The next day.
The second day of school.
The morning sunlight streamed through the clean window glass, falling on the new desks of First Year Class A.
The atmosphere in the classroom, compared to yesterday, had an added sense of restrained order.
Students were in their places, sitting upright, their gazes focused, their actions of turning pages or organizing stationery carrying a natural regularity.
After yesterday's information sharing about "class points," the elites of Class A had less of the initial casualness in their eyes, and more of a calm sharpness and understanding.
The binding of individual points to collective honor and disgrace, like an invisible ruler suspended overhead, made this group of chosen ones enter the role of "elite" more quickly.
The seat by the window in the classroom was still empty.
The preparatory bell for the official start of class was getting closer and closer. The empty seat stood out somewhat in the morning light.
Many people's gazes, with a hint of imperceptible expectation and curiosity, occasionally swept over it.
How would Sakamoto, who had made his appearance on the first day of school with lateness, an incomprehensible bell for sitting down, and information about the s system, appear today?
Time quietly passed. Katsuragi Kohei in the front row still sat as still as a rock, only his gaze sweeping between the podium and the empty seat.
Sakayanagi Arisu sat quietly by the wall, her fingertips gently tapping the smooth tip of her cane, her gaze calm beneath her silver hair, a faint, playful smile on her lips.
Just a moment before the sharp, urgent "Ding—!" of the preparatory bell was about to tear through the air!
The classroom door was gently pushed open.
A tall figure appeared at the doorway, coincidentally backlit by the morning light from the corridor, his outline somewhat blurry for a moment. He took a step forward, entering the bright light of the classroom — black-rimmed glasses, a clear dark brown tear mole under his left eye, a handsome and calm face, and a wine-red school uniform that neatly outlined his tall figure.
It was Sakamoto.
He subtly adjusted his breathing, his forehead seeming to have fine beads of sweat that might have emerged after a run, but his breathing was steady, without any panic. His gaze calmly swept across the entire class, his composed demeanor as if he had merely returned from a stroll.
Under the instantly focused gazes of the entire class, he took a step.
His steps were steady and fluid, each step as if measured, his arm swing moderate, his shoulders and back as straight as a pine tree. His target was clearly the empty seat by the window.
He walked through rows of seats, countless gazes focused on him, yet he seemed oblivious, not looking sideways.
Just as he reached the empty seat by the window, his left hand very naturally brushed the air above the chair back, his body turning towards the seat, his center of gravity sinking, his posture relaxed, and the moment his buttocks perfectly met the chair seat—
"Ding—!!!!"
The preparatory bell, announcing the official start of class, rang out without warning, as if precisely calculated! The sound wave instantly filled the classroom, impacting everyone's eardrums.
Buzz!
Time froze for an instant. The previous moment was absolute silence and the last frame of Sakamoto sitting down, the next moment was a deafening announcement. This sudden, huge contrast made almost every student's heart in the class skip a beat! Many instinctively tensed their bodies.
[Is it like this again...]
[To the second...]
[This guy... his control over time is too terrifying...]
Silent thoughts flashed through many people's minds. The re-enactment of yesterday's shocking scene no longer brought mere astonishment, but a complex emotion mixed with understanding, admiration, and even a hint of familiarity.
Sakamoto's behavior pattern seemed to be gradually "adapted" by Class A.
Only the young man who had just taken his seat by the window, amidst the sweeping sound waves, merely adjusted his sitting posture very naturally, his gaze calmly directed towards the entrance of the podium.
The entire classroom was silent. There were no exclamations, no commotion.
The elites of Class A, having learned the rules of the s system, had discipline etched into their bones.
After the preparatory bell, any behavior that disrupted classroom order could bring unnecessary risks.
Just then, the homeroom teacher, Mashima Tomoya, walked into the classroom, his steps echoing the lingering sound of the bell.
He was well-built, his teacher's uniform immaculate, and his hawk-like gaze habitually swept over this territory, which held the highest expectations—ready to confront any potential slackness or disturbance that might arise on a new day.
However, the scene before him made him pause slightly.
The classroom was utterly silent! Forty students, including Sakamoto-kun, who had just taken his seat right on time, were all sitting upright like statues, their gazes fixed intently on the direction of the podium.
A fleeting, almost imperceptible trace of surprise crossed Mashima's eyes.
Just one day... the adaptability of this group of elites was indeed remarkable.
