After passing through the school gates, Hikigaya didn't head straight to his assigned class. With bit time to spare, he decided to take a stroll around the campus. What he encountered was beyond anything he'd anticipated—a spectacle that left him both amazed and slightly unsettled.
He stopped mid-step, taking in the sight of numerous stores, malls, and shopping complexes scattered throughout the campus. It was almost surreal, and for a fleeting moment, excitement sparked within him.
"What is this? Some kind of school-sponsored capitalism?" he muttered, his voice tinged with disbelief.
He blinked, eyes darting between the stores and the students casually roaming around. Suddenly a thought popped into his mind
"Whoa… this doesn't feel like a school. It's more like a commercial district disguised as one. And judging by what I'm seeing, it looks like it has just about everything a person could need. I can tell that without even exploring the whole place."
But just as his amazement started to settle in, he suddenly felt a chill touched the back of his neck. At first, he thought it was just a breeze but then he looked up.
There were cameras and a lot of them.
He turned his head slowly, scanning left and right. The sheer number was hard to ignore.
"Okay… this is new. I've seen fewer cameras in police station. Hell, even the detention Centre didn't have this many cameras in one particular place. And that place was designed to keep people from stabbing each other with forks. Just what kind of school is this?"
It's not the cameras that bothered him he was particularly used to it after spending time in detention centre. But even there the cameras hadn't felt like they are present everywhere. At this point this is definitely not just for security purposes. Hikigaya felt that rather than being just simply monitored they were being observed and studied by School authorities. What else could explain the need for so many cameras?
"Or maybe they're running some kind of reality show instead of classes. Who knows? No need to get paranoid about cameras. Maybe the school has trust issues or something really bad happened in the past, and now they're just being extra cautious."
He sighed heavily, frustration briefly flickering across his face. It was an old habit of his, spiraling into suspicion. He forced himself to take a deep breath. No use being a conspiracy theorist just yet.
"Come on, at least wait till day three before going full conspiracy mode. Let's try optimism for once. Okay? If not for myself, then at least for promise I made to Komachi. She'd probably kick me hard if she knew I started spiraling this early."
With that thought, Hikigaya pushed his suspicions aside and began making his way to his new class. As he walked, a flicker of hope stirred within him. His voice broke the silence as he murmured to himself.
"Maybe the students here are different. This is our country's most elite School after all… so they should be model students. You know the polite, respectful, 'I volunteer for everything types'. Not the one who throw erasers at your head. Right? Please tell me I'm right."
A flicker of middle school memories crossed Hikigaya's mind, but he brushed them away and continued making his way toward class 1-D.
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As he stepped inside the class, his gaze instinctively wandered. What he noticed first weren't the students or the setup, it was again the cameras—dozens of them, positioned to cover every possible angle of the room.
Hikigaya dismissed the thought and walked toward his assigned seat, according to the seating plan. It was at the very back of the classroom, in the centre row—an unremarkable spot that suited him just fine.
As he approached his desk, he noticed the girl sitting at the bench beside him. She had long black hair, a composed posture, and a calm, unreadable expression. There was an air of quiet elegance about her as she quietly read a book named 'Crime and Punishment'. He remembered seeing her on the bus earlier too.
"Dostoevsky, huh… That's not light reading. His stuff's heavy, messy, and kind of exhausting—but weirdly honest. Not the kind of thing most people pick up for fun."
He slid into his seat quietly, not bothering to greet her. She didn't look like the type who wanted to be interrupted anyway, and he didn't exactly feel like making conversation with strangers.
With nothing else to do, Hikigaya let his gaze wander around the room, observing his new classmates. Soon, he found some familiar faces from the bus— the brown-haired boy with lifeless eyes, the cheerful girl with huge assets, and the cool beauty sitting beside him. They were all here in the same class.
"What are the odds? Four people from that one bus ride ending up in the same class?" Hikigaya thought to himself. "That's either ridiculously bad luck… or some kind of twisted coincidence. since that blonde guy is here too."
His eyes lazily swept across the room. In one corner, boys were laughing as they compared their junior high schools. Nearby, a few girls were already chatting as if they had been lifelong friends, despite it barely being twenty minutes since they had all met.
"So, it's already started, huh?" Hikigaya muttered under his breath, watching the groups form effortlessly around the room. It wasn't surprising, but it still left him with a familiar sense of detachment.
Groups start forming almost immediately. Even without the freedom to pick seats, people find ways to drift toward what feels familiar. Loud types latch onto other loud types, the quiet ones stay quiet together, and somewhere in between, the average folks band together just to not be alone.
