Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School—a national closed high school located in the heart of Tokyo.
It is equipped with the most advanced intelligent teaching facilities available.
It boasts single-room student dormitories that most students can only dream of having.
It has maintained a perfect 100% university admission and employment rate since its establishment.
However, since transmigrating to this world, Shimizu Akira has always harbored a faint sense of apprehension about this particular school.
A 100% university admission and employment rate since its establishment?
In Japan, truly top-tier high schools have always prided themselves on metrics like "number of Tokyo University successful applicants" or "Waseda and Keio University admission rates," rather than using vague terms like "employment rate"—which honestly sounds more like a vocational training school's advertising slogan.
"I just have a feeling... it won't be that easy to graduate from here," Shimizu Akira muttered to himself.
Standing at the steps of the school gate, he looked up at the two figures confronting each other. The tense atmosphere between them made him involuntarily stop in his tracks.
A beautiful girl with an outstanding literary temperament stood at the highest point of the stone steps, her skirt gently swaying in the spring wind.
She looked down at the light-brown-haired young man positioned below her, her delicate chin raised slightly in what seemed like disdain.
"You looked at me on the bus. What did that mean?" she demanded.
"I'm sorry. I just thought... you probably had no intention of giving up your seat, just like me. You're someone who avoids unnecessary trouble."
"I absolutely refused to give up my seat because I held a certain belief! I'm completely different from you, who simply dislikes trouble."
Shimizu Akira pretended not to hear their exchange, silently beginning to ascend the steps.
"You there, wait a moment!" The literary beauty suddenly changed the subject, her sharp gaze now fixed directly on Shimizu Akira. "You also looked at me on the bus. What did that mean?"
This made Shimizu Akira freeze in place for a moment.
He had indeed unconsciously glanced at her when getting off the bus earlier.
Speaking of which, isn't it quite normal for eyes to occasionally meet on a crowded bus? Why is she making such a big deal out of it?
"Just now on the bus, were you condemning me with your eyes for not giving up my seat?" Horikita Suzune crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "Listen carefully. The reason I chose not to give up my seat was based on a carefully considered judgment."
"Understood." Shimizu Akira's gaze, calm like a still lake, reflected her figure. "I respect your choice. My gaze just now was not meant to offend you. It's just that your demeanor reminded me of a literary girl from a story I once read."
Her stubborn eyebrows and cool, distant demeanor were exactly like Yukinoshita Yukino from his memories of his previous life.
Shimizu Akira actually had no intention whatsoever of condemning her for not giving up her seat.
Giving up a seat is not a mandatory act required by law. It's merely a kind deed one does within their ability and willingness.
Speaking of which, this classmate is really straightforward and blunt. Who directly confronts someone and asks 'what are you looking at?' Is she perhaps an INTJ personality type?
He chose his words carefully before responding, "If you're uncomfortable with human contact, I can promise to try my best to avoid eye contact and unnecessary conversations with you in the future. How does that sound to you?"
Horikita Suzune's eyelashes trembled slightly at his unexpected response.
This boy... not only didn't preach morality or lecture her about proper behavior, but instead seriously considered her feelings and even proposed a concrete, practical solution?
"There's no need to be so deliberate about it," she said, her crossed arms relaxing slightly. "I just wanted to confirm your intentions. Feel free to speak your mind honestly."
Shimizu Akira paused at her words. "I'm Shimizu Akira. May I ask your name?"
"Horikita Suzune." She almost reflexively gave her full name, then immediately frowned slightly at her own frankness and openness.
"Horikita-san, I'll remember that. Goodbye then." Shimizu Akira smiled faintly and turned to continue ascending the stairs.
Horikita stood rooted to the spot, and only when his figure had completely disappeared up the staircase did she suddenly freeze, as if realizing something important.
'Wait a minute...'
'I actually... willingly revealed my name to a complete stranger?'
'This completely goes against my usual principles and behavior.'
