Boundary

The atmosphere in Class A was quietly changing.

On the third day of school, Kiryu Yume noticed it. During breaks, people no longer wandered around and chatted as freely as they had on the first day. Fixed groups were beginning to form among the classroom seats. Some gathered near the front on the left, while others gathered near the back on the right. Several rows of empty seats lay between them like an invisible river.

Kiryu Yume had observed from his desk for two days before finally figuring it out. The group on the left centered around Katsuragi Kohei. He did not speak much, but whenever he did, the people around him listened attentively. Several boys clustered around him, and girls occasionally joined their discussions. They talked about class affairs, study plans, and exam strategies. It all sounded very serious.

Katsuragi was steady, cautious, and overly earnest about everything. Kiryu Yume noticed that he rarely looked people in the eye when he spoke. His gaze always settled on the desk or some fixed point ahead, as though he were confirming something with himself.

The group on the right surrounded Sakayanagi Arisu. Unlike Katsuragi, she did not actively gather people. She simply sat there reading, and others naturally gravitated toward her. Hashimoto Masayoshi was her main spokesman, responsible for relaying messages and keeping in touch. The people around Sakayanagi were far less organized than Katsuragi's group. Rather than discussing serious matters, they seemed more like they were waiting for instructions.

Kiryu Yume withdrew his gaze.

Morishita Ran beside him was flipping through a novel without even looking up.

"You noticed it, didn't you?" she suddenly asked.

"I did," Kiryu Yume said. "The class is splitting into factions."

"Mm."

"Which side are you on?"

Morishita Ran turned a page and thought for a moment. "I haven't decided yet. What about you?"

Kiryu Yume leaned back in his chair and spun his pen. "I'm not taking either side. Who runs the class has little to do with me."

"You make that sound pretty easy." Morishita Ran lowered her book slightly, revealing half her face. "But do you think you can really stay neutral forever?"

"Why not? I don't cause trouble, and I'm not fighting anyone."

"If you don't cause trouble, trouble will cause you." After saying that, Morishita Ran raised the book to cover her face again. Two seconds later, she added from behind it, "School's only been in session for a few days. Do you think those people will let any neutral party go?"

Kiryu Yume opened his mouth, wanting to argue, but realized he could not completely refute her. After a moment of silence, he changed the subject. "You've been watching for two days. Which side seems more reliable?"

"Katsuragi's side has order. Sakayanagi's side has brains." Morishita Ran's tone was calm. "They each have their strengths."

"Then which one will you choose?"

"I told you, I haven't decided yet." She turned to the next page. "And I'm not in a hurry."

Kiryu Yume gave a quiet "Mm" and did not press further.

He rested his head on the desk, thinking about something else—the Mom-Recognition System. These past few days, he had pulled up the panel from time to time for a look. [Current Mom: None] had not changed at all. The bond section was blank too. This damn system said, "The more moms, the more bonds," but what exactly counted as "recognizing a mom"? Did calling someone Mom count? Or did the other person have to acknowledge it? He secretly glanced at Morishita Ran. If he called her "Mom Morishita"—no, she would definitely think he was a pervert. He quickly killed that thought.

During lunch break, Kiryu Yume went to the cafeteria alone. Morishita Ran said she was returning books to the library, so she did not come with him. Carrying a plate of curry rice, he found a seat in a corner. He had only taken two bites when someone sat down across from him.

Katsuragi Kohei.

He was carrying the same curry rice. When he set down his tray, it barely made a sound. He was a large man, yet he sat down lightly, as if afraid of disturbing others.

"Kiryu."

He nodded.

"Katsuragi."

Kiryu Yume nodded back.

They ate facing each other for a few bites without speaking. Kiryu Yume was not used to this kind of silence. In his previous life, when he ate with people, they either talked about games or exams. There were rarely times when nobody said anything. But Katsuragi did not seem awkward at all. He ate quickly and chewed with concentration, as though carrying out a task.

Halfway through the meal, Katsuragi set down his spoon.

"Kiryu, what are your thoughts on the class's future development?"

Kiryu Yume paused. "...Development?"

"Class A is currently ranked first in the grade." Katsuragi's tone was even. "But I heard that both Class B and Class C are preparing in secret. If we grow complacent, we'll soon be overtaken."

