Faculty

"Kawamoto-kun, from first-year Class D. Please come see Chabashira-sensei in the faculty office." The loudspeaker inside the classroom seems to call upon Kenji after the class ended for the day.

Exiting the classroom, everyone's stares found into Kenji getting all sorts of attention.

"Gotta go."

He left the classroom nonchalantly ignoring them, as if he wasn't bothered about the trouble of their entire class for lacking private points.

Kenji entered the faculty office, but to his surprise the person looking for him wasn't there. Knowing what to do, he called out to a teacher checking her appearance on a mirror.

"Excuse me, is Chabashira-sensei here?"

"Hmm? Sae-chan? Oh, she was just here a moment ago."

The teacher had wavy, shoulder-length hair, which made her look mature. The way she said Chabashira-sensei's name made them sound close. They were near in age and probably friends.

"She must have stepped away for a minute. Do you want to wait here?"

"Ah no, thank you. I'll wait in the hall."

Kenji didn't like being in the faculty office. He hated attention, so the hall would do just as well. However, the young teacher unexpectedly followed him.

"I'm Hoshinomiya Chie, in charge of Class B. Sae and I have been best friends since high school. That's why we call each other Sae-chan and Chie-chan."

"I see, Chie-chan huh. Sounds cute for a sensei."

When Kenji said those words, Hoshinomiya lightly chuckled with his smooth moves.

"My~ You're flattering me. Hey, why did Sae-chan call you? Huh? Huh? Why?" she asked.

"To be honest, I have no idea."

"I don't understand. You were called to the office without a reason? Hmm? What's your name?"

"My name's Kawamoto Kenji." Kenji said.

Kawamoto-kun, huh. Oh, wow, that's a cool name. You're pretty popular, aren't you?"

"If being called to the faculty room by the teachers and have a beautiful woman on me, then I guess I'm popular."

"Pfft..."

Hoshinomiya couldn't hold back anymore and her shoulders trembled and clutching her stomach forcing herself to stop laughing out loud.

"You're really saying some amusing things, Kawamoto-kun."

"Is that so, I'm glad I kept you entertained then." Kenji said.

Kenji might look like the aloof silent kid in class, but he could actually talk well with people. He worked in his family's small diner after all so he interacted with the customers on a daily basis.

Hoshinomiya grabbed Kenji's arms with slender, delicate hands. "Hmm? How unexpected. If we were in the same class, I'd never leave you alone."

"That sounds really naughty coming from a teacher, Chie-chan-sensei. Well I wouldn't mind a secret forbidden relationship."

"Gosh, you're really cute aren't you." She caressed his cheeks. Kenji was as steeled as a statue, though he entertained the idea of licking her fingers. But he got the feeling he'd get expelled if he do.

"What are you doing, Hoshinomiya?"

Chabashira-sensei appeared out of nowhere.

"Hm? Apparently she's not calling you Chie-chan, Hoshinomiya-sensei." Kenji said.

"Hey Sae-chan! You should be honest and just call me Chie-chan like usual." Hoshinomiya waved at Chabashira cheerfully.

With a loud thud, Chabashira-sensei smacked Hoshinomiya-sensei on the head with her clipboard. Hoshinomiya-sensei crouched and gripped her skull in apparent pain.

"Ouch! What was that for?" she cried.

"For getting involved with one of my students."

"I was only keeping him company while he waited for you, Sae-chan."

"It would have been better if you just left him alone. Thanks for waiting, Kawamoto. Let's go into the office."

"The guidance office? Did I do something wrong? I've been a good student as far as I know."

"A good answer. Come."

While wondering what's this all about, Kenji followed behind Chabashira-sensei. Now that he got a clear look at her back, Kenji was impressed that a short woman like her could overwhelm Class D.

Hoshinomiya was beside Kenji smiling widely following the two of them. Chabashira noticed, turned her way, and glared at her turning her face into a demon.

"You stay." She ordered.

"Come on, don't be so cold! It won't be the end of the world if I listen, right? Besides Sae-chan, you're definitely not the type to give one-on-one guidance. Pulling a new student like Kawamoto-kun into the guidance room out of nowhere... Are you after something, I wonder?"

Grinning, Hoshinomiya-sensei scooted behind me and placed her hands on Kenji's shoulders.

"So, Sae-chan, are you looking to be dominated by a younger man?" Hoshinomiya said.

"Don't say such stupid things. That wouldn't be possible."