His sharp gaze subconsciously swept over Sakamoto-kun by the window, then over Sakayanagi Arisu by the wall. The weight of certain names on his "special attention" list seemed to have increased by a few points.
He suppressed the stir in his heart, cleared his throat, and regained his teacher's authority:
"Class is now starting."
His voice was deep and powerful.
The first period was English. Mashima's explanations were clear and rigorous, and his blackboard writing was strong and vigorous.
The students below listened with exceptional focus, their pens rustling as they took notes, and the question-and-answer session was active and orderly.
Sakamoto-kun sat by the window, his gaze intently fixed on the blackboard, occasionally lowering his head to quickly jot down notes in his notebook, his posture upright, his expression calm and unruffled.
The bell for the end of class rang.
Mashima had just announced the end of class, closed his lesson plan, and turned to leave.
"Whoosh—"
Almost simultaneously, Sakamoto-kun's seat by the window was instantly surrounded, making it impossible to pass! In stark contrast to the quietness during class, a passion that had been suppressed for an entire period erupted instantly.
"Sakamoto-kun! That was amazing!"
Hashimoto Masayoshi was the first to push his way to the desk, his face beaming with a bright smile, his eyes full of excitement.
"That trick yesterday, the 'paper airplane' and the hint to 'buy information with points,' was simply brilliant! If it weren't for you, how would we have thought to ask the upperclassmen about 'class points'? I was in charge of observing, but it was all thanks to your idea!"
Other classmates also chimed in, their gazes toward Sakamoto-kun filled with admiration and curiosity.
Just then, a figure agilely pushed through the crowd and stood before Sakamoto-kun's desk.
Her purple shoulder-length hair was tied into two playful pigtails, her light purple eyes sparkled with an unusual light, and a hint of an unconventional smile played on her lips. She was Morishita Ai.
"Hey, Sakamoto-kun!"
She spoke directly, her voice clear and carrying an undeniable straightforwardness,
"What's your full name? Sakamoto-kun?"
Sakamoto-kun looked up, his gaze behind his black-rimmed glasses calmly meeting hers. He nodded slightly, his posture elegant, his voice clear and calm, preparing to answer:
"I am Sakamoto-kun..."
However, just as he spoke, someone in the back of the classroom accidentally knocked over a stack of books, creating a loud "whoosh"! The books scattered across the floor, attracting the attention of most people and conveniently drowning out the latter half of Sakamoto-kun's sentence.
Morishita Ai's smile instantly froze, then turned into a dark scowl. She frowned deeply, her light purple eyes staring intently at Sakamoto-kun, as if trying to see through him.
She didn't hear clearly! The crucial name wasn't heard clearly!
This unexpected incident made her extremely annoyed, but Sakamoto-kun's still calm and unruffled expression, as if nothing had happened, only made the unusual curiosity and interest in her eyes burn even more intensely.
Not everyone joined the encirclement.
Sakayanagi Arisu remained quietly seated by the wall, her gaze calmly sweeping over Sakamoto-kun's completely surrounded seat, the playful curve of her lips unchanged, lost in thought.
Katsuragi Kohei sat in the front row, his sturdy frame motionless, his brows slightly furrowed, his sharp eyes sweeping over Sakamoto-kun, then over the fervent crowd. He disliked this atmosphere of personal adoration.
Kamuro Masumi leaned back in her chair, her purple eyes gazing out the window, seemingly indifferent to the clamor in front of her.
To the right of the classroom, an ordinary-looking boy with little presence—Totsuka Yahiko—pursed his lips and muttered under his breath:
"Putting on airs... riding on someone else's coattails."
At the center of the storm, Sakamoto-kun's expression remained unchanged in the face of Hashimoto Masayoshi's excitement, Morishita Ai's persistence, and the chatter of other classmates' questions.
He calmly adjusted his cuff, his movements smooth and elegant, then slightly raised his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet.
"Fellow classmates,"
His voice was clear and steady, carrying a peculiar penetrative power that instantly quelled the surrounding noise,
"Yesterday, it was merely my response to the situation. The glory of Class A lies in your own wisdom and initiative, not in relying on any one person's guidance."
He bowed slightly, his posture respectful yet composed:
"All I can do is provide a stepping stone. The road ahead is long, and it requires all of you to walk hand in hand."
The students gathered around the desk, including Morishita Ai with her dark scowl, all involuntarily quieted down, impressed by his composure and breadth of vision.
Sakamoto-kun, this elegant and mysterious classmate, once again, in his unique way, left an unforgettable impression on the second day of school.