"Yes, Kanzaki Heavy Industries is my family's company. But why do you ask, Uesugi?"
Kanzaki Ryuji was a little puzzled by Uesugi Gen's sudden question.
"Kanzaki, let me ask you something. Under what circumstances would your family's company accept someone with absolute certainty?"
Uesugi Gen took another gulp of coffee and continued.
Kanzaki Ryuji rubbed his chin and fell into thought. After a long while,
"Unless that person was outstanding in every way, perfectly suited to my family's requirements, and could create enough value for the company..."
As he spoke, Kanzaki Ryuji suddenly froze and turned sharply toward Uesugi Gen.
"Hey, Uesugi, are you saying..."
"I didn't say that. You came up with it yourself."
By then, Uesugi Gen had finished the entire can of coffee and closed his textbook again.
Shibata Hayate and Himeno Yuki, sitting nearby, were baffled. Were the others speaking in some kind of code behind their backs?
Shibata scratched his head in confusion.
"What are you two talking about? I don't understand a word."
Kanzaki Ryuji finally came to his senses and explained, "Shibata, do you remember that line in the school's slogan? '99.9% find their desired jobs.'"
"How could I forget?"
Shibata said. That was the reason he had come to this school.
"Let's assume the school's telling the truth. Then there's a question: what gives them the right... I mean, what gives the school the right to make companies believe that its graduates are guaranteed to be outstanding talent?"
"Even if the school recommends them, if the students themselves aren't capable, those companies won't pay any attention. After all, businesses put profits and capital first."
"Shibata, looking at the atmosphere at this school right now, do you think that if you spend three years here, you'll definitely become that kind of outstanding talent?"
"Uh..." Shibata Hayate was at a loss for words.
"In other words, the school is bound to make a major move soon, and it'll affect the laid-back atmosphere here."
Himeno Yuki had finally understood what Kanzaki meant.
"Exactly." Kanzaki Ryuji turned to Uesugi Gen for confirmation. "That's what you mean, right, Uesugi?"
"I never said that. You figured it out yourself."
Uesugi Gen answered from behind his book.
"So the school is planning a major move..."
"I see. So that's what it is."
A sunny voice came from behind Uesugi Gen. The hairs on his body instantly stood on end. He straightened up and whipped around.
Ichinose waved at Uesugi Gen with an energetic smile.
"When did you get here?"
Uesugi Gen was barely keeping it together. What are you, some last-generation Assassin? You didn't make a sound.
"I've been here since Kanzaki was explaining it. You were all so engrossed that you didn't even notice me."
Ichinose put her hands behind her back, leaned forward, and smiled down at Uesugi Gen, who was sitting at his desk.
"You kept dozing off in class, Uesugi, so I came to see if you needed any help."
"No need. I'm doing just fine."
Uesugi Gen replied bluntly.
"Points. The school's rules may be tied to points, using them to motivate students to study."
Kanzaki Ryuji, who had been silent for a long time, excitedly shared his deduction.
"It has to be. It absolutely has to be. Otherwise, how could the school have a 99% college acceptance rate?"
After hearing Kanzaki Ryuji's theory, Ichinose rested a hand against her chin.
"That's certainly possible. Hoshinomiya-sensei said the criteria for awarding points were confidential. If points are tied to discipline, that would explain it. We need to tell our classmates as soon as possible."
But then Uesugi Gen, unexpectedly, spoke to Ichinose of his own accord.
"Ichinose, in the end, this is just a theory. We don't have any concrete evidence. Just tell our classmates to watch their behavior."
Uesugi Gen couldn't guarantee that one of the students in Class B wouldn't suddenly let the secret slip while chatting with students from another class.
If the other classes took it seriously, it would be like helping the enemy.
On the other hand, Uesugi Gen didn't want his class's score to fall too far behind Class A's. It would be a pain to catch up later.
So, using Ichinose's influence in the class to keep the students in Class B in line seemed like a good option.
"Got it. I'll remind everyone to follow the rules."
Ichinose nodded firmly, then smiled at Uesugi Gen.
"But, Uesugi, dozing off in class is also a form of breaking the rules."
"..."
Uesugi Gen looked at Ichinose's sweet smile, suddenly feeling both embarrassed and annoyed.
"...What a pain!"
The Student Council President—Horikita Manabu
Slurp, slurp!
"This ramen is really good. The texture's unique, the noodles are nice and chewy, and the piping-hot broth is rich and fragrant. Shibata, you've got good taste. I can't believe you knew there was a ramen shop tucked away in a place like this."
Uesugi Gen took a sip of the broth and praised the restaurant without reservation.
"Right? One of the seniors in the club I just joined recommended it. It really is great."
"Shibata, you joined a club already? I thought club recruitment hadn't started yet."
Kanzaki asked curiously.
"I really love soccer, so as soon as I got to school, I couldn't wait to find out where the soccer club was. I just couldn't wait any longer. The senior was really nice and let me join early."
