Year 1: Subordinate and Senior

The two of us reached the cafeteria.

"Will you get yourself something to eat?"

"Yes. What about you?"

"I made myself a bento."

"Then please just wait at a table." She went to the end of the line.

I looked for a desk. There was one. As I sat down, I saw a familiar face peeking into the cafeteria. It was Ayanōkoji, the one I met yesterday. Without taking any food with him, he left the cafeteria right away.

Sakayanagi was already receiving her tray. I sighed, as I stood up and took it.

"Thank you, Kurose."

I took it to the closest table and sat myself across from her. Then I brought up my bento.

"Is that selfmade." A guy joined our conversation, while placing himself next to me and putting his arm on my shoulders.

"It is, Hashimoto." It was the blonde guy from my class. "And now could you please stop to cling onto me like that."

"Sorry, Sorry. My bad." He removed his hand.

"What do you want from us?" Sakayanagi asked with a smile. 'Scary.'

"I just wanted to swear my allegiance to Kurose." He said that without hesitation.

"To me?"

"Of course. You seem like a great leader to me."

"Oh, that came unexpected. Congratulations, Kurose."

"Why would you do that?"

"That doesn't have to bother you." He won't tell me.

"But now that I've seen such delicious food, I got all hungry myself." He left to purchase some food for himself.

"You can count yourself lucky, Kurose-kun."

"Why?"

"He also seems very capable."

"But I still don't get why I do need something like subordinates."

"You'll soon enough."

'It has something to do with the truth of this school.' That's the one thing I do understand.

"Man, I'm hungry." Hashimoto was back.

"Enjoy your meal."

"Thanks, boss." 'Where did that come from.' Sakayanagi giggled a little bit.

"Please don't call me that."

"If you want it like that, boss."

"Stop."

"Okay, Kurose-sama."

"That's even worse."

"Master Kurose."

"No."

"Then Reiji." 'Huh.'

"If it makes you happy."

"Then you can call me Masayoshi, Reiji-sama."

"Cut it."

"At five PM Japan Standard Time today, we will be holding a student club fair in Gymnasium No. 1. Students interested in joining a club, please gather in Gymnasium No. 1."

A girl voice came out of the speakers.

"Want to go together Reiji?"

"If you want me to. What about you, Sakayanagi?"

"I've other things to take care of today."

"So it's settled for us, boss." There he goes.

***

I met Masayoshi in front of the dorms and we went to Gymnasium No. 1.

There were already a lot of students inside and we searched for a place in the back.

"Kurose." A boy called out to me.

"Oh, it's you Ayanōkoji."

He went to my side and a girl followed him. It was the black haired girl. She had a disgusted look at her face as soon as she recognized me.

"Are you planning on joining a club?" I started a conversation, as I already know he wasn't good at it.

"No, I just-."

"Now, that you have someone to accompany you, I'll take my leave."

"Horikita, but you said you would go with me here."

"But only because you said that you have no one to gl with you." She still sounded like she wants to leave, but she stayed.

"Boss, would you mind to introduce to one another?" Masayoshi also joined the conversation.

"Boss?" "Cocky Idiot." Ayanōkoji didn't understand, why he called me boss, while the black haired girl, who was called Horikita by Ayanōkoji before, instantly thought that I wanted to be called like that.

"That's Ayanokoji from class 1d. And that's Hashimoto from my class."

"Nice to meet you."

"Oh, I should be the one considered lucky to met a friend of my boss."

"Shut it, Masayoshi."

"Ok, Ok. And who are you girl, if I may ask?"

"You don't."

"That's Horikita Suzune from my class." Ayanokōji answered instead of Horikita.

The show began.

Every club leader had to present their clubs and it the end another student stepped onto the platform.

He had black hair and wore glasses. I think I might have saw him somewhere before.

Most of the students waited for what he wanted to say, while some made foolish comments. If I'm right, then this boy is Horikita Manabu.

