A Simple Life in the Classroom of the Elite

I stood inside a hidden coffee shop, one that barely saw any student traffic. It was the perfect place for a private discussion.

Around the table sat Horikita, Ayanokoji, Hirata, and Kushida.

"Are you sure about this, Ryuto?" Hirata asked, his usually composed face betraying a rare moment of shock.

"I am." I nodded. "This is everything I could find."

"To think you were digging into the school rules while we were pretending everything was fine..." Kushida frowned, sadness clear in her eyes.

"Most students haven't looked deeper into it." I replied, unconcerned. "It's not surprising."

"That doesn't mean we should have ignored it so easily!" Kushida insisted, leaning closer.

Something about her concern made me uneasy. It felt a little too earnest, too invested. Or maybe I was just overthinking things after meeting Ichinose. Their approaches to kindness seemed...different.

"Regardless–" I continued, shaking off the thought. "The real problem is that no one would believe us even if we told them."

"Why?" Hirata asked, frowning.

"Because right now, all of this is just speculation." I explained. "We need undeniable proof."

Horikita crossed her arms, skeptical as always. "And how do you plan to get that?"

"That's why I called you all here." I said, scanning their faces. "We need to find the missing piece—something irrefutable."

Horikita gave me a measured look before shifting her gaze to Ayanokoji. "I can see why you invited Hirata–san and Kushida–san, but what about him?"

Ayanokoji, who had been silent until now, sighed. "Was that really necessary to point out?"

"Of course it was." She replied flatly.

"He can help." I stated simply. "You don't really believe he's just some ordinary student, do you?"

Horikita narrowed her eyes. "So it's favoritism, then."

"It's common sense." I leaned forward. "You don't have to trust me, but at least trust your own instincts."

Ayanokoji held my gaze for a moment before looking away, his expression unreadable.

Hirata cleared his throat, bringing the discussion back on track. "Ryuto, do you have any leads on how we can obtain proof?"

I exhaled slowly, organizing my thoughts. "We don't know the center of this system. What could determine the number of points? The expulsions? The hierarchy held by a specific class?"

I then leaned forward. "If we can find evidence of what governs all of this, everything from there should be smooth sailing."

"And how do we do that?" Horikita raised an eyebrow.

I paused for a moment. "Class A. They bought the school rules."

"What!?" Hirata and Kushida exclaimed in surprise, Horikita and Ayanokoji also looking slightly startled.

"They actually managed to pay?" Hirata muttered with wide eyes.

"Yeah. And that just adds on to my theory, doesn't it? If anybody stands at the top, it's class A." I exclaimed with a small frown.

"Don't impose your stupid theories on me." Horikita scoffed, her fist clenching.

"Horikita, I know you may not believe me…but are you still willing to help?" I asked, gazing at her face.

She remained silent for a second before replying. "I'll try to entertain your ideas." She huffed, though it seemed like she was reluctant to accept the truth.

"Thank you." I couldn't help but smile, grateful she still went along.

I then focused back on the task at hand, my face turning more serious.

"As you might have already guessed, Class A is our best bet at finding what we need."

"Kushida, do you have anybody in Class A that could relent?" I asked hopefully, but her strained smile told me all I needed to know.

"Besides Class B, my influence hasn't reached the other classes for now." Her gaze fell to the ground.

"I see…" I nodded, not letting that put me down.

Gazing at each one of my classmates, a confident glint passed through my eyes. "I've got another idea then."

…

Leaving the café, the group began to disperse, preparing to put Ryuto's plan into motion.

Kushida headed toward the mall, the vibrant atmosphere buzzing with the chatter of students. As she scanned the crowd, she spotted Ichinose among a group of friends and approached with a bright smile.

"Honami! How have you been?" Kushida called out, weaving through the throngs of students.

"Good…I had to run around the faculty office all day with Hoshinomya-san." Ichinose replied, a tired sigh escaping her lips as she rubbed her temples.

"Hmm, seems you've got it pretty hard…" Kushida tilted her head, her eyes sparkling with concern.

"It's fine, really." Ichinose waved her hand in the air. "But, why did you contact me all of a sudden?" Her brows furrowed in confusion.

"What, I can't call my friend?" Kushida puffed her cheeks playfully before her tone shifted to earnestness. "I actually wanted to ask you something…do you know anything about the Class A students?"

"Huh? Class A?" Ichinose echoed, her expression thoughtful. "They've been keeping to themselves lately. I don't really hear much about them anymore." She added sincerely.

