(Note: Skipped the pool episode.
No illustrations, the main heroine is guaranteed to just be spectating anyway, and based on the protagonist’s setup, there’s no way he could lose the competition.) –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The day after I joined the Karate Club.
As usual, I woke up at 4:00 AM, ate breakfast, watered the flowers, and studied until 6:00 AM.
After finishing a meticulous strength-training session, I completed my fixed routine by going out for a run.
During my runs, I occasionally bump into Mr.
Six—a.k.a.
Koenji—and when that happens, we jog side-by-side while having a pleasant chat.
“Hey!
You over there!” “Oh?” It seems today’s encounter isn’t Koenji.
Turning my eyes toward the voice, I spotted a female student with distinctive long, strawberry-blond hair.
Hmm, a level of development that would make Arisu jealous if she saw it…
Whoops, bad Kiriha, bad.
Comparing a woman by her chest is a compliance violation.
I’d end up getting sued for sexual harassment and eating prison food.
“What’s up, Salmon-chan?
Need something from me?” “Salmon-chan!?” “You’re a girl with pink hair just like salmon, so: Salmon-chan.” “Th-That naming sense is a bit too unique, so I think I’ll pass on it…” “Hmm?
…Ah, sorry, would Shake-chan have been better?” “No, that’s not the issue here!?” Hmm, hmm…
She’s not quite at Secretary-chan senpai level, but she seems like a pretty fun girl.
“Just kidding, just kidding.
Naturally, no girl wants to be called a nickname named after a fish.
…So, who are you?
If I don’t know your name, I won’t even know what to call you.” “Ah…
that’s true.
Sorry, I’m—” “But you know, it’s proper manners to introduce yourself first when asking for someone’s name, right?
Yeah.
I’m Kiriha Honjo from Class 1-A.
Nice to meet you from here on out.” “U-Umm…
I’m Honami Ichinose from Class 1-B.
Nice to meet you, Honjo-kun.” “Hmm, I see.
It seems you’re a kind person.
Last time I pulled that on a short-tempered person, they flew off the handle.” “Then stop doing pranks like that!?” “Anyway, back to the topic.
Why did you call out to me, Ichinose-chan?” “You’re really someone who paces yourself at your own beat, aren’t you, Honjo-kun…?
Sorry for stopping you.
I was out jogging too, so I wondered if you’d like to run together since we’re both here.” Ho-ho, running together with me…
huh?
“I don’t mind at all, but try to keep up, okay?” “Nyahaha, I was in the track and field club in middle school, you know!
I’ll do my best not to be left behind!” “Also, here…
take this.” “Eh, um…
a flower?” “Baby’s breath.
Its language of flowers is ‘everlasting love’ and ‘pure heart.’ Giving a nickname to someone I like and handing them a flower that suits them perfectly is my recent phase.” “Th-That’s kind of embarrassing…
Thank you, Honjo-kun.” Now that we’d built some rapport and time was limited, we cut through the wind and started running.
Salmon…
Ichinose-chan, unlike Mr.
Six, had athletic capability that was around the level of a moderately fast female student, so I had to lower my pace to a light jog…
but well, it can’t be helped.
Since the other party reached out to get along, responding pleasantly is just good manners.
Even if we end up being enemies down the road.
After parting ways with Ichinose-chan, I tidied my appearance in my room and, as usual, went to meet Arisu in the lobby…
Oh?
“Why is Kamuro-chan here too?” “…What, is there a problem with me being here?” The female student glaring at me displeased was Masumi Kamuro from our class.
During the class introductions on the entrance ceremony day, she finished hers with just her name—a girl possessing a lack of communication skills putting her one step away from being a social misfit.
In the recent swimming class, she scored top among the girls, showing quite high physical ability.
…I see, she’s the kind of talent Arisu would want, but I doubt this girl would willingly approach Arisu on her own.
“Masumi-san and I hit it off yesterday over a minor occasion, and she graciously became my friend.” “Hmm…
did you catch her by the throat with some weakness?” “!?” Kamuro froze with a shocked expression.
There’s still time to spare, but if we take it too easy, we’ll be late, you know?
“Sakayanagi, what’s the meaning of this?
Weren’t we supposed to keep that matter a secret?” “No, even if you question me…” “You can figure it out with just a little thought.
You had a really disgusted face just now when Arisu called you her friend, didn’t you?” “…So what if I did?” “Which means you’re hanging out with Arisu reluctantly.
There are mainly two ways to make someone submit against their will: bend them with violence, or threaten them with leverage.
But Arisu here is weaker than a toy poodle, so force is out of the question.” “Even I get annoyed at that, Kiriha.” In reality, it’s pretty much spot on, though.
“Well, if it’s a secret between you two, I won’t pry.” “…You aren’t curious about what I messed up?” “Not at all.
Listening to other people’s failures is boring and I have zero interest.
But well, my condolences.
I think you’re going to have a rough three years ahead.