There were no name tags saying "popular," "forgettable," or "loner," but the roles were already being passed around like scripts in a school play. Everyone knew where they belonged—or at least, where they didn't want to end up.
It's not always about personality either. Sometimes it's just timing. Who you made eye contact with first. Who laughed at your joke. Who didn't. From there, the line starts drawing itself. It's subtle, but it sticks.
The scene before him was far from what he had imagined. He had expected model students to be here, given the reputation of the school, but instead, it felt no different from any other high school. His disappointment was evident, and a sense of hopelessness began to creep in, even though his school life hadn't officially begun yet.
"But for Komachi's promise, I have to give it a try. But what am I even supposed to do here? Should I join them? No way! Then should I look for other loners and form an alliance?" Hikigaya thought, trying to push himself toward a positive outlook. The effort, however, left him exhaling a loud, tired sigh instead.
Suddenly, a voice interrupted his spiralling thoughts. "Instead of sighing so loudly, why don't you go join them too?"
Hikigaya stayed silent, completely lost in his own world, pretending not to hear her.
"Ignoring me, are we?" The voice sounded closer this time. Reluctantly, he tilted his head to the side, only to meet the cold beauty's gaze. She was staring directly at him, her calm and composed expression as unreadable as ever.
"Huh? Are you talking to me?" Hikigaya asked, caught off guard. He hadn't expected someone like her to take the initiative, much less address him.
"Who else would I be talking to?" she replied without missing a beat. "Seems like your situation is even more tragic than this boy sitting beside me."
When she spoke, her eyes briefly flicked to the brown-haired boy with dead eyes before turning back to Hikigaya, as if comparing them both.
"You were the one arguing with that guy at the gate, right?" Hikigaya asked, attempting to steer the conversation away from himself.
The girl raised an eyebrow slightly, her expression remaining calm.
"Observant, aren't you?" she replied, her tone cool but tinged with faint amusement. "Though 'arguing' is an exaggeration. I simply corrected his misunderstanding."
Hikigaya blinked, unsure whether her confidence was impressive or mildly annoying. "So, you're the type who picks fights to 'correct misunderstandings'?" he said, his tone laced with dry sarcasm.
She tilted her head, giving him a piercing look. "And you're the type of gloomy guy who sighs and avoids people while silently cursing them in your heart, aren't you?"
And there it was. Just when Hikigaya dared to let a flicker of hope rise, it was swiftly extinguished by her words. "Out of nowhere, this girl just starts insulting me," he thought bitterly. "But I guess that was somewhere within my expectations. Why can't I ever be wrong about these things? It's already making me sad."
Just as he settled into his thoughts, she spoke again—calmly, as if continuing a casual conversation.
"You're the one who gave up his seat on the bus this morning, right?"
His eyes widened slightly, and his head snapped toward her before quickly looking away. Stealth malfunction. How did she even—?
"Wait… you saw that?" Hikigaya asked cautiously, shifting slightly in his seat. He noticed the brown-haired boy watching them now, his curiosity evident. It seemed their conversation had drawn some unintended attention.
"I didn't exactly noticed you until now. you're far too unremarkable to leave an impression," she said, her tone sharp yet calm, as she turned a page in her book without sparing him a glance. "I just happened to notice someone reading Agatha Christie's work on the bus. The same one you're holding now, actually. Since it's not exactly a common reading material. It wasn't hard to connect the dots."
He looked down, unsure whether that was meant as an insult or an odd compliment. "Right… I guess I'll take that as a kind of acknowledgment?"
"But why did you give up your seat on the bus?" she asked, her gaze resting on him with faint curiosity. "You don't seem like the type to do things without a reason. Unless there was something to gain from it—but you still did it. Why is that?"
"Wow, for someone who didn't even bother with a greeting or self-introduction. You sure are asking a lot from a stranger," Hikigaya said, his tone carrying a faint trace of mockery as he leaned back in his chair and continued talking.
"…Yeah, that was me. I just figured there wasn't anything to lose. It was only a seat. Nothing worth making a big deal over." He gave her a vague reply, unwilling to share his actual reasons with this strange girl he had just met.
"I see," she said, her voice calm and indifferent. She didn't lift her gaze from the book, but after a brief pause, she spoke again.
"I am Horikita Suzune."
Hikigaya blinked, slightly caught off guard by the sudden introduction. So, she does acknowledge introductions—just on her own terms, he thought.
He adjusted his grip on his book, debating whether to respond or just let it pass. Eventually, he sighed. "...Hikigaya Hachiman," he muttered, barely looking in her direction.
Horikita gave a slight nod before turning another page, as if the exchange had simply been a formality.
