A Simple Life in the Classroom of the Elite

Leaning against the cool wall outside the faculty office, I stuffed my hands into my pockets and exhaled. It was lunch time, so the hallway was mostly empty, save for the occasional student passing by. I wasn't exactly looking forward to this meeting—getting called in by Chabashira this early into the school year was already a bad sign.

I sighed, tilting my head back to stare at the ceiling.

'What does she even want?'

I hadn't caused trouble. Not yet, anyway.

'And here I thought this would be a good day…'

"Thank you for helping me, Honami! What would I do without you?"

"Please don't exaggerate, Sensei."

Two figures stepped out. One was Hoshinomiya-sensei, a subject teacher for our class. The other was a girl with pinkish-blond hair—probably a first-year like me.

Hoshinomiya's gaze landed on me, her eyes lighting up with curiosity. "Hm? You're a Class D student, right?"

"Yeah. Chabashira-sensei wanted to see me." I replied with a sigh.

"Is that so?" She leaned forward slightly, as if inspecting me. "Did you get in trouble?"

"I hope not." I chuckled awkwardly.

"It's only the fifth day. What trouble could he have caused?" The girl beside her remarked, letting out a sigh.

Hoshinomiya clicked her tongue and pointed straight at my face. "Honami, look closely. Isn't it obvious?"

Both of us stared at her, confused.

She shook her head dramatically. "I have to warn you, relationships between students are strictly prohibited!"

"What!?"

Both the girl and I recoiled, our faces heating up at the sudden accusation.

"Sensei, don't misunderstand! Even if I did get in trouble, it's not because of that!" I protested immediately.

"Really? Did you hear that, Honami? This can be your chance—don't let it slip by!"

Hoshinomiya gave the girl a light push forward.

"What are you even talking about!?" Her face turned even redder as she shot Sensei an exasperated look. "This is the first time we've met!"

"Opportunities like this don't come often! You have to act fast!" Hoshinomiya declared, arms crossed as if she were dispensing life-changing wisdom.

I stared at her, dumbfounded.

'Is she…serious?'

Just as I started questioning the mental stability of this school's faculty, she finally broke into laughter.

"Oh, come on! I'm joking! No need to take it so seriously!" She covered her mouth, giggling to herself.

The girl sighed before turning toward me. "I'm sorry about that." She said, offering an apologetic smile.

"Ichinose Honami, from Class 1-B." She then smiled, her gaze locking onto mine.

She had bright eyes, a warm presence, and an expression that radiated friendliness. And her eyes—soft yet sharp, like she could disarm someone with a single look but had no intention of doing so.

Breaking out of my stupor, I smiled back while introducing myself.

"Did you see that, Honami? That pause he took—I'm sure he's already fallen for you!" Hoshinomiya teased, hugging Ichinose with a mischievous grin. "But who could blame him? You're adorable!"

'Why did you have to call me out!?'

Ichinose groaned, clearly embarrassed. "Sensei, please stop!"

Then, as if remembering something, she quickly turned back to me. "Ryuto-kun, we still have things to take care of, so we'll see you later!" Without waiting for a response, she grabbed Hoshinomiya and dragged her away.

"Bye! Good luck with Sae-chan!" Hoshinomiya waved, sending me a playful wink.

As I watched them disappear down the hall, I let out a long sigh.

'Even the teachers here are weird…'

…

The chair creaked slightly as I sat down. Chabashira-sensei sat behind her desk, fingers laced together, her usual unreadable expression in place.

"You wanted to see me?" I asked, keeping my tone casual.

She took a moment before responding. "That's right. I've heard you've been wandering around the upperclassman floors."

'Damn, who snitched?' I suppressed a sigh.

Seemingly sensing my worry, she raised a hand calmly. "While this isn't common, there's no rule against it."

"Oh…then why was I called?" I asked, confusion clear on my face.

"To ask for the reason." She leaned back in her chair. "I doubt you simply went there to make friends."

I took a moment to think, not finding any reason to hide my curiosity from my own homeroom teacher. "As you already know, we couldn't pay for the school rules. Most students seem to have already forgotten that discussion even happened. But I can't. It keeps appearing in the back of my mind."

"So you wanted to find answers?" Chabashira's gaze sharpened slightly. "And? What did you discover?"

Realizing I wouldn't be leaving until I told the truth, I shared what I'd uncovered so far.

…

"I see…" Sensei muttered, looking surprisingly satisfied. "Once you find the answer you're looking for, what do you plan to do?"

"What am I gonna do?" I repeated, brows furrowing. "I…don't know. Right now, I'm satisfied with Class D."

A moment of silence stretched between us.

"You're satisfied…?" She exhaled, almost in disappointment. "In just five days, you've gathered information most students haven't even thought of. And yet, you're content with the status quo?"

I remained silent. I didn't know how to respond.

