"It's nice to meet you, Ayanokouji-kun. I always want to be friends with everyone, just like you. Let's both do our best, okay?" Hirata responded with a refreshing smile.
I sat down. My introduction wasn't the worst, but it wasn't the best either. It didn't attract too much attention.
● ● ● ●
The entrance ceremony was the same as any other school's. Some important people offered words of thanks, and the ceremony concluded without incident. Then, it was noon. After we received some general information about the campus, the crowd dispersed.
I made my way to the dormitory, my home from this day onwards. At the reception desk, I received a keycard for Room 401 and a handbook containing information about the dorm's rules, then boarded the elevator.
I quickly flipped through the handbook, which only detailed the most basic things that we needed for our daily routines. The dates and times for garbage disposal were listed, as well as a notice about avoiding excessive noise. I also saw notes about not wasting water or electricity, and so on.
"So, they don't place restrictions on electricity or gas usage?"
I'd assumed that the school would deduct the cost from our points. This school really went to great lengths to have a perfect system for its students.
However, I was a little surprised that they'd implemented co-ed dormitories. After all, this was a high school, so the rules stated that unsuitable romantic relationships were frowned upon.
In short, sex was strictly forbidden... obviously. I mean, a member of the clergy wouldn't say that engaging in illicit sexual activity was okay.
While I privately doubted that such pampered students could develop into fine, upstanding adults, it would be wise to make the best of the situation for now.
My room was about eight tatami mats wide. Also, though this was a dorm, it was the first time I'd lived alone. I refused to have any contact with the outside world until graduation.
Considering my situation, I unintentionally cracked a smile. This school boasted a high employment rate upon graduation, and its facilities and student services were unmatched throughout the country, making it the preeminent high school in Japan.
I found such things trivial, however. I'd chosen this school for one fundamental reason. At this high school, people were not allowed to contact students without permission, even if they were friends or immediate family.
I greatly appreciated that. I was free.
In English, they would call it, "freedom."
In French, they would call it, "liberté."
No one else's eyes or words would ever reach me. I could begin anew entirely. A new life. I resolved to enjoy my time here to the fullest, but without drawing attention to myself.
Still in my uniform, I dived into my already-made bed. I felt far from tired, however.
I was so incredibly excited about my new life that I was unable to calm down. My eyes remained wide open.
● ● ● ●
On our first day of class, we spent most of our time running over the course objectives. Apparently, many of the students were quite surprised, if not a little disappointed, by how genuinely warm and friendly the teachers at this school looked.
Some students were sleeping through the class and didn't listen to the teachers. I thought that the teachers would notice, but they showed no signs of doing so. After all, it was up to every individual student whether or not he or she wanted to listen in class.
I wondered if this was how teachers typically interacted with students once they left compulsory education.
I took in the relaxed atmosphere, and soon it was lunchtime. Students stood up and left with their new acquaintances, disappearing from my view. I couldn't help but feel slightly envious as I watched them.
Unfortunately, I still hadn't managed to befriend a single one of my new classmates.
"How pathetic."
Only one person had noticed how I felt, and she met my pain with derisive laughter.
"..."
I stood up and headed towards the doorway.
"Don't just ignore me!" she cried.
I continued walking towards the cafeteria. This might spell trouble for me but hey, she's the one who said she didn't want to spend time with people like me! Besides, I'm even doing her a favor right now.
"You're Ayanokouji-kun, right?"
On my way out, a beautiful girl suddenly called my name. It was Kushida, one of my classmates. This was the first time I'd actually taken a good look at her, and it caused my heart to start pounding in my chest like a jackhammer.
She had short, straight, dyed-brown hair that almost brushed the tops of her shoulders. While it certainly wasn't crude, the school had recently approved rather short skirt lengths. I had a strong feeling that this was one of the more recent uniforms.
She was holding something in her hand. I couldn't tell if it was a pouch with a lot of key holders or what.
"I'm Kushida, from your class. Do you remember me?" she asked.
"Yeah, kinda. Do you need something?"
"To tell you the truth, there's something I wanted to ask you. It's just one little question. Ayanokouji-kun, are you on good terms with Horikita-san?"
"Horikita-san?" Isn't that my seatmate? "Not really, she even refused to give me her name."
"Really? Well, do you remember when I said I wanted to get along with everyone in class? That's why I wanted everyone's contact info. But... Horikita turned me down. Weren't you two talking outside the school on the day of the entrance ceremony?"
Considering we'd all ridden the bus together, it was no wonder that she'd seen my meeting with Horikita.
"I was just wondering what kind of person Horikita-san is," Kushida continued. "Is she the type who'll talk a lot when she's with a friend?"
She seemed to want information on Horikita, but I couldn't give her any answers.
"I don't think she's very good at interacting with others. Why are you asking about her, anyway?"
"Well, during our introductions, Horikita-san walked out of the classroom, right? It seems like she hasn't talked to anybody yet, so I'm a little worried about her."
Kushida had said that she wanted to get along with everyone when she introduced herself.
"I understand what you're saying, but I only just met her yesterday. I can't really help you."
"Hmm. I see. I'm sorry to have asked you such a strange question."
"Oh, no, it's all right. Anyway, how did you know my name?"
"How? You introduced yourself the other day, didn't you? I remembered."
Kushida had listened to my seemingly invisible self-introduction.
"Well, it's nice to meet you again, Ayanokouji-kun," she said.