"Hee, you're certainly right. It wouldn't be possible for you, Sae-chan."

Hoshinomiya-sensei muttered, her words laced with a double meaning.

"Why are you following us? This is a Class D matter."

"Huh? I can't go to the guidance room? That's not okay? Come on, I can give advice, too."

As Hoshinomiya-sensei continued to follow, a female student came up to them, a beautiful girl with light-pink hair. Kenji thought he saw her somewhere before, but he seems to forgot.

"Hoshinomiya-sensei, do you have a moment? The student council wishes to discuss something with you." She glanced at Kenji, but quickly returned her attention to Hoshinomiya-sensei.

"All right, you have someone who needs you. Get to it."

SLAP!

Chiyabashira-sensei smacked Hoshinomiya-sensei on the butt with her clipboard.

"Aw! She'll get mad at me if I hang around any longer. See you later, Kawamoto-kun! All right, Ichinose-san. Let's go to the faculty office."

Chabashira scratched her head as Hoshinomiya turned to leave with the beautiful Ichinose. Soon after Kenji and Chabashira entered the guidance room office.

"Stir me, fry me, brun me to stakes, humiliate me, do anything you want. Even if Chabashira-sensei gets to my body, but you won't be able to conquer my heart." Kenji sat down on the couch while covering his chest and had a bashful face.

"What are you doing?" Chabashira had a question mark pop out of her head.

"Well, based on the information on what I have gathered from Chie-chan-sensei and my circumstances, there's only one thing I could imagine. You're going to violate your student in the student guidance's room right? Earlier you said it's impossible that a younger man would dominate you, so in other words you're the one who's going to dominate the younger man. And so I came to that conclusion, was that a answer correct Sae-chan-sensei."

"I don't know if you're joking or simply an idiot, be serious Kawamoto."

"I see, so the roleplay had started. I may not be a masochist, but I'm ready when you are Chabashira– ouch!"

After getting smacked by the clipboard into the back of his head, Kenji stopped his antics and listen on what Chabashira-sensei have to say.

"So. Why did you call me here?" I asked.

"Well, about that... Before we begin, please come here."

She briefly glanced at a clock hanging on the wall, which gave the time as nine o'clock, and opened the door. Inside was a small office kitchenette. She placed a kettle on top of a stove.

"I'm going to make tea. Is roasted green okay?" she asked.

Kenji picked up the container with the tea powder.

"Don't make any unnecessary moves. Shut up and get in here. Understand? Don't make a sound and stay until I tell you it's okay to come out. If you don't do as I say, you'll be expelled." she said as she lead him into a room for a mini kitchen and locked the door leaving him in there.

"Geez, so it's a kidnapping play? Not gonna lie that sounds really exciting in a way too." Kenji muttered to himself saying with his inner perverseness.

Soon after, he heard the outer door to the guidance room open.

"Ah, come in. So, what did you want to talk to me about, Horikita?" Kenji heard Chabashira-sensei say beyond the locked door.

He started to wonder what kind of guidance did Horikita want. She doesn't look like the type to get into trouble... no scratch that, with her personality trouble will come eventually.

"I will be frank. Why was I sorted into Class D?"

"That's quite frank."

"Today, you told us that the school sorted superior students into Class A. You said that Class D was filled with the leftovers, the last bastion of delinquents."

"That's true. You must consider yourself to be a superior person."

"I solved nearly every problem on the entrance examination. I made no substantial mistakes on the interview, either. At the very least, I shouldn't have been sorted into Class D."

"You solved nearly all of the problems on the entrance examination, hmm? Normally I couldn't show the examination results to individual students, but I'll make an exception in this case. I just so happen to have your answer sheet here."

"You're incredibly prepared. It's... almost as if you knew I'd come here to protest."

"I'm an instructor. I understand the mind of a student, at least to some degree, Horikita Suzune. Just as you said, you did well on the entrance examination. You had the third-highest test score among the first-year students and were close to the highest- and second-highest-scoring students. You did exceedingly well. And you're right: We found no particular problems in your interview. On the contrary, we evaluated you quite highly."

"Thank you very much. So then... why?"

"Before I answer, why are you dissatisfied with Class D?"

"Who could be happy with an incorrect evaluation? Furthermore, the class rankings greatly impact our future prospects. Of course I'm dissatisfied."

"Incorrect evaluation? Perhaps your self-evaluation is far too high."

