Sakura petals drifted to the ground on the breeze.
Star Color didn't find it poetic. Instead, she felt sorry for the workers who had to sweep them up. Petals that fell onto soil could at least become nutrients, but when they landed where people had to walk, they were a nuisance. Star Color's thought process was unusual, unlike that of a normal person.
"Wait, classmate!"
Star Color immediately imagined a scene from a youthful romantic comedy: a lovestruck girl confessing to him at first sight. Take notes, dating sims! Who needs dates, affection points, or choices? These unexpected moments were what youthful romantic comedies were all about! But when Star Color turned around, he saw the busty girl from the bus... His surging hormones plummeted instantly.
The school uniform of the girl before him was stained with a large splash of red. Star Color had even aimed specifically at the area where it had splattered across her white undershirt.
"Are you really feeling all right now?"
"I'm fine, thank you."
What a vicious way to ask after someone, Star Color thought. Next she'd ask for his name~. Surely she wouldn't use such a clichéd pickup line, would she?
"Um, may I ask your name? I'll come find you later with an apology gift."
That was way too clichéd! Hey! Star Color felt like this girl was somewhere between being an idiot and being crazy...
"Otonashi... Star Color."
"Star Color? What a strange name, but it's pretty too... I'll remember it. My name is Kikyou Kushida. See you again!"
"Bye-bye."
Star Color gave her signature customer-service smile and waved with exaggerated politeness. Kikyou Kushida, huh? What a weak little arthropod.
After passing through both an X-ray machine and a metal detector, even the shoulder bag on his back had to be opened for the staff to search. Fortunately, there was no pat-down. They were way too strict~.
Still, he managed to enter the school.
Star Color held the school's acceptance letter and a map introducing the campus.
"I actually got into Class A. I wonder if it'll be like in Baka and Test?"
He voiced his doubts. After all, this was an extremely unusual school, and schools like this tended to have a core premise: class competition. Western countries had established special schools like this years ago, but they hadn't achieved much and were eventually shut down.
"This place is impressive~."
At that moment, Star Color felt like a country bumpkin who'd wandered into the city, completely out of place with his surroundings.
He took a deep breath and slid open the "sliding door."
Everyone looked at Star Color.
Star Color lowered his head. He knew he stood out too much... His uniform, which he'd altered in advance, was way too distinctive. He could have customized the style however he liked, and he'd been proud of the character design he'd carefully chosen in the game. He hadn't expected this crowd to be a bunch of dull traditionalists.
Like a thief, Star Color glanced around and spotted the desk with his nameplate on it.
There were people on both sides of his seat... a bald guy by the window on one side, and a white-haired girl a little shorter than him on the other.
Star Color's old habit of observing people resurfaced. The bald guy was studying the school's introductory materials, so Star Color turned his attention to the silver-haired girl. Their eyes met...
"Um, hello."
Star Color sat stiffly in his seat and smiled as he greeted the silver-haired girl.
Pure, immaculate silver hair, a short stature, and a slender build... Star Color thought he was about the same size as her, and he was a boy, to boot. His body and physical abilities were so abnormal, though he knew better than anyone where he stood.
"Mm, hello, Star Color."
Wow, hello? What was this, a prim-and-proper young lady straight out of a period drama? Star Color thought.
A cane rested beside her desk. What was that? A hidden weapon? In period dramas, young ladies often seemed refined and proper but turned out to be skilled fighters—a well-rounded, cultured-and-martial-arts type. Something didn't seem right. It looked like an ordinary cane. Her complexion was pale. She was underdeveloped and frail, and an inconspicuous blue vein ran from her earlobe down to her neck.
A little-known fact from Star Color: the blue veins on the neck were actually superficial veins. Normally, they weren't very visible, only faintly discernible. They stood out more when someone was carrying a heavy load or holding their breath, appearing like blue veins. If they were prominent under ordinary circumstances, it meant the venous return from the head and face was impaired.
