[ Ding~ Today's intel has been updated ] [ Intel 1: The school will tally each class's Class Points at the end of every month ] [ Intel 3: Kushida Kikyou vents her emotions by kicking doors and cursing people ]
He froze. The value of these three pieces of intel far exceeded his expectations, especially the second one—that glaring number felt like a heavy punch to his retinas.
(Zero points? Class D really had... nothing?)
"Heh..."
Shimizu Akira's lips curled into a sardonic smile, and he suddenly let out a quiet laugh.
There was no joy or surprise in it, only the cold amusement of someone entertained by an absurd reality.
This was enough to keep anyone from getting angry.
"I could imagine this class being a disaster... I just didn't think it could be this bad."
Even the most pessimistic prediction should have included some baseline score. Even if you put an elementary school student in the college entrance exam, they'd guess their way to at least a few points on the multiple-choice questions.
But zero? That meant Class D had not only accomplished nothing but had probably triggered every possible penalty.
(Could it be they got zero because there were no points left to deduct?)
At that moment, Shimizu Akira clearly felt something crumbling—not Class D's dignity, but the last faint hope he'd had for the class.
(As expected... this class is beyond saving.)
The conclusion cut through his last shred of hesitation like a cold blade.
To be honest, he'd never had any expectations for the class to begin with. This intel had merely laid the harsh reality bare before him.
If the rating system had a few more tiers, they probably wouldn't even qualify as Class D. They'd be relegated to some lower Class E or Class F.
(The gap between us and Class C is a full 490 points...)
It reminded him of the way a single point on the college entrance exam could put an entire sports field between two people.
Now, between Class D and Class C lay 490 such "sports fields." This wasn't just a gap anymore; it was an almost impossible chasm to cross.
Shimizu Akira's situation at that moment was like being forced into a project team on the verge of disbanding.
The old hands on the team were either watching short videos at their desks or keeping an eye on the clock until quitting time.
At every monthly performance review, the team always ranked last in attendance and missed its KPIs, earning not a penny in bonuses.
As the newcomer, he could see the dead end clearly, but his contract kept him from leaving.
All he could do was quietly take on side jobs and struggle to make ends meet in the cracks.
It wasn't just Yamauchi Haruki and Kanji Ike who often showed up late or skipped class. The gal group Karuizawa Kei hung out with also spent plenty of time playing on their phones during lessons.
You could say that nearly half the class had broken school rules at one point or another.
(The third piece of intel! So Kushida Kikyou really has been lying? She relieves stress by kicking doors and cursing people?)
Shimizu Akira wasn't surprised. He'd known for a long time that she was two-faced.
After all, nobody was perfect. Everyone needed an outlet for their emotions.
If you kept suppressing negative feelings, they could build up and make you sick.
Shimizu Akira wasn't perfect himself. Now that he'd learned Class D had scored zero, he was feeling a little down, too.
The classroom soon grew lively.
As soon as Yamauchi Haruki and Kanji Ike entered, they eagerly started discussing the pool event, their voices loud enough to carry into the hall.
Seven or eight boys soon gathered around them, crowding around the laptop opened by the bespectacled guy they called "Professor."
"Hey, hey, I'll bet Sakura's at least a D!"
"What are you talking about? She's definitely an E! I'll put up 500 points!"
"Kushida's gotta be a D, right?"
Amid the lewd laughter, they even went so far as to draw up a betting chart, completely ignoring the disgusted looks the girls nearby were giving them.
After a week of settling in, a few key figures had gradually emerged in Class D.
First and foremost was Hirata Yosuke. Thanks to his good looks, excellent social skills, and membership in the Soccer Club, his fair and gentle manner had earned him widespread approval.
Another was Kushida Kikyou. The girl was known for her irresistibly bright smile and could always keenly sense the shifts in everyone's moods.
She hadn't arrived yet—otherwise, those boys wouldn't dare discuss her so brazenly.
Hirata was already in the classroom, chatting with a few classmates.
When he noticed the commotion in the corner, his brows furrowed slightly. Then he strode steadily toward the group of boys.
"Everyone," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "There are girls in the classroom. This kind of bet isn't appropriate, is it?"
"Ah... Hirata."
"Yeah, yeah, we got it."
The boys sheepishly dispersed.
As the class's leading figure, Hirata's words carried real weight.
However, Yamauchi Haruki and Kanji Ike remained where they were, displeasure written all over their faces.
Hirata Yosuke kept his gentle smile and smoothly changed the subject. "Why not find a girlfriend instead of doing this?"
"A girlfriend?" Yamauchi suddenly raised his voice, then lowered it as if sharing a secret. "Speaking of which... Sakura confessed to me." He spoke loudly enough for everyone nearby to hear.
"What?!" Kanji Ike widened his eyes dramatically. "Sakura, the one who always wears glasses?"
Hirata froze. His gaze swept over Sakura Airi's empty seat, and the smile on his lips slowly stiffened.
He weighed how to handle the situation. Yamauchi was clearly making things up, but with the girl in question absent, it would be difficult to call him out on the spot.
At that moment, the screech of a chair scraping across the floor suddenly sounded from the back of the classroom.
"Are you sure?"
Shimizu Akira suddenly stood up, his gaze sweeping coldly over Yamauchi Haruki and Kanji Ike.