Chabashira-sensei snickered, or rather, laughed outright. "I acknowledge that your academic ability is excellent. You're certainly very smart. However, who decided that smart people are categorically superior? We never said that."

"But... that's just common sense."

"Common sense? Didn't common sense create our current, flawed society? Before, Japan relied solely on test scores to separate the superior and inferior. As a result, the incompetents at the top tried desperately to kick down the truly superior students. In the end, we settled on a system of hereditary succession."

A system of hereditary succession meant that things like social standing, prestige, and employment were passed down to future generations. In his past life Kenji's world revolved around that system too.

"You're a capable student. I don't deny that. However, this school's goal is to produce superior people. If you believe academics alone place you into a higher class, you are mistaken. That was the very first thing we explained to you. Besides, think rationally. Would we have admitted someone like Sudou if we decided superiority based solely on academic merit?"

"Tch…"

Despite the fact that this was one of the country's leading preparatory schools, this place allowed students to enroll for purposes other than academics.

"Furthermore, you may be too hasty in proclaiming that no one would be happy to be incorrectly evaluated. Take Class A, for instance. They are under incredible pressure from the school, and also the target of extreme envy from the lower classes. Competing every day with that kind of pressure bearing down upon you is far more difficult than you might imagine. There are some students who are happy to be incorrectly evaluated at a lower level."

"You're joking, right? I can't understand such a person."

"Is that so? I think that Class D boasts some of those people. Strange students who would happily be set at a low level. Or simply didn't have enough drive at all to strive for a higher goal."

"You still haven't given me an explanation. Was I honestly sorted into Class D? Did anything go wrong with the grading? Please double-check." Horikita said.

"I'm sorry, but you weren't sorted by mistake. You are definitely in Class D. You are at that level."

"Is that so? Then I will ask the school again, at another time."

Apparently, she wasn't going to give up. Horikita had merely determined that her homeroom teacher was the wrong person to ask.

"You'll get the same answer from anyone in a higher position. Besides, there's no need to be disappointed. As I told you this morning, it's possible for one class to overtake another. You could conceivably reach Class A before you graduate."

"I can't imagine it will be easy, though. Forget overtaking Class A, how in the world could those immature Class D misfits gain more points? I can't see how it's possible." Horikita spoke the truth. The difference in points was overwhelming.

"I don't know. You alone get to decide how you head down that path. At any rate, Horikita, do you need to be in Class A for any special reason?"

"Well... I suppose that's enough for now. Excuse me. But know that I'm not yet convinced I was sorted correctly."

"Understood. I will keep that in mind."

A chair squeaked against the floor, signaling that the discussion was over.

"Oh, that reminds me. I've summoned another person to the guidance room. It's someone relevant to you."

"Relevant to me? No, you can't mean... Onii—"

"Come on out, Kawamoto." the teacher said.

With a single command, Kenji stepped out of the room. In his hands was a single tray with a teacup and a kettle for pouring tea.

"Kawamoto Kenji, at your service. Here's your order, roasted green tea Chabashira-sensei."

Kenji set two teacups on the table for the two ladies in the room. He then pour the liquid into the teacup with practiced movements and elegance.

"Naturally this blend of tea was carefully prepared by yours truly. I'll be glad if you find it to your taste."

Naturally Horikita looked surprised seeing him into the room. Not only that, but he was acting nonchalantly and serving them tea like a servant as if it was natural considering the tense atmosphere just earlier.

"Were you listening to our conversation?" Horikita asked.

"Listening? What are you talking about? The honorable class adviser Chabashira-sensei ordered me to brew some tea for her. I noticed that there were guests, so I prepared tea good for two people. I don't seem to recall any conversation you're talking about." Kenji with a thick skin denied with all he's got, it raised both the eyebrows of the women in the room.

"That's not true. Voices carry out well into the kitchen, and I really doubt you haven't heard anything." Chabashira seems insistent on dragging Kenji into this troublesome situation.

"Sensei, why would you do this?" Horikita noticed that this had all been planned and was clearly angry.

"Because I deemed it necessary. Now then, Kawamoto, I'll explain why I called you here." Chabashira-sensei dismissed Horikita's concerns and shifted her attention to me.

"Well then, if you'll excuse me..." Horikita muttered.

"Wait, Horikita. It would be in your best interest to stay and listen. It may provide you with a hint on how to reach Class A."

Horikita stopped dead in her tracks and sat back down.

"Please keep it brief." she said.

