Chapter 5: The Endless Issues Surrounding a Small Forest

'That's right! She was of a pretty wealthy family, wasn't she? Unlike the rest of them, she might have had some prior knowledge about this school. Assuming she did, sounding too knowledgeable might oust me as someone with a deeper background.'

Yukio looked over at Chiaki, who smiled at him encouragingly, as he contemplated the way to deliver his next sentence. What he decided to reveal had the potential to bring a mess his way, and he needed to be careful to buffer any damage.

'And that's just assuming she does know. If she doesn't, it would just make it seem as though I am a worthy addition to class D when everyone finds out the real situation.'

He believed being her friend could be easy, yet he also knew she'd keep herself at a distance as she had done to her friendship circle in the light novel- the reason for which she had been placed into class D. Yukio wanted an in, right into the enigma of the girl's sight (and possibly even heart in an alternate, wishful reality).

'At the end of the day, if I just say 'that', I could look good without having her looking into my background which I haven't even investigated myself.'

Transmigrating into the bus to the unforthcoming high school earlier that day, Yukio did not have any means to find out about his history before the academy, or even if he had one at all. Hence, Chiaki may find something that she could hold over him while at the academy, which would be a disadvantage to him.

"The S system seems complicated but one thing stood out to me in Chabashira-sensei's explanation. The school gave us 100,000 private points based on the evaluation that we managed to get in. And it also mentioned we'd receive points at the start of each month. I think the key takeaway is the school's evaluation of our class can fluctuate. Subsequently, it may be the case that the evaluation of the class each month will affect how many points we get that month. Which ultimately means, 100,000 points is not guaranteed each month."

'Ignorance but with an analytical approach. I think that was quite good. Mental pat on the back for myself.'

Chiaki had a thoughtful expression on her face while Nene also appeared to be deep in thought at the prospects of such a system.

"Based on that, performance in events such as midterms and finals, and maybe even the sports festival could affect our private points, you think?"

Chiaki decided to add to the conversation by raising a valid point that he did not want to explain in his own 'findings'.

"Nh. Or it might be that my inference was incorrect and the school is so generous as to dish out 100,000 points to each of the 160 students for all 3 years, totalling a monthly expenditure of 48 million yen, and a yearly expenditure of 576 million yen."

Nene looked shocked when the numbers were directly involved, and expressed her realisation with a disappointed pout.

"Ne~ What's with all this evaluation nonsense? I thought I could just enjoy my next 3 years playing every day."

Chiaki hugged the girl's midriff and laughed at the 15-year olds cuteness while Yukio harrumphed jealously in his head. He'd be branded a pervert if he did the same.

'It's quite surprising how fast they've clicked. It's not a pair we've seen much in the light novel. It does make for some great eye candy though.'

"Well if the school is going to evaluate us anyway, why don't we give them something to evaluate by playing every day!"

And while putting forth a silly idea, much to Yukio's confusion, the pair of girls giggled as though to an inside joke.

"Hm~ What has made you guys so cheerful? Matsushita-san? Mori-san? And hello there Kobayashi-Kun."

The sombre-turned-upbeat trio swivelled to an approaching group of girls made up of Maya Satou, Satsuki Shinohara, and a girl that Yukio has not been introduced to but he knew was Kei Karuizawa.

"Hey Satou-san, Shinohara-san and… Karuizawa-san. What are you guys doing here?"

Chiaki, being the one to make acquaintance with Satou and Shinohara before introducing them to Yukio, greeted the trio cheerfully. Her clear lack of familiarity with Karuizawa begot a prompt response from the pompous girl

in question.

"Matsushita-san, right? I see you guys are enjoying yourselves. We were just passing by."

"No no. Come take a seat. It's good to get acquainted with each other before all the learning from tomorrow."

While Kei was brooding over the idea, Matsushita gestured to Yukio with her eyes to get a few chairs from the table over. Reluctantly vacating his seat, Yukio brought over 3 seats and gestured for the girls to take a seat.

Sandwiched between Karuizawa and Matsushita, Yukio couldn't help but feel trouble was on the way.

"Satou-san. Shinohara-san. Karuizawa-san. Nice to meet you. Have you also been exploring the place?"

His question elicited an animated reply from Satou, and thus began a lively conversation on the extensive selection of apparel and stores at the mall.

