Classroom of the Elite, I Can Add Points Infinitely Chapter 18

"Wang Meiyu, so you're in Class D. This is our second time meeting, right?"

The girl with blue twin-tails felt a flicker of joy in her eyes. She clutched her small fists against her chest in excitement, and anyone could hear the surprise in her response.

"Y-yes, it's me. Aragaki-kun, you actually remember me?"

"You were the first high school classmate I met on the bus on the first day, and a fellow countryman from the mainland at that. My memory of you is quite vivid, Wang Meiyu."

To meet a fellow countryman from the mainland who spoke Mandarin on the school bus on the very first day of high school—that had to be some kind of fate.

It wasn't just Aragaki Shun who thought so; when she heard that familiar Mandarin, Wang Meiyu had been even more excited than him at the time. The girl, who should have been quite timid, had abandoned her shyness and chattered away with him, complaining about all sorts of things regarding life here in Sakurajima.

After the bus arrived at the stop, the two naturally said their goodbyes, agreeing to stay in touch within the school if fate allowed.

It was just that later on, Aragaki Shun was busy trying to understand the various special rules of Advanced Nurturing, and considering that she was a girl, he thought it might be inconvenient for a boy to visit her class, so he never took the initiative to look for this friend he'd met on the bus.

After all, it was just a casual acquaintance; he decided to let things take their natural course.

"I, I felt the same. I kept hoping that if fate allowed, I could see you again, Aragaki-kun, but then I heard you seemed busy challenging all the major clubs, so I didn't..."

Wang Meiyu's voice grew quieter as she spoke, giving the impression of someone who had received a gift only to lose it shortly after.

Unlike Wang Meiyu, who could only act as a background character beside Kushida Kikyo in Class D, Aragaki Shun had been the biggest topic of conversation at Advanced Nurturing all week. Finding out which class he was in would have been incredibly easy.

Wang Meiyu had thought about going directly to Class B to find him, but as the rumors about him became increasingly exaggerated, she lost the courage to do so.

At the end of the day, they had only met once on a bus and chatted a bit more because they were from the same land. A girl as ordinary as her, without that stroke of fate, would likely never even catch the eye of someone like him.

Especially later on, as Aragaki Shun went around defeating club after club and beating more and more upperclassmen, the girls in her class would always steer the conversation toward him. She felt even less confident about admitting that she was a friend who had made a pact with him.

As a girl without any defining traits, what could she do other than follow the crowd and secretly cast a vote in the rankings compiled by the other girls?

It was better not to be delusional. It would be embarrassing if he had forgotten her entirely. Burying this accidental encounter deep in her memories was the most rational choice.

But, but, he actually has a deep impression of me right now!

Has he been waiting for me all this time? Should I have gone to find him sooner? I've already borrowed all the books he checked out from the library; should I invite him to read them together? If we read together, should it be at the library or in the dorms? Should I get a spare key for his room card? We haven't confessed yet, but I guess we could start by living together? I wonder if the school sells safety supplies? If I accidentally get pregnant, I'll have to drop out to raise the baby! I wonder if it will be a boy or a girl? If it's a boy, what should we name him? A boy and a girl as twins would be best, but if Mom and Dad find out I'm pregnant before marriage, will they...

Aragaki Shun: "..."

Why does it feel like this girl is thinking about all sorts of strange things? Her cute little face is almost steaming like an anime effect.

The boy wanted to say something but stopped, and in the end, he said nothing. He simply picked up his phone and gestured.

"Since fate has brought us together again, let's exchange contact information. If you run into any trouble in the future, feel free to come to me."

"C-contact, I understand. This is my phone number and email address. Please don't look down on me."

Aragaki Shun was speechless again. What was meant by "don't look down on me"?

Forget it. He felt that if he kept dwelling on it, he would be the one losing. So, he simply pretended not to hear those strange words and exchanged contact information with the girl as if nothing were amiss.

Seeing this, perhaps thinking that even a sidekick of Kushida Kikyo could communicate so smoothly with a central figure of Class B, and that Aragaki Shun wasn't as terrifying as the rumors suggested, a crowd of Class D girls gathered around him, curiously asking all sorts of strange questions.

"Aragaki-kun, is it true that you challenged every club in the school and won tens of millions of points from the second and third-year seniors?"

Aragaki Shun: "It was all the competitive clubs, and it wasn't as exaggerated as tens of millions."

