The air in the Counseling Room was rich with the aroma of tea, but it couldn't dispel the heavy mood brought on by Hoshinomiya-sensei's "overthrowing those above you" rule. The ambition to replace Class A struck Ichinose Honami like a boulder dropped into water, sending ripples of Fighting Spirit through her heart. Shimiya Kuki, meanwhile, remained as still as a deep pool. With the rules now completely clear, he was calculating a more precise path in his mind.
Hoshinomiya-sensei seemed quite pleased with the atmosphere she had created. She set down her teacup elegantly, and her gaze, sharp as a scalpel, finally settled on Shimiya Kuki. The sweet smile on her face now carried an unmistakable air of scrutiny.
"After all that buildup, little Shimiya," she said softly, her voice brushing against the most sensitive nerves like a feather, "what I want to talk to you about now is you." She paused, tapping her fingers absently against the smooth tabletop. "First, there's this." As she spoke, she took a sheet of paper from the folder beside her and gently slid it in front of Shimiya Kuki.
Clearly printed on the paper were the subjects and scores from the Entrance Adaptation Exam: five subjects, all of them perfect scores.
"This outstanding Report Card is proof enough that your Academic Ability is unfathomable." Hoshinomiya's gaze sharpened. "But this school values more than just grades. I also have your entrance evaluation here."
Her words were like a stone tossed into a still lake. Shimiya Kuki looked up, calmly glanced over the perfect-score Report Card, then met Hoshinomiya's amber eyes, which seemed able to see into people's hearts. His expression didn't change.
Hoshinomiya-sensei didn't beat around the bush. "There's a line in your evaluation that left a deep impression on me: 'This student has exceptional potential, but appears to be bound by invisible shackles, displaying a strong tendency toward self-isolation and detachment from interpersonal relationships. The heights he reaches in the future will depend on whether he can break through his Mental Barrier.'"
She read it out word for word, her voice ringing clearly through the quiet Counseling Room. Ichinose Honami covered her mouth in surprise and looked at Shimiya with concern.
Shimiya Kuki's fingers, resting on his knees, twitched ever so slightly. He remained silent, neither denying nor explaining anything. His eyes were deep and calm.
Hoshinomiya-sensei watched his reaction, and her smile faded a little. "So, little Shimiya, I want to ask you directly." She leaned forward slightly. "At this Advanced Nurturing High School, during these three years, putting aside class rankings and Points, what do you personally hope to gain? Or, what do you hope to change?"
The Counseling Room fell silent. Ichinose Honami held her breath.
Shimiya Kuki was silent for several seconds. Hoshinomiya waited patiently. At last, he spoke, his voice low and clear, without a trace of emotion.
"I... want to change myself."
Six brief words.
A look of understanding flashed in Hoshinomiya-sensei's eyes, and the corners of her mouth lifted into a smile that was both pleased and teasing.
"Changing yourself... That's a good goal!" Her voice was encouraging, but then she shifted gears, her tone gentle yet penetrating. "But, little Shimiya..." She tilted her head slightly. "Why do I get the feeling that you've been... deliberately keeping your distance from everyone?"
She called him out without hesitation.
"Just look at you now," she said, glancing at the deliberate distance between Shimiya and Ichinose. "You clearly have impressive abilities and are a valuable asset to Class B, yet you always keep yourself apart from everyone else. You stay quiet during group discussions and keep to the sidelines at class activities. Even your classmates who sincerely want to get close to you and help you fit in, like little Honami, seem to be pushed away, however subtly." She glanced at Ichinose, who lowered her head, looking a little embarrassed.
"Wanting to change yourself is a good thing." Hoshinomiya's voice grew serious and heartfelt. "But, little Shimiya, if you keep yourself trapped behind a barrier called 'the past' or 'habit,' building high walls and refusing to form deep connections with the outside world and your classmates, then that change will always remain superficial. You might even stop making progress altogether."
"Barrier," she repeated, her gaze burning. "It can protect you from certain potential hurts, but it also shuts out the sunlight, the air, and the nourishment you need to grow. It makes you feel safe, but it also leaves you lonely. It limits your perspective and keeps you from experiencing richer emotions and possibilities. In this school, individual strength certainly matters, but true strength often comes from connecting with others and working together, from contributing your strengths to a team, and from the warmth and support of being needed and trusted by your classmates."
