Classroom of the Elite, I Also Want to Be a Good Person

"But wouldn't that cause a misunderstanding? Someone like me being friends with Aoyama-kun and Kamuro-san."

"Are you saying we aren't worthy of being friends with the cute Yamamura-san?"

"Eh!??"

Staring wide-eyed at herself, Yamamura's petite face turned bright red in an instant; it was likely the first time she had been complimented like that by a peer.

"You're even more shameless than I imagined." Kamuro rolled her eyes, then shielded Yamamura, who was frantically trying to explain that it wasn't like that, behind her back.

"I'll accept that compliment."

With a smile, Aoyama continued his stride toward the school cafeteria. Following the flow of the crowd, the clean and bright cafeteria soon appeared in their line of sight.

At each serving window, there were numerous set meals labeled with prices, but in the furthest corner, there was a queue where the window display was blank.

The upperclassmen serving the food didn't have a look of anticipation for the meal on their faces.

"I don't need you to treat me." Throwing that sentence over her shoulder, Kamuro joined the short queue.

Glancing at the sign on the window of Kamuro's queue, Aoyama realized this was practically the most expensive set meal in the cafeteria, though for first-year students who had just received 100,000 private points, it was perfectly affordable.

"Let's go to this window too."

Smiling at Yamamura, who had become uneasy now that it was just the two of them, Aoyama stood behind Kamuro.

Then, before Kamuro and Yamamura could pay for their meals, he stepped forward and had the staff scan his phone's payment code first.

Before the first period in the morning, their homeroom teacher, Mashima-sensei, had distributed the school's specialized phones to the students, and their private points were deposited into their personal accounts.

"I told you, you didn't have to treat me."

"I believe that, at the very least, one should keep their word."

Responding to Kamuro's complaint, Aoyama led the two of them to a seat near an upperclasswoman; he remembered seeing her in the line at the blank window.

On the tray in front of her was a vegetable set meal that looked unappetizing, with barely any bits of meat to be seen.

"What were you looking at when you were scanning your surroundings during the entrance ceremony?"

Faced with the delicious-looking food, Kamuro didn't reach for her chopsticks immediately, her beautiful purple eyes staring straight at him.

Chapter 3: The Body Doesn't Lie

"I was looking at the number of students in each upperclassman class."

"And then I discovered something: except for Class A of the third year, the number of students in the other seven classes is less than forty."

Without being mysterious, Aoyama satisfied Kamuro's curiosity.

Almost simultaneously, both girls showed expressions of contemplation, which slowly evolved into surprise.

If one or two classes had students drop out, it wouldn't be abnormal, but this was seven whole classes—it was as if almost every upperclassman class had experienced dropouts.

By common logic, such a coincidence shouldn't exist.

"Are you saying that it's very easy for dropouts to occur at this school?" The expression on Kamuro's face was one of surprise, but there wasn't a hint of worry.

"My speculation is that the 100,000 private points per month isn't money that's easy to keep."

Picking up a piece of the fragrant beef stew from his tray, Aoyama popped it into his mouth; the soft, rich flavor of the meat bloomed on his taste buds instantly.

I can only say, it's worthy of being a set meal that costs over a thousand points.

If he were in the outside world, he would never have ordered it, simply because he had no money.

In his previous life, he had just graduated from university when a massive truck on the national highway caused him to be reborn, followed by a start where the sky seemed to be collapsing.

Poverty had followed him until he entered this school.

"I didn't expect you to be quite smart, even though you sounded like an idiot during your self-introduction."

"I just didn't want to be surrounded and asked this and that. After all, I am a very handsome guy, you know."

"Add one more thing: I didn't expect your face to be so thick." Kamuro lowered the corners of her eyes, writing her disdain all over her face.

"You're not bad in that regard either."

According to the social customs of Japan, when entering a new school, students usually address each other with honorifics; just as Yamamura addressed him as Aoyama-kun.

Yet, Kamuro used "you" to address others from start to finish, and she didn't hide her unlikable emotions, letting them show on the surface, which gave people the impression that she was somewhat arrogant.

Honestly, Aoyama felt that getting along with a straightforward girl like Kamuro was quite pleasant.

"I'm finished." Picking up her empty tray, Kamuro left without a hint of hesitation.

Of the three, Yamamura Miki was the only one who hadn't finished.

Even though she hadn't chimed in on the small talk, because she ate slowly and the other two were faster, there was still a small portion left on her tray.

Suddenly left alone with him, her movements clearly sped up.

"I'm not in a hurry, just take your time at your own pace." Aoyama gently advised, taking out his phone to browse the school forum.

As expected, there wasn't a single post mentioning that the four classes of the same grade were in a competitive relationship.

Class points, which were more important than private points and determined the hierarchy of the classes, were also hidden in the shadows.

This was one of the customs of Kouiku.

One month after the start of the new school year, both teachers and upperclassmen keep the school's deeper rules hidden.

For instance, key facts like the competitive relationship between the four classes, the fact that personal points are issued as class points multiplied by one hundred, and that violating school rules results in class point deductions are only revealed on May 1st.

Whichever freshman can gain insight into these rules will be able to help their class establish an advantage.

"I'm finished... I'm sorry, Aoyama-san." With her hands tucked under the table, Yamamura kept her head slightly bowed.

"Do you remember what the upperclassman next to us was eating, Yamamura-san?"