As soon as he introduced himself, I knew I was right. He was the student council president. 'Horikita, hmh.' I glanced at the Horikita next to me. From the looks, I could tell they're most likely related. The student council president, they looked after new members to replace the 3rd years. I had not really an intention in joining in the student council. "That just doesn't fit me well, does it."

"What did you say?" 'Oh, I said it out loud.'

"Nothing."

After the end of his speech I was about to ask the others what they wanted to do now, but a boy called out to Ayanokoji.

"Ayanokoji, you came huh?"

A group of three boys approached us. A red haired and relatively big one, one with light brown and one with dark brown hair. The last two were uninteresting, while the red at least seems to be so. I'm not quite sure yet.

"Oh, you three are here. Seems like you're getting along well." Poor Ayanokoji. Although he sounded sad, his face looked unphased.

"So, you did join a club too, huh?"

"Ah no, I just came here to … wait too? So you joined one."

"Yes, Basketball. I played it since elementary school and I don't want to brag 'bout it, but I'm pretty good." He definitely wanted to brag about it.

"And why are you two here?"

"I'm just waiting for my fateful encounter!" It was the one with light brown hair.

"Fateful … Encounter?"

"You know what I mean. Like when …" He told some manga cliche love at first side. 'A total idiot.'

"Hey Ayanokoji, we wanted to make a class D boy group. Wanna join?" Red-Hair-kun spoke again.

"If I'm allowed to."

I pushed Masayoshi. He looked at me and then remembered what we talked about earlier.

***

On the way to the club fair.

"Masayoshi?"

"Yes, boss."

"You said, you would serve me?"

"That's totally right."

"I plan on making some new aquaintances from other classes."

He nodded.

"I'm not interested in any girls."

"Oh, I see." He chuckled.

"That's not what I meant. I want to aquaint myself with some boys of the other classes."

"And why especially boys."

"Cause I'm a boy too. It's much easier to get invitations to parties and other stuff from boys. I mean look at me. I'm not ugly or anything, but neither am I handsome."

"Well, If you say it like that."

"If there's any opportunity to get into a conversation with someone, I'll push you."

"But couldn't you just say something, boss."

"I want to push you once." "Aha."

"And If I give you the signal, you just have to…"

***

I pushed Masayoshi and he approached Ayanokōji from behind, laying his arm around him. "Oi Ayanokoji, nice to meet you."

"But we-"Ayanokoji wanting to complain, turned out by Masayoshi.

"And you're his classmates."

"Well, yeah."

"Do you search for trouble!" Ike intimidated by the better looks of Masayoshi clenched his fists ready to fight.

"I just wante-" Here comes my part

"Masayoshi, where did you go? Oh there you are."

I put his arm away from Ayanokoji, while I pretended to just have arrived.

"I apologize for my classmate. He's just a little energetic." I forcefully bowed down Masayoshis head.

"Oh, no problem." Ayanokoji noticed, that I was up to something and didn't interfere.

"What did you talk about."

"We just wan-"

"Oi, Sudou, am I wrong or-" "Is this a second Ayanokoji?"

'Oh man, I'm not apathetic like him.'

"What did you say?"

"Oh, nothing we just talked about the group chat of our boys class we wanted to create." 'Oh, they lied, but it was right into the thing I wanted to talk about too.'

"Sure. That's a quite nice idea."

"You think so too."

"Yeah, how would it be to create another chat for the first year boys."

"That would be great." Ike was so easy to fascinate.

"I wouldn't mind it either." Yamauchi tried to act cool, but he also was getting excited about the idea.

"Sure, why not." Sudo's replay also was cool.

They exchanged contacts and after that I asked them waht they wanted to do now.

"Hm, I don't know, maybe I do something with the girls." Everyone looked at Ike, while thinking the same 'like that would happen.

"Maybe I'm going to the mall. Wanna join Yamauchi, Ayanokoji and uh."

"Hashimoto Masayoshi's the name."

"Kurose Reiji."

