He grabbed his things and left without looking back.
A true foodie had a foodie's soul.
He was off to eat.
He left with a carefree stride, while Kushida Kikyo stood there watching him with a resentful look and stomped her foot hard.
If she had a blacklist, she would've wanted to add one more person to it.
In the cafeteria, while he was eating,
Kageya Shinjitsu ran into Hirata, the social butterfly from their class.
It was obvious Hirata had come here specifically to find him.
Someone must have tipped him off that Kageya Shinjitsu would be here eating.
"Shinjitsu, you missed all your classes this afternoon. Was something wrong?"
"If there's anything you need help with, you can come to me."
Hirata paid close attention to classmates who kept to themselves. A warm, sunny smile spread across his face.
Kushida Kikyo, but as a boy.
"Oh, I got lost on the road of life, then wandered into the wrong classroom."
It was the same answer as before. Kageya Shinjitsu looked at Hirata, who didn't seem the least bit awkward or angry.
"If you need help, be sure to come to me."
"Don't hesitate."
"I'm not trying to pry, so don't get the wrong idea."
"I just really hope we can become friends."
"If a friend needs help, I'd be happy to lend a hand."
Hirata knew how to strike the right balance.
After chatting for a bit, Hirata suggested they exchange contact information.
Once he'd gotten Kageya Shinjitsu's number, he left without lingering.
He was a very considerate person.
Kageya Shinjitsu glanced at the new contact on his phone and thought nothing of it.
He finished his meal and left.
[New book, first update. This is a niche genre, so its success depends on all of you. If the numbers are decent, I'll finish it. If you think it's pretty good, please support it. You can leave a comment too. "Please subscribe," "please send flowers," "please tip," "please bookmark," "please vote with monthly tickets."]
Chapter Nineteen: You Have to Rely on Yourself
Kageya Shinjitsu paid no attention to what Hirata, the social butterfly, had said about being friends.
Hirata had so many friends already. What made Kageya Shinjitsu think he was anything special?
Could someone really become a friend that easily?
If you made friends so easily, were they even real friends?
After lunch, he walked around for a while to digest, then went for a jog.
Once he was drenched in sweat, Kageya Shinjitsu didn't stay outside for long. He went back to his room.
Then he continued lifting weights. He needed to vent his frustrations from the day, and exercise was how he did it.
"A person has to rely on himself."
"Every failure is caused by the person involved not being capable enough. As long as you're capable enough, you can solve anything."
"Friends are all the same."
Kageya Shinjitsu lifted weights and worked with all sorts of exercise equipment until he was covered in sweat.
His narrow waist and defined V-line were incredibly attractive. His build had the golden proportions of a man, and his impressive core strength and stamina were plain to see. Out in public, he was sure to draw attention.
His eight-pack abs were clearly visible, his chest firm and well-defined. His legs were long and muscular, and his whole body showed the results of years of training. But he wasn't just a musclehead; he maintained an excellent physique.
Kageya Shinjitsu stretched his arms back. The muscles in his arms were already too much for his white shirt to contain. The shirt seemed to groan, as if it might tear if he got any bigger.
After working out for a while longer, he moved on to cooling down and stretching, then took a nice shower.
Warm water ran over him, rinsing away the sweat and grime from his golden physique. His black hair was soft and neatly tousled. As usual, he let his mind go blank while showering.
He didn't stay in the bathroom long. Kageya Shinjitsu returned to his room and dried his hair.
"I'll observe things for a few more days."
Once he'd made up his mind and his hair was dry, Kageya Shinjitsu went to bed.
"Another day full of hope."
Sunlight streamed through the window and fell across Kageya Shinjitsu's face. He got up with practiced ease.
He never stayed up late or slept in; his body clock was extremely reliable.
After washing up, he played with his hand gripper as he left the dormitory to grab breakfast and head to class.
Unlike the day before, he didn't skip class. He listened attentively, like a model student. Even while playing with his hand gripper, he was still better than the other students.
During lunch break, after eating, he headed to the Student Council Office.
Three unfamiliar upperclassmen from Class 2-A had already been waiting there for a while.
The student council president, Horikita Manabu, was there too, along with the cute, purple-haired secretary, Tachibana Akane, and the second-year student council vice president with golden hair, Miyabi Nagumo.
They had all introduced themselves already.
"I'm Kageya Shinjitsu. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Kageya Shinjitsu smiled as he spoke.
