14. Suppressing Ichinose's Excessive Kindness!
The second day of enrollment at Advanced Nurturing High, in the classroom of Year 1 Class B.
Seeing that everyone had already arrived in the classroom, and there was still a short class meeting time before the first class in the morning, Aragaki Shun walked directly to the podium, his gaze sweeping over his classmates, each with a peculiar expression.
"Regarding the truth about this school, Shibata already posted it in the class group chat yesterday. Do you have any further questions or additions?"
Everyone in Class B perked up at this moment.
Those who should have been shocked had already been shocked all night yesterday.
Now, everyone tacitly arrived at the classroom early, actually more out of confusion about the future class competition, wanting to find a way forward together with everyone in the classroom.
Glancing around at her classmates who seemed to have many questions but didn't know what to say, the pink-haired girl stood up from her seat and spoke to Aragaki Shun: "Regarding Aragaki-kun's release of the school's hidden rules, everyone should be clear about it. Then I'll add a little about my thoughts from yesterday afternoon's party inviting students from other classes."
"Firstly, the students from Class A. They had the fewest people come, and they were very polite when interacting with everyone, though they didn't seem very enthusiastic. As for Class C students, there seemed to be many boys who spoke rudely and were good at fighting. Among the girls, the most eye-catching was the group of gyarus. As for Class D..."
Ichinose Honami hesitated, seemingly unsure how to describe it.
"Kikyou-chan and Hirata-kun are easy to talk to. Shinohara-san and Karuizawa-san are quite assertive. Some people are rather quiet, but there are a few boys who seem a bit too noisy."
It was just that Ichinose was ultimately a bit too gentle and didn't like to speak ill of people behind their backs, but others in the class didn't have such a good temper.
"What's with that? Honami-chan is just too kind. Those boys from Class D are more than just noisy, they're practically perverts. Especially that Yamauchi Haruki, who only knows how to brag but acts all high and mighty. That bastard has no self-awareness at all and goes around commenting on girls' figures and looks."
"Right, right, and that Ike Kanji next to him. How can there be such people in school? Didn't he see how troubled Honami-chan was? He just kept pestering her endlessly."
"That girl named Shinohara is also weird. She inexplicably started arguing with the boys from Class C, and when we went to mediate, we even got scolded a couple of times."
"Ishizaki from Class C was actually bragging about who he fought with in junior high. That group of people all seem to be delinquents. Did the school put all such people in Class C?"
"Right, right, and that Class D guy..."
It seemed everyone really had a bellyful of things to say. Once someone started, a group of people one after another spoke up to complain about their interactions with other classes yesterday afternoon.
Generally speaking, the people from Class A who came were alright.
The people from Class C who attended the party were basically delinquents or gyaru types.
And Class D was simply a chaotic mess; everyone was very individualistic, and there was no single standard to describe them.
Clap clap—
Aragaki Shun clapped his hands twice.
Seeing everyone quiet down, he nodded in satisfaction.
"It seems everyone already has some understanding of the situation in each class of the first year. Then please remember, from now on, they are our opponents!"
"It's no problem for everyone to make friends normally, but don't reveal information from our class, especially since this first month of school is still the code of conduct examination period. The one thousand class points issued by the school are related to the different starting lines of the four classes in the future. Whether we can gain an advantage at the beginning of the competition and create a snowball effect of 'one step ahead, every step ahead' depends on everyone's performance this month."
To be honest, although he had anticipated Ichinose Honami and the others' approachability, to be able to get to know so many students from other classes on the first day of school, this level of social skill was, in Aragaki Shun's eyes, terrifying.
At least he definitely couldn't organize a party on the first day of school and invite students from four classes to participate together.
At most, he could go to the three classes and issue a provocation like "I think all of you here are trash," similar to how he challenged various clubs.
Scanning everyone's reactions, everyone knew how important this exam involving a thousand class points was, so no one...
Wait! Someone actually had an opinion?
Aragaki Shun's eyebrows twitched slightly.
He looked at the pink-haired girl who was hesitantly listening to the surrounding classmates' discussions, a look of forbearance on her face.
"Ichinose-san, do you have a different idea?"
"Um, actually," Ichinose Honami stammered awkwardly, "I was thinking, could we, in the middle of the month, when Class C and Class D have already deducted many class points, give them a reminder?"
The discussion in the class stopped abruptly.
Everyone looked at Ichinose Honami in disbelief, but no one stood up to directly express opposition.
Most people's faces showed a trusting expression of "Honami-chan definitely has her own ideas."
Aragaki Shun appeared pensive.
If it was profitable, trading with other classes was also an option.
Therefore, he asked curiously:
"Tell me your reason first."
"At noon, didn't we all eat the free set meal? That taste was indeed a bit unpalatable. The seniors in second and third-year CD classes mostly have to eat that, and it seems they're having a hard time. So I was wondering if we could let the students in first-year C and D classes keep some more class points..."
As she spoke further, Ichinose simply lowered her head, not even showing her face, looking extremely embarrassed.
"Yes, I'm sorry, but even if everyone is competing, can't we still be friends?"
Aragaki Shun: "..."
Somewhat speechless, he supported his forehead.
He had thought the girl's reason was something else, but it turned out to be from this perspective.
The most crucial thing was, no matter how he looked at it, the other party seemed to genuinely think this way, without a trace of falsehood.
"This suggestion is rejected!"
Seeing others inexplicably moved, as if about to stand up and echo Ichinose Honami, Aragaki Shun decisively waved his hand, indicating it was not allowed.
The pink-haired girl opened her mouth, looking somewhat dejected, but didn't insist further, merely showing a helpless expression.
Probably because she already knew this would likely be the result.
Aragaki Shun was not swayed by that endearing appearance, but once again emphasized:
"I still say the same thing: I don't care if you make friends with students from other classes, but please don't harm the overall interests of our class!"
"Ichinose, if you're worried about your friends' living difficulties, you can privately lend them points, or even give them supplies for free. But don't make the entire class pay for your kindness!"
The young man's voice was cold and resolute, not giving the class angel any face at all.
"Only graduating from Class A can allow everyone to move towards their desired future. If something goes wrong, Ichinose, can you bear this responsibility?"
...