This girl looks like a Chihuahua on the outside, but she’s a hunting dog on the inside.
Once she bites down, she won’t let go easily, you know?” “Kiriha, what exactly do you think I am?” “You don’t need to sympathize with me.
I’ve accepted that doing something stupid in front of a wicked girl like this is my own self-inflicted fault.” “Masumi-san, you too?” Hmm, hmm…
On the surface, she acts extremely reluctant, but it feels like they’ll get along surprisingly well.
Since Arisu didn’t have many female friends, Kiriha-kun is relieved.
Still, feeling a bit sorry for her after all, I handed her a Shasta Daisy, which symbolizes “patience,” and she accepted it while wearing a grimace like she’d swallowed a bitter bug.
Hey, it’s not sarcasm, okay?
By the way, Arisu and I have been using the princess-carry mode to go up the stairs even after the entrance ceremony.
Watching Kamuro-chan looking extremely uncomfortable today as we went up the stairs, trying to keep as much distance as possible, was utterly hilarious.
“Doing something so embarrassing like that…
why aren’t you two even dating…” Well, isn’t that our own business?
Third period, English.
When the bell rang to signal the start of class and our homeroom teacher, Mashima-sensei, walked in, all the students were already sitting quietly in their seats.
According to what Arisu had Hashimoto look into, Class D was apparently terrible, but that sounds like a fun sight in its own right.
“Today, we will be conducting an unannounced pop quiz.
The content will test your overall ability across the five main subjects.
It won’t be reflected on your report cards, so rest assured.
Needless to say, cheating is strictly prohibited.” It won’t be reflected on your report cards…
huh?
Why do the teachers at this school use loaded phrasing every single time?
I’d really love to see the curriculum guidelines just once…
Can you buy those with points too, I wonder?
While thinking about useless things, I quietly solved the pop quiz handed to us.
A total of 20 questions for a maximum of 100 points, 4 questions per subject with a uniform 5 points each—a simple structure, but the difficulty was low enough to make me yawn.
How do they measure students’ academic abilities with a test like this…?
Just when I was thinking that, the difficulty spiked dramatically for only the last three questions.
Especially the final math problem, which required constructing an extremely complex formula—a super-hard problem well beyond the level of a first-year high schooler.
Stuff like this usually can’t be solved unless you knew the answer beforehand, so this too must be some kind of foreshadowing that’ll prove useful later.
Man, this school really is roundabout and unhelpful down to every detail.
…Well, not that it matters, since both Arisu and I solved it normally.
Time marched on, and it became May 1st.
In the outside world, students and working adults alike were probably enjoying Golden Week, but unfortunately, holidays didn’t exist at this school.
In exchange, long breaks were slightly longer than other schools, but you couldn’t deny feeling a bit ripped off.
After completing my usual routine, I met up with Arisu and Kamuro in the dormitory lobby and headed to school.
“It is now May, Kiriha.
Were you able to prepare the thing I asked for?” “Ah, right, that was a thing, wasn’t it?
…Here you go, transferred it already.” “Thank you for your hard work.” I operated my phone to send the requested item, and Arisu verified it.
Kamuro, who was watching our interaction, wore a suspicious expression.
“Honjo, you…
what did Sakayanagi ask of you?” “Something similar to the errands you’re usually forced to do.
She told me to gather points by today, and I just transferred them.” “Heh…
How much?” “5 million.” “F-F-F…
Five million!?” Oh, nice reaction.
Coming from someone who usually just wears a sullen face all the time, that’s incredibly fresh.
“Y-You…
how the heck did you get your hands on such an insane amount of points…!?” “Plucked them from upperclassmen who were hoarding them.
Ah, legally, of course, so rest assured.” “I spoke to Masumi-san about the S System the other day, didn’t I?
Since I inferred that points would become important in the future, I had Kiriha gather them.” “No, you guys are out of your minds.
That’s not an amount you request like a light errand…
Just so you know, don’t throw crazy jobs like that onto me, okay?” “No need to worry, I understand, Masumi-san.
Entrusting a case meant for Kiriha to you would only make me anxious.” “Formulating it like that pisses me off, though.” Kamuro is at a difficult age too, huh?
Furthermore, after sharing information among the three of us on the way to school, the points transferred by the school were 94,000 for all three of us.
We checked with our classmates in the classroom afterward just to be sure, and the results were the same.
Katsuragi was wearing a bitter expression directed at Arisu for some reason…
Well, he’d notice, wouldn’t he?
Since his own group was shaken to no small degree, while everyone in Arisu’s group acted completely unfazed.
By the way, according to something Hashimoto overheard, Class D students were making a fuss about points not being transferred at all.
…Whoa, seriously?
I heard they were bad, but to that extent?
Before long, the bell signaling the start of class rang, and Mashima-sensei entered the classroom holding two rolled-up white posters.
He wore his usual stern expression, but it felt like his cheeks were ever so slightly relaxed.
“We will now begin morning homeroom, but there is a lot to explain today.