Kushida's determination ignited, her fists clenching at her sides. "Everything would help! So please tell me if you know anything!"

Ichinose nodded slowly, sensing the urgency in Kushida's voice. "I'll try to find out what I can." She promised, her eyes brightening at the idea of helping her friend.

…

Meanwhile, Hirata approached the football club president, Isagi, before the end of today's practice. The sun dipped low in the sky, casting long shadows across the field.

"Sorry, senior Isagi, could I ask you for something?" Hirata asked, his tone respectful yet hopeful.

"Sure. What is it?" Isagi raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued.

"If it's not too much to ask, could I take a photo of your student ID?" Hirata ventured, his expression earnest.

"Why?" Isagi's eyes narrowed, suspicion creeping into his voice.

"It isn't related to you, Senior! I just need an example of an upperclassman's ID card!" Hirata quickly tried to defuse Isagi's distrust.

"If you wish, you can send me the photo and erase anything you don't want to be seen from it!" Hirata persisted, maintaining eye contact with a sincere gaze.

"... Alright." Isagi relented, taking the photo himself, although a hint of wariness lingered in his eyes.

…

"Hirata's pretty quick, huh?" Ryuto chuckled, standing inside an electronics store alongside Ayanokoji, his phone buzzing with a notification. He glanced at the sent photo, a smile creeping onto his face.

"Still don't like that I have to be the one to do it…" Ayanokoji sighed, crossing his arms in reluctance.

"You're the one with the least sense of presence between us. You've got the lowest chances of being noticed as a first-year student." Ryuto replied, amusement dancing in his eyes.

"...I feel like you're intentionally making fun of me," Ayanokoji glared lightly.

Ryuto approached the cashier with a grin, the excitement of their plan bubbling beneath the surface. "Hello! Could you edit these details onto this photo?" He presented Ayanokoji's ID along with the image.

The cashier glanced between the ID and the two boys, a cautious expression settling on his face. "We aren't allowed to counterfeit student ID cards." He finally exclaimed.

"Hm? But you're not counterfeiting anything, you're just editing a photo." Ryuto tilted his head, genuinely confused by the resistance.

"Oh, and I also want to buy this." He placed a covert microphone onto the counter, completely unfazed by the cashier's scrutiny.

"..." Even Ayanokoji had to admire Ryuto's shameless attitude.

…

Ryuto and Ayanokoji stepped into another store, scanning the counter where an employee stood, scrolling through his phone.

Ryuto approached with an easygoing smile. "Hey, my friend lost his student ID, and we already have a copy sent by the school. Can you guys print this onto a PVC card?"

The employee glanced at the phone, then at the two boys. "Why not just go to the school for a replacement?"

Ryuto sighed, exasperated. "Ugh, don't get me started. The school takes forever to process replacements, and he needs this ASAP for a club event tomorrow."

The man remained skeptical. "Still, an official replacement would be safer."

Ryuto chuckled, shaking his head. "If it was an official replacement, yeah. But this is literally the same ID, just reprinted. We already went to another store—if they were fine with it, why wouldn't you be?"

The employee frowned. "Then why didn't they print it?"

Ryuto ran a hand through his hair, like this was the most frustrating situation in the world. "Because their printer was busted. We were already halfway through the process when they told us."

The employee let out a small grunt. "That's annoying."

"Right?! We just need the printing done. That's it."

The man hesitated, clearly weighing his options.

Ryuto leaned on the counter, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Listen, I get it. You've got rules. But let's be real—you guys must be printing custom cards all the time, right?"

The employee shrugged. "Yeah, we do."

"Then this is just another custom card. No different. I'll even throw in an extra purchase—how about I buy that microphone over there?" He pointed to a mid-tier covert model, making the bribe seem almost casual.

The employee eyed the microphone, then the photo. With a sigh, he muttered, "Fine. Just don't tell anyone where you got it printed."

Ryuto grinned. "Wouldn't dream of it."

A few minutes later, Ryuto and Ayanokoji strolled out of the store, a freshly printed student ID of a third-year in their hands.

"How do you feel, Senior Ayanokoji?" Ryuto smirked.

Ayanokoji examined the ID and sighed. "Like I just skipped two years of my life."

Ryuto laughed. "Don't dwell on it. That's just how life is."

Ayanokoji nodded, about to pocket the ID when Ryuto suddenly turned on his heel.

"Where are we going?" Ayanokoji asked.

