Chapter 1: This school is wrong
The crisp morning air bit into my skin as I reluctantly shuffled onto the small school shuttle waiting before me. Less than an hour ago, I'd said my tearful goodbyes to Komachi, and now the weight of not seeing her for another three years was starting to sink in.
Advanced Nurturing High School (ANHS)—an elite, government-sponsored academy established to shape Japan's next generation of leaders in the face of plummeting birth rates. Just a month ago, I hadn't even heard of it. In my original world, it didn't exist at all.
Sigh…
I was still wrapping my head around everything. One moment, I was lying in bed; the next, I was sitting at the family dining table, my parents beaming with pride as they offered a rare moment of congratulations on my acceptance into ANHS. Just hours before that, I'd been coerced into joining Sobu High's Service Club, where I'd been mercilessly mocked by the school's resident diva.
To put in layman terms; I had transmigrated into a parallel world back to my middle school days. The key difference was, this world's Hachiman Hikigaya chose ANHS over Sobu.
In hindsight, I couldn't blame him. If I'd known my high school debut would involve a car accident followed by being coerced a year later into joining a sketchy club led by an ice-cold bitch, I'd have chosen ANHS too.
Besides offering a comprehensive boarding system that strictly prohibited any contact with the outside world- the school offered the unprecedented perk of guaranteeing any college admission or job upon graduation. Granted as an aspiring househusband, the perk didn't mean much to me but to the fact tuition, alongside housing, was free, made it especially attractive to my parents.
Shitty dad! How dare you kick me out so you can monopolize on Komachi!
Quickly scanning the interior, the bus is packed, all available seats taken save for a few unoccupied pole handles. Lowering my head, I try my best to be inconspicuous, avoiding eye contact. The last thing I needed was some girl getting one look at me and calling the police!
I will never forgive you, Fujimoto!
Thankfully most of the students seem to mind their own business, their eyes glued to their phones or chatting amongst their neighbors. Already they had started to drown in the self indulgence of youth, drinking from the poisoned chalice as they began the arduous process of making friends.
Filthy riajuu! Blow up and explode!
…
The trip to school was uneventful as one might expect from a ride filled with a mix of high school freshmen, salary workers, and the single-odd retiree. Alive with the sounds of chatter and laughter, a strange sense of tranquility began to sink in, my little corner dead quiet in contrast to its surroundings.
As the engine started to hum, a small commotion breaks out near the front. I watch in mild interest as a cute girl with short beige hair speaks up.
"Um, excuse me! Would you mind giving up your seat for this elderly woman?" she asks softly, her tone polite yet determined, addressing a well-built student casually admiring his reflection in a small handheld mirror.
"Hmm? Why me, pretty girl?"
Those red uniforms … I hope we aren't put in the same class...
Shuddering at the thought of a nice girl like the one in front of me being my seatmate, I watch the semi-confrontation continue, both sides digging in.
Gesturing to the old lady standing next to her, the short-haired girl continues, her voice this time much louder.
"This old lady seems to be struggling to stand, it would only be right of you to give up your priority seat for her."
"Hmmm. I think not. There's no law forcing me to give up my seat and why should I give up my seat for the mere reason of age? No-to do so will be unbecoming of me."
This guy; is he some sort of prince?
Still, he wasn't exactly wrong. Social norms aside, there wasn't any law that obligated you to give up your seat to someone older. Much like the hierarchical conventions at school or the workplace, society functioned on these unwritten and arbitrarily drawn rules.
Seriously, who came up with the rule to call me Frogy-gaya?
By now the once vibrant and excited atmosphere had faded, replaced with a thin underlying tension. Nearby passengers who had been happily conversing seconds ago, awkwardly stood silent, furiously averting their gazes as they hoped the topic of giving up their seat didn't shift onto them.
The strong abandon the weak. It was a common phenomenon found throughout the animal kingdom. For all its vaunted emphasis on cooperation and collectivism, Japanese culture was no better. When it came down to it, every individual regardless of background prioritized their own self-interests.
Still the tension was becoming a little too uncomfortable. It would probably be for the best if the whole thing was resolved quickly.
Clearing my throat, I project my voice loud enough to reach the entire bus, steeling my nerves. "Ughh, can someone give me a seat too? My back hurts like crazy! I have this chronic disease … which is, her … her.. herpes?"
Judging by their giggling, I totally got the name wrong! I want to run to my new dorm and cry!