"I've got time." "Me too." Ayanokoji and Yamauchi said yes immediately.

"What about it, Bo-"

"Sure we can." I cut off Masayoshi as he was trying to call me boss again. That would go against our plan. "Lets's get some ice cream first. My treat."

"Thanks."

"We owe you one."

"Yeah, if you need help with something just ask." As if Yamauchi could help someone.

"Hey, I want some too." Ike, left out during our conversation, because of his stupid attitude towards girls, wanted to join too.

As they heard that, Masayoshi, Sudo and Yamauchi laughed.

***

The first week went on without something special happened. I continued having lunch with Sakayanagi and Masayoshi and soon Masayoshi wanted me to make him bentos sometimes. I charged the double amount of points I needed to make it.

In the second week, something unexpected happen.

"This is Kamuro Masumi. She will join us in our lunch breaks from now on."

Sakayanagi brought the purple haired girl from our class to our table. They sat down.

"Oh, Kamuro-san, we've never talked before, have we? Has-"

"Hashimoto Masayoshi-kun and Kurose Reiji-kun, right?"

"You are." "Full score!"

I didn't know where the sudden connection between Kamuro and Sakayanagi came from, but I don't really thought about it.

We talked a little and it seems like Kamuro and I get along pretty well.

After we finished, we returned to our classroom.

Although it still was lunch time, most of class A students were there. I looked at them. There was Shiota-kun. I haven't got the chance to invite him tou our boys group chat. All the other class A boys were already in, with the exception being him, but he seems to vanish every time I spotted him. I ap

"Shiota-kun, do you've got time for me."

"Oh, it's you Kurose. Of course I got time for you." He smiled. Other than Sakayanagis smile it was a warm one.

"I just wanted to invite you to our year one boys chat."

"Year one, so you mean with the other classes?"

"Yeah, but now, there are only class A, D and some B boys in it."

A boy named Hirata had convinced some class B students to join the chat. The admins were, Hirata-kun from class D, I from class A and a boy called Kanzaki from class B. It seems both Hirata and Kanzaki were also their class representatives so it would bother no one, why we were admins and no one else.

The chat also worked actively and I got much information from it, but to be honest, most times it were informations on some things I didn't want to know about. They also made a girl ranking. In some kind of way it's disgusting.

And if there popped up some useful information in it, I talked with Sakayanagi about it. That's the plan at least.

With every day passing in this school I feel there had to be something weird about this school.

"Of course I want to join. I'm so glad you asked." 'Oh nearly forgot he was there.' He had a really faint presence.

"Kurose, uh, could you lend me some points?" If it wasn't miss 'I don't want to pay for my exam results'. 'First, she doesn't want to spent points for her candidacy and now she has no more points left.'

"Why, did you spend them all?"

"No, I wouldn't be so careless?"

"So why did you loose them?"

"I, um, well, … I lost a bet."

"Couldn't that be considered careless too."

"Yeah, but I was sure I would win. The chance of winning was incredible."

"And don't you think, someone who offers you such a bet, would do that if he knew he would loose."

"Well, I thaught he was some kind of crazy-" I interrupted her.

"You think someone crazy is credible enough to bet your whole points against him?"

"Well…"

"Who was it anyway?"

"Some weird otako guy from class 1D."

"Aha." I turned away from her. 'That's the fate you have to lift for this month. Take it as a lesson.'

"So you don't want to give me points, huh?"

"I can give you some." Shiota was a kind person for sure.

"Oh, that's nice from you, I'll make sure to pay them back!"

***

After school I left and went to the dorms right away. On my way I looked at the school grounds.

On a little sports ground in the back, I saw a red haired guy exercising.

Right in front of me, there were two students walking. A girl with witenhair and a boy with dark red hair. They looked at there phones and didn't even notice me. As I overtake them, I saw them playing some games.

As I came near the dorms a boy also red haired came against me. He hold a massive pot of soup and excused himself, while I dodged him.