Kiryu Yume thought about it and felt that Katsuragi had a point. Still, he did not think it was something he needed to worry about.

"Katsuragi, you care quite a bit about this."

"Because I am a member of Class A," Katsuragi said. "Since I am here, I must preserve our first-place position."

"What do you think about Sakayanagi's side?" Kiryu Yume asked casually.

Katsuragi fell silent for a moment. He lifted his cup and took a sip of water, set it down, and only then spoke. "Sakayanagi has her methods, and I have mine. Both paths may reach the finish line. It only depends on who walks more steadily."

"You don't oppose her?"

"I don't oppose her, but I don't agree with her either. Her methods are too risky." Katsuragi said, "If a class is to remain stable in the long term, it cannot rely on one person's intelligence. It must rely on the operation of a system."

Kiryu Yume listened and nodded. That was certainly in line with the impression Katsuragi gave—steady and methodical, one step at a time.

Katsuragi looked at him in silence for two seconds. Framed by his shaved head, those eyes appeared particularly earnest.

"Kiryu, I hope you can join my side."

Kiryu Yume froze.

"I do not mean to force you." Katsuragi placed his spoon on the edge of the tray and sat a little straighter. "The question you raised during the class meeting on the first day of school left a deep impression on me. Most people would only think about how to spend one hundred thousand points after receiving them. You were thinking about why they were given to us. Not everyone in Class A is capable of that way of thinking."

Kiryu Yume had not expected him to bring that up. That had been several days ago. He had nearly forgotten what he had asked at the time.

"Have you approached anyone else?" he asked.

"I have approached several people. Some agreed, while others are still considering it." Katsuragi's tone was frank. "But you are different from them. You do not need others to tell you what to think. You think for yourself. I do not want to miss someone like that."

Kiryu Yume opened his mouth, intending to say, "I was just asking casually," but swallowed the words. He studied Katsuragi's expression—he was serious, not merely being polite. Katsuragi took everything far too seriously.

"What do I need to do?" he asked.

"Attend class normally and participate in class activities normally. When something comes up, I will discuss it with you. You will not need to do anything special."

"Then what should I say if Sakayanagi's side comes to me?"

Katsuragi looked at him, seeming to consider the question. "Just tell them the truth. I will not demand that you cut off contact with the other side just because you have chosen a side."

"Aren't you afraid I'll tell them what's happening on your side?"

"Would you?"

Kiryu Yume thought for a moment. "No. I'm not that bored."

Katsuragi nodded, the corner of his mouth curving slightly upward. It was the first time Kiryu Yume had seen him smile. It was small, but it was undeniably a smile.

"Welcome aboard."

The two continued eating. Katsuragi ate even faster, as though he were in a hurry, and left first once he was done. Before leaving, he said, "I'll contact you again if I need anything," then picked up his tray and headed for the return counter.

Kiryu Yume sat alone in the cafeteria and finished the rest of his curry rice. He put down his spoon, leaned back in his chair, and stared at the ceiling blankly for a while. He had joined Katsuragi's faction. Was it really that simple? He had thought something like this would at least require a ceremony, signing a contract or something. Instead, they had simply shared a meal, said "okay," and that was it.

He picked up his tray, stood, and walked toward the return counter.

Before the first afternoon class, Kiryu Yume returned to the classroom. Hashimoto Masayoshi happened to be walking out through the door, and the two nearly collided.

"Yo, Kiryu." Hashimoto smiled and stepped aside.

His smile was natural, but Kiryu Yume always felt there was something extra in the way he looked at him. As though he were assessing him, or memorizing something about him.

"Hashimoto, you seem pretty free."

"Not bad, not bad." Hashimoto slipped both hands into his pockets. "A little busier than you might think."

"Busy with what?"

"Running errands and passing messages for people." Hashimoto tilted his head with a smile. "Didn't you just finish being busy too? Had a pleasant meal with Katsuragi, didn't you?"

Kiryu Yume's heart tightened. He knew?

"Not bad," he said without showing it on his face. "The curry rice was good."

"That's great." Hashimoto patted his shoulder. "Want to try a dish we recommend next time? Sakayanagi says the tonkatsu at the West Building cafeteria is better than the East Building's."

"We'll see."

"Sure, no rush." Hashimoto waved and headed toward the other end of the corridor.

Kiryu Yume stood there for two seconds, watching his retreating back before returning to his seat.

