Uesugi Gen turned to Himeno Yuki and smiled as he invited her along.
"Let's go, Himeno."
Friends
[The latest Mechanic IX gaming controller features a uniquely ingenious design. Its red-and-black color scheme builds on the traditional model with improved precision and a detachable magnetic cover that lets you swap out the joystick.]
For just 15,000 points, you could take this controller home.
Looking at the outrageous ad copy, Uesugi Gen sneered.
Who'd be stupid enough to spend that many points on a controller? There's one for 2,000 right over there.
I'll take it!
Five minutes later, with the clerk calling out, "Thank you for your purchase," Uesugi Gen walked out of the electronics store, scowling and carrying the box.
If it's no good, I'll use my vice president's authority tomorrow to shut this store down.
"Hey, are you sure you should be spending points like that? You know we won't be getting this many next month, so you should try to save some."
Himeno Yuki, who had been following Uesugi Gen the whole time, kindly reminded him.
"What? Himeno, you're still here? Didn't you say you liked being alone?"
"I may like being alone, but there's a limit, okay? And is it really all right to just leave like this?"
Himeno Yuki narrowed her eyes at him in annoyance. After dragging her out of the karaoke place, he'd left her standing off to the side.
Then he'd spotted the electronics store and rushed inside without even looking back. Honestly, where had this kid come from?
Seeing Himeno Yuki's pout, Uesugi Gen reassured her.
"It'll be fine. Usually, at a class gathering, they just check at the start that everyone's there. Nobody will notice if one or two people slip away midway through."
"If you're still against going to gatherings and want some time to yourself in the future, just talk to Kanzaki like you did this time. He might not approve, but he'll understand."
"Otherwise, won't you feel uncomfortable at every gathering from now on? That can't be good for you."
Listening to Uesugi Gen lecture her made Himeno Yuki feel a little irritated. She snapped at him, as if to let off steam.
"Of course I know that! But it takes a lot of courage to do something like that. Unlike you, I don't have two friends who'll cover for me even if I don't show up."
After saying that, Himeno Yuki realized she'd lost her temper.
"Sorry..."
"I see. Well, then..."
Uesugi Gen held out his hand to Himeno Yuki, smiling warmly.
"Himeno Yuki, would you like to be friends with me? You can be friends with Shibata and Kanzaki, too. They won't exclude you just because you skip a gathering. Then, next time, you can ask them to cover for you."
"I won't be going to the next gathering, though, so I can't help you like this every time."
"...You..."
Himeno Yuki looked at the boy holding out his hand, her feelings in turmoil.
After a long pause, she reached out and said, with a hint of stubbornness,
"Fine. I won't go to the next gathering either, just like you. So there's no need to trouble them."
Uesugi Gen took her hand.
"Then we're friends."
Now that they were officially friends, the two headed to the supermarket to buy some things for their dorm rooms.
"Still, I didn't notice before, but it looks like they have free versions of a lot of everyday essentials here."
Uesugi Gen picked up a bottle of shampoo and examined it.
Just from the packaging, he could tell it probably didn't work very well.
Then he casually tossed two bottles of shampoo and body wash into his basket. Getting things for free made him happy.
"You're so strange. You'll spend that much on a gaming controller, but you won't spend a few points on better shampoo and body wash."
Himeno Yuki looked at Uesugi Gen's basket, puzzled.
Uesugi Gen rolled his eyes.
"I'm a guy. As long as I get clean, that's enough. Why would I need to smell so nice?"
"But all these free products also suggest that we might not get many personal points next month."
Himeno Yuki surveyed the shopping area, her tone serious.
Uesugi Gen looked surprised.
"Himeno, I didn't know you were so smart."
"Hey, don't underestimate me! I did get into Kōiku by passing the entrance exam, you know."
Himeno Yuki glared at Uesugi Gen, who'd given her an exasperated look.
"Yes, yes. You're very smart, Himeno."
"Um, may I ask if you two are a couple?"
A pleasant voice came from behind Uesugi Gen. The girl's short brown hair swayed gently, the light casting a soft glow over her.
Uesugi Gen and Himeno Yuki exchanged glances.
Your friend?
How could she be? I thought she was your friend.
Then you deal with her. I'm not used to this sort of thing.
Himeno Yuki, who was a little socially awkward, took two steps back and hid behind Uesugi Gen.
Hey, just because you're socially awkward, does that mean I'm not? Uesugi Gen grumbled inwardly.
Uesugi Gen distractedly waved at the girl.
"No, we're just friends who met recently. We're only shopping together."
"Then, could I become your friend too? My wish is to become friends with everyone in the first year."
The girl clasped her hands together and slowly approached Uesugi Gen. She bent forward slightly, her figure accentuating her well-developed curves, and steadily closed the distance between them.