I will take questions as they arise, but first, I want you to look at this.” Saying so, Mashima-sensei unrolled the white poster and pinned it to the blackboard.
The content was clear at a glance: the class scores from Class A to D.
Class A …
940 cpt Class B …
650 cpt Class C …
490 cpt Class D …
0 cpt Then, Mashima-sensei explained the details of the S System.
Points in this school come in two types: Class Points (cpt) and Private Points (ppt), and Class Points fluctuate in real time according to the students’ merit.
Over the past month, there were no bonus point elements; the current Class Points were the result of deductions based on misconduct by enrolled students—such as tardiness, absences, talking during class, or sleeping.
When Katsuragi asked about the detailed criteria for point deductions, he was told it was classified information.
The reason for such a neat ordering was, according to Mashima-sensei, because classes were divided in order of capability from A to D.
…Sorry, Totsuka, when he explained ‘capable students,’ I couldn’t help but glance at you.
Furthermore, Class Points and classes are tightly linked.
For instance, if our Class A Class Points had been dragged down to 649 points, we would have been demoted to Class B.
And finally…
this Advanced Nurturing High School is famous for fulfilling almost 100% of desired higher education and employment paths, but that benefit is granted only to students who graduate from Class A.
The state bears zero responsibility for students in Class B and below.
This was truly a shocking revelation.
Since most students enrolled in this school lured by that very catchphrase, from here on out, students from Class B to D will try with all their might to drag Class A down, while Class A will desperately kick down the lower classes.
Imagining the turbulent inter-class war ahead…
“My heart is dancing, Kiriha.” “Indeed.
That’s my general for you.” To be frank, neither Arisu nor I need support from the state.
Failing to graduate from Class A in a merit-based school might leave a minor flaw on one’s record, but to us, such a thing isn’t even a hurdle.
Whether we can enjoy ourselves or not—that’s all that matters.
“Sensei, may I ask a question?” “Sakayanagi, go ahead.” “Could you tell us the methods for increasing Class Points?
My guess is that achieving results in academics or club activities would be involved.” “I cannot reveal everything, but your guess is generally correct.
If you achieve outstanding results in club competitions, Private Points will be awarded, and Class Points will also increase.
And speaking strictly about the upcoming midterms, depending on your grades, a minimum of 100 Class Points will be awarded.
Well, consider it a reward of sorts for overcoming your first exam since enrolling.” Overcoming, huh?
Judging by the number of desks in the upperclassmen’s classrooms, it seems just graduating won’t be easy either.
Before long, Mashima-sensei pinned another poster to the blackboard.
It contained the results of the unannounced pop quiz from the other day.
Naturally, Arisu and I scored full marks…
Katsuragi got a 90.
He’s capable, sure, but if he’s going to compete with Arisu in the future, I would’ve liked him to try a bit harder.
Most of the other students were around 80 to 85 points…
but woah, Totsuka, getting a 65 on that test is a bit much.
Missing the last three questions is understandable, but failing anywhere else is an absolute no-go.
With Katsuragi’s right-hand man like that, the future looks dim…
…Hello~ Kamuro-chan?
Unless my eyes deceive me, I can see the number 70 over there.
When I looked over at Kamuro, our eyes met for a brief moment, but she awkwardly averted her gaze.
…It’s pitiable, but girl, it looks like a study hell has been decided for you for the foreseeable future, huh?
Because Arisu—who was deep in thought just a moment ago—is laughing, or rather sneering, with great amusement right now.
“Hypothetically, let’s treat this pop quiz as a periodic exam result.
The average score is 82, so the failing mark is half of that, which is 41 points.
While no student received a failing mark this time, be warned that if you receive a failing mark in even a single subject on a periodic exam, you will be expelled on the spot.” At the harsh measure of expulsion for a single failing mark, several students in the class buzzed with anxiety.
Under this failing mark system, scoring 50 or above puts you in the safe zone, so if you study seriously and take care not to make mistakes like leaving your name blank, you won’t get a failing mark.
Normally, it’s not something to be so pessimistic about.
However, this is a school that conducts pop quizzes with such an unbalanced difficulty curve; predicting the trend of questions at this point is practically impossible.
It’s only natural for them to feel anxious.
“There are three weeks left until the midterm exam.
I doubt there is anything to worry about for you all, but strive even harder than before.
A result where every single one of you gets full marks in all five subjects is by no means impossible.
…Now then, I will end homeroom early, so make sure the whole class properly discusses your future policy.” With that, Mashima-sensei left the classroom.
He said something curious at the very end…
but well, putting that aside, things are about to get interesting.
Glancing at Katsuragi heading toward the podium, I eagerly await the upcoming clash.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ★ Kiriha-kun’s Current Favorite Ranking ★ * Arisu Sakayanagi * Rokusuke Koenji * Akane Tachibana * Manabu Horikita * Honami Ichinose Rank 1 is in a league of its own, while ranks 2 and 3 are so close that they could shift over the smallest occasion.