Shimiya Kuki remained silent, his expression perfectly calm as he simply watched Hoshinomiya.
A moment later, he spoke again, his voice steady and even.
"Perhaps... you're right. Perhaps those habits and reservations are still there." He acknowledged the barrier. "From now on... I'll work to overcome them."
He stated the words "work to overcome them" calmly.
A pleased smile appeared on Hoshinomiya-sensei's face. She nodded. "I believe in you, little Shimiya. Being willing to admit there's a problem and face it is the first step toward change. This school, this class, will be the perfect place for you to try breaking through your barrier and embracing new possibilities."
Her gaze then turned to Ichinose Honami, who had listened quietly the whole time, her eyes full of concern and encouragement. Her tone brightened again.
"Now then, little Honami, let me ask you, too. As the trusted heart of our Class B, what's your goal? Especially now that you know about the possibility of 'overthrowing those above you'?"
The change of topic eased the mood a little. Hoshinomiya-sensei didn't wait for Ichinose to answer before adding, her smile perceptive, "Of course, I know that students like little Shimiya, who come here with a special goal, are rare. For most students who enter this Advanced Nurturing High School, isn't the biggest draw the nearly one-hundred-percent guarantee of getting into a top university and recommendations for jobs at leading companies promised by the School Administration?" Her gaze swept over the two students, her tone carrying a touch of sobering realism. "But remember—this tempting privilege is granted only to graduates of Class A."
Her words rang like an alarm bell, once again underscoring the harsh reality of Competition between classes and the value of Class A's status.
Ichinose Honami sat up straight, her bright eyes shining with unwavering determination. She answered without hesitation. "Yes, Hoshinomiya-sensei! That's exactly why my goal is crystal clear now! I want to lead everyone in Class B up to Class A, so that we can all graduate from Class A and claim the future that belongs to the victors! The 'overthrowing those above you' rule is the opportunity we have to seize if we want to achieve that goal!"
Hoshinomiya-sensei nodded in approval. "That's an ambitious goal, little Honami! Leading the whole class upward takes strong unity and leadership." Her gaze returned to Shimiya Kuki, carrying a hint of mischief and encouragement. "Little Shimiya, did you hear that? Little Honami is shouldering the future of the entire class, fighting so that everyone can earn Class A's privileges. You said you'd 'work to overcome' your barrier. I'm looking forward to seeing you put those words into action."
She leaned forward slightly, her smile warm and full of meaning.
"If accepting everyone in class all at once feels difficult... why not try starting with someone you trust? Maybe start with little Honami. How does that sound?"
Hoshinomiya-sensei had successfully planted in Shimiya Kuki's heart the desire to "break through his barrier," while the practical goal of earning Class A's privileges had ignited Ichinose's Fighting Spirit. The conversation between teacher and students in the Counseling Room had quietly shifted from examining an individual's struggles to forging a path toward a future for the whole class. Shimiya Kuki's calm gaze settled on the paper before him, its perfect scores printed across it, then slowly moved away.
Just then, Ichinose Honami took a deep breath and turned toward Shimiya Kuki. Her clear eyes were full of sincerity and hope, and her voice was gentle yet unwavering.
"Shimiya-kun, Hoshinomiya-sensei is right. There's no way I can achieve our goal of having the whole class graduate from Class A on my own." She paused slightly, looking straight into Shimiya's calm eyes. "Our Class B needs everyone's strength, especially that of classmates like you, who are so capable. Your intelligence and cool judgment are incredibly important to us."
There was a hint of earnestness in her tone, but above all, it was full of trust and invitation.
"So, Shimiya-kun... as you work to change yourself and break through your barrier, and as we fight for our shared goal, will you lend me your strength?"
Hoshinomiya-sensei's words and Ichinose's trusting, hopeful gaze were like invisible threads winding around the barrier he had built. The suggestion to "start with little Honami," and Ichinose's direct request for his strength now, reached Shimiya Kuki clearly. He remained silent, his expression unchanged, simply meeting Ichinose's gaze with calm eyes. The path to change, and the expectations placed upon him, now lay before him in a quiet but unmistakable way.
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