"Amakawa Ryouma, right?"
"Could you spare me a little of your time?"
Looking at Suzune Horikita, who stood before him with a cold expression and a compass clenched in her hand, Ryouma felt somewhat helpless.
Although her words sounded like a question, her imposing demeanor made it seem as though refusal wasn't an option.
'Seriously, what kind of gang member are you?!'
'Are you planning to drag me into the bathroom and stab me to death?!'
"Sorry, but I have something to discuss with Chabashira-sensei right now. If you absolutely insist on asking me out, Suzune, then let's leave it until after school. I should have some time to go on a date with you then."
Ryouma spread his hands helplessly and walked straight past Horikita.
Hearing his words, Horikita's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly.
She immediately abandoned her plan to take revenge on Ryouma for the time being.
This school seemed to harbor many inexplicable mysteries.
Compared to obtaining valuable information, dealing with Ryouma was an insignificant matter.
"What business do you have with Chabashira-sensei?"
Horikita quickly caught up with Ryouma before adding another sentence.
"And stop calling me Suzune!"
"I don't see any reason why I need to tell you."
Ryouma raised an eyebrow.
"Right, Suzune?"
"You..."
Horikita's words caught in her throat.
However, this time, she didn't bother arguing about how he addressed her.
Instead, she calmly replied,
"You're right. There's no reason for you to tell me. In that case, why don't we exchange information and analyze the situation together?"
"Based on what Chabashira-sensei told us, this government-established school doesn't seem nearly as strict as I imagined. On the contrary, its treatment of students is absurdly generous. There must be something wrong with that."
"Amakawa-kun, what do you think?"
Horikita didn't believe there was anything wrong with Ryouma's earlier statement.
After all, they were practically strangers.
He genuinely had no obligation to tell her anything.
However, she had also noticed something unusual about this school.
This was the very school her older brother, Manabu Horikita, had chosen to attend.
'How could a school chosen by my brother possibly be ordinary?'
That fact alone was enough to keep Horikita constantly on guard.
Unfortunately, with her narrow perspective, she could only rely on her almost beastlike instincts to sense that something was amiss. This story is hosted at g.com.
She couldn't figure out exactly what was wrong.
"Well, obviously, I look with my eyes."
Ryouma answered with a smile.
Then, leaving only his retreating back behind, he continued walking without any intention of paying her further attention.
"Are you an idiot?!"
Horikita was practically exploding with anger.
'What's wrong with sharing information, analyzing things together, and cooperating for mutual benefit?!'
She simply couldn't understand why Ryouma refused to cooperate.
...
Faculty Office
At this moment, Sae Chabashira had already returned to the faculty office ahead of schedule.
She was the only person there.
The other teachers were probably still dealing with questions from their students.
"So Class D is hopeless again this year?"
Sitting in her office chair, Chabashira lit a slim cigarette.
This year's Class D had once again left her deeply disappointed.
As far as she was concerned, she had already provided them with more than enough information!
Anyone with half a brain should understand that there was no such thing as a free lunch.
And yet, not a single one of those students had raised any questions.
'Absolutely ridiculous.'
'Kiyotaka Ayanokoji!'
A name slowly surfaced in Chabashira's mind.
An apparently ordinary high school student, yet the chairman himself had personally issued instructions regarding him.
'Does he have an extraordinary background, or is there genuinely something special about him?'
"Well, whatever. As long as he's attending this school, I'll find out sooner or later."
Chabashira couldn't help thinking that way.
Those with genuine ability would naturally distinguish themselves.
Those without it would eventually disappear into the crowd.
That was the nature of Advanced Nurturing High School, where ability reigned supreme.
"Come in."
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
Anyone who bothered knocking was unlikely to be a teacher.
Sure enough, two students from Class D soon entered the office.
"Amakawa Ryouma and Suzune Horikita, correct? What do you need?"
As someone determined to climb to Class A, Chabashira naturally knew her own students extremely well.
One was among the heirs to the Amakawa conglomerate.
The other was an outstanding student whose academic performance was more than sufficient to qualify for Class A.
Chabashira couldn't help feeling a little anticipation.
"I have a personal matter I'd like to discuss with you, Sensei."
Ryouma spoke first.
He deliberately avoided using words such as "question" or "inquiry," eliminating any possibility of Horikita joining the conversation.
After all, since they were both students of Class D, it would be difficult to exclude a classmate from a discussion without a legitimate reason.
However, a private matter was an entirely different story.
"..."
Horikita understood this perfectly well.
Her delicate eyebrows knitted together, clearly revealing her dissatisfaction.
"Very well. Horikita, wait outside for a moment."
Chabashira was quite pleased with how thoroughly Ryouma had handled the situation.
She then led him into a separate room within the faculty office.
Watching the two disappear, Horikita was certain that Ryouma intended to ask questions she hadn't even thought of.
Those questions might very well concern the school's rules.
Unfortunately...
She had no legitimate reason to join their conversation.
As for eavesdropping?
Leaving aside the fact that the room's soundproofing was excellent, Horikita looked down on such behavior in the first place.
Filled with unwillingness and frustration, Horikita stepped outside the faculty office to wait.
Although she considered most of the students in Class D to be nothing more than hindrances, there was no doubt that Ryouma had already become an exception.
However...
'In order to catch up with my older brother in third-year Class A, I absolutely have to uncover this school's rules.'
'I have to demonstrate my abilities.'
'And become someone my brother can be proud of.'