"How thrilling," Hikigaya mused sarcastically. "The first official conversation of my High school life, and it's already exhausting."
After a few minutes, the first bell rang. At that precise moment, a woman entered the classroom. The lively chatter that had filled the room just seconds ago vanished instantly and every student fell silent, turning their attention toward the front.
She wore a suit, her delicate features complemented by long hair tied into a ponytail. Her voice was calm and professional, carrying an air of authority.
"Ahem. Good morning to you, students. I'm the instructor for Class D. My name is Chabashira Sae. I usually teach Japanese history. However, at this school, we do not change classrooms for each grade. For the next three years, I will be acting as your homeroom teacher, so I hope to get to know all of you. It's a pleasure to meet you. The entrance ceremony will be in the gymnasium one hour from now, but first, I will distribute written materials with information about this school's special rules. I will also hand out the admissions guide."
"Not changing classes with each grade. But what could be the reason for that." A curious thoughts emerged in his mind.
The students in the front seats passed back the familiar documents. It basically contained all the basic rules about the school. which was basically no communication to outside world for next three years and about The most unique aspect of Advanced Nurturing High School—the implementation of the [S System].
"I will now hand out your student ID cards. By using your card, you can access any of the facilities on campus, purchase goods from the store, and so on. It acts like a credit card. However, it is imperative that you pay attention to the points that you spend. At this school, you can use your points to buy anything. Anything located on the school premises is available for purchase."
"When you say that… you mean any item or product on campus, right?" Hikigaya thought, as if trying to convince himself that there wasn't some hidden implication lurking beneath those words.
"Your student cards can be used simply by swiping them through the machine scanner. The method is simple, so you shouldn't get confused. Points are automatically deposited into your account on the first of every month. You should all have received 100,000 points already. Keep in mind that one point is worth one yen. No further explanation should be necessary."
The room erupted with gasps and stunned murmurs. Hikigaya glanced at his student ID and stared at the balance 100,000.
"What?! They're just handing us 100,000 yen like this? This isn't a joke, is it? Because nothing is ever this simple when money gets involved in anything." His expression grew more complicated as suspicions stirred in his mind.
Along with student ID cards, the school issued custom smartphones and a student handbook. According to Chabashira, the phones were designed to block all outgoing communication, preventing any information about the school from being shared externally.
"Not bad," Hikigaya thought, examining the sleek device. "Looks pretty high-end, actually."
"Shocked by the number of points you've been given?" Chabashira's voice was steady, carrying an air of authority. "This school evaluates its students' talents and capabilities. Passing the entrance exam alone proves your potential. The points you've received reflect your worth as a student, measured by the system."
"So, our worth as students, huh? We passed the entrance exam, proving our value to the school, and this money is our reward. But does that mean we'll have to prove our worth again to receive this amount next month too? She never actually mentioned that we'd get the same amount every month, now did she?" The thought gnawed at him as more questions surfaced in his mind.
She paused briefly, letting the weight of her words settle over the room.
"You are free to use your points however you wish. After graduation, however, all points return to the school. Since they cannot be exchanged for cash, saving them serves no purpose. Once deposited into your account, it's up to you how to spend them. However, be aware that coercion, intimidation, and violence are strictly prohibited. The school takes bullying and similar behaviors very seriously."
"Well, it appears no one has any questions. I hope that you enjoy your time here as students." With that, Chabashira-sensei turned and left the classroom.
"If what I thought is correct. Then this isn't a School. It's a corporate utopia disguised as a educational institution." As he rubbed his head and let out another frustrated tired sigh.
Around him, the atmosphere shifted. Students chatted more freely, eyes alight with excitement. He couldn't really blame them. For kids our age, having this much money and total control over it? That's a rare kind of freedom. Even though doubt lingered in his mind, the sheer amount of money in his account was hard to ignore. A part of him, buried beneath his skepticism, felt a flicker of excitement. Still, as he glanced around, he couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment as no one seemed interested in questioning anything.
It was almost unsettling how quickly everyone accepted it.
"This level of preferential treatment… it's almost too good to be true," as Horikita sitting beside him murmured.
Hikigaya gave a side glance without fully turning. "You think so too?" he said, half to himself. "People usually get excited when they're given freedom, but rarely do they stop to ask what the price is."
Horikita didn't reply immediately, her sharp gaze still fixed on the student handbook. "That's because most people would rather indulge than think."
Hikigaya smirked faintly. "Guess that makes us part of the unfortunate minority."
He rested his chin in his hand, staring vacantly toward the window. It's almost impressive how fast people cling to things. Comfort, hope, money… give them a little, and they'll fill in the rest with their own delusions.