Section 1: The Announcement of the Challenge
The school had always been known for its unconventional methods of teaching, but today's announcement was something no one saw coming.
During the morning assembly, the teachers gathered all the students from the various classes—A through D—into the large auditorium. Principal Sakayanagi stepped onto the stage, his expression unreadable as always. The students murmured amongst themselves, wondering what the latest trial would be.
"Good morning, students," the principal began, his voice calm but authoritative. "We have an exciting new program that will begin today. This will test not only your individual skills but also your ability to work together as a couple. It is called the 'Living Together Challenge.'"
The room fell into stunned silence.
"Each of you will be paired with a random student, and you will live together in specially prepared apartments on campus. The challenge will last for three months, during which you will be evaluated based on how well you cooperate and interact as a couple."
Kiyotaka, sitting beside Suzune, exchanged a glance with her. Suzune's expression was calm, but her eyes revealed a spark of curiosity.
"Couples will be observed at all times," the principal continued. "There will be cameras and speakers installed in each apartment, allowing teachers to monitor your progress and give you feedback on your behavior. At the end of the three months, the couple that performs the best will receive five million private points each and 500 class points."
A murmur spread through the room at the mention of such a large reward. Private points were incredibly valuable, and class points could shift the balance of power between the classes.
"And to keep things interesting," the principal added with a small smile, "the pairings will be completely random."
Section 2: The Pairings Announced
Later that day, after the students had returned to their respective classrooms, the teachers began announcing the pairings. There was tension in the air as everyone wondered who they would be living with for the next three months.
In Class A, the pairings were read aloud by Chabashira-sensei. When she reached Kiyotaka and Suzune's names, she paused for a moment.
"Ayanokouji Kiyotaka and Horikita Suzune," she said, her voice betraying no emotion.
Suzune glanced over at Kiyotaka, who gave her a small nod of acknowledgment. They had already grown so close that the idea of living together wasn't intimidating—if anything, it was a relief to both of them that they wouldn't be paired with someone unfamiliar.
Other students weren't so lucky. There were gasps and whispers as classmates heard the names of their partners.
In Class B, a quiet but nervous boy named Satou ended up paired with a sharp-tongued girl named Nanase. The look on his face told everyone that he wasn't thrilled with the arrangement, while Nanase just shrugged it off as a challenge.
From Class C, a pair that caught everyone's attention was Ryuen Kakeru, the class's troublemaker, paired with Karuizawa Kei, the popular girl who seemed completely out of his league. The two exchanged hostile glances, clearly unhappy with the outcome.
Class D had a particularly odd pairing: Ike Kanji, known for being goofy and loud, ended up with Kushida Kikyou, the seemingly perfect and kind girl. Though she smiled sweetly, there was a hint of tension behind her eyes.
Section 3: Moving In and the Rules
The next day, the couples were escorted to their temporary living quarters: fully furnished, two-bedroom apartments with all the amenities they would need. Each apartment was equipped with the aforementioned cameras and speakers, which loomed over the living spaces like silent observers. They knew the faculty would be monitoring their every move, judging them on their compatibility and teamwork.
