Starting in class C: not completely defective.

Arc 1 chapter 3: Enter, Kikyou Kushida.

After the business with the upperclassmen students, I made my way back to the dormitory, my home from that day onward. On my way I checked my point balance: 170,562. Now I had extra points in reserve. You could never know when you'd need them. Sakagami-sensei had said, after all, that you could purchase anything on campus. Maybe I could purchase a day off, if I had enough points. Wouldn't that be something.
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.
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 it's 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.
Freedom
(Tatakae, Shinzou wa sasageyou)

On our second day of school- our first day of actual classes- we spent most of our time running over the course objectives. Apparently, many of the students were quite surprised by how genuinely warm and friendly the teachers at this school looked (aside from Sakagami-sensei, and the Japanese history teacher. I think her name was Chabashira). Most of the students in class, such as Ibuki and Shiina, paid attention to when the teachers were talking. But there were a few, such as Shiho Manabe, who would talk or look at their phones during class. It was around this time that I noticed the security cameras in the corners of the room. Perhaps the students didn't need to be reprimanded, and the cameras would record who was paying attention and who wasn't. It seemed strange though, because yesterday Ryuuen punched Ishizaki in the stomach. Surely if there were cameras, a member of the faculty would have followed up on the incident and punished Ryuuen? Maybe the school would only intervene if a teacher was actually present, or if the wronged party complained to the school.
I decided to relax, and it was soon lunchtime. Students stood up and left with their new acquaintances, disappearing from my view.
"Would you like to have lunch with me Ayanokouji-Kun?" Shiina asked me. I hadn't expected a lunch invitation from a girl this early in the year.
"Sure, I don't have any other plans," I replied.
"Would you like to join us, Ibuki-san?" Shiina asked the girl in front of me.
"I guess I don't have anything else to do. I'm in." Ibuki looked happy at not having to spend lunch alone.
We headed off to the cafeteria together, and ate lunch.
"What do you do in your free time, Ibuki-san?" Shiina asked, trying to start a conversation.
"I don't have many hobbies, but I practice martial arts." Ibuki replied.
"Ooh wow I bet you're really good 🤩." Shiina responded enthusiastically.
Ibuki blushed.
"Well, I suppose I'm fairly decent." She said, embarrassed.
"A-and what about you Ayanokouji-kun?" Ibuki asked me, trying to divert the attention away from her.
"Well, I suppose I don't really-" I was about to respond when I was cut off.
"Excuse me. Are you perhaps Ayanokouji Kiyotaka?"
The three of us turned around.
The person in question who had called me was a girl with short blond hair and big, red eyes. I think I recognised her from somewhere... ah yes she was the girl who was trying to guilt people into giving up their seat on the bus when the blond boy wouldn't budge from his.
"I am Ayanokouji. May I ask your name?" I asked.
"Great. My name is Kikyou Kushida, from class 1-D." She beamed.
Shiina and Ibuki decided this was a prime time to get up and leave, having finished their meals. Ibuki patted me on the shoulder.
"See you in class. Hopefully." She said with a sly smirk. What could that possibly mean?
"Sorry Kushida-san, did you need me for something?" I asked my new lunch mate.
"Well, um... kinda. 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 Suzune?"
Horikita? Why did she want to know about that?
"We've met a few times before, but I wouldn't say that we're good friends. Good acquaintances at a push. Why, did she upset you?"
"Oh, no. You weren't there for my introduction, but you should know: I want to be friends with everyone in the school. I have the contact information of nearly everyone in my class. But... Horikita wasn't interested."
Hmm... sounds like Horikita alright.
"Weren't you two talking outside the school on the day of the entrance ceremony?"
Considering we'd ridden the bus together, it was no wonder that she'd seen me meeting Horikita.
"Well, 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?"
I was just lucky to not get on Horikita's nerves when we first met. To be honest, we had rather similar attitudes, even if we didn't outwardly act the same as each other.
"Besides me, 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. It seems like she hasn't talked to anybody yet, so I'm a little worried about her."
Kushida made a sad face. For some reason, her face didn't look... genuine. In fact for the few minutes I'd been talking to her, she had lots of emotions on her face. The only thing about her that had remained the same was the look in her eyes. I couldn't tell what it was, but something about her made me feel on edge. I decided not to pry though, and played along.
"I understand what you're saying, but I only just met her yesterday. I really can't help you."
"Hmm. I see. I thought that you two must have been old friends before starting school here. I'm sorry to have asked such a strange question."
"It's fine, don't worry about it."
Just then, a thought popped into my head.
"How did you know my name again?"
"How? I learned it from one of my friends in class 1-C. I asked her what your name was."
That explained it. In fact I think I had seen Kushida talking with a few of my classmates on the way to the dorms yesterday.
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Ayanokouji-kun." She said.
"Likewise, Kushida-san."
Today was probably my lucky day. Things had gone well, all things considered.