She sighed, reaching into a folder on her desk and pulling out a few sheets of paper. My name was printed at the top—my entrance exam results.

"When you think back on your test scores, do you believe you could've done more?" She asked, her voice calm but pressing.

"No. I tried my best." I shook my head.

Hearing my words, she pushed the papers closer to me. "I've been reviewing the class's scores. While yours aren't the most intriguing, there is something unusual about them."

I glanced down at my exam results, averaging in the sixties. Nothing special, but enough to pass. I wasn't at the bottom, but I was nowhere near the top either.

"So?" I lifted an eyebrow.

Chabashira studied me carefully. "You claim you did your best. But these scores…" She tapped a finger against the papers. "They tell me something different."

I frowned slightly but said nothing, waiting for her to continue.

"They're controlled." She met my eyes. "Balanced. You didn't fail, but you didn't excel. Just enough to avoid drawing attention."

My expression remained neutral, but something in my chest tightened slightly.

"You're not struggling—that much is clear. But you're not pushing yourself either. Which makes me wonder…" She leaned forward slightly. "Are you really content with how things are? Is this all you want from life—to always remain mediocre?"

Her words hung in the air, heavy and unshakable.

I opened my mouth to reply…but nothing came out.

'Content?'

That wasn't something I'd ever really thought about.

I wasn't aiming for failure. I wasn't hiding my abilities on purpose. But at the same time… was I really trying?

Memories surfaced—Dad shaking his head when I barely scraped by in a test. Arisu, always pushing ahead while I just followed. The countless times I let things slide because 'enough' was good enough.

For the first time, I wondered if I'd been making a mistake all along.

"It seems you need to think about it." Chabashira-sensei broke me out of my thoughts.

"This school is meant to nurture its students over three years. You have time to improve and grow." She studied me. "But in three years it might be too late, right?"

I narrowed my eyes slightly. "Even though you're my homeroom teacher, I know you wouldn't tell me all this without an ulterior motive."

"Maybe." A small, amused smile appeared on her face. "There's a lot of untapped potential within you. If you realize that, both of our lives here will be much more enjoyable."

The room fell silent, our gazes locked.

I exhaled. "You've given me a lot to think about. If that's all, I'll be going."

"Of course." She nodded, then slid a small piece of paper toward me. "Once you sort your mind out, contact me."

I took it, glancing at the number written on it. "And if I don't?"

Chabashira smirked. "Then I suppose you'll stay where you are."

I didn't respond. I just pocketed the paper and walked out, my thoughts far heavier than when I entered.

Was a simple life truly what I wanted?

…

It was now the next period. The classroom was filled with the usual chatter, students either lazily slumping in their seats or chatting amongst themselves. The atmosphere was the same as always—easygoing, aimless, like no one had a care in the world.

But I felt different.

I sat at my desk, my chin resting on my hand as I stared blankly at the whiteboard. Chabashira's words still lingered in my mind, looping over and over.

"Is this all you want from life, to always remain mediocre?"

Mediocre? I never thought of myself that way. I wasn't failing, I wasn't struggling. But I wasn't excelling either. And until now, that had been enough.

But was it?

I exhaled through my nose, tapping my fingers lightly on the desk, lost in thought.

"You look unusually contemplative."

A familiar, dry voice cut through my reverie. I blinked, turning to my side to find Horikita staring at me, arms crossed, a single brow raised.

"Are you trying to find another way to exploit your classmates?" She asked flatly.

I scoffed lightly, shaking my head. "It was a fair bet…well, maybe not completely fair, but still."

She didn't look amused. "With your sudden rise in fame, I thought you'd gladly take the chance to bask in the glory. But instead, you're sitting here looking depressed. This negativity of yours is affecting even me."

I chuckled. "I really doubt that. And I don't like being constantly surrounded by people. I'd rather stay with you." I smirked.

Her face remained blank. "Are you trying to take your mind off your troubles by teasing me?"

"No need to get so perceptive all of a sudden." I smiled awkwardly. "And I'm not teasing you."

"Putting that aside, I am curious about your sudden mood shift." She leaned slightly forward, her sharp gaze studying me.

"Huh? Really?" I asked, caught off guard.

"Of course. I might get a laugh out of it." A small smile flickered at the corner of her lips.

I sighed. Horikita would always be Horikita.

Still, maybe I did want to hear someone else's thoughts on this.

"What do you think about success?" I asked, watching her reaction closely.

Horikita blinked, clearly not expecting that question. "Success?"

"Yeah. Your drive, your goal. What does it mean to you?"

She narrowed her eyes slightly. "That's quite a shift from your usual topics."

I shrugged. "Humor me."

She studied me for a moment before answering. "Success is achieving what you set out to do, through your own efforts. Those who rely on others will never truly succeed."

It was a very Horikita-like answer. Straightforward. Absolute.

