Self-Introduction

After saying goodbye to Arisu, Hoshino followed the directions to Class D's classroom.

There were already around twenty students in the classroom. Perhaps because the school year had only just begun and they didn't know one another yet, most were sitting at their desks, sizing each other up. A few, though, had already gathered in pairs or small groups to chat. Could they be considered more socially capable than average? Then again, some might have known each other before enrolling. For now, he'd keep that in mind and observe.

He found the seat with "Hoshino" written on it. It was near the middle of the classroom. If his admirable rival were here, he could easily imagine him saying something like, "A seat in the center is just right for perfect me," and basking in his own glory.

But Hoshino, who was taking his place, was more interested in the seat in the corner.

He'd heard sayings like "the king's homeland is the back row by the window," and couldn't help feeling curious. It was true that many protagonists in the anime this country was famous for around the world sat in that spot.

So Hoshino looked toward the seat he had his eye on.

The boy sitting there met his gaze.

The boy was rather handsome, but his expressionless face made him seem a little dull.

Only a brief instant passed between Hoshino looking at him and the boy turning his gaze over. Barring a very unlikely coincidence, his senses must have been sharp.

He looked harmless. That was probably the impression most people would get at first glance.

But Hoshino felt a faint sense of unease. He hadn't noticed any particular flaw; it was simply something unreliable, like a hunch.

Was this boy really as simple as he appeared?

Hoshino was getting excited. How many years had it been since he'd felt curious about someone he'd just met?

"Um... hello?"

Just then, a voice came from beside him.

Hoshino turned to see a girl with short brown hair. Once she had his attention, she smiled as if pleased, then held out her hand.

"Hello, I'm Kushida Kikyo."

"Hello, I'm Hoshino Akira."

Hoshino softened his expression and gave her hand a light shake.

She had a sweet, friendly smile—the sort that made people like her easily. Her light makeup and choice of accessories suited her well, bringing out her charm.

They were standing close enough for him to catch the scent of citrus. That alone would be enough to set the heart of any boy who wasn't used to girls racing.

Her figure was eye-catching, too. Her full chest made an even greater impact against her slender waist, and below her skirt, which was shortened to the very limit of the school rules, her pale thighs were on full display. With all of that shifting into view at once, a person wouldn't know where to look.

Hoshino didn't think there was anything wrong with her making full use of the advantages of being a girl.

Oddly enough, she didn't give him a lewd impression. Even knowing that her behavior might all be an act, it was easy to get caught up in the innocent atmosphere she created.

"You're impressive, Kushida."

Hoshino decided to test her directly.

"What makes you say that?"

"It must take a fair amount of courage to approach a boy you don't know, especially someone like me. In the past, girls often said I was tall, looked scary, and seemed hard to approach."

"Huh? Not at all! You're so kind, and you speak so gently. And being tall is a good thing!"

As she spoke, she leaned forward slightly, looking up at him. Hoshino knew it was a deliberate little gesture, but she didn't come across as calculating. She just seemed sweet and innocent.

"Thank you, Kushida."

Hoshino thanked her, and she turned her eyes away a little, as if embarrassed.

What an interesting girl. He was a little curious about her.

They chatted for a few more moments before she gave a polite little wave and excused herself. Hoshino watched as she went over to a boy who had just come in near the door and started talking to him.

She seemed intent on getting along with everyone. That was quite an ambition.

For now, he'd simply keep a close eye on her.

Kushida was a strikingly beautiful girl, so Hoshino, who had just been talking with her, had caught people's attention as well.

At 185 centimeters tall, Hoshino had already stood out.

The glances coming from either side made him uncomfortable. Under the circumstances, it wouldn't be appropriate to do anything else.

Hoshino sat down at his seat.

Arisu had mentioned the school's system: Classes A through D were ranked by ability. From what he'd seen so far, there did seem to be quite a few students in Class D who didn't look particularly strong academically.

But the differences in other areas were probably even greater.

After a while, an adult woman entered the classroom. She wore a mature-looking pantsuit, and her long hair was tied up in a high ponytail. The unbuttoned collar of her shirt revealed a hint of cleavage, and the fitted waist accentuated her figure. Yet her brisk, confident air completely overshadowed any impression of sexiness.

She walked straight to the podium and swept her sharp gaze over the class.

Most of the students noticed her, and the chatter gradually died down.

"Good. It looks like all forty students in Class D are here. Let me introduce myself. My name is Chabashira Sae, and I'm your homeroom teacher. Under the school's system, you won't change classes every year, so I'll be spending the next three years with you. I look forward to working with you."

As she wrote her name on the blackboard, she spoke in a steady voice.

"The entrance ceremony will be held in an hour. For now, I'll give you a brief introduction to some of the school's rules."

Students weren't allowed to leave the school during the school year except under special circumstances, nor could they contact anyone outside the school.

Each student's student ID had a balance of Private Points issued by the school, which could be used as currency at the school's facilities.

As their allowance for the first month, 100,000 points had already been deposited into each student's account.

Private Points could be used to buy anything on campus.

And so on.

Teacher Chabashira spent about three minutes briefly explaining some of the school's rules.

It was a completely by-the-book explanation.

"You're free to spend the rest of your time as you wish. Just remember to attend the entrance ceremony on time."

With those words, Teacher Chabashira left the classroom.

Some students marveled at how generous the school's benefits were, while others had already started discussing how to spend their points.

Two students stood up at almost the same time.

Hoshino looked at the boy who had stood up by the window. He seemed to radiate the air of a model student.

Hoshino gestured for him to speak first.

The boy nodded to Hoshino and began in a cheerful voice.

"We'll all be in the same class from now on, so I thought we could start by introducing ourselves and getting to know one another. How does that sound?"

There it was—the kind of character he'd often seen in stories, standing right in front of him.

"I'll go first. My name is Hirata Yosuke. I like sports, especially soccer. I look forward to getting to know you all."

With his handsome appearance, kind personality, and love of soccer, it was easy to imagine he'd be popular with his classmates, especially the girls.

Hirata looked toward him, indicating it was his turn.

Hoshino hesitated for a moment.

If possible, he didn't want to be the second person to introduce himself after Hirata. It would draw unnecessary attention and invite comparisons, and, more importantly, it would be hard to strike the right balance.

"Uh... My name is Hoshino Akira. I like reading, and I'm not very good at sports. I hope we'll get along."

When Hoshino finished, a smattering of applause followed. It was a very ordinary introduction, but his appearance was already appealing. Paired with his modest attitude, it might actually be just what some of the girls liked.

Of course, that also drew some less-than-positive reactions from the boys. Hoshino clearly heard someone mutter, "He's that tall, but he's still a weakling who can't even play sports."

He didn't need to look to know where the comment had come from: the red-haired boy at the very back of the row by the wall. He was even taller and more heavily built than Hoshino, and his red hair made him stand out in the classroom.

Hoshino had noticed him when he entered the classroom and decided the boy didn't seem particularly bright.

Now it seemed he'd been right.

Hoshino ignored the red-haired boy and the others' reactions and sat down calmly.

He'd originally planned to leave the classroom. But after Hirata had gotten involved, leaving now would be awkward.

Oh well. It wasn't something he absolutely had to do. Even if it had some impact, it wouldn't be impossible to make up for. That was Hoshino's assessment.