"Aragaki-kun, do you have a girlfriend at school? What type of girls do you like?"

Aragaki Shun: "I refuse to answer questions involving privacy. If you're that bored, I suggest you read more books."

"Aragaki-kun, what's your zodiac sign? Do you believe in fate between different signs?"

Aragaki Shun: "There are billions of people in the world and only a dozen or so signs. If your so-called fate were real, the Matchmaker would truly be a philanthropist."

"Aragaki-kun, is it true that you beat up the entire second year by yourself, and even the vice president of the student council was beaten until they cried?"

Aragaki Shun: "Who started that rumor? I'm a law-abiding, normal student, not a delinquent in a gang!"

"Aragaki-kun, in your class..."

Aragaki Shun once again experienced the annoyance that comes with fame, though in the end, these were just minor troubles. He could respond however he wanted; he wasn't some celebrity idol who needed to maintain an image in front of fans.

Compared to him, who just felt that this group of people from Class D was too noisy and was slightly impatient, the others in Class D who saw this scene were exceptionally jealous. Ignoring the boy's notoriety on campus, they began to mutter and curse in secret.

"Hey, Yamauchi, didn't you say you made it to the national tournament in table tennis in elementary school and were the ace pitcher for the baseball team in middle school? Why don't you step up and teach that guy a lesson? Now all the attention of the class and the girls' eyes have been stolen by someone from another class!"

A boy with slanted bangs leaned toward his friend Yamauchi Haruki, inciting him to do something big.

The person being goaded, a boy whose appearance always seemed crude and sloppy, broke into a cold sweat. He quickly glanced at the back of the classroom, and only after seeing that the person was surrounded by a group of girls and shouldn't be able to hear their whispers did he regain his bravado.

"Didn't I tell you, Ike? I got injured during the high school league and am currently in rehab. Otherwise, I could make that pretty boy kneel with one hand."

36. The Three Idiots and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka

Facing Yamauchi Haruki's big talk, Ike Kanji, as his friend, didn't echo him this time, instead showing an expression of disgust.

"Liar! I've felt like you've been lying for a while now!"

"What? Everything I said is true!"

"If that's the case, then Yamauchi, go and challenge that guy from Class B! As long as you beat him, we'll definitely become the objects of the girls' admiration. Then we can pick girlfriends at will in the class or even the whole school. I really want a cute girlfriend!"

"Ike, you know," Yamauchi Haruki lowered his voice, acting profound as if he were about to reveal a secret, "my talent isn't something that can be easily displayed. If I were to expose my identity because of a fight with a pretty boy like that, it would attract a massive organization rooted in the darkness. Then, no one in this school would have a peaceful life."

For some reason, upon hearing these words, which were full of holes, a brown-haired boy with a somewhat expressionless and gloomy face nearby gave a strange look. After sizing up Yamauchi Haruki, that sense of strangeness didn't diminish but became even more complex. Yamauchi Haruki, being watched by him, couldn't help but question him:

"Ayanokoji, what kind of look is that? Are you doubting that I'm lying? Is this how you treat a sincere friend?"

"I'm just curious what kind of organization could possibly disrupt the daily life of this school. After all, Kodo Ikusei Senior High School is backed by the government."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, who had been trying his best to integrate into the social circle of his classmates, felt a sudden surge of anxiety upon hearing Yamauchi Haruki's accusation.

He had finally managed to find a group that would accept him, even if the rest of the class referred to them as the "Three Idiots," and even if these so-called friends in the circle treated him as nothing more than a lackey to be ordered around... but that didn't matter. As an ordinary student, one had to find a circle to fit into, didn't they?

"Yamauchi, you liar, you're only picking on Ayanokoji. Who would believe that kind of nonsense? You're bragging without even blinking. A massive organization in the shadows hunting you? Why don't you just say you're the son of a prime ministerial candidate, a transmigrator from another world, or a reborn soul who returned from ten years in the future?"

Ike Kanji curled his lip. He found it hard to watch Yamauchi Haruki using his status as a friend to pressure Ayanokoji like this.

"What do you mean, liar? Ike, how can you wrong me like this? Back in middle school, I was a well-known, outstanding student throughout the entire school. There is no one more honest than me. You have to believe me!"

"Tch~ save the lies for me and Ayanokoji, just don't end up believing them yourself."