"Back to the store. I'm not buying two microphones. I want my points back." Ryuto frowned, pulling out the receipt.

Ayanokoji glanced at him, then at the ID, then back at him.

'Hasn't that guy suffered enough?'

He decided to keep that thought to himself.

…

In Ryuto's dorm, the atmosphere buzzed with anticipation as Kushida spread out her notes on the table, her eyes sparkling with determination.

"Alright, everyone, I've gathered some intel on Class A." She announced, drawing the group's attention. "Since they've been keeping their distance, I had to ask around in other classes to find any rumors or discussions about them."

Hirata leaned forward, intrigued. "What did you find?"

Kushida pointed to her notes. "There's one student who seems to fit what we're looking for—Kaito Matsumoto. He's not one of the top performers in Class A and doesn't have many friends. In short, he's a bit of an outcast."

"Sounds like the perfect target." Horikita remarked, crossing her arms. "We need someone who won't attract too much attention."

Ayanokoji nodded, considering. "If he's disconnected from his classmates, he might not be willing to talk. So we need to ensure he cares enough about Class A to engage with us."

"Exactly." Kushida confirmed, a hint of excitement in her voice. "He's been spotted lingering around during breaks, looking a bit lost. If we approach him right, we can gather the information we need."

Ryuto glanced at the others, feeling a surge of confidence in their plan. "So, it's settled then. We'll go after Kaito tomorrow. But let's make sure we have a solid approach to not scare him off."

"I'll perform as needed, but are we sure Ayanokoji can handle the pressure?" Horikita raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'm already feeling uncertain, and your comments don't help." Ayanokoji replied, irritation creeping into his voice.

"Don't say that, Ayanokoji-kun! You'll do just fine!" Kushida chimed in, her optimism brightening the mood.

"We'll be nearby, listening in, so no need to feel pressured." Hirata added with a reassuring smile.

"I guess…" Ayanokoji nodded, feeling a bit more at ease.

"We need to act quickly, Ayanokoji. If we drag it for too long, Kaito might catch on to our plan." Ryuto emphasized, wanting to convey the importance without adding too much pressure.

"And don't worry, I'll share all the information that might help you tomorrow."

…

The sixth day of school.

As soon as lunch break began, they tried to slip out of the classroom without drawing attention, but a few girls still took notice—especially when Ryuto and Hirata left together without a word.

"What's going on with them?" Sato muttered, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"I think they just wanted to get away from you for a bit." Matsushita teased with an amused smile.

"Yeah, right! Who wouldn't want to spend time with me?" Sato huffed, crossing her arms.

Shinohara smirked, leaning in slightly. "Maybe there's something going on between them."

Sato blinked. "Between Ryuto and Hirata?"

"Who knows?" Shinohara shrugged. "They could have a secret or two."

Karuizawa, who had been listening in, finally spoke up. "If you're that curious, why don't you just ask them when they come back?" She said, her tone casual.

Sato hesitated, then shook her head. "N-no way! It's not like I care that much or anything…"

Matsushita gave her a knowing look but said nothing, while Shinohara giggled.

…

"Kushida, do you see him around?" Ryuto asked, glancing around the cafeteria.

"There." Kushida murmured, subtly nodding toward the line at the food counter.

A slim boy, with blue hair, stood boredly, waiting for his turn.

"Looks like he's alone…" Hirata chimed in.

"Perfect. That makes things easier." Ryuto muttered before turning to Ayanokoji. He discreetly placed a covert microphone onto his uniform, linking it to his smartphone.

"Don't blame me if it fails…" Ayanokoji mumbled with little enthusiasm.

Ryuto smirked. "Oh, we will blame you." His tone was lighthearted, but his eyes still held a level of seriousness. "But it won't fail."

"Don't ever show your face in front of me if you blunder this." Horikita added with a blank face.

"Thanks guys, I really feel the support." Ayanokoji huffed.

"Don't worry Ayanokoji-kun, we can just think of another method!" Kushida smiled optimistically.

"But let's hope it doesn't get to that." Hirata exclaimed with a wry smile.

"Alright, that's enough. Horikita, Ayanokoji, its your turn now." Ryuto chimed in with a serious expression. "And remember, we need to make him slip up. Guide him into thinking there's something important that he's still missing."

The two nodded, heading toward a remote table right after Kaito sat nearby, absentmindedly stirring his food.

Meanwhile, Ryuto and the others left the cafeteria, heading toward a more remote location while still trying to remain close.

