stupid? I already said I'm not interested."
"Even if you're not interested, that doesn't necessarily mean you won't join one, right?"
Ayanokouji replied. After all, about ninety-five percent of people in the world work jobs they're not passionate about. To survive, people have to make compromises.
"I'm thinking of checking out the club orientation, at least," he added with a sigh. To date, Horikita was the only person he could even remotely hold a conversation with, let alone call a friend. Today, too, he continued his effort to become a normal high school student.
Meanwhile, toward the front of the classroom, Karuizawa Kei was silently fretting over a task suddenly assigned to her by Chabashira.
If she hadn't wanted to avoid offending the teacher right at the start of the semester, and if she didn't believe that succeeding might earn her some favor, Karuizawa would've never considered going to some club event. The early days of school were crucial for forming social circles, and missing out could mean getting excluded later.
"Kei, are you going to the club orientation too?" Satou Maya asked.
"...Yeah, I'm planning to check it out."
"Then I guess you can't come to karaoke after school. That's a shame."
"Ah, it's fine. You guys have fun."
Karuizawa replied with a forced smile while her thoughts drifted back to what Chabashira had told her during lunch break.
"Class points, personal points, rising to Class A... It still doesn't feel real at all."
She sluggishly packed her bag. Her only reason for coming to this school was to start over—to leave her past behind.
"I'm supposed to find a first-year from Class 1-C... What was his name again? Kitagawa... Ryo."
Muttering to herself, Karuizawa headed toward the main gymnasium, trying hard to remember the name Chabashira had assigned to her.
"I wonder if he's someone easy to talk to."
She kicked a pebble on the side of the path.
"Why me, though? If it's about social skills, wouldn't Kushida be the obvious choice?"
Karuizawa only had a small group of female friends, whereas Kushida Kikyou aimed to befriend everyone in class. In terms of social reach and ability, Kushida was clearly far superior.
Lost in such thoughts, Karuizawa finally arrived at the venue for the club orientation.
-------------------------------------
"Anyone interested in joining a club, feel free to check it out this afternoon."
Unlike the chaos that erupted in Class D after the bell rang, Class 1-C remained orderly, with every student still seated. In fact, they'd all spent the day trying their hardest to appear like model students—and that was due to the news Kitagawa Ryo had shared before class began.
From yesterday's casual talk with Sakayanagi Arisu, combined with his covertly recorded video and negotiations with upperclassmen, Kitagawa had pieced together the school's core structure: the relationship between class points and personal points, the reward and punishment system, and the nature of promotion and competition.
In the fight that Kitagawa had instigated between second-years and Sudou yesterday, the seniors firmly claimed that Sudou was the first to resort to violence. The surveillance footage certainly backed them up, placing Sudou at fault. If pressure was applied, Sudou would likely have to hand over a hefty amount of personal points.
That is—assuming he really attacked without provocation.
Sudou insisted that the upperclassmen had planned an ambush. While that didn't absolve him entirely, it did cast enough doubt to potentially reduce his punishment. Naturally, the upperclassmen denied it, saying the altercation stemmed from an argument. Both sides bickered all night until two key names came up: "Ryuuen Kakeru" and "Ayanokouji Kiyotaka."
Eventually, they discovered the mysterious new student was actually Kitagawa Ryo. His real name wasn't important—what mattered was which side he took, and more importantly, the recording he possessed. Both parties wanted that evidence before the disciplinary ruling.
The seniors made the first move. Kitagawa, however, navigated the negotiation effortlessly. Without offering any guarantees, he extracted valuable intel.
"If you don't behave in class, next month's points will drop."
That was all Kitagawa told Class C. He didn't bother explaining further. Though he now understood some of the rules, he needed more time to explore the full system. For now, the class was under his control. Until someone challenged his authority, they had no choice but to obey, fearing his ruthless methods.
Sakagami Kazuma, who had taught at Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School for decades, was impressed. In all his years, this was the first time he'd seen Class C act so cooperatively by day two. He couldn't help but feel some anticipation for Kitagawa Ryo.
So, after school, when Kitagawa walked to the front of the class and casually took over the teacher's spot, no one protested. They simply waited.
"I heard joining a club or winning awards gets you a decent bonus. Give it your best."
And with just those brief words, Kitagawa left, leaving the entire class sighing in relief.
As Kitagawa walked toward the gym, mentally preparing for his meeting with Class D, he realized he was being flanked. Ryuuen Kakeru, Ishizaki Daichi, Shiina Hiyori, Yamada Albert, and Ibuki Mio all followed, keeping just a step behind.