Yamauchi's Adam's apple bobbed violently, and his face turned deathly pale.
"Ahem... I must've gotten it wrong! It was some other inconspicuous girl with glasses from the class next door!"
Like a rabbit caught in a predator's stare, he frantically scrambled back to his seat.
Kanji Ike managed to look a little calmer, but the moment he met Shimizu Akira's eyes, he froze, too.
He tugged awkwardly at the corner of his mouth, then retreated to his seat in silence.
(Shimizu Akira from the Boxing Club... At the entrance ceremony, Yamauchi said something he shouldn't have and almost got beaten to a pulp by him. Looks like he finally learned his lesson this time.)
(Is this how Shimizu handles problems?)
Hirata looked thoughtful, then gave Shimizu Akira a grateful glance.
Sakura Airi was an extremely introverted girl.
Almost no one in the classroom ever spoke to her of their own accord. During lunch, she always sat alone in a corner, quietly eating her boxed lunch with her head down.
Since Shimizu Akira sat to her left, he occasionally exchanged a few words with her, but that was all. Even her replies were barely audible; there was no way she'd ever speak first.
Could Sakura Airi really have suddenly confessed to Yamauchi Haruki?
It wasn't that he looked down on Yamauchi. It was just that the guy was... impossible to describe.
All day long, he went on about "girls" and "romance." Nine out of every ten things he said had something to do with sex. He bragged about how popular he was, but in reality, most of the girls in the class couldn't be bothered to give him a second glance.
He was average-looking, had mediocre grades and athletic ability, and didn't even have a single likable quality anyone could point to—because no one would bother remembering anything about him in the first place.
Shimizu Akira shot Yamauchi a cold look.
Thinking of all the absurd boasts the guy made and considering how introverted Sakura Airi was—so quiet she was almost invisible—the answer was obvious.
Yamauchi had simply decided Sakura was an easy target who wouldn't talk back, so he felt free to make up such a stupid lie about her.
There was nothing unusual about guys bragging to each other, but they should at least have some limits.
Bragging about getting high marks or being popular in middle school, no matter how ridiculous, only involved yourself.
But Yamauchi? He was trying to boost his own image by using a girl who was afraid to speak loudly as a stepping stone.
That wasn't just vanity. It meant something was wrong with him.
Shimizu Akira had already been holding in a lot of anger over the news that everyone in Class D had scored zero, so he didn't hold back when he called Yamauchi out.
The result was exactly what he'd expected.
Yamauchi's expression stiffened instantly. His lips moved a few times, but he couldn't manage a single decent retort.
In the end, he could only flush red and mutter, "...I mistook her for someone else," before slinking back to his seat.
(Can students drop out of this school...?)
Watching Yamauchi hunch over in his seat, Shimizu Akira suddenly had the faintly curious thought.
Yamauchi Haruki was practically a walking burden: bottom of the class in grades, no special talents, always causing trouble.
Even in Class D, known for its "problem children," he still managed to be one of the worst.
That gave you an idea of just how useless he was.
Still, ever since the entrance ceremony, Yamauchi hadn't directly picked a fight with him.
This time, he'd talked a load of nonsense, but at least he'd admitted his mistake once he'd been called out.
Shimizu Akira noticed Hirata Yosuke looking at him with concern and raised an eyebrow.
(Hirata... does he think I'm about to hit someone?)
The thought made him let out a wry chuckle.
His mood wasn't great, but he wasn't about to throw a punch over something this trivial.
Besides, he actually respected Hirata, the class representative. That sunny boy always went out of his way to help shy classmates fit in, patiently tutored students with poor grades, and even paid out of his own pocket to organize class dinners.
He could never become a "saint" like that, but as a JOJO fan in his previous life, he had always respected people who shone with the "Golden Spirit."
Shimizu Akira took out his phone and typed a few lines in the chat.
The previous week, during a casual conversation, Hirata had offered to exchange contact information with him. He hadn't expected to use it so soon.
Shimizu Akira: Don't worry, Hirata. No matter how annoyed I get, I wouldn't start a fight in the classroom. This is a place for studying.
Shimizu Akira: Violence doesn't solve anything. I always believe in reasoning with people.
After sending the messages, Shimizu Akira habitually glanced in Hirata's direction.
To his surprise, the usually composed boy was staring at his phone screen, wearing a rare look of astonishment.
(Huh...? Did I say something outrageous?)
Shimizu Akira frowned in confusion. As far as he could tell, he'd only said some perfectly ordinary things—made his position clear without putting Hirata in an awkward spot.
Hirata was usually so socially adept that he should have been able to handle something like that easily.
Yet his reaction now looked as if he'd received a message that had turned his whole worldview upside down.
Shimizu Akira couldn't help wondering if he'd accidentally touched on some sensitive subject.
His phone suddenly vibrated, interrupting Shimizu Akira's thoughts.
He looked down and saw a message from his homeroom teacher, Chabashira Sae, on the screen:
[Chabashira Sae: Come to my office after school. We need to talk.]
Shimizu Akira's brows furrowed without him realizing it.
Why would this homeroom teacher, who usually let her students do as they pleased, suddenly want to see him?
(Could it be because... I didn't share that crucial intel with the whole class?)
Before you continue