Prologue / Chapter 1.1

Prologue

The sun was slowly sinking below the horizon, tinting the sky in shades of gold and orange.  On the quiet campus of the prestigious Tokyo Koudo Ikusei High School, students were beginning to gather in the central courtyard as they prepared to head back to their dorms after a day of school.  Among them was Yuuichi Katagiri, a student with a kind but penetrating gaze.

As he walked through the bustle of the crowd, Yuuichi noticed a group of high-status sempai from Class A laughing and mocking a fellow Class D.  This lit a spark in his eyes, and he decided to intervene.

Yuuichi: (in a calm but firm voice) What do you think you're doing?

Student A: (laughing) And who are you?  Are you also a defect?

Yuuichi: It doesn't matter who it is.  We are all students of this school and deserve respect.  They do not have the right to put others down based on their status.

Student B: (sneering) And what are you going to do about it?

Yuuichi smirked before with a deft move taking the phone out of him which showed how they teased Sudo for no reason..

Yuuichi: I think these images will be of interest to the student council and teachers.  I'm sure you'll like to know how some of the exemplary students in Class A behave.

The expression of the Class A students quickly changed from arrogance to concern.  They realized that they were in danger of being exposed and facing the consequences of their actions.

Student C: (nervous) Hey, you can't do that!

(putting a hand on his shoulder and looking at them with a touch of madness) Sure I can.  I'm just reminding you that you are not above the standards of this school.

With one last defiant look, Yuuichi put the phone away from him and put his mouth close to the ear of one of the students from class A to say.

Yuuichi: (with a kind smile that contrasted with the previous one) I don't think they want me to take this to the student council, so why don't we leave this as a warning.

He said as he walked away from the group of Class A students. He knew that he had made a bold move, but one that was guaranteed to earn the respect of his peers.

As he walked away, other students from Class D looked at him in admiration and wonder.  They had witnessed Yuuichi's courage and intelligence in action, and knew that his presence in the class could change things significantly.

This was the meeting that would mark the beginning of Yuuichi Katagiri's participation in the fight for equality and justice at Tokyo Koudo Ikusei High School.  Although it was only the prologue to his story, you could already feel the air of change and challenge surrounding him.

Chapter 1

The sun rose high in the sky, casting its light into the dark interior of the bus. The passengers went about their business, lost in their own thoughts. Amidst them, Yuuichi Katagiri remained silent, observing his surroundings quietly.

No one who looked at him could tell that this boy was anything more than a slightly more attractive than average young man, with a humble appearance that only added to his image of a kind youth.

But all the readers knew that there was much more to Katagiri Yuuichi than that; the only relevant information being that he had recently not only completed but also destroyed the "Tomodachi Game," with all the consequences that implied.

Setting that aside, due to what had happened with his classmates (Shibe discovered that Yuuichi was the reason behind his father's change, in addition to the theft of the trip money and the true nature of Kokorogi), Yuuichi decided to distance himself from everything and everyone.

Now, to start off on the right foot, an elderly woman who had boarded the bus a few moments ago was staggering.

Yuuichi: "Ma'am, please let me help you. Take my seat, please."

Eyes turned towards them, astonished by the kindness and concern of this young man. Grateful for his offer, the elderly woman accepted his help. As they made their way to an empty seat, I noticed that the eyes of the other passengers were following us, filled with curiosity and admiration.

Among them, a brown-haired girl approached me.

Kushida: "Thank you for helping that lady!!! That was really nice of you."

Yuuichi: "We should always take care of those in need."

As the conversation continued, I noticed something strange about Kushida's demeanor. Her kindness seemed almost too kind, to the point of appearing fake. What could it be? Most likely, she's seeking attention.

Upon getting off the bus, Kushida offered to accompany me to the entrance ceremony.

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The entrance ceremony unfolded in apparent tranquility. The students got lost in the boredom of the speeches.

However, in the meantime, I took the opportunity to observe the students. The entrance ceremony was a goldmine of valuable information that allowed me to categorize the students into different mental compartments.

