---
"We'll be best friends forever, okay?"
A small boy sat among a group of children under a tree, their pinky fingers linked in a promise. Their laughter filled the air, bright and carefree. In that moment, the world felt simple. Pure. Safe.
But that was just a memory.
---
Now, the same boy—older, taller, and more distant—stood quietly in front of his bedroom mirror. Dressed in a sharp black school uniform, he stared at his reflection with tired eyes.
He ran a hand through his messy dark hair and sighed.
"My name is Keiji Hazune... Just a normal high school student. Nothing special."
He slung his bag over his shoulder and opened the door. With a quiet click, it shut behind him.
The streets were quiet this early in the morning. With his hands shoved in his pockets, Keiji walked alone, his footsteps echoing off the pavement. On the way to school, he passed a group of students gathered near a corner, laughing loudly about something meaningless. He didn't stop. He didn't smile. He just sighed and kept walking.
---
The school gates stood tall ahead of him—Hazakura Academy, an elite private school rumored to be "special." Keiji didn't care much for rumors.
He stepped through the gates and entered the school building. He found the door to his class and stood there a moment, staring at it.
"This is my class..."
He opened the door slowly.
To his surprise, there was already someone inside. A girl sat by the window, completely immersed in a book. She had long black hair that framed her pale face, and an air of stillness that made the whole room feel quieter.
She looked up when he entered. Their eyes met briefly. Then she looked back down at her book.
Keiji blinked. Guess I'm not the only one who came early.
He walked to the back of the classroom and chose a seat by the window. As he sat down, the girl closed her book and stared at him again.
"Of all the empty seats, why here?" she asked flatly.
Keiji rested his head on the desk and mumbled, "So I don't have to look at anyone."
She looked surprised, her mouth slightly open, then turned her face away.
A moment passed before Keiji lifted his head slightly and looked at her.
"So what's your excuse? There are other seats."
She hesitated. Then answered softly, "Same reason."
Before Keiji could respond, the bell rang, echoing through the halls. Students began pouring into the classroom, loud and excited.
Keiji sighed again and closed his eyes, resting his head once more.
---
Soon, the classroom was full. The students talked, laughed, and introduced themselves to one another. It felt like chaos.
Then the door slid open, and silence slowly returned as a teacher stepped inside.
She was a tall woman with black hair tied in a neat bun and a strict presence that instantly commanded attention. She set her bag down and clapped her hands once.
"Quiet down."
When a few students kept whispering, she grabbed a marker and slapped it hard against the board.
Smack!
"I said quiet!"
Everyone froze.
She turned to face them. "I will be your homeroom teacher. My name is Kozue Yukishiro."
She wrote her name neatly on the board.
A boy in the back leaned toward his friend and whispered, "Damn… she's kinda hot."
Kozue's eyes locked onto him.
"What did you just say?" she asked coldly.
The boy sat up straight. "Uh—nothing, ma'am."
The class snickered.
Kozue didn't smile. "Let's begin with introductions. One at a time, stand up and tell us your name."
---
A girl stood first. Confidently, she placed her hand on her hip.
"I'm Miyu Hoshizora!" she announced with flair before sitting down.
Keiji peeked an eye open. Sassy. Confident. Probably popular. Could be useful.
Next was a tall boy with a serious face.
"Riven Kurotsuki. I play forward on the soccer team."
The class clapped.
Charismatic. Probably a future leader, Keiji thought.
The girl sitting beside him stood slowly.
"...Reina Fuyumine."
That was all. She sat back down and pulled out her book.
Not a talker, Keiji noted.
Finally, it was his turn. He stood, yawning.
"Keiji Hazune. Nice to meet you or whatever."
He sat back down and closed his eyes again.
---
Kozue walked to the front of the room and tapped the board.
"Now that introductions are over, it's time for the real reason you're here."
She opened a nearby cabinet and pulled out a small box filled with black phones.
"This school operates differently. You're not just here to study. You're here to compete."
The class quieted, intrigued.
"Hazakura Academy runs on a point system. You'll participate in 10 major games across the year. Each one earns you points. With those points, you can buy almost anything—food, clothes, tools, special privileges. But you can only use this."
She held up the phone.
"This is your School Device. It tracks your points, ranking, class status, and purchases. The government gives each of you 1,000 points to start."
Students began murmuring excitedly.
"Use it wisely," Kozue said. "If you waste it all today, don't expect it back."
Keiji took his phone, turned it on, and saw his name and balance:
Keiji Hazune – 1,000 Points
Kozue looked around. "Your goal as Class D is simple: rise to the top. That means beating Class C, Class B… and eventually Class A. Until then, you're the bottom of the barrel."
---
As the lesson began, most students ignored it and started buying snacks and items on their phones. Kozue sighed but kept teaching.
The bell rang for lunch. Students rushed out, excited.
Keiji stayed back, head down. Reina remained as well, quietly reading.
He glanced at her. "Do you want something? I could get you a drink or something."
She didn't look up. "No."
Keiji stretched. "Just trying to be nice."
He headed to the cafeteria, bought a sandwich, and checked his phone.
Balance: 890 Points
He sighed. So it really works. You can buy anything... but it costs a lot.
He found a shady spot under a tree and lay down, eating in silence.
---
Later, the second half of the day started. Students joked, shouted, and annoyed Kozue to no end. The bell rang again, and most walked out laughing.
Keiji stood, tired. Before he left, Kozue called out.
"Sorry, but none of you are allowed to stay in the classroom after hours."
Reina looked up from her book. "Why not? This is the only quiet place I've found."
"There's a dormitory building with club rooms," Kozue said. "You can apply for one… if you form a club."
Reina stood. "Fine. I'll do it."
"But you need at least two members," Kozue added.
Reina froze. "What?"
---
Keiji was just about to leave when he noticed Reina speaking to Kozue. The teacher handed her a small key.
Reina turned and walked directly toward Keiji.
"You. Come with me."
"Huh?" Keiji blinked. "Why?"
"Because you're in my club now."
"You signed me up without asking?!"
She shrugged. "You're the only one in class who noticed the points were suspicious. The others used theirs like idiots. You didn't. That makes you useful."
Keiji groaned. "There goes my peaceful naps."
Reina narrowed her eyes. "Don't misunderstand. We're not friends. I'm just using you."
She walked past him.
Keiji stood frozen.
This day just keeps getting worse.
Or maybe...
...more interesting.
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