"Now–" He murmured, placing an earpiece in one ear. "Let's see how well they play their roles."

…

"What did you want to talk about?" Horikita asked, arms crossed as she sat down. Her tone was cautious but just loud enough to be overheard.

"I told you before, this school isn't as it seems." Ayanokoji replied, leaning forward slightly.

Horikita sighed. "Not this again. If you dragged me here just to mess with me, I'm leaving."

"I'm serious." Ayanokoji insisted. "There are rules the school doesn't tell you about. Knowing them gives you an advantage."

Horikita's eyes narrowed, her expression skeptical. "And you just happen to have a 'guide' to these rules? Sounds like a scam."

Ryuto continued to listen intently. 'Come on, take the bait…'

Ayanokoji remained unfazed. "It's not a scam. I'm talking about things the school intentionally hides—how points are actually distributed, what actions could lead to expulsion, things you won't find in the handbook."

"And I'm just supposed to take your word for it?" Horikita scoffed. "Why would you share something so valuable if it were real?"

Ayanokoji shrugged. "I'm not giving it away for free. But it's a small price to pay for something that could make or break your future here."

Horikita narrowed her eyes before shaking her head in annoyance. "Unbelievable. I'm not about to waste my points on some ridiculous scheme to swindle first-years."

She stood up abruptly, chair scraping against the floor.

Ayanokoji sighed, leaning back. "Suit yourself. No wonder you ended up in Class D."

Horikita's gaze darkened for a split second before she turned and walked away, her expression unreadable.

Ayanokoji sat still, watching her leave with a feigned look of mild disappointment.

"Tch. Figures," He muttered under his breath. "Guess I shouldn't have expected much from the bottom class…"

Ryuto's lips twitched into a smirk. 'That should do it.'

Sure enough, Kaito's curiosity was piqued.

"Hey," A voice called out from a nearby table.

Ayanokoji turned, meeting Kaito Matsumoto's gaze.

"What was that about?" Kaito asked, his tone lined with curiosity.

…

"He's hooked!" Kushida's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Now we just have to hope Ayanokoji can keep the conversation going…" Hirata murmured, his tone cautious.

"He'll be fine." Ryuto said confidently. "He's not as clueless as he makes himself out to be."

"You put too much faith in him."

"Aaahh!!"

The three of them nearly jumped as Horikita suddenly appeared beside them.

Ryuto turned to her, startled. "How did you get here so fast?"

Horikita merely rolled her eyes, letting out a quiet sigh before joining them. Without another word, she focused on the conversation unfolding through the microphone.

…

Ayanokoji let out a short chuckle, finally meeting Kaito's gaze. "Did it bother you?"

Kaito pulled out the chair across from him. "More like it caught my attention. Who are you? Why waste your time trying to con a first-year from Class D?"

Ayanokoji tilted his head slightly. "A con? That's a bit harsh. Information has value. Wouldn't you agree?"

Kaito narrowed his eyes. "Depends on the information. And who's selling it."

Ayanokoji remained neutral, pulling out his student ID and casually flipping it onto the table. The card bore all the right details—his name, a third-year designation, and everything else a student in their final year would have.

Kaito's eyes flicked to it, analyzing every inch of the card. Ayanokoji didn't rush him. He let the silence linger, knowing that trying to justify himself would only make him look weaker.

"Pretty convincing." Kaito muttered, though his tone remained guarded. "But an ID alone doesn't mean much."

Meanwhile, Ryuto quickly typed a message on his phone and sent it to Ayanokoji's phone: You can show him the points, then push him on Class A's knowledge.

Ayanokoji glanced at the notification briefly before smirking. He reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and turned the screen toward Kaito. Hundreds of thousands of private points sat in his balance.

Ayanokoji chuckled, as if he found Kaito's skepticism amusing. "You're not wrong. But do you really think a first-year could fake their way into having this much?"

That gave Kaito pause. His expression barely changed, but the small twitch of his fingers betrayed his thoughts. This wasn't the kind of money a first-year could get their hands on so soon.

Unbeknownst to him, however, it was the points accumulation of four different students…Horikita not even entertaining the thought of giving her points away.

Ayanokoji leaned forward slightly. "Now, do you believe me?"

Kaito's lips pressed into a thin line. He wasn't fully convinced, but he was no longer dismissing Ayanokoji outright either. "Let's say, for the sake of argument, that you're really a third-year. That still doesn't explain why you were trying to sell information to a Class D student. I'd think someone from your year would have better things to do."