Chiyabashira-sensei chuckled as she glanced over her clipboard. "You're an interesting student, Kawamoto."

"I wonder what's so interesting about me though. I'm just an ordinary student you'll find anywhere."

"Well, when I read over the entrance exam's results, your scores piqued my interest. I was shocked."

On her clipboard, Kenji saw a rather familiar answer sheet.

"Fifty points in Japanese. Fifty points in mathematics. Fifty points in English. Fifty points in social studies. Fifty points in science. You even scored Fifty points on the recent short test. Do you know what this means?"

A stunned Horikita looked over Kenji's test paper and then shifted her focus to me.

"This is a rather frightening coincidence." she said.

"Oh? You believe that getting 50s all across the board was a coincidence? He did it intentionally." Chabashira shot Horikita a look that seemed to day, 'what do you think'?

"Why?" Horikita questioned.

"Wether it's a coincidence or intentional, dunno what you're getting worked up on. It's just test scores isn't it, it's nothing worth fussing about." Kenji said neither denying or confirming their idea.

"I wonder. He may be even more intelligent than you, Horikita." Chabashira said then Horikita flinched.

"I don't like studying, and I don't plan to try hard. Getting those scores is reasonable enough."

"A student who chose this school wouldn't say something like that. However, some students may have different reasons for getting in. You, for example, and Kouenji as well. I think you're fine with being in either D or A."

"What other reasons do you have?" Horikita asked.

"I was forced to go into this school by my parents in the hopes of making friends. That's the only goal I have, though it ended up in fire considering I have an unfavorable first impression in Class."

As time seems continue to pass by, the school bell rang.

"I'm leaving. It's almost time for the faculty meeting. I'm going to close the door, so please step outside."

She pushed us into the hallway.

"Well. Should we head back?" Kenji asked.

Horikita didn't respond, and he walked away.

"Wait." Horikita called out, but Kenji didn't stop.

"Was your score... really just a coincidence?" she asked.

"I already answered that question, didn't I? It's up to you which answer you get, it's got nothing to do with me."

"Yeah, but... I also don't understand, Kawamoto-kunkun. You said that you like to avoid trouble, but you don't seem to be interested in Class A."

"You have an extraordinary fixation on Class A."

"Should I not? I'm simply striving to improve my future prospects."

"Oh, absolutely. You should. It's perfectly natural."

"When I entered this school, I thought graduation was my only goal. But the reality is different. I'm not even at the starting line."

Horikita sped up and started walking next to me.

"So, why are you aiming for Class A?"

"First, I want to ascertain this school's true motives. Why was I put into Class D? Chiyabashira-sensei said I'd been deemed a Class D student, but why? When I discover the answer, I'll aim for A. No, I will definitely make it to A."

"That's going to be a lot of work..."

"I know that. I still think the school made a mistake with my placement."

"I can understand your thoughts, but I don't think the school will continue supervising us so carefully. If they did, there'd be no meaning in competition." Horikita said.

"I see as expected of you. I suppose you could think that. So, you'll try to take care of this situation by yourself?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Hesitation zero!"

A hand chopped Kenji's side. Horikita ignored his pained expression.

"Ow. Look, I understand how you feel, but you can't solve this by yourself. Think about Sudou. Even if you improve, the rest of the class will drag you down."

"No. You're right that no lone individual can solve this problem. We won't even make it to the starting line without everyone's help."

"Well, it sounds like you've got a huge problem on your hands."

"We have three major, immediate issues. Tardiness and talking during class are the first two. Third, we must make sure no one fails the midterm exam."

"I think we'll manage those first two issues, but the midterms..."

The short test they'd taken had contained a few difficult questions, but overall it had been pretty easy. Even at that level, some students had failed. Honestly, their chances of passing the midterm exam were slim.

"I need your help, Kawamoto-kun."

"Help?"

Horikita glared at me.

"What if I refuse."

"Do you want to refuse?" she asked.

"What if I said I'd gladly help?"

"I never would've thought you'd do it gladly, but I doubt you'd refuse. If you did refuse to work with me, then that would be the end of it. No matter what I said about our future, I'd be powerless if you refused. So, will you help me or not?"

If Kenji agreed to help, he would have less time for himself on cooking practice. But remembering that his goal to enter this school was to make friends and enjoy his youth, Kenji thought this would help accomplish that goal.

Sighing to himself, "Fine, can't possibly refuse a request coming from a pretty girl."