The April wind, laden with falling cherry blossom petals, brushed gently past her ears. She repeatedly analyzed and dissected their brief conversation in her mind, examining every word and exchange.
From sharp, probing questions designed to put him on the defensive, to unconsciously letting down her guard and responding naturally.
Just five short exchanges between them, yet somehow it felt as if every step of the conversation had fallen into a rhythm he had carefully orchestrated.
What startled her most was that the boy had remained completely candid and honest throughout their entire interaction.
He neither evaded her pointed questions nor deliberately tried to please her or gain her favor. He simply responded to her every word with straightforward, logical answers.
In her past dozen years of life, conversations with peers were either filled with insincere pleasantries and fake smiles, or blatant exclusion and cold shoulders.
This feeling of genuine, honest interaction—she was experiencing it for the first time.
It didn't feel too bad, actually.
Shimizu Akira stepped carefully on the fallen cherry blossom petals scattered across the path, a small smile unconsciously curving his lips upward.
"This Horikita-san is truly innocent and naive..." he murmured to himself, a hint of suppressed laughter in his voice.
The girl's expressions and reactions were like an open book that anyone could read. The surprise and emotional wavering revealed by such a simple greeting clearly showed her complete awkwardness and inexperience in everyday social interactions. This reminded Shimizu Akira of the various "special talents" he often had to deal with as a game lead planner in his previous life.
The stubbornness of programmers who refused to compromise on code efficiency, the obsessive perfectionism of artists who would redraw assets dozens of times, the meticulous demands of level designers who insisted every pixel mattered... Whenever these "eccentrics" insisted on their opinions to an almost maddening degree, making project management nearly impossible—
That's precisely when he would step in with his people skills.
The girl's image appeared vividly before his eyes: her perfectly straight back, tightly pursed lips showing determination, and those expressive eyes that revealed far more than she probably intended.
A typical "ice queen" image on the surface, but their brief interaction just moments ago had already revealed her true nature beneath that cold exterior. This was clearly someone who was cold on the outside but warm on the inside, with an emotional defense value probably more fragile than wet tissue paper.
"I haven't even exerted myself yet..." Shimizu Akira sighed lightly, shaking his head. "Why have you already surrendered so easily?"
He had merely employed a small psychological trick, a simple conversational feint, and the other party had completely crumbled under the gentlest pressure, even obediently offering her name without him having to press further.
Such an innocent and pure reaction was a stark and amusing contrast to the calculating, manipulative Kushida Kikyo he had encountered earlier on the bus.
Speaking of which, if a girl like Horikita were to fall in love someday, she would surely devote herself wholeheartedly and completely to her lover, wouldn't she? That kind of single-minded dedication seemed obvious.
Shimizu Akira thought idly, his gaze following the distant cherry blossom petals fluttering through the air.
But in a flash, he firmly put that thought aside for now. There were more important matters to focus on.
Firstly, his class assignment hadn't been determined yet, and secondly, he had only just arrived at this school today. Before he fully understood the true nature of Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School and its hidden systems, it was definitely best to be well-behaved and avoid drawing unnecessary attention for a while.
Just then, a crisp notification sound suddenly rang in his mind, interrupting his thoughts.
[Ding ~ Today's intelligence has been updated]
[Intelligence 1: Today at 10:30 AM sharp (immediately after the opening ceremony concludes), Kamuro Masumi of Class 1-A will attempt to "shoplift" a can of beer from the convenience store located on campus.]
[Intelligence 2: Horikita Suzune's body measurements are 79 / 54 / 79.]
[Intelligence 3: If you need to satisfy certain physiological needs, knock on Hoshinomiya Chie-sensei's door exactly three times at 2:00 AM sharp tomorrow morning.]
Shimizu Akira raised an eyebrow in surprise. Today's intelligence was certainly quite unexpected and varied.
Especially the third piece of information... Does this school even offer such special services? What kind of place is this?