As the gap between them narrowed, Uesugi Gen caught a whiff of her fragrant hair and could see how soft her body looked... Was this girl made of cotton candy?
With the girl's eyes shining brightly, Uesugi Gen couldn't help taking a few steps back.
"My name is Kushida Kikyo. May I know your name?"
"Of course. I'm Uesugi Gen. Pleased to meet you."
"No, I should be the one saying that, Uesugi. I heard we're not allowed to contact the outside world for all three years at this school. It's my first time being away from my family for so long, and I'm feeling a little lonely."
"Yeah, this school has some strange rules. By the way, what class are you in, Kushida?"
"I'm in Class D. What class are you in, Uesugi?"
Kushida Kikyo took a few more steps toward him, closing the distance Uesugi Gen had just put between them.
This is bad. What's with this girl? Most people kept a certain distance from someone they'd just met. They didn't try to get so close so quickly. And she was so hard to refuse. This girl was probably the kind he wasn't good at dealing with.
"I'm probably in Class B. Well, it's getting late, and we have things to do, so we should go. Maybe we'll talk again sometime."
Ignoring Kushida Kikyo's repeated attempts to keep them there, Uesugi Gen pulled Himeno Yuki along and hurried away under Kushida Kikyo's gaze.
"Phew... Should I say she's great at socializing, or just persistent? She knew we weren't really interested and still insisted on becoming friends with us."
Himeno Yuki leaned on her knees nearby, panting.
"Yeah, she's a strange one."
Uesugi Gen took a deep breath, his gaze turning somber. That pretty girl seemed to have some kind of agenda.
Ever since he and Himeno had become friends, she'd kept her eyes on them and followed them all the way to the supermarket. She'd only come over to talk when they stopped to discuss shampoo.
Kushida Kikyo of Class D. According to the information Nice Senior had given him, students in Class D were either particularly poor in character or had some major deficiency in a certain area. Judging by that girl's social skills, she clearly wasn't the former.
Her obsessive desire to make friends suggested that something might be wrong with her mental state.
The two watched Kushida Kikyo leave from a corner. After wandering around a little longer, they each headed back to their dorms.
Inside dorm room 404,
Uesugi Gen had just finished putting together the computer he'd bought.
Uesugi Gen rubbed his hands together, his eyes shining.
I'm coming to save you, Azeroth!
So Annoying
On the second day of school, Kanzaki Ryuji found himself gripped by deep self-doubt.
As an elite who'd received an education from an early age, Kanzaki Ryuji always held himself to the highest standards.
A 99 percent rate of employment and further education meant strict classroom discipline and exceptionally high teaching standards. He knew that well.
So he'd arrived at the classroom early that morning to preview the day's lessons.
Once he was ready, Kanzaki Ryuji sat quietly in the classroom, prepared to see what the teachers at Advanced Nurturing had to offer.
Two lessons later, Kanzaki Ryuji stared blankly at his textbook, which was covered in notes, then turned to look at his friend, who'd spent both classes dozing without even taking out a pen.
Impossible. Absolutely impossible.
This was Advanced Nurturing, after all—the school with educational resources that outclassed every other school in Tokyo, and a 99 percent rate of employment and further education.
So why did the teachers here completely ignore the students, standing at the front of the room and putting on a one-man show?
This was nothing like what he'd expected.
"Is this really a middle school backed by the government?"
Kanzaki Ryuji posed the question like a cry from the soul, faced with the classroom atmosphere.
"Who knows? Maybe they're just a bunch of old social hands who want to collect their paychecks without doing any work."
Uesugi Gen replied casually. Then he leaned back in his chair, picked up a textbook, and laid it over his face as he dozed.
"By the way, Uesugi, did you not sleep much last night? You've been dozing since the first lesson."
Shibata, sitting behind him, asked curiously.
"Yeah, I didn't sleep at all. I got the new gaming controller and played all night."
His voice came muffled from beneath the textbook.
"Even if the school has a relaxed atmosphere, you can't slack off this much," Kanzaki Ryuji advised, then added, "I still think there's something wrong here."
He was starting to get fixated on this. If he kept obsessing over it, he'd go investigate.
A can of coffee was passed forward from the desk in front of Uesugi Gen and set down on his desk.
Himeno Yuki propped her cheek on one hand and said helplessly,
"Honestly, drink this and wake yourself up. At this rate, you'll fall asleep as soon as afternoon comes."
"Thanks, Himeno."
Uesugi Gen took the textbook off his face and picked up the coffee for a sip.
"I still feel like something's off. Until we know more, we should probably play it safe and follow the school rules."
Kanzaki Ryuji stubbornly repeated himself.
"Hey, Kanzaki, does your family own a company?"
Uesugi Gen decided to give him a hint. Otherwise, he'd get so worked up over this that he'd go investigate.
But without a specific lead, he couldn't just investigate everything. What if he actually uncovered something?
Before you continue