I watched silently as Nakamura left my room. I had just been blackmailed by him and had to follow his orders.
I planned to use mutual destruction to counter his blackmail by using there as leverage.
However, I didn't have the slightest clue what that was. Obviously, it was a place but that was about all I knew.
I happened to think that in such a place there was something that Nakamura wanted to hide but I couldn't be sure.
He could have made it up just so he could have blackmailable information.
I couldn't tell and even if it was real, I couldn't get the information from anywhere I knew.
Maybe I could but for now I had to focus on getting what he wanted.
The question was if I was able to do that considering I recently joined the student council.
Unfortunately, Nakamura wasn't kind enough to consider that.
That guy really knows how to annoy someone.
I looked at the time and realizing that it was quite late, I took my bath and dried my hair while using my phone. I had no new messages.
I promptly dropped my phone before my eyes darted around my room. I noticed my family picture that I took.
It was an old picture; I took it when I was still in elementary school.
I saw someone in the picture, someone I hadn't seen in a while—it was my twin brother.
He wasn't with me anymore because… he died.
I miss you, Shou.
He died while we were still in elementary school—Shou was pushed off a cliff.
The killer was apprehended but… He was just another student—a local bully and my former crush.
However, he said someone made him do it or rather led him to do it.
It was–
La La La La.
It was my notification—a simple one-note melody. My friends sent me a message.
[Kumi: Girl, I hope you're not using your phone after that study session. Well, I guess you won't notice this message unless you are. Anyway, head to bed.]
I smiled at the message. Kumi was the first friend I made on coming here and was the second person I talked to.
She wanted me to rest because I happened to join the student council, did some work and still came for the class's online 4-hour study session.
"Though I don't feel that tired," I said to no one in particular. "I suppose she might be right about me not knowing when to rest."
I sighed, looking at the picture before I promptly turned it around.
I think that's enough reminiscing for one day.
I slipped into my pyjamas and went to bed. I had a short dream.
In it I was running with Shou but I overtook him; when I looked back, he was nowhere to be found.
After he was gone, I just sat there alone till I woke up to my alarm.
I had this dream every night.
And I really hated it, though I had it for over 5 years so I woke up without a reaction.
I quickly got out of bed, had my bath, and wore my uniform.
Unlike what Nakamura wore yesterday, I dressed like an actual student—wearing everything the school provided, including the blazer.
I happened to notice that most students in Class Gamma and below dressed like hooligans (with Class Epsilon dressing the most unstudent-like), though I couldn't really blame them.
It was their financial situation that forced them to do such.
After I finished packing my bag, I went to the convenience store and got a sandwich with a soda.
"That will be 425 RP."
"Ok, thanks," I said curtly.
"Come again."
I left the store and walked to school using the Class Alpha pathway.
Not because I didn't want to interact with people from other classes but so I wouldn't have to see Nakamura.
If I see that guy this morning, I might get a migraine.
"Nanase!"
"Oh, good morning, Kumi."
"What's up? Did you sleep well?" Kumi said, running up to me.
"Yup, thanks for your concern."
"No prob."
"Yo!" A boy with purple hair and green eyes came between me and Kumi. "What's up, ladies?"
"Hey Tadano," I greeted him. "What's up?"
"There might be an issue," Tadano looked grim.
"Hmm?"
"What happened…?" Kumi asked, though I could already guess.
"I-I-I think I'm in the midst of angels!!!" Tadano exclaimed, clutching his sides while moving in a wormlike manner like a weirdo.
So cringe.
I suppose an introduction is needed. Tadano was the person who sat next to me; he was…something.
Despite how he acted, he was apparently someone capable because everyone in my class was quite capable.
To be honest, I was surprised that Nakamura wasn't in this class, though I was thankful that he wasn't.
"Anyway, did you guys hear about the supposed missing records of Class Epsilon?"
"Nope," I replied. "Though how'd you even hear about it?"
"From friends."
Yeah, that checks out.
Kumi had lots of friends. While you couldn't say she was popular, she was friends with popular people.
That's why I even met up with Yoshida when she confronted Nakamura—I was waiting for Kumi, who just introduced me to her and left to buy food from a convenience store because it was selling her favourite snack.
"I heard that some people thought it was Takagaki but the rumor got snuffed out."
"Hmm. Must have been their class mastermind."
