"Quiet down, everyone. I'll introduce myself first."
Just then, a middle-aged man with an imposing air entered the classroom. Anyone could tell he was the class's homeroom teacher.
"I'm Tomoya Mashima, the homeroom teacher of Class A. The school's policy is that your homeroom teacher won't change for all three years, no matter which class you're in. So I'll be your teacher for the next three years."
Tomoya Mashima's introduction drew everyone's attention. After all, he was their homeroom teacher, and U Amakusa was no exception.
"When you enrolled, the school issued each of you a phone. You were informed of this before arriving, and outside phones aren't allowed at school."
"You've all received them, right? The phones issued by the school have a terminal system with your student information. You can only pay for things at school with the balance in that system. In other words, you can buy anything at school as long as you have enough in your terminal balance."
Mashima spoke calmly as he watched each student beneath the podium.
Just as he'd said, the students grew curious about the point balance in the system and began opening the phones they'd just received.
Of course, there were exceptions.
The silver-haired girl, whose cane rested beside her desk, was more curious about what the other students were doing than about the points on her phone.
U Amakusa wasn't an exception. The points on his phone seemed to have some kind of magic hold on him; he couldn't take his eyes off the screen.
"The school has already issued this month's points. You can check them now. As for prices at school, they're the same as outside, so you can think of points as yen. And you can put away your surprise."
"The school-issued points add up to 100,000. There's been no mistake. The school believes you're worth this much, and that's how it evaluates you right now. So feel free to use them. You have complete freedom in how you spend your points."
The Class A students stayed quiet until Mashima finished speaking, waiting for their homeroom teacher to conclude.
Amakusa couldn't help thinking that the opening emphasis on school policy was a strange thing to say out loud.
After that came the usual explanations about school points and various other matters. Amakusa did his best to play the part of an ordinary student.
This would have been a good time to catch Sakayanagi's attention, but Amakusa had no intention of making a move just yet.
"That's all I have to explain. Raise your hand if you have any questions."
No need, right?
Amakusa sighed inwardly. There was hardly anything in Mashima's speech that called for a question. He'd explained everything clearly.
But someone still raised a hand.
It was a bald student.
"Mr. Mashima, if we have complete freedom to use the points the school gives us, can we exchange them for yen and send the money outside?"
"You can, but I wouldn't recommend it."
As he said this, Mashima's lips curled into a faint smile. He'd taken a liking to the bald student.
"Why?" the bald student pressed.
"All I can tell you is that there are more useful ways to spend your points. I won't answer anything else."
Mashima's regard for the bald student had clearly diminished somewhat. Perhaps this question really mattered to him.
The bald student didn't press further. Good. At least he knew when to quit while he was ahead.
Meanwhile, Amakusa kept his eyes on the points on his phone. He knew exactly who the bald student was; that distinctive look was impossible to miss.
[Name: U Amakusa Gender: Male Class: Class 1-A Personal Account: 100000.]
After Mashima left, the students began mingling freely. The bald student went up to the front and suggested that everyone introduce themselves.
Most of the class agreed. The bald student went first: his name was Kohei Katsuragi.
One by one, the students began introducing themselves, and Amakusa did the same.
Of course, it was only a minor interlude. There was no way a self-introduction alone would catch Katsuragi's or Sakayanagi's attention.
Unless Sakayanagi secretly had a thing for good looks. Amakusa considered himself to be among the best-looking guys around.
Once everyone had finished introducing themselves, the students began getting to know one another. Amakusa, meanwhile, hadn't taken off his glasses once.
Just as he'd expected.
Amakusa looked at the profile pages of everyone in Class A. Each one displayed the same thing: their point balance.
An amusing idea came to him. Amakusa licked his lips, already eager to try it.
Kamuro saw Amakusa grinning to himself again and got fed up. She slapped his desk hard.
"Are you coming or not?"
"Let's go. Why wouldn't I, when someone's treating me? Especially when it's a beautiful girl like you, Kamuro."
Amakusa casually slipped his phone into his pocket, then stood up to show he was ready to go.
Come to think of it, it was puzzling how readily Kamuro had accepted his invitation.
But now wasn't the time to ask. Talking about it in the classroom would be as pointless as pissing with your pants down.
"Tch."
The two left the classroom together and headed to a café.
What Amakusa didn't know was that, although he thought he hadn't drawn attention to himself, most of the students in Class A had already noticed him.
Most of the class were still getting acquainted, and people usually started by chatting and making friends with others of the same sex.
But Amakusa had gone against the grain. He'd been the first to take Kamuro, one of the most beautiful girls in the class, away by herself, right in front of all the other guys.
The boys didn't say much, but almost every guy noticed the attractive girls around him when he entered a new environment.
As long as they were straight, it was instinctive—and Kamuro was one of the most stunning girls in this new environment.
"That guy... he's amazing. And it's only been a little while."
"Can I be his apprentice?"
"Please teach me a few tricks, master!"
The boys talked about Amakusa. Being able to tease each other about it helped them get to know one another, too.
The girls began talking about it as well, though they saw things very differently from the boys.
"Those two must know each other, right?"
"They were in the same class in middle school, I bet. That's what I think, anyway."
"By the way, don't you think that guy is pretty handsome...?"
"Ooh, does that mean you like his type?"
"I get it, I get it. I like handsome guys too."
Meanwhile, at the café.
Two new customers had just taken their seats at Table 3. The friendly waitress hurried over to ask what they wanted.
They sat across from each other, staring into one another's eyes.
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