I reached the dorms and used the rest of the day to study. I only knew everything up to the advanced basics afterall.

It sun was still up, when I finished, so I decided to cook something. As I finished the night broke down. I ate slowly, while watching a series. It was boring so I turned it off.

After that I decided to sleep.

But I couldn't.

"What should I do now?" I asked myself out loud.

I decided to leave the dorms and search me a lonely and silent place.

I found one on a bench in the school park. I looked around me. 'Good, nobody's here.'

I took out a cigarette and my new lighter.

"Time to inaugurate you."

I pulled it back once.

'My mother was happy as she heard I was in class A.'

I pulled twice.

I thaught at Horikita, Ayanokoji and the trio. 'Class D consists mostly of Idiots and people with flaws.'

I pulled a third time.

'So it seems to give a ranking in classes.'

The forth pull.

'Oh, I got it. That's why I need subordinates.' "If there's a ranking, there's compitition." The last thing I said out loud, but still to myself.

"Quite the conclusion you got there, kohai."

"And you are?"

She sat down on the bench directly next to me.

"Fuka Kiryuin, I'm in class 2B. And are you willing to tell me what the name of the smoking kohai is?"

"Kurose Reiji." I put my smoke out and trow in the bin next to us.

"Smoking in your age, hahaha! You think you're cool, or what?"

"Why would I do that?"

"What exactly?"

"Trying to act cool. Let's just assume, that I'm trying to act cool with my smokes. Then why would I search for the emptiest place on the campus at this time."

"Then why do you do it? Tell me, kohai!"

"It's a bad habit, I can't get rid of."

"A really bad habit, considering that it could shorten your lofe drastically."

"Oh that. I got no interest in life at all."

"Then why do you keep living?"

"Hmh. Just that I don't have a reason to live, doesn't mean I've got one to die."

"Oh."

"I understood it a long time ago. There's no one willing to give their live without having a reason to. Not even the grim reaper himself."

"Haha, the grim reaper. You sure are interesting, kohai. Let's keep in contact."

We exchanged our contact informations.

"You can just save me as favorite senpai, hahaha."

I did as she said.

"Kurose's fine."

We talked a little longer about the school and it system, but she couldn't go into detail. She only confirmed what I already knew. For the rest she said "Find it out yourself, kohai!"

Then we talked about personal matters, but neither she nor I were ready to open themselves that much, so we didn't talked long.

"Wouldn't it be a problem for you, to be seen with a male kohai at this time."

"Oh, I don't care that much about the thaughts of others. But even then, here comes nobody at this time with the exception being me. You can consider yourself lucky, to be found by this beautiful senior of yours. Any other senior would have exposed your little secret right away or had tried to blackmail you with it."

"Well I guess, I'm lucky then."

"Ov course!"

"But I've got to go anyways. We've got swimming class tomorrow and I better not be too tired for it."

"Oh, so you want to see your classmates in their swimsuit."

"No."

"If you say so. You can come here any night, if you feel like smoking."

"I'm gratefully taking this offer. Good night, Fuka-senpai."

"Good night, little kohai."

As I went back to the dorms, I realized how late it already was. Although I was wearing my new hoodie, I still was freezing.

"Maybe I should've gone earlier." That's what I mumbled to myself, but I felt it was right to draw this connection to Fuka. She seems pretty interesting.

She got flawless looks. Her grey to platin blond hair marched her eyes perfectly, while her uniform completed the look. She also wore a small cote, something I have to consider bringing with me next time.

But the really interesting thing about her wasn't her look, bt her personality. It seems a little like Koenji Conglomerates heir. He also was selfcentered and arrogant, but Fuka felt different. As she was arrogant and selfcentered, she was also open to talk to others and connect to them.

If I'm right about my class theory and Fuka didn't lie to me, then that could be the reason, why she was in class B and Koenji in class D.

The key for there placement was there social skill.

That means that the interview results are weighed way higher than the written exams and the physical exam.

'I think I've got a lot better insight of the situation at this school.'