After dismissing Yamauchi Haruki with a disdainful remark, Ike Kanji realized that it was useless to expect this braggart to step up, so he simply ran over to the side of the last member of the "Three Idiots."

That was a tall, sturdy, red-haired boy who gave off the vibe of a typical delinquent, named Sudo Ken.

The other two members of the "Three Idiots" had no discernible merits other than bragging and talking big, but Sudo Ken was different. His physical fitness was among the best in the class, and he was skilled at basketball, with the goal of joining the Basketball Club at Kodo Ikusei Senior High School to use it as a stepping stone for a professional basketball career.

"Sudo, don't you have anything to say? That outsider has been hogging the attention of all the girls in the class since the moment he arrived!"

"Ike, you're so annoying. If you've got the guts, go challenge him yourself. Just don't expect me to go and throw my life away."

Sudo Ken pushed Ike Kanji away irritably, clearly in a foul mood.

"That's rare. Sudo is actually tolerating someone being even more arrogant than him?"

Yamauchi Haruki and Ayanokoji followed over, the former expressing some surprise.

Usually, Sudo Ken was like a powder keg, ready to explode at the slightest provocation without anyone needing to fan the flames. Now that someone from another class had come knocking, the fact that he hadn't reacted at all—was that really normal?

"That's because Aragaki-kun probably went to the Basketball Club to challenge them, too. Given Sudo's temper, he wouldn't be this calm unless he had personally experienced his opponent's strength."

"What do you mean, Ayanokoji?" Sudo Ken glared at Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, who had spoken the blunt truth, feeling as though he had been provoked. "While I do admit I'm no match for that monster, I can still knock you flat with a couple of punches. Do you want to try it?"

"Ah, that's not what I meant. You know I'm not good at communicating with people."

Ayanokoji waved his hands nervously. Sudo's fists were no joke, and he didn't want to end up in the infirmary.

"Hmph! Watch yourself next time, or it won't be just a warning."

Sudo Ken waved his hand, dismissing the people around him, and rested his head on his hands to start sleeping.

For him, rather than talking nonsense in the classroom or reading even more useless books, it was better to get some extra sleep to replenish his energy.

Only then would he be able to squeeze out more time for training at the Basketball Club after school.

Damn it, why did that monster have to come to Class D?

His technique was average, yet his strength, stamina, speed, and agility were terrifyingly high—far beyond even the official players on the basketball team.

If a guy who just plays around can have this kind of strength, then my dream is nothing but a joke. I have to spend more time training after school—more than anyone else!

"How can this be? Even Sudo admits he's not as good. Is there really no one in the class who can stand up and defeat that demon king?"

Seeing that Sudo Ken had truly gone to sleep to avoid the sight of him, Ike Kanji slumped into his seat, looking exceptionally dejected and frustrated.

"Sigh~ accept reality, Ike. Class D won't have any hope of dispelling this nightmare until I finish my rehabilitation and recover my full strength. By then, I'll be able to pick and choose any girl in the class I want. The cute Kikyo, the big-breasted Hasebe—they'll all be mine."

"But as a friend, I can leave Shinohara to you. And Ayanokoji, since you're always following behind that cold-faced Horikita, I won't steal her from you."

Yamauchi Haruki patted Ike Kanji's shoulder triumphantly, a look of intoxication on his face as if his dream had already become reality, his upper body twisting in strange, lewd motions.

"Get lost! Kikyo is mine. Who would want that ugly woman Shinohara!"

"You guy... stop joking around. Kikyo has been my target since way back! It's like we're childhood sweethearts who swore to get married under a giant cherry blossom tree in the past! This is a fated reunion!"

The two pushed and shoved each other without a care. Ayanokoji, who had wanted to say something, could only show a troubled expression and step back to give them space.

"You liar! I don't believe you anymore. In my mind, Kikyo is already wearing a wedding dress."

"That's nothing. I've already imagined Kikyo taking off her clothes in her room and acting all seductive."

"Damn it, Kikyo is going to marry me, you're not allowed to think about that!"

"No way. Not only am I going to think about it, I'm going to have Kikyo change into a hundred, a thousand different uniforms..."

Just like that, the volume of their argument grew louder and louder, finally succeeding in what Ike Kanji had wanted: drawing the attention of all the girls in the class back to them.