There were the normal ones. And then there were the dangerous ones.

I quickly identified them: a boy with long reddish hair who looked like a delinquent, next to an African-American student; far from them, a girl with silver hair and a petite body; and a tall, bald man.

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As I settled into my seat, I calmly surveyed my classmates.

Before I could take a single step, an attractive middle-aged woman entered the classroom and stood at the podium. With grace, she cleared her throat and directed her gaze towards the students.

Sae: Ahem, good morning, students. My name is Chabashira Sae, and this year I have the privilege of being your teacher in charge of Class D. I will be teaching you Japanese history. Unlike other high schools, the classes in this school do not change every year. This means that I will have the pleasure of getting to know and work with all of you for the next three years. I extend my warmest welcome to each and every one of you. Although the entrance ceremony will take place in the gymnasium in an hour, before that, I will distribute the special rules booklet and enrollment guide.

Sae proceeded to distribute the booklets to each student, going from the front row to the back.

Yuuichi: Too many rules for a normal school. They must be hiding something...

Sae continued, "In this school, there are special rules that set it apart from any other high school. It is mandatory for all students to live on campus and they are prohibited from having contact with individuals outside the school."

Yuuichi: Total isolation... the main reason I chose to come to this school.

Sae: Now, I will proceed to hand out your student identification cards. These cards will allow you to purchase anything from the campus stores and facilities. They function like credit cards. However, I advise you to be cautious with the number of points you use. There is nothing that you cannot buy within the school. If it is available on campus, it can be purchased. This point system associated with the student cards effectively replaces the use of cash.

Yuuichi reflected: "I suppose it will work like a scholarship. They'll probably give us around 10,000 to 20,000 points to develop our independence."

Sae: The student cards are used by swiping them in the machines located throughout the campus. The operation of these machines is quite simple, so you should have no trouble using them. Points will be automatically credited on the first day of each month. Each one of you should already have 100,000 points on your card. Furthermore, I want to clarify that 1 point is equivalent to 1 yen. I don't believe any further explanations on this matter are necessary.

At that moment, the classroom erupted into a buzz of excited and surprised voices. Yuuichi's eyes widened in a state of shock, like a person who had spent their entire life in the adult world, doing anything to earn money. But beyond that...

Yuuichi Katagiri is excited.

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Sae: Were you surprised by the number of points assigned? This school evaluates students' abilities. All of you who passed the entrance exam have shown a certain level of merit and worth. The amount of money reflects your capabilities. Use it without restrictions. However, at the end of your time here, all the points will be reset. Since they cannot be converted into cash, there's no point in hoarding them. How you use them is up to you. Spend them on things you like or need. If you think you won't use some of your points, you can transfer them to someone else. However, harassing other students for points is strictly prohibited. The school takes the issue of bullying very seriously.

Immediately after hearing the last part, I smiled.

Chabashira-sensei looked around the classroom.

Sae: It seems no one has any questions. Very well, please enjoy your student life.

Many of the classmates couldn't hide their surprise at the generous allocation of points.

After the teacher left the room, the students, now possessing a large amount of money, became restless. It was the perfect opportunity to arrange introductions and gain a prominent position in the class.

Yuuichi/Hirata: Everyone, can you give us a moment of your attention?

We looked at each other, blinked slowly, and then burst into laughter.

Yuuichi: Go ahead, you first.

Hirata: Alright, thank you. From today onwards, we'll be together in the same class for the next three years. It would be great if we could all introduce ourselves and make friends.

Yuuichi (laughing with an innocent smile): I was just about to say the same thing.

Most of the students were left speechless.

Chica A: I agree! After all, we don't know each other's names or anything about each other.

After the first person agreed, the previously hesitant students expressed their support.

Hirata: My name is Hirata Yousuke. Since in middle school I was often called by my first name, Yousuke, feel free to use it. Although I like all sports, I have a particular passion for soccer and I also plan to play in this school. It's nice to meet all of you.

