"Hajime-kun, from now on, don't talk to me."
"Huh!? What do you mean, Horikita-chan!?"
"Don't act so familiar with me! You are dumb! I don't want to interact with anyone, especially someone like you! I am going to become independent like my brother."
---------------
Hah... another dream from my childhood...
I woke up from my nap, and looked around. It seems that we are about to reach the school.
"Why are you so sleepy on bus? Were you pretending so that I wake you up when we reach the school?"
"I am not that desparate, Horikita. I was just too excited last night, thinking about how I will finally beat your brother. Our heights should be around the same now."
Horikita glared at me, hmph'ed and turned away from me, reading her cringey book. 'Crime and Punishment'... what sort of psycho title is it?
"Hey, you shouldn't read books like these. You are already a psycho, your attitude will deteriorate more and more."
"Do you even know what it is about?"
"I have no interest in such trash books. They only fill up your brain with useless nonsense."
"They are much better than your Light Novels."
"Horikita, just because something is popular doesn't mean that it is bad. I am sure that Oregairu is much better and much more beneficial for life views than whatever you are reading."
She looked like she was about to stab me with a compass, but the bus stopped. We have arrived at the school.
"Well then, since we are in different classes, I hope I don't have to see your stupid face for the next three years."
Horikita said harshly, and got off the bus.
I wanted to say something, but decided against it.
I sighed and got off the bus as well.
Huh? Kushida is also in this school? That's strange...
Isn't it supposed to be Japan's greatest elite school?
Kushida avoided my gaze, and fastened her pace.
"Which class are you in?"
I quickened my pace and asked her.
"Don't talk to me. And if you tell anyone what happened..."
"I don't really care about a trash like you. So, which class are you in?"
"...Class D. You?"
"Class A. Since Horikita is in your class, be in your limits."
"Why do you care so much? You two aren't even friends."
"It doesn't matter. It seems like the school doesn't know what you did in middle school, that's why you managed to get here. Take advantage of that and start a homest life."
Saying that, I walked ahead.
Still, even if the school didn't know Kushida's past, since our middle school must have hid that, Kushida isn't really an elite material. There must by tens of thousands who are as smart as her. And neither is she rich that she can bribe her way through it.
This means that the entrance exam isn't the sole factor regarding admission in this school.
That's rather strange.
If the entrance exam isn't the only deciding factor, it must mean that there are other criteria that school must have investigated, aling with random luck.
Kushida can't be just picked up on luck. That will be too much of a coincidence.
But if the school really did investigation, would they really investigate everyone? That will be too difficult.
So, it seems that the only possible explanation is that the school chose Kushida because it knew about the incident she caused, and was actually impressed by it.
Oh. So it means that this elite school also admits bad students. As a challenge to good students?
Is this school run by some otaku? Who knows, maybe there will actually be some official class competitions as well?
Nah. No way that's the case.
Still, I should keep in mind that it might be a possibility.
Might as well use this as an excuse to call out Horikita-senpai to a place without surveillance cameras and try again to beat him.
With those thoughts, I found the class 1-A, and went to my seat. Last one, by the window.
Eh? Protagonist's seat?
"Aren't you feeling lucky? Getting the Protagonist's seat?"
A purple haired girl stated.
"Yeah. I am Hajime Hayato. Nice to meet you."
"Morishita Ai."
I nodded and was about to talk more, but she purposefully went to another guy to talk to.
He was bald, and standing behind him, Morishita suddenly took out her handkerchief and... started polishing his head?
"Hey! What are you doing!?"
"The light isn't reflecting properly."
"Stop it!"
...It's best to keep as less contact with her as possible. She looks like trouble.
In fact, I want to change my seat right this instant.
Just then, a teacher entered the class. Seeing him, everyone went to their seat.
"Good morning."
"Good morning Sensei!"
Everyone greeted him, and then he began explaining some stuff.
"I am Mashima Tomonari. I am the homeroom teacher for Class A and I will you teach English.
At this school, we do not change classrooms for each grade.
For the next three years, I will be acting as your homeroom teacher, so I hope to get to know all of you. Before the entrance ceremony starts, I will distribute written materials with information about this school's special rules, your phones and IDs."
"By using your ID card, you can access any of the facilities on campus, purchase
goods from the store, and so on. It acts like a debit card. You can simply use the payment app in pre-installed in your phone as well.
However, it is imperative that you pay attention to the points that you spend. At this school, you can use your points to buy anything.
Anything located on the school premises is available for purchase."
"Points are automatically deposited into your account on the first of every month. You should all have received 100,000 points already. Keep in mind that one point is worth one yen. No further explanation should be necessary."
Hmm... Yeah. Definitely suspicious. 100,000 points monthly— wait.
I interrupted his explaination and raised my hand.
"Yes, Hajime-kun?"
He has memorized our face and name? That's unusual.
"Can you repeat the explanation regarding the points?"
"Sure."
He repeated the explanation, and for sure, two things stood out.
First, 'Anything located on the school premises is available for purchase.' and the fact that he didn't say that we will receive 100,000 points monthly, just that we already have it right now, and that points will be deposited in the first month.
"Sensei, can I put my Protagonist's seat here on auction, given the fact that whoever buys my seat also sells his seat to me for 1 point?"
I expected him to either shut me down for asking a nonsensical question, or laugh at me.
But, he simply nodded.
"Sure."
"Eh? So anything really can be bought? Sensei, can I buy the blackboard?"
"Sure. But you don't have enough points for it."
"WHAT!?! Even school property can be theoretically bought!?"
"Yes."
Now, that settles it. Whoever runs this school is a serious otaku.
I asked the class, "Does anyone want to buy the Protagonist's seat? Auction starts at 1 point."
"2 points!"
"3!"
"100!"
Many started bidding on it.
"10,000!"
A guy was especially excited, willing to spend so much on it. Now, everyone was hesitating.
A smug loli with disability joined the bidding.
"15,000."
Not wanting to be outmatched, he shouted "20,000!"
"25,000."
The guy was still confident.
"30,000!"
"35,000."
"40,000!"
"45,000!"
"49,999."
"50,000!"
The guy gave up half of his points to buy this seat. And just as we thought that he will win this, the smug loli bid more again.
"55,000."
...She doesn't seem interested in the seat itself, but about how many points she can make him lose. Is she playing a game or something?
The guy got angry and agitated. The bald guy tried to stop him, but he was too late.
"75,000!"
He bid 3/4th of his allowance from the school. I am not sure whether we will even gain any next month.
But he seemed to be more interested in winning.
He looked at the smug loli, feeling confident. I am sure that if she bids higher, he will still bid higher than this just to win.
"Yahiko. Stop it. That girl isn't interested in the seat itself, but is just driving up the price. We will most likely not get 100,000 points next month, so stop."
"What!? What do you mean we wouldn't get 100,000 points next month!?"
Smug loli smiled and shrigged, "You caught me. I won't bid any higher. Yahiko-kun, congratulations on getting the prestigious Protagonist's seat, for 75,000 points."
The boy whose name is Yahiko, got really pissed. I expected him to withdraw his bid and say that 'I don't want it' or 'please lower the price'. But even though he is an idiot, he didn't back off from his commitment.
We exchanged seats. He paid me 75,000 points. I paid him 1 point.
So my new seat is in the front, just by the window. The bald guy is my new neighbour.
Phew! I escaped from being neighbours with that weirdo Morishita Ai.
After that, Mashima-sensei continued the explanation.