'Hm… keeping up with the conversation is so tiring. But who would've thought I'd be sitting with 5 girls at the mall? Maybe I should reconsider whether I'm part of the popular kids.'

Rubbing his chin in mock contemplation, Yukio did not hear where the conversation was leading, and by the time he did, it was already too late.

"So what were you guys discussing before we got here? You looked pretty serious from afar."

'Ah! Maya. Satou. Why did you have to bring that up? Why is it that it's only girls giving me such a headache today?'

A voice at the back of his mind argued that he had mostly interacted with girls today, but as Yukio did to all things troublesome, he left the thought at the back of his mind and focused on the conversation at hand, so he could steer it in the desired direction.

"Let's not even talk about it! Apparently sensei tricked us…"

"Might have."

Rolling her eyes at Yukio's interruption, Nene continued-

"Might have tricked us into thinking we're receiving 100,000 points every month."

"What?!"

Karuizawa exclaimed, while the remaining two girls looked at Nene in confusion before the light of understanding bloomed in their eyes and their facial expressions formed a displeased frown.

"So we won't be receiving 100,000 points a month?"

'I think it's time to jump in and begin damage control. Operation sabotage class D.'

"Not exactly, Karuizawa-san. What's been theorised is that the points given are based on the value the school places in us. So naturally the lower the evaluation of our abilities, the fewer private points we receive. However, this is probably all a load of hogwash since the school can't just leave us with 0 PPs if they judge us to be completely worthless, can they?"

'I'm a firm believer in the idea that the greatest comeback can only start from the bottom. Also, the class is made up of so many unstable variables, and uniting them in poor times, should help to build an environment in which the class can learn to thrive together, even in good times. Hence, the need to sabotage class D. Hm… maybe I can cement the sabotage by doing 'that' tomorrow.'

Slightly banking on the idea that popular girls don't go grocery shopping on the first day, and therefore not having noticed the selection of free goods, Yukio tried to pull through with this line of argument.

"Hogwash?"

Questioned the beautiful blonde, with a ponytail reaching her lower back.

"My apologies. I meant that the theory could be nonsense since I'm basing this on the idea that a sensei did not divulge all the information, which would be poor behaviour from staff of such an institution."

'And I've pulled through.'

Shinohara deflated in her chair, looking absolutely forlorn at the grim prospects.

"I did not understand a single thing you said but it sounds scary."

Yukio had a seizure.

"It's fine! We can just enjoy ourselves this month until we find out the deal behind the school."

Chiaki interjected at a great time, raising the mood at the table.

"Mhm. Those clothes and parfaits won't buy themselves."

Yukio commented, also trying to get contribution points in the conversation, though he ended up with a lot more than he could have asked for.

"Parfaits?! Where?"

The girls all but shrieked at the horrified boy, who had never been at the end of a group of girls frantic fervour.

"I noticed a café, which I think was called Pallet café, on my way to the mall. We can head there now. I don't think there'll be that many students there right now."

And like that, the foreign boy invited himself to the next place of interest while changing the subject of the conversation perfectly, tagging along with the group of five excited girls to the establishment that would single-handedly empty their pockets.

— — —

Placing his keycard down on the bedside table, Yukio plopped down into the bed with a grand sigh expressing his complete fatigue at accompanying a group of girls around the campus.

'Man I never want to do that again.'

Spying the clock on the wall reading 7 pm, he thought in incredulity at the fact that he spent a little under five hours with the group. The fervour of a group is a lot harder to deal with than a pair.

'And that's exactly how I'm going to deal with the class tomorrow. The female quintet are probably aware that bad classroom manners will decrease the class's overall evaluation, but if the entire class is flicking through their phones, and arriving late, herd mentality will click in. That way I can get the brownie points in suggesting the consequences of such actions, as well as have the class fall to rock bottom!'

Raising himself from the bed, Yukio got to preparing dinner and getting in a light workout despite his apparent exhaustion.

Being at this school, he wanted to maintain a high rating in academic ability and athletic ability. His intelligence, cooperativeness and decision-making should not be poor, so his placement in class D was probably due to an outside influence. Hence the need to be at his prime in everything to deal with whatever came his way.

'My math, science, English and social studies grades will probably be at the top of the class. It's just my Japanese language, World history, geography and civics which will need to be practised. I guess my evenings will be spent bringing myself up to par with the rest of the class.'

And while thinking of his plans for the future, his first day in the classroom of the elite ended.