Days of the Elites

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟚 - 𝔻𝕠𝕦𝕓𝕥𝕤

𝟙 𝔸𝕡𝕣𝕚𝕝. 𝟚𝟘𝟙𝟟

𝕋𝕠𝕜𝕪𝕠 𝕄𝕖𝕥𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕠𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕒𝕟 𝔸𝕕𝕧𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖𝕕 ℕ𝕦𝕣𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘 ℍ𝕚𝕘𝕙 𝕊𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕠𝕝

"There are those who know and those who don't know. And for every ten thousand who don't know there's only one who knows. That's the miracle of all time--the fact that these millions know so much but don't know this."

 - Carson McCullers -

Right now I'm at the school ceremony. To be honest, I don't like the entrance ceremony. A lot of first years think the same way. The principal and the students are all thanking each other annoyingly, there's way too much standing, and it's a pain in the butt because there are too many troublesome things. But that's not all I want to say. The entrance ceremony for the elementary, middle, and high school marks the start of one major trial for students. For the first few days after the entrance ceremony, students must make friends in order to enjoy the rest of their school life. If someone fails at this task, it is said that a miserable three years awaits them. I had no experience making friends. I was completely alone. I entered the fierce battleground all by myself.

Although... I wonder if Nishino could be called my first friend. Probably not, since we've only just met. She, by the way, is now standing next to me on my right, listening to the Chairman's speech with a bored face. To my left, on the other hand, there is a very energetic blue-haired teenager, who, in contrast, listens to the speech with interest.

Of course, I was listening to this speech, too. Now Chairman Sakayanagi, as he introduced himself, was giving the speech that would be the official start of our new school life. It might have contained information about important aspects in this school. But alas, there was apparently nothing new I could learn from it. Before I went here, the school sent me, and I think other students, a letter explaining some of the details. Among them were some rules and the schedule for today. Looking at the big round clock that hung in this hall, I could tell with certainty that the chairman's speech was about to end.

"Welcome to Tōkyōto Kōdo Ikusei Kōtō Gakkō" in confirmation of my thoughts, the headmaster proudly finished his speech, and everyone started clapping happily at his words. Either because they had waited for the boring ceremony to end, or because it was the social custom. Although I think the answer here can be considered two variants.

After the opening ceremony was over, the hall became noisy again. It was time to disperse to our classes. A copper-haired girl turned to me and wanted to ask me something, but she was overtaken by the blonde-haired guy standing to her right.

"Hi. I'm Yōsuke Hirata," he introduced himself to us. "Hey, aren't you from D class by any chance?"

I could tell he was addressing Nishino and me because he was looking at us.

There are four parallels in this school: Class A, Class B, Class C, Class D. Who gets sent where, the school decides. For what principle it does not tell the administration. Of course I have my own guesses and other students probably have them too. Are they right or wrong? That is another question entirely. Because of my lack of knowledge about normal schools, I can't say the exact reason for assignment to different classes. Also, you have to consider that Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School is an unusual school by the standards of society's understanding of these institutions.