Ayanokoji shrugged. "Maybe I'm just bored. Or maybe I enjoy watching how the lower years scramble when they realize they don't know as much as they think."

Kaito didn't look amused. "Or maybe you're trying to stir the pot. Class A already knows the school's real rules. What makes you think I'd let you feed that knowledge to a rival class?"

Ayanokoji smirked. "Because, if you really had all the answers, you wouldn't be here talking to me."

Kaito's eyes narrowed slightly. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Ayanokoji took a slight pause before responding. "Let me put it another way. Class A bought the knowledge, right? Paid a hefty price for it." He tapped the table with a finger. "But the fact that you're here, questioning me, tells me one thing—you fear that other classes could still take the advantage."

Kaito said nothing, but doubt began creeping into his mind.

Ayanokoji leaned back. "So, tell me, do you really know everything? Or are you just pretending you do?"

Kaito's fist clenched, angered by the provocation.

"We were told all the information by our homeroom teacher, don't try to confuse me."

Ayanokoji let out a quiet chuckle, as if Kaito had just said something amusing. "Everything, huh?" He tilted his head slightly. "And you trust that?"

Kaito narrowed his eyes. "Why wouldn't I?"

Ryuto thought that was enough. He quickly typed another message.

Sell your act. Make him think he's got an edge.

Ayanokoji shrugged. "No reason. Just strange that an elite school like this would hand out all its secrets so easily."

Kaito didn't respond, but Ayanokoji caught the faintest hesitation in his stance.

"You can't be sure, can you? So, why not buy from me? We both leave here happy." He spread his arms slightly, as if the offer was only logical.

Kaito blinked, then let out a short laugh. "That's what this was about? You actually thought I'd fall for that?" His grin widened, sharp with amusement. "I'm not buying a damn thing."

He rose from his seat. "Class A has already paid for the information. We know everything—about our behavior, exams, even how it affects our class points."

The moment the words left his mouth, Kaito's expression stiffened ever so slightly, as if realizing he'd just given something away.

Ayanokoji, as always, remained unreadable. He didn't react, didn't let any hint of triumph show—he simply let the silence stretch.

Kaito clicked his tongue, trying to cover up his mistake. "I only entertained this conversation to make sure you weren't leaking information to other classes. But somehow, you managed to flip it around." He huffed, turning his back.

"I guess that's to be expected from an upperclassman. But don't get the wrong idea—it won't work on me."

With that, he walked off, shoulders squared as if he'd won the exchange.

Ayanokoji remained seated, watching him go with an unreadable expression. Then, without hurry, he placed his hands on the table, rose to his feet, and calmly left the cafeteria.

'Class points, huh?'

…

"Yeah!" Further away, Ryuto, Hirata, and Kushida celebrated, drawing strange looks from the few students passing by.

"Come on, Horikita!" Ryuto grinned, raising his hand for a high five.

"No." She rejected him immediately. "Don't you think it's too early to celebrate? What if the information is false?"

Ryuto's excitement faded as he considered her words. "I don't think so. We got him to slip up—just like we planned." He shook his head.

"It seems too easy. Why would he reveal exactly what we didn't know?" Horikita crossed her arms, her skepticism unwavering.

"You're overthinking it. It's because we were missing that one key piece that the information came so easily. If you wanted to prove your value, wouldn't the most critical detail be the one that truly mattered?" Ryuto countered, his logic firm.

"I wouldn't reveal anything in the first place." Horikita scoffed.

"Maybe. But in Kaito's case, we set everything up to push him in the direction we wanted." Ryuto shrugged, knowing this plan wouldn't have worked on just anyone.

"I suppose so." Horikita exhaled, a hint of reluctant acknowledgment in her voice. "It seems I underestimated you."

"Considering you compared me to an elementary school student, I can't exactly take that as a compliment…" Ryuto muttered, his eyebrow twitching.

"Horikita, you should have more faith in your classmates." Kushida pouted, puffing out her cheeks.

"Well, even if the information is false, it won't hurt to follow Kaito's words and see where they lead." Hirata chimed in thoughtfully.

Ryuto nodded. "For now, our priority is our class. That's what matters most."

"Though…we should discuss this after school." He added, casting a wary glance around in case anyone was listening.

The others nodded in agreement, waiting for Ayanokoji before heading back to class.

They acted like everything was normal.

But they all knew the truth—this was only the beginning.

Tomorrow, everything would change.

.....

Points amount: 176.000