There was a good chance of right-sided heart failure or dysfunction, and the cane suggested she used it to steady herself and protect her heart from extra strain.
Putting the clues together, he pegged her at a glance: she had heart disease, and it was likely congenital.
Star Color felt his gaze had grown too intense, so he shifted it slightly. He didn't know what the girl's personality was like, after all. If he kept staring, she might think he was a pervert or a creep...
There was also a smartphone on the desk. It looked pretty new. He tapped the screen to turn it on. It had a proprietary operating system, too. They'd really spared no expense. It immediately prompted him to enter his student number and verify his identity. Wasn't this a bit too formal? They were only going to school! Star Color ranted internally.
Star Color activated his skill: [Observing People].
Whoa, the class was full of handsome boys and pretty girls. Wow~ one of them looked so fierce! Was he sure he wasn't an escaped fugitive? Put him in a gangster movie, and he'd easily be the second-in-command. And you're telling me this guy's a high school student?
Star Color looked enviously at the blond boy. He had the looks and conversational skills to charm women. He probably had a lot of luck with them. There was even a guy who looked like he could enter the [Most Handsome High School Boy Contest], hey! Whatever. The wise didn't fall in love, and philosophers didn't get married.
Star Color reaffirmed his convictions.
He took a copy of Liar Game out of his bag and started reading. Time slipped by unnoticed.
Suddenly, Star Color felt someone tap his desk.
The bald guy who looked like Little Fist Stone tapped Star Color's desk and quietly reminded him,
"The teacher's here. Put away the manga."
"Ah, oh~ thanks for the heads-up."
He looked imposing, but seemed like a decent guy. Star Color figured he was probably the diligent class-representative type.
"Good morning, new students of Class 1-A. My name is Tomoya Majima, and I'll be teaching your English classes."
"This school doesn't reshuffle classes each year, so I'll be your homeroom teacher and study alongside you for the next three years, until graduation. I look forward to working with you."
"The entrance ceremony will be held in the Gymnasium in an hour. Before then, I'll hand out some information about the school. I assume you've all read the introductory materials, so let's get straight to the point."
"The student ID cards on your desks will let you enter and use all the school's facilities. You can also use them to make purchases at the school shop."
"In short, your student card is like a bank card in society. To put it simply, the currency used at this school is called [points]. There's nothing at this school that you can't buy with points."
"The phones provided by the school let you check your personal point balance. You can also use them to [transfer points] and [receive points]. Just follow the instructions in the materials you've been given to learn how to use your phone. I won't go into further detail."
"Points will be deposited automatically on the first of every month, and each point is worth one yen. I'm sure you've all received 100,000 points. Points represent the school's assessment of you, but how you spend them is up to you."
Star Color turned on his phone. He really did have 100,000 points! That was 100,000 yen.
[At the 2015 exchange rate, 100,000 yen would be equivalent to 7,000 yuan today.]
Whispers broke out around the room, but the students quickly figured things out and quieted down.
"I want to emphasize that the school is extremely sensitive to violence and bullying. There are surveillance cameras throughout the school, so please don't do anything that causes trouble for everyone. Be sure to keep that in mind."
"Does anyone have any questions?"
Star Color somehow produced a bag of potato chips and had already started eating.
Little Fist Stone saw him and coughed to get his attention.
"Huh? Want some?"
Star Color turned around and whispered very softly. He tilted his head slightly, and his purple hair fell to one side, looking exceptionally beautiful in the sunlight.
"Hey... the teacher's talking up there. Show Teacher Majima some respect."
"Oh, so do you want some? They're refreshing wasabi flavor. They taste great."
Katsuragi patted his forehead, feeling like the guy sitting next to him wasn't normal at all. How had this guy gotten into Class A?
"I do."
The white-haired girl murmured from the other side.
Star Color handed her the chips.
Teacher Majima glanced over at them, but said nothing.
"It seems no one has any questions. In that case, I hope you all have a wonderful school life."
Before you continue