I leaned back in my chair, mulling it over. "So, you think success is something you accomplish alone?"

"If you need others to hold your hand the whole way, is it really your success?" She countered.

I hummed in thought. "I guess that makes sense."

"You guess?" She frowned slightly. "Why are you even asking?"

I tapped my fingers against the desk again, looking up at the ceiling. "I don't know. I've never really thought about it before."

Horikita's frown deepened. "You've gone through life without any goals?"

"I wouldn't say that. I just…" I paused, trying to find the words. "I never questioned it before."

Horikita didn't reply immediately. Instead, she studied me for a moment longer before looking away. "Hmph. A bit late for an existential crisis, don't you think?"

I chuckled. "Maybe. Hey, Ayanokoji, what about you?" I turned to him, already knowing he'd been listening despite his usual vacant expression.

"Huh?" He blinked, clearly caught off guard.

"There's no need to ask him." Horikita interjected with a scoff. "His goal is probably something dull, like maintaining perfect mediocrity."

"Hey." Ayanokoji shot her a mild glare before sighing. "Though…I guess she's not wrong. A quiet, normal life doesn't sound so bad."

I mulled over his words, a strange sense of déjà vu settling in.

I exhaled, leaning back in my chair. 'I guess Horikita has a point, but being alone isn't what I want either.'

Looking for another perspective, I turned to the last person nearby.

"Sakura, what do you think about success?" I asked the pink-haired girl.

"Huh!?" She stared at me like a deer in headlights. "W-Well, I…I…"

I sighed internally. 'I don't know what I expected.'

As the doubts continued to wander inside my head, I knew there was only one person who could be able to guide me now.

…

The sun had begun to set, casting long shadows over the balcony railing. After a long training session, Ishida and I leaned against it, catching our breath. The cool air hit hard against my sweat-drenched skin, but I barely felt it. My gaze remained fixed on the fading horizon.

"She's growing, you know." Ishida said suddenly, breaking the silence.

I glanced at him, confused. "Who?"

"Arisu." He said plainly, eyes fixed on the fading horizon. "She's becoming more independent. She doesn't rely on you as much as she used to."

I scoffed, crossing my arms. "That's good, isn't it? That was always the goal."

"And yet, here you are, still standing guard." Ishida turned toward me, his gaze sharp. "You've spent so long protecting her. Have you ever stopped to think about what you want beyond that?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out.

"You can't define yourself by someone else forever, Ryuto." He sighed, shaking his head. "One day, she won't need you anymore. Then what?"

I remained silent, gripping the railing tightly.

…

I stood outside Dad's office, my hands clenched into fists. Taking a breath, I knocked.

"Come in." His voice called from beyond the doors.

Pushing them open, I stepped inside. The room was neat, professional, lined with bookshelves. Dad sat behind his desk, a warm yet tired smile on his face.

"I'm sorry for not being able to see you until now." He leaned back in his chair. "How has school been?"

I hesitated as I sat down. "It's…fine."

He chuckled. "That doesn't sound very convincing."

"Yeah, I guess I've been put in a situation I never really wanted to be in…" I sighed, noticing the flicker of confusion in his eyes.

A brief silence settled between us before I finally spoke. "Are you…disappointed in me?"

The question hung in the air, heavy and unshakable. The only sound in the room was the faint ticking of a clock.

Dad's expression shifted to one of surprise. "Disappointed? Why would I be?"

I exhaled sharply. "Because I feel like I haven't met anyone's expectations. Not yours. Not Arisu's. Not even my own." My fists tightened. "I've been coasting, never really pushing myself. And I guess I'm realizing that now."

He studied me for a long moment before sighing. "Ryuto, I never expected you to follow a specific path. I only wanted you to find your own way—to be someone you're proud of."

I looked up, surprised.

"If I truly wanted you to be like Arisu, I could've pushed you in that direction. Instead, I gave you the freedom to choose." His voice was calm, reassuring. "No, I'm not disappointed. But if you keep holding yourself back, then one day, you will be."

He gazed at me with seriousness in his eyes. "No, I'm not disappointed in you. But if you keep holding yourself back, then one day, you will be."

Hearing this, something inside me clicked. I exhaled, a new sense of clarity washing over me.

I met my father's gaze and nodded. "I won't settle for simplicity anymore."

His lips curled into a small smile. "I know you won't."

With newfound determination, I rose from the chair, only to pause when he spoke again.

"Already leaving?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah…I came in unannounced. I'm sure you're busy." I said, not wanting to take up more of his time.

"I know we haven't seen each other much since I took this position," He admitted, a hint of sadness in his smile. "But I want you to know—work will never come before family."

I hesitated, feeling something tighten in my chest.

"So–" He continued, his voice warm. "How has school really been?"

For some reason, tears pricked at my eyes. I smiled as I sat back down.

"It's been good."