"Yeah."
"..."
Tadano remained quiet during all this. It must seem weird when he was just so energetic.
It was because of a single reason.
"Why are you talking about the lower classes?" His expression seemed calm, perhaps even indifferent but his tone dripped with exasperation.
Tadano had a hate for the other classes. Well, maybe saying 'hate' was too harsh but unlike other people who generally just didn't like Delta and Epsilon (not that I was part of such a group), he had a distaste for everyone not in Class Alpha.
"Uh, sorry about that," Kumi apologised. "I just found it interesting."
"Interesting? Those worthless cockroaches? I suppose their useless squabbles are somewhat amusing. I even conversed with Takagaki. Of course, in a few seconds I could tell why he was Class Delta."
Tadano was an elitist. Not that he didn't talk to those in lower classes; in fact, he had 'friends' from those classes.
Of course I use the word 'friends' very loosely—they were more like slaves.
Well, that word might be a bit too extreme. He kept them around by offering the prospect of giving them Rp.
Their greed kept them there and Tadano kept them to fulfill his whims—of course, still within the school's rules.
Then again, with this school, those rules could more or less be bent.
"You talked with him?" Kumi asked.
"Yeah, he wanted to be my friend but realised what that meant and quickly backed down like the coward he is," Tadano smirked. "Anyway, back to you angels."
The conversation went back to being light-hearted; it showed how little Tadano cared about the lower classes.
I didn't really like how Tadano acted but… I mean, it wasn't really that bad anyway.
At any rate, we arrived at school and began having our study session.
Unlike other classes, we had study sessions during classes because we had more or less finished the syllabus for this term.
Though it didn't really matter, as we could continue learning regardless.
However, our class leader said otherwise—saying we should focus on revision for the special test.
It made sense however…
We study wayyy too much.
Everyone seemed fine with it so complaining would seem weird.
I couldn't even sigh because everyone would hear so I simply looked out the window.
No one directly made us study because everyone acted accordingly.
We dressed well, we didn't talk during class, everyone understood the syllabus, and our class was always clean with everyone being cooperative and helpful.
We were, all in all, a perfect class. It was why we had so much Rp, because with how arranged and structured we were, we were bound to have good reputations.
After all this was Japan that we were in.
But that same structure also makes us so boring.
But I couldn't really complain so I simply stared at the clouds and began to think about the mission I was sent on by Nakamura.
That guy.
And I became angry again. Nakamura didn't understand the structure of the student council and how it worked. He forgot that today was just my second day.
Even after lunch break, I was still angry.
"Uh, Nanase, did something happen?"
"Nah."
"You sure?"
"Yup."
"Well, ok then."
Of course Kumi noticed but I quickly brushed it off and went back to continue studying (staring out the window) even though lunch break hadn't ended yet.
I was in perpetual boredom until I noticed our class leader walk into class.
Not that her presence ended my boredom but it courted my attention.
Like always, she was just like that.
Unlike other classes, we had only one class leader—not a president but a leader.
She didn't come to class in the morning like always, as she said that it was better to study alone than with people.
Not that we even made noise, though.
However, she could do such bold actions not because of who she was in school but because of who she was outside school too.
Her father was Hoshikawa Takemitsu, the head of the Hoshikawa Group.
The largest conglomerate in Japan, it operated in finance, shipping, tech, and real estate.
Hoshikawa Ayaka was the only child of Hoshikawa Takemitsu and was the sole heiress of the conglomerate.
This meant that she always carried a prestigious air—not to mention her straight jet-black hair and her emerald, the trademark of any Hoshikawa.
She even swayed people in Class Alpha because even though we feared expulsion, she was an obvious exception.
Even if she got expelled, she was still the heiress so she could easily still remain in a wealthy position.
It made everyone try to butter her up; however, she kept a calm and indifferent aura.
Showing how she couldn't be flattered but she was still also a good leader because her cool head made her good with decisions.
She was so amazing that I, a new student, could appreciate her.
However, despite all this, I had to focus on actually getting the information for Nakamura.
The main issue was how the student council worked, though I suppose to understand what I meant, I would have to tell the story of when I came yesterday.
***
Author's Note:
If you're wondering, the next chapter is the story. Anyway, remember to comment, share, and leave a review. Thanks for reading the chapter and see you in the next one.