37. The Strategy for Class D Begins to Change

Aragaki Shun watched the squabble between Ike Kanji and Yamauchi Haruki with interest, then looked at Kikyo, who was being "fought over" by them, and finally just sighed—

"Kikyo-san really has it tough!"

Kikyo's face was nearly at its breaking point, but she forced herself to maintain a sweet and lovely smile. As if she were a saintess returning good for evil and redeeming sinners, she defended her classmates:

"Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun are just a bit more cheerful than usual. Their hearts aren't bad, so please, Aragaki-kun, don't be prejudiced against them."

The moment these words left her mouth, Kikyo felt like she was going to vomit, but she had to suppress the disgust. If she revealed her true colors in class, the entire life she had worked so hard to build would collapse.

If an incident like the one in middle school were to happen again, Kikyo wasn't sure if she would have the courage to keep living, especially after finally making up her mind to start over at Kodo Ikusei, where no one knew her.

However, because Kikyo was so obsessed, she could force herself to ignore the rudeness of those two idiots, but the other girls didn't have her good temper.

"Kikyo, you're too nice. You should just scold them. Otherwise, those guys will just keep pushing their luck!"

A pretty girl with brown hair and blue eyes named Matsushita Chiaki showed a look of disgust, clearly feeling that it was incredibly unlucky to have such classmates.

"Exactly, exactly! If it were me, I'd definitely give them a piece of my mind. This kind of behavior absolutely cannot be tolerated!"

A girl with a very assertive, gyaru-like appearance scolded them fiercely. The girl's honey-colored skin looked quite cute, and her honey-blonde hair was tied up in a high ponytail.

"K-Kikyo, you can't just let it slide like this. O-otherwise, they'll think you're too kind-hearted and bully you because you don't know how to refuse. W-what if they keep confessing to you?"

A girl with bangs and medium-length hair who stuttered expressed her concern to her best friend. To Inogashira Kokoro, Kushida Kikyo was the first person since enrollment to show her kindness, and she couldn't let those cockroaches pester her.

"Aside from Hirata, the boys in our class are all more disgusting than the last. Especially those idiots Yamauchi Haruki, Ike Kanji, and Sudo Ken. That gloomy guy Ayanokoji is actually decent-looking, but he insists on hanging out with those three, so he must be just as filthy inside. And don't even get me started on that shut-in Sotomura Hideo..."

A girl with short black hair had a twisted expression as she launched a verbal assault on all the boys in Class D. She was Shinohara Satsuki, the girl Yamauchi Haruki and Ike Kanji had disparagingly called ugly.

In reality, in the eyes of Aragaki Shun, the quality of the girls in Class D far exceeded the outside world. Even Shinohara would absolutely be a girl sought after by her classmates in any ordinary school.

The only reason she was called ugly by those fools was because they had confidently set their sights on Kushida Kikyo, and by comparison, they felt Shinohara didn't measure up.

"Right, right! Why don't they just drop dead? Just thinking about spending three years as classmates with guys who stare at girls' boobs every single day makes me want to vomit."

"The teachers aren't doing anything about it either. Why were these kinds of students even admitted to Advanced Nurturing?"

"It's so pathetic, Kikyo, being treated as a fantasy object by such trashy people."

"It's probably because Kikyo is just too kind..."

Aragaki Shun listened with great interest to the complaints the Class D girls were making about the boys.

Perhaps because they had truly been disgusted enough on a daily basis, now that a group of girls had gathered together and witnessed the outrageous behavior of Yamauchi Haruki and his friends once more, once someone took the lead in venting their frustrations, the wave of condemnation became unstoppable.

Aragaki Shun patiently noted down all their evaluations of their classmates.

If these remarks weren't mixed with too much subjective personal grudge and were actually based on facts, then he had to admit that the boys in this class were absolutely the most bizarre he had ever encountered in his school life.

And since the male group was already this eccentric, what kind of true selves were hidden beneath the cute faces of these girls, who were also considered "defective products" in the eyes of the school?

The school must have gone to great lengths to gather such a miraculous group of high school students!

"Since so many friends are standing up for Kushida, I suggest that Kushida should take care of herself a bit more. How about you have your classmates testify for you and report this to the homeroom teacher or the Student Council so those two can be punished?"

Kushida Kikyo's expression stiffened, but she quickly gave a dry laugh and declined, "Let's not do that. We're all classmates, after all; there's no need to hurt each other like that."