Passersby A, B, and C

On the second day of school, classes had yet to officially begin. Lessons consisted only of routine explanations of study policies and the like.

Although students were free to decide whether to listen, and the teachers did not interfere,

the students of Class A all listened attentively.

During breaks, their classmates had already formed little groups of their own. Takahashi Ren was not among them.

Although some classmates had greeted him, they had not talked much.

Ai Morishita, meanwhile, was playing pranks on Sugio, who sat in front of her.

He felt deeply sorry for him.

Afterward, he left the classroom, found Mashima in the faculty office, and got straight to the point.

"You want to buy the contents of this month's assessment?"

"Yes. You said that anything in this school could be bought with points."

"Interesting." Mashima leaned back in his chair, his gaze becoming more appraising. "I'm curious. How did you know there would be an assessment this month?"

"An upperclassman sold me the information." Takahashi Ren delivered his prepared lie without batting an eye, implying that he had merely been a passive buyer.

He had indeed taken a walk around the upperclassmen's area yesterday morning.

"Then why not buy the assessment contents directly from an upperclassman?"

"The school couldn't possibly leave such an obvious loophole. The assessment contents most likely differ between year groups. Besides, there's no guarantee that information sold by an upperclassman is reliable."

"I see. I admire your insight, but you can't afford it."

"Please tell me the price so I can give up for good."

"Let me think. Two million."

Takahashi Ren fell silent. That was not a sum he could afford right now.

Even taking a step back, supposing he was willing and wanted to gather his classmates to buy it together, it would not be worth it if the costs involved were disproportionate to the returns.

Still, he had not come away empty-handed.

At least he had established one thing: at this school, the limits and scope of what points could buy far exceeded his imagination.

"In that case, I'll be going."

"Wait, Takahashi."

Mashima pulled familiar entrance exam papers out of a folder, one after another.

"Seventy-three in English, seventy-nine in social studies, eighty-three in science, eighty-nine in Japanese, and ninety-seven in mathematics. Does this reflect your true ability?"

"Is there a problem with those scores?"

"I wouldn't call it a problem. It's just that I used to teach mathematics too, and all these numbers happen to be primes. A coincidence of this degree isn't very common."

"Even if you're a teacher, I'm not obliged to answer."

"You're right. This is indeed a personal question. You don't have to answer."

Takahashi Ren thought for a moment, then said, "I simply thought it was amusing, sir."

"..."

Takahashi Ren pushed open the office door and came face-to-face with Sakayanagi.

The instant their eyes met, they both sized each other up, yet neither stopped walking.

Lunch break arrived peacefully.

In the classroom, classmates who knew one another invited each other to eat together.

Still, no one approached Takahashi Ren.

He planned to buy something to eat at the convenience store.

Just then, Ishida Yusuke suddenly approached and asked, "Takahashi, want to go to the cafeteria together?"

Takahashi Ren gladly accepted.

"I'm coming too," interjected Toba Shigeshige, who had appeared beside them at some point.

"What made you think of inviting me all of a sudden, Ishida?"

"I happened to see that you were alone too, so I thought I'd give it a try and ask."

"Same here," Toba Shigeru complained. "It's bizarre. I can't find a single friend in this class to talk about games with."

The three exchanged polite small talk along the way and reached the cafeteria entrance before they knew it. After each ordering at the ticket machine, they carried their trays to an empty spot in a corner and sat down.

"Speaking of which, who do you think is the prettiest girl in our class?" Toba Shigeru lowered his voice.

There it was: the inevitable topic among boys, and an essential remedy for bringing them closer.

"I haven't really paid attention... If I had to choose, probably Shiraishi." Ishida thought it over.

"What about you, Takahashi?" Toba Shigeru tossed the question his way.

"Rokkaku is the biggest, Shiraishi is the most alluring, Sakayanagi is the most elegant, and Tanihara is the cutest," Takahashi Ren answered without hesitation.

"A true master." Toba Shigeru gave him a thumbs-up.

Ishida also looked at him in surprise.

"I know a little."

"But you've left out the one person you really shouldn't overlook," Toba Shigeru said with certainty.

"Who?" A name flashed through Takahashi Ren's mind.

"Ai Morishita, the girl in front of you."

"True. Cool and aloof, and mysterious too." Ishida nodded in agreement.

Takahashi Ren did not know what to say, so he could only listen with a smile as the two discussed her enthusiastically. He would let them unwrap that surprise themselves.

After they finished eating, Toba Shigeru took out his phone and suggested, "Let's make a group chat. Just the three of us."

"Agreed."

"Sure."

Toba Shigeru quickly created the group and even gave it a rather imposing name: "Passersby A, B, and C."

Just then, an announcement came over the cafeteria speakers, informing them that a club information session would be held at five that afternoon in the First Gymnasium.

Clubs, huh. Come to think of it, that person had told me to join a club.

"Are you planning to join any clubs?" Takahashi Ren asked casually.

"No time."

"Not interested."

Toba Shigeru and Ishida answered crisply, one after the other.

"Free time after school is precious," Toba Shigeru declared unabashedly.

"Studying." Ishida's reason was even more concise.

Well said. Takahashi Ren silently applauded them.

If he could, he would have liked to turn it down just as freely.

He looked at Ishida and said, "Ishida, studying isn't everything. I think you should develop some other interests."

"I know. But I'm planning to join a club in college." Ishida adjusted his glasses.

"College will be too late. You should seize the moment."

"But I don't know what to join..." Ishida sounded a little hesitant.

"Go look, listen, and then decide." Takahashi Ren enunciated each word.

After school, Takahashi Ren and Ishida went to the First Gymnasium together.

It was already packed, with the vast majority of first-year students in attendance.

The two stood at the very back, quietly waiting for the information session to begin.

Then, following the opening remarks from the Student Council host, representatives from each club took turns going onstage to give brief introductions covering their activity schedules, their appeal, and their welcome to beginners.

The Student Council president, who appeared last, had quite an imposing presence, gradually quieting the noisy students until a solemn silence filled the entire gymnasium.

One could imagine how nerve-racking life would be after joining the Student Council.

But viewed another way, this in itself was a form of screening. Anyone who could not withstand even this much pressure probably would not so much as reach the threshold.

The upperclassmen who had finished speaking left the stage in order and headed toward an area furnished with simple long tables. Apparently, club applications would be handled directly there.

"Well? Any that caught your eye?" Takahashi Ren asked, turning his head.

"Calligraphy or tea ceremony, perhaps." Ishida thought briefly.

"Sounds good."

"What about you?"

"The Light Music Club."

"You've been hiding your talents, Takahashi. What instrument do you play?"

"Piano. I'm an amateur."

"That's impressive too, but piano doesn't fall under light music, does it?"

"Right. I'm just giving it a try. Whether I can get in is another matter," Takahashi Ren said. If he was rejected, there was nothing he could do.

After the information session ended, the two went their separate ways to submit their club applications.

Ishida ultimately chose tea ceremony.