After-School Chitchat

It had already been several days since the start of the school year.

"Everything's so peaceful." Amasawa Yuto leaned against the railing beside the Artificial Lake behind the Dormitory Building.

" there's nothing wrong with taking it easy. That's how our past year went, wasn't it?"

Tsubaki Yuki gently brushed aside the strands of hair the breeze had tousled around her ear, her gaze fixed on the same lake as Yuto's.

Fine ripples spread across the water, while the fading sunlight broke into patches of dancing light.

A few wild ducks leisurely glided across the lake in the distance, leaving two trails that gradually faded away.

"That's true..." Amasawa rested his arm on the railing and propped his chin on the back of his hand. "I've been wondering whether to try something lately."

"Try what?"

"To see how far the school will let us go."

Tsubaki didn't understand. "You mean like Ryuen in Class C?"

The wind blew, lifting her hair again. This time, she couldn't be bothered to brush it aside and let the pale-yellow strands sweep across her cheek.

Apparently, Ryuen Kakeru of Class C ruled his class with an attitude of "I'm the only one who matters," using violence to force everyone to obey him.

Anyone who refused to comply got "dealt with" until they fell in line, at least on the surface.

"Not quite that far, but even after Ryuen caused that much trouble, their homeroom teacher, Sakagami Kazuma, hasn't said a word. That suggests the school tacitly accepts a certain amount of violence within the classes."

"That sounds awful." Tsubaki furrowed her brow.

"Isn't the White Room the same? Violence is an obvious way to monopolize power, and it's a usable tool. I don't think there's anything wrong with Ryuen's approach."

"I wonder how he brought that big, dark-skinned guy to heel. Come to think of it, is he even Japanese?"

Tsubaki was talking about Yamada Albert of Class 1-C, a tall, dark-skinned, muscular man.

His massive build was intimidating enough on its own, and he was always wearing sunglasses. He looked like the sort of guy who'd start dancing around and rapping as soon as someone handed him a microphone.

Yet this hulking man now submitted to Ryuen and followed behind him like a dutiful bodyguard.

Ryuen pointed, and Yamada struck. With Ryuen and Yamada together, it was probably only a matter of time before Class C fell completely under Ryuen's violent rule.

If the classes ever competed in a brawl, they'd have a huge advantage.

"Ryuen doesn't look all that strong, either. I wonder how he brought Yamada to heel," Tsubaki said.

She'd once crossed paths with Ryuen while buying an eraser. She admitted he had a delinquent streak, but was he really that good at fighting?

By Yuki's instincts, he didn't seem exceptionally strong. Maybe he could take on several of the problem students in her class, like Yamauchi and Ike, or a bookworm like Yukimura Teruhiko, but compared to the whole school...

"Physique doesn't mean much. Someone with a slight build can still be a good fighter, and being muscular doesn't necessarily make you strong. To a certain extent, technique can make up for a gap in brute strength," Yuto replied casually.

"Even so, even if you factor in technique, you don't think Ryuen could beat Yamada, do you?"

"Who knows? They both seem like they're at a level I could take down in ten seconds. I really can't see much difference."

"Wow, that's so cocky. But somehow, coming from you, it's surprisingly convincing. You stayed there for another eight years after I left, right? How strong are you now? I remember you could beat the martial arts instructor when you were seven."

"I'm not sure. Since that incident, it's been hard to find a situation where I need to go all out."

An awkward silence suddenly fell between them. Naturally, it was because of the words Yuto had just said: "that incident."

The incident that had led to Kiyotaka's death.

As Yuto considered how to get the conversation going again, an unexpected visitor came to his rescue.

"Oh, Amasawa and Tsubaki, are you two admiring the view?" The person who happened to walk by and greet them was Ichinose Honami of Class 1-B.

She was still in her school uniform, apparently just back from school and on her way to the dorm to change.

Ichinose Honami was one of the first-year girls who rivaled Kushida Kikyo in popularity, and might even have surpassed her.

They'd added each other as friends after a chance meeting in the hallway, since they'd already met on the bus at the start of the school year.

"School ended a while ago, didn't it? Are you only getting back now, Ichinose?"

"Ahaha... Since I'm the class representative, I stayed at school to help the teacher with some paperwork."

Tsubaki looked surprised. "Huh, there's a class representative position? I don't think we've heard anything about that in our class."

"It's not something the school requires. The students in each class just hold their own election for class officers. There's not only a class representative, but also a sports representative, a study representative, and things like that."

"Speaking of the class representative of Class B, Ichinose is obviously the best person for the job."

"Haha, you're giving me too much credit, Amasawa. Ever since I became class representative, I've gradually started to feel the responsibility everyone has placed on me."

"So you volunteered to help the teacher with paperwork today?"

"Yeah. I want to help everyone as much as I can, including Hoshinomiya-sensei."

"Everyone in Class B is so close. It really feels like a united class!" Tsubaki gazed at them longingly, then thought of her own Class D. "Compared to that, the students in our class are a little..."

"Ahaha... It's not because I'm especially capable. The people in Class B are just really friendly. If I were in Class D, I'd do my best, but I don't think I'd do any better than you, Tsubaki. Actually, we all agreed to go to the shopping center's karaoke place today."

At that, Ichinose suddenly clapped her hands as if she'd thought of a great idea. "Oh! In that case, Amasawa and Tsubaki, why don't you come along to our Class B get-together? Are you both free later today?"

"Huh, is that okay? It's a Class B get-together, isn't it?" Yuki's eyes widened slightly.

"Tsubaki, you don't realize how popular you are with the girls, do you?" Ichinose gave her signature warm, understanding smile.

"Me? Popular?"

"Of course! Tsubaki Yuki looks so refined, and she's cute with a great figure, too. She's got such a lovely personality, but for some reason, she doesn't have many friends in class. There's something mysterious and melancholic about her."

Ichinose's words made Tsubaki blush. "W-who are you talking about?"

"What's wrong with that, Yuki? Let's go together," Amasawa said.

"W-well, if even Yuto says so..." Tsubaki looked a little giddy from all the praise, so Yuto quickly brought her back down to earth.

"Then I'll go back and change, too! Are you both coming, Amasawa and Tsubaki?"

"Yeah. I'll go change out of my uniform, too. Since we're going to karaoke for once, wearing our uniforms would be a bit of a mood killer."

Yuto quietly worked out his plan. Perhaps it was a plan only Class B was worthy of carrying out.