Shibata said proudly.
[At 5 p.m. today, the club information session will be held in the First Gymnasium. Students interested in joining a club, please gather at the First Gymnasium. I repeat, today...]
A broadcast sounded from near the street, voiced by a very cute girl.
Shibata turned toward the loudspeaker outside, delighted.
"It's happening right away. Uesugi, Kanzaki, are you two planning to join any clubs?"
Kanzaki: "I haven't decided yet. I'll go take a look first. If I find something interesting, I'll give it a try. What about you, Uesugi?"
Uesugi: "Me? I've actually already joined a club. You'll find out which one when the time comes, though I'm not exactly thrilled about it."
"Is that so? Then I guess I'll have to go to the First Gymnasium with Shibata. You're not the type to enjoy a crowd, Uesugi."
After spending the past two days with him, Kanzaki Ryuji had begun to realize that Uesugi Gen was a lazy person, so he didn't invite him to come along to the gym.
Uesugi Gen picked up his bowl and drained the broth in one go. Then he said,
"No, I'm going with you. I'm curious about the current Student Council President."
"The Student Council President? I heard from the upperclassmen that he's an outstanding person, supposedly the most talented student since Kōiku was founded... Could it be that the club you joined is—"
"That's right. The Kodo Ikusei High School Student Council."
"There are so many people. I'm starting to regret coming."
Uesugi Gen took a quick look at the students who had gathered. Most of the first-years were already there—probably more than a hundred of them.
Was the school's club culture that strong, or had the school taken club-related factors into account when selecting its students?
"Since we're already here, it's too late to regret it. Let's listen before we leave."
Kanzaki Ryuji was also a little helpless at the noisy scene.
"The school clubs seem to be really high-level. A lot of them seem to be regulars at national competitions. Some even have national-level clubs or athletes."
Shibata said as he read the pamphlet he had picked up on the way into the gym.
It seemed they already had their answer. No matter how wealthy the school was or how excellent its training was, there was nothing it could do if the athletes themselves weren't physically capable. The only possibility was that the school had included those promising candidates in its selection from the start. Shibata might have been one of them.
"But no matter how many times I look, it's still amazing. The school really spares no expense. It even has luxury equipment like a hyperbaric oxygen chamber." Shibata Hayate looked at the pamphlet and sighed.
"Here it comes. It's starting."
As they talked, all kinds of club members gradually filled the platform. The representatives of each club lined up at the front.
"First-years, thank you for waiting. The club representatives will now introduce their clubs. I'm Tachibana, the Student Council secretary, and I'll be hosting today's information session. It's a pleasure to meet you!"
"That senior is in the Student Council, too? You'd never know it by looking at her."
Shibata looked at the cute senior with her hair tied in a bun as she spoke onstage, his tone full of disbelief.
"Shibata, don't judge a book by its cover. If she made it into the Student Council, she must be very capable."
Kanzaki offered a friendly reminder. His eyes then discreetly flicked toward Uesugi Gen.
Compared to the girl onstage, wasn't the person right in front of him far less reliable?
The club presentations in the First Gymnasium proceeded in an orderly fashion. For the most part, each club explained what it did, what honors it had won, and its hopes for the future.
Finally, just as Uesugi Gen was about to lose patience, his target appeared.
Only one person remained onstage. He was about 170 centimeters tall, with neat, short black hair and a perfectly straight posture. Even his glasses couldn't hide his sharp gaze.
He slowly walked to the microphone and gazed calmly at the first-year students below.
Facing the noisy crowd of more than a hundred people, he simply stood there in silence, watching them without saying a word.
The already noisy crowd below grew even louder at the sight.
"Good luck!"
"No banners?"
"Hahahaha!"
Voices like these rang out from all over the crowd.
It was as if the sounds never reached him. The person standing below remained motionless, simply watching them.
Gradually, the atmosphere in the gym grew strange.
The once-boisterous gym seemed to have a giant hand squeezing its throat. The noise dwindled, growing sparse, until it vanished entirely.
An atmosphere of tension and silence spread through the gym.
Everyone waited for the man onstage to speak. No one dared utter another word.
After half a minute of silence,
the Student Council President finally began his speech.
"I'm Horikita Manabu, the Student Council President."
"With the seniors graduating, the Student Council will be recruiting candidates from the first-years. There are no special requirements. Anyone considering running for a position in the Student Council should avoid joining other clubs. As a rule, applicants who participate in both the Student Council and another club will not be accepted."
"..."
His speech was brief, precise, and to the point. After delivering it smoothly, he stepped off the stage and walked straight out of the gym.
His tone had been mild, but the atmosphere had left the first-year students' hair standing on end.
He certainly had an impressive ability to command a room. But...
"He seems like such a serious, earnest person. Somehow, I get the feeling he and I wouldn't get along."
Uesugi Gen scratched his head.
Just from the way he'd acted and spoken, Uesugi Gen had already pictured his rigid, inflexible way of doing things.
Before you continue