Although I was a little bewildered by her outstretched hand, I wiped my palms on my pants and shook hands with her.
"Yeah, nice to meet you," I said.
● ● ● ●
After taking a quick peek into the cafeteria, I opted instead to go to the convenience store, buy some bread, and return to class.
About ten people had remained in the room. Some had pushed their desks together so they could all eat as a group, while other, more solitary students quietly ate their lunches alone.
Everyone here had brought a lunch box from the cafeteria or convenience store.
I was going to eat by myself, but then Horikita returned and sat down beside me. On Horikita's desk sat a delicious-looking sandwich.
Her aura seemed to say, "Don't talk to me," so I returned to my seat without speaking.
Just as I was about to sink my teeth into a sweet bun, music played through the speakers.
"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. I repeat, at—"
A girl with a sweet voice continued the announcement. Club activities, huh? Come to think of it, I'd never joined a club before.
● ● ● ●
After class had ended for the day, I went to the gymnasium. Nearly all of the students assembled there were freshmen.
There were about a hundred people waiting around. I stood near the back of the room and waited for the fair to begin.
While waiting, I glanced over the pamphlet that students received upon entering the gymnasium. The pamphlet contained detailed information about club activities.
Even though this school didn't seem like a top-tier institution for activities like baseball and ballet, the clubs here certainly looked great.
"Thank you all for waiting, first-year students. We will now begin the club fair. A representative from each club will explain their function. My name is Tachibana, the student council secretary and the club fair's organizer. It's nice to meet you all."
After Tachibana delivered the opening remarks, representatives from each club quickly lined up on a stage. It was quite a diverse crowd.
The club representatives included everything from burly athletes in judo uniforms to students dressed in beautiful kimonos.
Nearly every club's introduction was similarly ordinary. If anything surprised me about the fair, it was the substantial number of minor liberal arts-related clubs and organizations, such as the tea ceremony club or the calligraphy club.
Also, I was surprised that you only needed a minimum of three people in order to form a new club.
Every time one club finished and the next sprang up, the first-year students talked among themselves about what they thought.
I noticed that the gymnasium's atmosphere was rather lively. Each club's representatives, including their supervising instructors, continued to explain their organizations to the unruly first-year students without a hint of displeasure.
Perhaps they were just that desperate for more members, even if their ranks only increased by one.
As the upperclassmen finished their introductions, they walked off the stage and headed toward an area where some plain tables had been set up. Probably a reception area designed to accept new members.
Eventually, everyone walked off until only one person remained. Everyone focused their attention on him.
He appeared to be about 170 centimeters in height, so he wasn't very tall. He was slender, with sleek black hair. He wore sharp glasses and had a piercing, calculating gaze.
Standing in front of the microphone, he calmly looked around at the first-year students.
What was his club, and what in the world was he going to say? My interest had been piqued.
Unfortunately, my expectations were dashed immediately. He didn't say a single word. Maybe he was drawing a blank? Or perhaps he was so nervous that he couldn't speak?
"Do your best!"
"Did you forget to bring your notecards?"
"Ha ha ha ha ha!"
The first-year students hurled comments at him. However, the upperclassman stood on the stage calmly, without trembling. The laughter and comments didn't seem to faze him. When the laughter had reached a crescendo, it suddenly died. He wore an apathetic expression.
"What's with this guy?" remarked an astonished student. The gymnasium buzzed with people talking, yet the boy on the stage still did not move.
He simply stood there, quiet and motionless, staring fixedly at the crowd.
The relaxed atmosphere gradually changed, and things took an unexpected turn. It was as if some chemical reaction had taken place.
An unbelievably tense, quiet mood gripped the entire gymnasium. Even though no orders had been given, the silence was so terrible that it seemed to have gagged everyone.
Not a single student looked able to open his or her mouth. The silence continued for about thirty seconds or so...
Then, the student started his speech, slowly scanning the crowd.
"I'm the student council president. My name is Horikita Manabu," he said. Horikita? Is he perhaps a relative of my seatmate?
"The student council is looking to recruit potential candidates among the first-year students to replace the graduating third years. Although no special qualifications are required for candidacy, we humbly ask that those considering application not be involved in other club activities. We generally do not accept students involved elsewhere."
He spoke in a soft tone, but the tension around us was so thick it felt like you could cut it with a knife.
He had managed to silence over a hundred new students in that spacious gymnasium. Of course, it wasn't his position as student council president that granted him this deference.
That was simply Horikita Manabu's power. His presence dominated everyone around him.
"Furthermore, we in the student council do not wish to appoint anyone who possesses a naïve outlook. Not only would such a person not be elected, he or she would sully the sanctity of this school. It is the student council's right and duty to enforce and amend the rules, but the school expects more than that. We gladly welcome those of you who understand this."
He didn't pause even once during his eloquent speech. Immediately after finishing, he hopped off the stage and left the gymnasium.
None of the first-year students could utter a single word as we watched him go. We didn't know what would've happened if we'd tried to talk.
Everyone in the room shared the same thought, apparently.
"Thank you all for coming. The club fair has ended. We will now open the reception area to anyone interested in signing up. Also, registration will be open until the end of April, so if any student wishes to join at a later date, we ask that you please bring the application form directly to the club you wish to join."
Thanks to the laid-back organizer, the tension in the air dissipated.
Afterwards, the third-year students who'd introduced their respective clubs started taking applications.