Watching the girl who felt sorry for making him wait, Aoyama put away his phone and began to guide her.

Being one step ahead is everything; the low-profile Yamamura would be of great use to him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't notice."

"It was a set meal with no visible meat, just greens. Even though it's the first day of school, normally one would treat themselves, right? Plus, today is the day personal points are distributed."

For high school students with poor self-control, combined with the fact that today is the day personal points are issued, eating a meal that looks difficult to swallow is, by any logic, abnormal.

"I suspect that some upperclassmen might not be as wealthy as we imagine. In other words, they didn't receive one hundred thousand personal points today."

Tapping his fingers on the table, he drew Yamamura's attention away from her thoughts.

"I want you to help me verify my hypothesis, Yamamura-san. You—you just finished the meal I paid for, didn't you?"

"Eh!??"

Her deep blue eyes widened instantly, and a stunned expression appeared on Yamamura's delicate little face, looking quite adorable.

Although he knew Yamamura had a timid personality and generally wouldn't refuse a classmate's request, Aoyama did it anyway out of a bit of mischief.

Having reaped such a cute reaction, he felt it was worth it.

In the afternoon.

As the school bell rang, Aoyama picked up his bag and left the classroom slowly, all by himself.

There was one thing he liked about this school: all student dormitories were single rooms, each equipped with a private bathroom and kitchen.

Air conditioning was provided, of course, and utilities were free.

As long as one bought personal hygiene products at the supermarket, the dorm was no different from a home, just a bit smaller.

Eighteen that year, at the dance party, standing in the back like a nobody—

Humming to himself, he arrived at the small supermarket near the dormitory building. It was filled with freshmen who had the same idea, and a line had formed in front of the checkout counter.

And right on the shelf directly opposite the checkout, a shopping basket was hanging.

Under a sign labeled "Free," it noted that it was limited to one per month, containing daily necessities like body wash and shampoo.

The school provided plenty of hints to the freshmen, but those who had just received one hundred thousand personal points and become "big spenders" clearly didn't care.

Save where you can, spend where you must.

Walking straight to the basket, he picked up a bottle of two-in-one shampoo and body wash, which caught the attention of a girl who had been quietly following him since who knows when.

"Didn't the school give everyone one hundred thousand personal points?" asked the girl with her long hair tied in a green ponytail, her tone somewhat aggressive.

"Follow me."

Turning his head and noticing that there was no one else around Kei Karuizawa, Aoyama put the item back in its place and led the way out the door.

Compared to buying daily necessities, he was more eager to deal with the matter of Karuizawa, as it concerned his "golden finger."

"Who are you?"

"How do you know my name?"

"Playing mysterious only makes me dislike you."

Following him to the back of the dormitory building where there were no people or surveillance cameras, Kei Karuizawa adopted a tough attitude, feigning anger.

"Then why didn't you ignore me or tell your friends you didn't know me, Karuizawa?" Facing her questioning, he approached the girl who was glaring at him in annoyance, unhurried, and suddenly pinned her against the wall.

"You wouldn't happen to be afraid that I'll spill the secret about your past being bullied, would you?"

Looking down at Kei, whose expression shifted from tough to panicked, he revealed the secret she wanted to hide most.

And this was a fact that no one else in this school knew.

"You... are you joking? I'm the one who bullies others, right?"

"The body doesn't lie; you're shaking right now."

Lifting Kei's smooth chin, Aoyama Shiki sneered like a villain.

Chapter 4: Pay the Friend Fee

A massive monthly living allowance of one hundred thousand yen, and not a single classmate who knew him.

Through self-introductions and observing their expressions, he had already forcefully recruited two timid girls before the opening ceremony even began.

A pleasant school life was not out of reach.

It wasn't until a problematic boy appeared.

"What exactly do you want?" Karuizawa tried hard to control her body from trembling, but she couldn't.

Standing at an estimated height of 1.8 meters, with a handsome face like a movie star and an intense aura, she was certain that this person had not been her classmate during middle school.

But why, why did this person know her secret when even her middle school teachers didn't?

"I just want to make friends with you. Let's say the friendship fee is fifty thousand private points a month."

Fifty thousand private points to solve her trouble? That wasn't unacceptable.

However, if she agreed too quickly, he might try to extort more.

Calming down slightly, Karuizawa intended to feign hesitation before giving her answer, yet someone who went to such great lengths naturally wasn't doing it just for fifty thousand private points.

"And, you will do things for me." Stroking Karuizawa's pale cheek, Aoyama Shiki's tone left no room for doubt.

Among the four classes of the first year, Class D, which had the most problematic students, was the easiest to intervene in.

Karuizawa, whose weakness he held, was the perfect tool.

"Do things for you??"

"Yes, do things for my crowdfunding group. I will make you the leader of the girls in Class D."

Behind the student dormitory building stood a vending machine, next to which was a two-meter-long iron bench.

Grabbing the arm of the bewildered Karuizawa, Aoyama led her, puppet-like, to sit on the bench, and slowly began to explain the hidden rules of the school.

The focus was on the competitive relationship between the four classes and the fact that the first-year students were currently in the middle of a special exam.

During the first month of school, the school was extremely strict regarding behaviors like tardiness and using mobile phones in class, with every violation resulting in a deduction of class points.

"But the teachers didn't say that, nor did they stop us." Karuizawa suddenly felt a sense of unease.