Classroom of the Elite: Alter - Self-Test

Vol. 1: Chapter 1.1 - A White Room Student

For instance, the majority of young people that are around my age should supposedly be rich in hobbies and interests. Some of these were: fashion, sports, making lots of friends, being in a relationship, or the so-called "Otaku" culture; which includes liking things such as video games, light novels, anime, and manga.

That's only the tip of the iceberg. I only had little time on my hands, so I never really got in-depth with any of them. However, being aware of those things alone will be a very big help in how I would want to conduct myself in the near future.

There was a multitude of things that I needed to read up on about basic social interactions-- not just those. And because this environment was a totally new battleground for me, it doesn't matter how book-smart I was if I can't put my knowledge into practice.

Personality-wise, I tried putting on some fake faces but figured that I won't be able to keep them up for long. That's why I decided to just go with my real personality. I thought that it won't really be detrimental to my future plans as a student.

I worked extra hard on understanding the social construct of what a typical high school society is supposed to be, as well as how classroom politics works in some ways. However, they were all very basic and shallow at most. For this, the best method is to learn by hand, which I am sure will not be a pleasant experience.

"Superiors? Well, it's obvious that both of you and the old woman there have been alive longer than I have. There is no doubt about that. However, the word 'superior' implies that you're referring to someone of a higher position. In addition, we have another problem. Even though our ages are different, wouldn't you agree that you have an impertinent attitude and are being extremely rude?" The blond man argued with grace.

Well, going back to reality, this situation will likely be my first step into this alien biosphere... but I'm more than willing to give it a try as a test for myself.

"Wha-?! You're a high schooler, aren't you?! You should just be quiet and--" I interrupted the office lady before things get out of hand.

"Um, excuse me. I'm sorry that I didn't notice you earlier. Please take my seat instead." I told the old lady.

"Oh, is that so, young man? Thank you very much!" The old lady replied with an aged smile.

There was visible discomfort on her face when the office lady and the blond man were arguing-- most likely because they attracted the crowd's attention. The genuine look of gratefulness on her face was quite a pleasant sight. The elderly woman repeatedly expressed her gratitude before finally being guided by the office lady into my now-vacant seat.

I sneaked a glance towards the blond man who looked perfectly unperturbed, like what transpired just now was an event that didn't involve him in the first place. I was aware of the attention I just garnered, and truth be told, I was quite uncomfortable with it. I know that they looked at me like I was a very good person, but that was beside the point. I'm just not used to this yet.

Setting the negatives aside, I'd say it was a pretty good practice of social interaction. However, before I could mind my own business and wait for the ride to finish while standing, a cute voice rang from behind me.

As I slightly turned my head around, a pretty-faced, short-haired girl met my eyes.

"Good job on that one. Have you been a step behind, I'd be the one to speak up for the poor old lady's sake, you know?" she said, with a smile.

This girl was already standing at the start of her ride. With that in mind...

"Well, it was my fault for being absent-minded in the first place. I really wouldn't have noticed the old lady if it wasn't for that commotion. You were already standing, right? If I did notice, I might have offered you my seat too," I said, looking away at her.

"Wow. If it wasn't for your monotone way of speaking, I would've immediately thought you were hitting on me," she chuckled.

I tried to turn to her once again, but I didn't fully commit, only facing her general direction.

"I wasn't planning on doing so. I'm sorry if that's how I came off. It only felt natural to me, as a guy, to offer my seat to a girl." Or at least, that's what I read.

This is pretty hard. I only tried to sound friendly, but I guess lines like those are considered "hitting on someone"? I need to be more careful next time.

"Hehe, I see. I'm Kushida Kikyou, by the way. I'm in Class D starting this year. How about you?" I'm amazed. This girl is the complete opposite of me. Even I can tell that she's a natural when it comes to social interactions. It might be a good idea to establish some sort of friendly relationship with her as soon as possible. For now, I think that's pretty easy. After all...

"I'm Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, also in Class D."

It would be pretty rude to not face her while introducing myself, so I did. Talk about luck. A social expert like Kushida being in the same class as me was a godsend.

"Eh?! You're in Class D, too? What a coincidence!" Showcasing her adept social ability, Kushida managed to perfectly control the volume of her voice despite her genuinely surprised reaction.

"Yeah, what a coincidence," I parroted.

"Well then, nice to meet you, Ayanokouji-kun. You can call me Kikyou if you want," she offered with a smile.

"I'd prefer to call you Kushida for now. It would be weird if I suddenly call you by your given name while you refer to me with my surname," I replied.

"I see. That's fine then," she chuckled cutely.

To be honest, I predicted her to press on with "why don't we call each other by our first names then?" or something along those lines, but I guess I still can't grasp the mind of an expert social elite.

Not long after our talk, the bus ride came to a halt as we reached the gate of the campus.

This is it. This is the start of my high school life... As a White Room Student, I shouldn't be here, but thanks to Matsuo's advice, I made the impossible possible.

"Ayanokouji-kun, should we walk to our classroom together?" Kushida asked with an angelic smile.

Any man would be a fool were they to refuse such an offer.

I nodded in response as I walked towards her waiting figure.

Author's Notes:

In this timeline, Kiyotaka chose to be proactive and gave up his seat. The scene where he stared at Horikita Suzune did not happen, making their iconic first interaction after the bus ride nonexistent. Meanwhile, because of Kiyotaka's timing, Kikyou did not get into an argument with the blond man, which was obviously Kouenji Rokusuke. Those events produced a little domino effect into Kiyotaka befriending Kikyou early on.

I'm curious to see your thoughts on the current and possible future alterations due to the changes in Kiyotaka's initial goal and choices.