A potential class leader, seems like a good person.

Yuuichi: Well, now it's my turn. My name is Yuuichi, Yuuichi Katagiri. I've had numerous jobs before, so I never had time to socialize with friends. Please feel free to invite me to all your gatherings. Nice to meet you all.

Hirata: Alright, if it's alright with you, we can continue with the introductions from the beginning.

Although the girl was perplexed and nervous, she soon made a decision and stood up.

In other words, she was stunned by Hirata's words.

-M-my name is Inogashira K-ko...

As she tried to introduce herself, the words wouldn't come out of her mouth. Whether her mind went blank or she couldn't sort out her thoughts completely, she was unable to speak clearly. Her face turned pale with embarrassment. It wasn't common to see someone so nervous. I approached her calmly and said:

Yuuichi: Take it slow, don't rush. Breathe.

After regaining some composure, Inogashira inhaled and exhaled to calm herself down. Then, after a while...

- My name is Inogashira... Kokoro. My hobby is sewing, and I'm good at knitting. Nice to meet all of you.

They continued with more introductions, some inconsequential, like Yamauchi's, in which he shamelessly lied.

Kushida: So, am I next, right? - said a cheerful girl as she stood up.

Kushida: My name is Kushida Kikyou, and since none of my friends from middle school came to this school, I want to get to know everyone and be friends with everyone. First and foremost, I want to establish friendship with everyone here. After everyone finishes their introductions, let's exchange contact information, So, during the holidays or after school, I want to make memories with a lot of people, so please invite me to many events. I've been talking for a while, so I'll finish my introduction here.

While I was lost in my own concerns, the introductions continued.

Hirata: Then, the next person, please introduce yourself.

(When Hirata looked at the next student, he gave him a piercing look).

With bright red hair, the boy looked like a delinquent and spoke in a manner that matched his appearance.

Sudo: Are you guys idiots? I don't want to introduce myself, just leave me alone.

The red-haired boy stared at Hirata. Tension hung in the air.

Hirata: I can't force you to introduce yourself. But I don't think it's a bad thing to get along with your classmates. If you think I'm being unpleasant, I apologize.

After Hirata bowed his head to the red-haired boy, some of the girls stared at the latter.

Chica A: Isn't it fine to make a simple introduction?

Chica B: Yeah, yeah!

Sudo: No. I don't want to pretend we're good friends.

The redhead stood up from his seat. At the same time, several students left the classroom. They probably had no intention of getting to know their classmates.

Then came the pathetic presentation of Ike Kanji, who at least lightened the mood.

Next was a blond boy with a noble appearance.

After checking his bangs with a handheld mirror, he used a comb to fix his hair.

Hirata: Um, you can introduce yourself.

Koenji: Fu~. Alright. - While smiling like a young nobleman, he showed glimpses of his insolent attitude.

Koenji: My name is Koenji Rokusuke. As the sole heir of the Koenji conglomerate, I will be the man responsible for Japanese society in the near future. Nice to meet you, ladies.

It wasn't a presentation for the whole class, only for the women.

Some girls looked at Koenji with shining eyes after hearing that he was rich, while the others looked at him like he was crazy. It's only natural.

Koenji: From now on, I will mercilessly punish anything that makes me feel uncomfortable. Be careful with that.

He combed his hair upwards.

Yuuichi: Oh, thanks for introducing yourself.

Hirata: ... The next person, please introduce yourself.

Ayanokouji: Eh?... Well... Um, my name is Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. There's... nothing in particular about me, but I'll do my best to get along with everyone. Uh, nice to meet you.

Hirata: Nice to meet you, Ayanokouji-kun. I also want to get along with everyone, so let's do our best.

Everyone quickly applauded with sympathy, including me. I take back what I said about Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, even if he is the greatest genius in the world (which is unlikely), it's no use because his social skills are poor and he has no experience. He wouldn't even pass the first test of the "tomodachi game" for adults.

The introductions of the other students continued while Yuuichi and Hirata