Morishita Ran had already returned from the library and was flipping through a new novel. When she saw Kiryu Yume, she tilted her head. "You had lunch with Katsuragi?"

"Yeah. He wanted to talk."

"About what?"

"Class matters."

Morishita Ran stared at him for two seconds. "He recruited you?"

"...More or less."

"You agreed?"

"Yeah."

Morishita Ran closed her novel and tilted her head at him. "You were pretty decisive. Aren't you worried about Sakayanagi's side?"

"Worried about what?"

"Worried they'll see you as a target," Morishita Ran said. "You joined that side, so this side will naturally classify you as being against them. Hashimoto came looking for you just now, didn't he? What did he say?"

Kiryu Yume paused. "How did you know he came to see me?"

"I saw him from a distance when I entered the corridor." Morishita Ran's tone was calm. "The way he spoke to you didn't look like he was talking about the weather."

"He said Sakayanagi asked whether I wanted to try the West Building's tonkatsu."

Morishita Ran blinked and fell silent for two seconds. Then she reopened her novel. "That was a pretext."

"What pretext?"

"Sakayanagi would not send someone all the way over just to ask about tonkatsu." Morishita Ran lowered her head to read. "As long as you understand that, it's enough."

Kiryu Yume thought about it and felt that she was right. But he did not ask further. The bell had already rung.

The math teacher entered the classroom and wrote a string of formulas on the blackboard. Kiryu Yume opened his notebook and pretended to take notes, but his thoughts were still turning over what had just happened. He had joined Katsuragi's faction. How would Sakayanagi's people see him? Was Hashimoto's smile and that remark about tonkatsu meant to imply something?

He secretly glanced in Sakayanagi's direction. She was as she had always been, listening quietly to the lesson and occasionally writing a few words in her notebook. Her profile looked somewhat pale in the sunlight. Her white cane leaned against the side of her desk, spotless and clean. She did not look his way.

Kiryu Yume withdrew his gaze and drew a circle in the blank space of his notebook, then scribbled it out. Whatever. He was just an ordinary student. It made no difference who led the class. He had only joined Katsuragi's faction because Katsuragi had asked, and he had felt it would not be good to refuse. It was that simple.

After school, Kiryu Yume packed his bag and prepared to leave. Hashimoto Masayoshi came over from the back row and patted him on the shoulder.

"Kiryu, Sakayanagi asked me to ask you something."

Kiryu Yume paused mid-motion. "What?"

"She said, do you really think Katsuragi can hold on to first place?"

After saying that, Hashimoto smiled and left. There was no malice in that smile, but Kiryu Yume found it uncomfortable all the same. He stood in place, watching Hashimoto's back disappear through the doorway.

Morishita Ran had already packed up. She stood and glanced at him. "Coming?"

"Yeah."

The two left the classroom together. The corridor was crowded, and Kiryu Yume stopped thinking about Hashimoto's words. What Sakayanagi said had nothing to do with him. He was not part of Sakayanagi's faction. He was part of Katsuragi's faction. At least for now.

When they reached a fork in the path, Morishita Ran stopped.

"What were you spacing out over just now?"

"I was thinking about what Sakayanagi said."

"Which part?"

"The part about whether Katsuragi can hold on to first place."

"What do you think?"

Kiryu Yume thought about it. "I don't know. But since I agreed to Katsuragi's offer, I won't casually go back on it."

"Mm." Morishita Ran nodded. "Then you'd better think it through. If the two sides really come into conflict someday, how will you choose?"

"How else would I choose? I'll follow through on what I agreed to."

"You make it sound easy." There was a faint trace of amusement in Morishita Ran's tone. "Don't come crying to me when the time comes."

"I'm not you. Why would I cry?"

Morishita Ran said nothing more. They walked side by side toward the dorms for a short distance before parting at another fork.

That night, Kiryu Yume lay alone on his dorm bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Today, he had made contact with Katsuragi. There probably would not be any overlap with Sakayanagi's side for the time being. As for Hashimoto's words, he would pretend he had never heard them. Whatever happened later could wait until later.

His stomach growled. He checked his phone. It was 11:20 p.m. The cafeteria had long since closed, but the convenience store downstairs was still open. Pulling on a hoodie and slipping his phone into his pocket, he pushed open his door and stepped outside.