His thoughts returned to the bus.
Kamigami Haruo pulled a notebook from his bag.
When he opened it, he saw the names and information of the students he knew so far. He planned to add a few more details.
Kamigami Haruo was at a loss. He was only a casual fan who knew about the story from the start of school up to the Uninhabited Island arc a few months later. He also knew a few personal details and had seen some videos online. That was about it.
After looking through the notes for a while, he thought, Forget it. I might as well just slack off.
There was no need for him to worry about getting promoted to Class A. Ayanokōji could handle that. He could just coast along and enjoy the ride.
The bus kept moving and, before long, had reached the next stop.
Unlike the first stop, where barely anyone had gotten on, this time a young man in a burgundy school uniform and several office workers boarded.
These students, who would be spending the next three years with him, wore hopeful expressions as they looked forward to the school life ahead.
Only two of them gave off a different air: a cool, long-haired girl with straight black hair, and a tall, burly young man with blond hair.
Perhaps because Kamigami Haruo had taken the seat that should have been hers, Horikita Suzune chose a seat behind him.
As for Kōenji Rokusuke, he sat in the priority seat closest to the exit and took out an elegant hand mirror to admire himself.
My name is Horikita Suzune. I have no interest in the social lives that other people hold dear.
Countless people had tried to talk to me over the years, for one reason or another, but I had turned every one of them away.
From elementary school through middle school, and now into the next three years of my education, friendship and socializing had never been part of my plans.
I had eyes only for my older brother. My sole purpose was to catch up to him and earn his approval. For that, I had done everything I could to get into this school.
With that resolve in my heart, I chose a seat.
Then, without meaning to, I caught sight of the contents of the book held by the man in front of me.
What I saw made me frown.
Though it was written in kanji, Horikita Suzune could still make out some of it. She couldn't possibly mistake a name she had known for fifteen years.
Horikita Suzune had been about to read further when she sensed that something was off.
The moment she looked up, her eyes met the dark ones peering out from beneath Kamigami Haruo's hair.
Kamigami Haruo smiled at her, but to Horikita Suzune,
the scar at the corner of his mouth and his unkempt appearance made him look like a murderer.
Caught off guard, Horikita Suzune froze for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure.
As for feeling guilty about snooping? Horikita Suzune didn't feel guilty at all.
"Hello, I'm Kamigami Haruo. I look forward to getting along with you."
Kamigami Haruo's introduction interrupted Horikita Suzune's thoughts, and she replied without thinking.
"Horikita Suzune."
"Is that so? Suzune is a lovely name."
After teasing her, Kamigami Haruo turned away, put his notebook away, and gazed blankly out at the passing streets.
Horikita Suzune felt he had overstepped, but since they were in public, she had to suppress her curiosity. She decided she would confront him after they got off.
Looking at the frail, scrawny body hidden beneath his uniform, Horikita Suzune mentally labeled him a weirdo.
He looked gloomy, but since he wore the same uniform, he was probably a fellow student.
With that thought, Horikita Suzune took out Crime and Punishment to read.
The book's subject was controversial: did people have the right to kill? It felt like the person sitting in front of her understood the question all too well.
Tokyo's buses applied the brakes gently, without throwing passengers forward.
That was what was happening now. The driver's foot on the brake signaled the arrival of someone.
Ayanokōji Kiyotaka, an artificially created genius from the White Room.
If necessary, anyone could be a pawn in his eyes. At school, he was an unbeatable presence.
He was someone who would stop at nothing to win.
Since it was rush hour, there weren't many empty seats left on the bus. Only a few remained.
Ayanokōji's gaze passed over Kamigami Haruo and then turned to Horikita Suzune. Without a moment's hesitation, he headed toward her.
At almost the same time, a student asked Kamigami Haruo in a timid voice if he could move his backpack.
Kamigami Haruo looked at the student and gave a slight nod. He lifted the backpack onto his lap, moved to the outer side of the seat, then turned slightly to let the student in.
He did it simply so he could get off quickly when they reached his stop, without having to squeeze past anyone.
The student thanked him, then carefully stepped in and sat down.
Things should have remained that way until they reached school. But when Kamigami Haruo saw an elderly woman nearly fall as the bus accelerated, he remembered what was about to happen.
"Don't you think you should give up your seat?"
At the same time, the argument that was supposed to happen began.
Seeing this, Kamigami Haruo immediately straightened up, ready to stand at the last moment.
After all, helping someone when they were at their most helpless left the strongest impression.
It never occurred to Kamigami Haruo that his appearance might frighten people.
But even if he had known, he wouldn't have cared. People might keep their distance because of how he looked, but Kushida Kikyo wouldn't. She wanted to be liked by everyone.
Kamigami Haruo wanted to make a good impression on Kushida Kikyo. Being ordinary friends would be fine.
If he didn't fit in, Hirata might keep pestering him. And if he had to be pestered by someone, he'd rather it be a pretty girl.
Kushida Kikyo was probably on the verge of snapping. She had wanted to start a new life, but the moment she got on the bus, she saw Horikita Suzune, a student from the same school.
Her composure had crumbled, and she had been holding it in ever since.
"You there, sitting over there. Can't you see that the old lady is having trouble?"
"What a crazy question, Lady."
Those two lines immediately drew everyone's attention.
The first time around, the elderly woman had stopped the office lady from arguing, not wanting to make a scene.
But this time, it was the popular Kushida Kikyo's moment.
"Um... I think the older girl is right, too."
Kushida Kikyo seemed to have finally worked up the courage to speak to Kōenji.
It was hard not to feel some goodwill toward her.
But that goodwill went no further. Feeling warmly toward her didn't mean anyone was willing to give up a seat. The people around them simply watched in silence.
After a long debate, just as Kushida Kikyo was about to say something,
"Everyone, please listen for a moment. Would anyone be willing to give this old woman their seat? Anyone at all. Please."
Thinking the time was right, Kamigami Haruo stood up as though he were offering his seat.
The people around him seemed surprised. Someone who looked like a bad person was giving up his seat?
But when they saw Kamigami Haruo hobble away, their surprise turned to sympathy.
They couldn't help reflecting on themselves. Even a disabled person knew to offer up his seat, yet they had just stood by and done nothing. If something like this happened again, maybe they should just close their eyes and pretend not to see.
Before you continue