"...Oi, you guys walking like this look like a delinquent gang or something."
Kitagawa, hands in his pockets, turned around to tease them. C-Class certainly had its share of delinquents, and while the ones with him weren't the worst, their lineup still screamed gang. With Yamada and Ryuuen's appearances, they could easily be mistaken for gang leaders.
"No wonder people were avoiding me all the way here."
He shrugged and asked nonchalantly, "So? Planning to join a club?"
"Just here to gather intel. After all, this is one of the few times all first-years will be gathered together. Even if not everyone's interested, at least half will show up, right?" Ryuuen said, chewing on a blade of grass.
"I just follow you, boss. Worst case, I can run errands if you're thirsty or something," Ishizaki added cheerfully.
"Also figured I'd check out the basketball club while I'm here."
"No problem. With your build, you'll be fine. Work hard and become a full member soon," Kitagawa encouraged, clapping him on the shoulder.
As for Yamada...
Kitagawa figured he worked best as a deterrent. Standing at two meters tall and built like a tank, even upperclassmen would think twice.
"Ahem, I'm here to monitor you and Shiina-san for... improper conduct," Ibuki said, using Shiina, who had silently walked beside Kitagawa, as a shield.
She wasn't fooling anyone. Like Ishizaki, she was better suited for action than thinking. After yesterday and today, it was clear who the brains of the group was.
Kitagawa just chuckled, then entered the gym with the group.
"More people than I expected."
Ryuuen noted the crowd was livelier than anticipated, with around a hundred students chatting in circles. It seemed that, in keeping with the school's prestigious reputation, the clubs were also top-tier. Just skimming the pamphlet handed out at the entrance revealed a slew of national-level awards.
Kitagawa wasn't particularly interested in clubs. He was only here because he knew Class D planned to use this opportunity to contact him discreetly. Still, since he was here, he glanced toward the stage like the others.
A girl with purple hair tied into a bun stood before the mic.
"Thank you all for waiting, first-years. We will now begin the club introduction meeting. I'm Tachibana, the student council secretary, and your host for today."
After the introduction, the club reps took the stage—a colorful array, from strong upperclassmen in judo uniforms to elegant seniors in traditional kimonos. The speeches followed a familiar pattern: reflect on the past, boast about the present, dream of the future. Kitagawa couldn't help but chuckle.
Only Shiina, still beside him, noticed. She tilted her head in confusion, prompting Kitagawa to laugh again.
"Seeing you always lifts my mood," he said.
Blushing deeply at the sudden compliment, Shiina looked away. Kitagawa, meanwhile, turned his attention to the next speaker—a man whose sheer presence silenced the gym.
Horikita Manabu.
With a calm demeanor and overwhelming aura, he began, "I am Horikita Manabu, the student council president."
He continued, explaining that the council would recruit from the first-year students due to senior graduation. Those interested should not join any clubs, as council duties took priority.
"We do not welcome those with naive ambitions. Such individuals tarnish the reputation of the council. The student council at this school holds the authority to change school policies. Only those who understand this are welcome."
He finished smoothly and exited the gym.
"Thank you for your attention. The orientation is now concluded. Applications are open until the end of April. Those interested can apply directly to their desired clubs."
The emcee brought the tension down, and the room returned to a lively buzz.
"Do you know him, Ryo?"
"Sort of, sort of not."
In another simulation, they were close friends. Horikita had even entrusted him with looking after his sister, Suzune. But in this timeline, they were strangers.
"The student council might be in trouble," he muttered.
"Huh?"
"From what I know of him, he's not one for unnecessary words. Yet that speech was filled with strange emphasis—like he was deliberately stressing the council's importance."
"Guess I'll ask him myself."
Kitagawa stretched, ready to leave—only to be blocked by a familiar girl.
Horikita Suzune stood before him, Ayanokouji awkwardly smiling behind her.
"Do you know him well?" she asked.
[Not only him, I know you too...]
Kitagawa sighed, attempting to move past her. But she wouldn't let him.
She grabbed his wrist. Reflexively, he twisted it and pinned her arm behind her back. The action triggered a memory.
"Suzune, stop. Be good."
Silence fell.
...
By day two of the simulation, Kitagawa Ryo was seriously reconsidering a full reset.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To Read Advanced Chapters, and support this novel, please join me on [email protected]/geats2000