He looked over the three second-year students. His gaze made them feel humiliated and furious.
They glared at Kageya Shinjitsu with open hostility. If looks could kill, he might already have been hacked to pieces.
"Sorry about this, little junior. Some of my classmates said things they shouldn't have."
Horikita Manabu hadn't said anything, but Miyabi Nagumo spoke first.
He glanced at the three "furious" second-year students.
It was obvious they were unhappy, but they still had to show respect in front of the Student Council.
"Apologize."
Vice President Miyabi Nagumo carried a lot of weight among the second-years.
At his command, the three second-year students obediently did as they were told.
"We're sorry. We shouldn't have said those things."
"Students in Class D aren't 'defective products.' We spoke out of turn in the heat of the moment."
"We're sorry, Kageya Shinjitsu."
Though clearly unwilling, the three still bowed and apologized to Kageya Shinjitsu.
At least they wouldn't dare cause trouble openly.
"You're too kind, senpais. Since you've apologized, I'll forgive you."
Kageya Shinjitsu smiled as if he couldn't see the anger in their eyes.
"Junior, I heard you wanted compensation. It isn't much, but please accept these 30,000 points as compensation from me on their behalf."
Miyabi Nagumo studied Kageya Shinjitsu and even offered up his own points.
The others had no time to object.
"Then thank you, senpai."
When something was handed to him for free, Kageya Shinjitsu never knew how to refuse—as long as it wasn't harmful.
He accepted the 30,000 points, boosting his balance once more and keeping it above 100,000.
The matter was settled in perfect harmony.
Horikita Manabu didn't bring up the Student Council's business in front of Miyabi Nagumo.
So Kageya Shinjitsu left.
Back in Class 1-D, everything was just as it had been.
It made you wonder if there was any hope for the class.
Sitting at his desk, listening to his classmates make a racket,
Kageya Shinjitsu considered how to minimize his losses.
[New book, second update. This is a niche genre, so its success depends on all of you. If the numbers are decent, I'll finish it. If you think it's pretty good, please support it. You can leave a comment too. "Please subscribe," "please send flowers," "please tip," "please bookmark," "please vote with monthly tickets."]
Chapter Twenty: The Choice—Ryuen Kakeru of Class C
If you were stuck in a class like this,
how could you minimize your losses—or even profit from the situation? That was probably one of the things the school was testing them on.
Kageya Shinjitsu felt as if he'd figured out what the school was thinking.
At the same time, he kept an eye on his classmates.
They ate and drank, played on their phones, slept through class, and talked loudly without a care. They treated the school like their home—or, more accurately, acted like they owned the place.
If we don't do anything, our points will be wiped out. We probably won't have a single point next month.
If Kageya Shinjitsu were in charge of the school, not one person here would get any points.
That wasn't just a guess. It was a fact.
With no points coming in, even if he spent carefully, his 100,000-plus points would only last a few months.
Aside from class points, the best source of points he could get right now—and one that would last—was the Student Council.
A hundred thousand a month would be enough to cover his expenses, but the competition there was probably more intense and troublesome.
Sitting at his desk, he considered what to do next.
Should I announce everything, then study hard with my classmates?
Or should I think of something else?
For three days in a row,
Kageya Shinjitsu spent most of his time thinking about the problem. Naturally, he also succeeded in becoming something of an "outcast" in class.
It was the complete opposite of his original plan to fit in.
Now, aside from the occasional visits from the busty, adorable girl and Hirata, the social butterfly, nobody paid him any attention. He'd become one of the class oddballs.
Besides that outstanding accomplishment, he'd also gathered some useful information over the past few days.
The most valuable piece was that the school didn't recommend just anyone for further education or employment.
Only Class A had that privilege. The school's supposed 100% rate of university admission and employment was a lie.
Students in the other classes still had to take exams and interviews. They had to rely on their own abilities.
It was just as he'd thought: they weeded out the unsuitable students, and the remaining ones made up the 100%.
After learning the truth about the school, Kageya Shinjitsu gave up on making an announcement and trying to fit in.
By now, he'd realized that even if he told his classmates, it wouldn't do any good.
They'd probably behave for a few days, then go right back to their old ways. Some might even resent him. People only wanted to hear what they hoped to hear, and if he told them otherwise, they wouldn't be able to accept it.
Kageya Shinjitsu would just be "ruining the harmony of the class."
That would only bring him more trouble.
Before you continue