Chapter 6. He was just an ordinary preparatory student...
"Speaking of which, didn't we agree to meet at the bookstore last night? Before you arrived, I randomly picked up a comic book to kill some time."
"Hmm? Why are you suddenly bringing this up? Is there something wrong with that comic?"
"Yeah...it's so awful. How can there be such a boring comic? It's even worse than the trash I have waiting to throw away."
"Wow, that's a harsh assessment. I'm actually quite curious now."
"But those kinds of things do happen, right? Suddenly forgetting things you should remember, damn it, I even specifically looked up that cartoonist's name back then, what was it again...?"
"Oh, the bell rang. Let's talk about it later!"
Almost a week has passed since Hope's Peak Academy started...
The bell rang, signaling that class had started. Hajime Hinata sat by the window to his side, watching as his classmates, who had been gathered in small groups discussing various topics, gradually dispersed and returned to their seats.
Although the start of the school year is later than other schools, once the opening ceremony is held and campus life officially begins, it doesn't seem to be much different from other schools.
At least that's how Hyuga Hajime felt these past few days.
In the preceding days, most of the classmates, who were strangers to each other, were in a period of adjustment. They were relatively polite and friendly to each other, and the atmosphere in the class was fairly harmonious... Of course, there were also those whose interpersonal relationships progressed rapidly.
In the next class, a student even received a love letter placed in the shoe locker within just a few days of the start of the semester. Because the speed was so astonishing, the student who received the love letter, although not in the same class as Hinata Hajime, still heard about it from his own classmates.
Putting aside these special cases, he also made friends in class with whom he could get along.
Thinking this, Hyuga Hajime subconsciously looked at the black-haired boy sitting to his right.
Kazumasa Tsukino rested his chin on his left hand, seemingly engrossed in the contents of the books laid out on his desk. However, based on his understanding of him over the past few days, Hajime Hinata had a reasonable suspicion that this classmate, who appeared to be immersed in his books, was simply daydreaming in broad daydreams.
Tsukino's face usually has no expression, and he speaks without any emotional fluctuations. Even his deep black eyes, like a bottomless pool, show no emotion when he looks at you.
In other words... Tsukino Kazuya easily gives people the first impression of "Is he not easy to get along with?"
However, after spending time with him, Hajime Hinata quickly realized that this was not the case.
The black-haired boy, who appears to be aloof and taciturn, is actually quite good at joking. He listens attentively to others when they talk to him and quickly grasps the latest trends among his classmates... He doesn't seem like someone who's difficult to get along with at all.
In any case, it's always a good thing to make new friends in a new environment.
In the short few days since enrolling at Hope's Peak Academy, everything seems to be gradually getting back on track as I adapt to the new environment.
Is it on the right track...?
Like countless ordinary high school students, Hajime Hinata is spending his otherwise mundane school life.
But he himself knew very well that deep down, he was still yearning and hoping...
...
The teacher entered the classroom and stood on the podium. Hajime Hinata suppressed his previous thoughts and looked up at the teacher.
*******
Hyuga Hajime's guess was correct; Tsukino and Chiya were indeed openly daydreaming.
He was still thinking about the wonderful answer Wang Ma Xiaoji gave at breakfast on the day he arrived at Hope's Peak.
But as things stand now...
Tsukino and Chiya moved their fingers and casually turned a page of the book on the table—even though they weren't actually reading the contents.
Fratricide? Not at all.
But that's to be expected, isn't it?
Tsukino and Chiya thought to themselves.
After all, this is Hope's Peak Academy, a school with enormous influence in society. Thinking about it from a darker perspective, it's somewhat plausible that a school like this, under the watchful eyes of countless people, might be secretly conducting human experiments, but the idea of students killing each other is... well...
If such a thing really happened, it would be impossible for it not to be discovered, right?
Although some of the facts are hurtful to say... if there were infighting among the "preparatory courses," then perhaps the academy could indeed suppress the matter completely without making a sound.
After all, it's a preparatory discipline that receives almost no social attention. If the number of people killing each other doesn't reach a point where it's impossible to hide, suppressing the situation isn't impossible. ...Although it sounds quite unreal, it must be said that Hope's Peak, while theoretically just a school, actually possesses a powerful force behind it that is far from simple.
But that morning, Ouma Kokichi said "the Ultimate School Class fighting each other."
Hope's Peak Academy's undergraduate programs have always been highly regarded. If something like fratricide were to occur among undergraduate students... well, perhaps Hope's Peak could still suppress the matter with its resources.
Tsk tsk, thinking about it that way is actually a bit scary.
However, many of these undergraduate students are already social celebrities at a young age due to their outstanding talents. If something bad happens to them, Hope Peak might be able to suppress the matter for a while, but it will inevitably leave some clues for those who are interested to find.
But those are just clues. Didn't we just talk about it? Hope's Peak Academy... is not only a school, but also a formidable force.
Tsukino and Chiya turned another page in the book.
However, it's really foolish of me to still be thinking about "the feasibility of Hope's Peak Academy undergraduates killing each other".
Clearly, nothing like this horrific event actually happened.
A few days ago, when he met Wang Ma Xiaoji, the purple-haired boy pitifully complained that he had been bullied in college and was called a "disgusting, annoying, cunning, and short guy" by his classmates.
It seems he had a lot of fun during his undergraduate years.
In Tsukino and Chiya's class, there is another classmate whose last name is Sato. She is good friends with Koizumi Mahiru, the "Ultimate Photographer" of the undergraduate program. Koizumi often comes to the preparatory course area during lunch break to have lunch with Sato.
From any perspective, the undergraduate program should also be in a "normal" state.
In short, Hope's Peak at this moment has absolutely nothing to do with infighting. Tsukino and Chiya decided to temporarily put aside this matter, which was probably just another offhand remark from Ohma Shokichi.
Let's focus on the lesson for now.
The teachers in the preparatory subjects are quite good, but teachers of this "good" level can actually be found in other high schools as well.
Although Tsukino and Chiya have only attended the preparatory course for a few days, he has already realized that the students in the preparatory course are even more fervent in their pursuit of "hope" and "talent" than he imagined.
That's true... After all, if you're just aiming for higher education, you could choose a top-tier high school known for its amazing college entrance and employment rates. Other good options include Teitan High School and Rakuzan High School.
However, many students are willing to spend a lot of money to choose the Hope Peak Preparatory Course, which has only been established for a little over a year... Is it because of their yearning for "hope"?
Despite being mentally prepared, Qianye was still sometimes surprised by the emotions that her classmates occasionally revealed when talking about "undergraduate", "hope" and "talent".
I hope so...
Tsukino and Chiya turned another page.
Sometimes, collective beliefs or consensus can create something extraordinary.
But what does all this have to do with him?
Suddenly called upon, Qianye stood up and answered the unexpected question fluently, then sat back down with the teacher's tacit approval.
Because he was just an ordinary preparatory student.
So instead of all this mess... I should probably think about how to plan the upcoming weekend first.
Seemingly sensing the soreness in their necks from looking down for so long, Tsukino and Chiya reached out and gently pinched the lower back of their necks.
The black-haired boy began to ponder.
So where should we go on the weekend?
A note from the author:
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Xiao Ji: Some people say I'm a cunning, short, and sluggish person, waaaaaah!
Chiya: Looks like you're having a lot of fun.
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