The spacious gymnasium was packed with students.
Freshmen, upperclassmen, and faculty members had all gathered for the entrance ceremony.
The first-year students stood in four orderly columns according to their classes.
As expected, Kaoru Hanayama stood at the end of the boys’ line for Class 1-D.
Classical music drifted through the speakers, filling the hall with a solemn atmosphere.
Growing slightly bored, Hanayama casually rolled his shoulders before turning his attention to the class beside his own.
Class C.
“Move over! You’re in the way!”
“Huh?! Say that again, punk! I’ll knock your teeth out!”
Students shoved one another, cursed loudly, and argued without restraint.
Near the center of the group stood a long-haired young man with both hands in his pockets, wearing a fearless grin.
(A gathering of amateurs.)
Hanayama silently reached his conclusion.
From the perspective of the underworld, calling them “delinquents” would have been giving them too much credit.
They possessed neither genuine intimidation nor any sense of responsibility.
They were simply loud teenagers trying to appear dangerous.
If he ended up in Class C…
He would probably be dragged into pointless fights every day.
That sounded exhausting.
Next, Hanayama shifted his gaze toward Class B.
Unlike Class C, their formation was remarkably orderly.
Students stood neatly in line with proper spacing between them.
Most faced the stage with straight backs.
Some of the girls quietly smiled and chatted with one another, creating an atmosphere that was both lively and harmonious.
(So this is what an honor class looks like.)
They were undoubtedly excellent students.
But…
Hanayama instinctively felt that he didn’t belong among them.
There was nothing wrong with people like them.
In a peaceful society, they represented what most people should aspire to become.
Their world simply wasn’t his.
A yakuza had no place among students who lived such ordinary lives.
Finally…
Hanayama looked toward the class standing closest to the stage.
Class A.
His thick eyebrows rose slightly.
(…What’s this?)
It was their very first day of school.
Most of them shouldn’t even know each other’s names.
Yet every student stood perfectly straight.
Not one whispered.
Not one looked away from the stage.
Not one shifted their posture.
Their discipline was almost unnerving.
To many people…
It would appear impressive.
To Hanayama…
It looked lifeless.
(They’ve already lost the spirit of youth.)
For a brief moment, the students before him reminded him of salarymen walking through the neon-lit streets of Ginza and Shinbashi after another exhausting day at work.
Class A was exceptional.
There was no denying that.
But they had accepted being molded by the system far too willingly.
Hanayama quietly scoffed.
Young people should challenge injustice.
They should throw punches for what they believed in.
They should bleed, struggle, and fight against unreasonable odds.
That reckless vitality…
That stubborn pride…
Those things seemed almost completely absent from Class A.
To Hanayama…
There was no group more suffocating.
(Boring.)
He looked away.
Then…
He lowered his gaze toward his own classmates.
Class D.
“Whoa! Look!”
“That girl from Class B is gorgeous!”
“Damn, I’m definitely asking for her number later!”
A few meters ahead, Haruki Yamauchi and Kanji Ike craned their necks toward the other classes while laughing and making immature comments.
“Oi.”
“Keep it down.”
“The teachers are gonna hear you.”
Ken Sudō, arms folded across his chest, clicked his tongue in annoyance.
Ironically…
One of his legs had been shaking ever since the ceremony began.
“Everyone, please keep your voices down.”
“The principal’s speech is about to start.”
Yōsuke Hirata smiled helplessly as he tried to calm everyone.
“Oh, come on, boys~”
“At least try to look cool during the entrance ceremony.”
Kikyō Kushida giggled, teasing the boys before returning to her conversation with Kei Karuizawa and the other girls.
The class was a mess.
Students whispered.
They laughed.
They fidgeted.
Their posture was terrible.
No one looked particularly disciplined.
Objectively speaking…
They were probably the least organized class in the entire grade.
Yet…
The corners of Hanayama’s mouth lifted ever so slightly.
(Not bad.)
There was no suffocating discipline.
No empty displays of superiority.
Just a collection of imperfect teenagers.
A little noisy.
A little reckless.
A little immature.
But alive.
(Class D…)
(This might actually be a comfortable place.)
Eventually, the principal’s lengthy speech came to an end.
After a final announcement, the ceremony was dismissed.
The freshmen gradually left the gymnasium with their respective classes.
For the first time since arriving…
They were finally free.
“Finally!”
“That speech took forever!”
“Hey, let’s go shopping!”
“We’ve got one hundred thousand points to spend!”
As expected, Yamauchi and Ike were the first to start shouting.
The other boys quickly joined in.
Laughter spread through the group.
Sensing the perfect opportunity, Hirata stepped forward with his usual warm smile.
“If everyone is interested…”
“How about we visit the Keyaki Mall together?”
“We could think of it as our first class gathering.”
“That sounds great!”
“I’m in!”
The suggestion was immediately accepted.
Both the boys and the girls enthusiastically agreed.
The group naturally began organizing itself.
Then…
Hirata turned toward the largest obstacle.
Hanayama.
Despite the overwhelming pressure the giant unconsciously radiated, Hirata still approached him with a friendly smile.
“Hanayama-kun.”
“If you don’t mind…”
“Would you like to come with us?”
“I’d like to get to know you better.”
Hanayama answered without hesitation.
“…I’ll pass.”
“I need to buy a few daily necessities.”
His refusal was calm.
Polite.
Firm.
The truth was simple.
Everyone in Class D was still a stranger.
If he joined them…
No one would be able to relax.
Their conversations would become awkward.
Even drinking coffee would probably become a tense experience.
Hanayama wasn’t insensitive enough to put them through that.
“I see…”
“That’s a shame.”
Hirata smiled wryly.
“Well…”
“Let’s all hang out together another time.”
He didn’t force the issue.
He simply waved goodbye before leading the others toward the shopping mall.
Hanayama gave a small nod in return.
Then, carrying only himself—
His suitcase and every one of his vices still confiscated at the security checkpoint—
He quietly walked alone toward the massive Keyaki Mall.