Chuckling softly among themselves, I notice the short-haired girl briefly shoot me a sharp glare, her annoyance carefully masked beneath a facade of feigned curiosity. Meanwhile, the handsome narcissist simply smirks, his gaze dripping with amusement, as if I were some jester performing for his entertainment.
Blonde bastard! You can at least pretend to care like the girl next to you!
"Hernia," I corrected, finally remembering the name, though by the looks I was getting the damage was already done. "It really hurts! If anyone should be given a seat it should be me!" I impart the last part with as much entitlement as possible.
Perhaps realizing the ridiculous nature of my request, several seat-holders glance over to the old lady who still is standing as she clutches onto her walking stick.
"Please ma'am take my seat." a middle aged office lady abruptly stands up, clutching her purse, her voice apologetic. Seeing the opportunity, short short-haired girl gently guides the old lady over, the other passengers instantly relaxing as they give off sighs of relief.
You can at least pretend to care about my request!
I leaned against the pole again, grumbling under my breath. No one had offered me a seat, but then again, I hadn't expected them to. Considering that the whole situation had been resolved with little issue, I was content to stay in my quiet corner for the rest of the trip.
As the bus slowly screeches to a stop and the first students disembark, the handsome narcissist pauses to push up his hair, the smirk on his face annoying as I expect it to be.
"That was quite the beautiful play you put on Rotten-Boy. Truly even I Rokusuke Kōenji, am moved by your performance. How tragic it is for the individual to sacrifice himself for the masses. Admirable if not tragic."
"If you're going to compliment me can you not call me Rotten Boy," I mutter but Kōenji is already gone, his well built frame already off the bus.
Bastard…
Trying my best to avert the still annoyed gazes I was getting, I eagerly shuffle to the exit, finally stepping onto the ground after what seems like hours.
Brushing off the whispers, I push through, entering the vaunted steel gates of what is supposedly the pinnacle of Japanese Academia.
Already, a sizable crowd had gathered around a single bulletin board that presumably held the class allocations. Moderately sized and entirely unremarkable, it was flanked by a map that appeared to display the layout of the entire school.
As I waited uncomfortably in line, crammed shoulder to shoulder like a sardine in a tin can, my eyes unconsciously wandered over my fellow schoolmates. I had expected the crowd to be a blend of Yukinoshita-like elites or social butterfly riajuus, but within seconds, my expectations were thoroughly shattered.
"I'm Kei Karuizawa! Like, I'm sooo psyched to see our rooms. Your makeup slays—what brand you using?" a chirpy voice cut through the air.
"Tch, this line's hella slow. Can these dweebs move it already?" another voice growled, laced with irritation.
Seriously? Who would've guessed that a supposedly "elite" school would attract this many gals and delinquents? Was the recruitment team on hard drugs?
Fortunately, for the sake of my sanity and personal safety, the line moved faster than anticipated. Within a few minutes, I found myself at the front, staring at the neatly typed list of names. My eyes flickered down the columns until they landed on the one entry that mattered:
Class A: Hikigaya Hachiman.
Satisfied that I had at least found what class I was in, I moved over to the map posted beside me, scanning the layout of the sprawling campus. After a few moments, I traced the route to Class A with my finger.
As I did, something caught my eye—a security camera perched high above the bulletin board, angled slightly downward. I froze, my gaze locking onto the lens. It was subtle as if whoever had placed it there intended for it not to be noticed, but now that I had seen it, it was impossible to ignore
And it wasn't alone.
Taking a step back, I glanced around and quickly spotted more cameras—mounted at corners, above building entrances, and even along the pathways leading further into the campus. They were everywhere, creating an overlapping web of surveillance.
Totally creepy.
Why would a high school need this much security?
Leaning casually against the bulletin board, I pretended to study the map for a while longer, stealing glances at the nearest camera. The revelation was unsettling to say the least. I had enrolled in a school not a maximum security prison. To see this many cameras concentrated in a single place sent shivers down my spine as one single burning question appeared.
What are they watching?
Pushing the thought aside, I quickly retreated from the bulletin board and the noisy crowd. The unease lingered, though, a gnawing discomfort clawing at the back of my mind. As I headed toward Class 1-A, a single realization settled firmly in my thoughts:
Government Institutionalized Meritocracy is harsh as I expected.
Hikigaya Hachiman Student Evaluation
Category Grade
Academic Ability C+
Intelligence B-
Judgement A-
Physical Ability C-
Cooperativeness E+
A/N: Just a little unwritten plot bunny I had in my mind as I dealt with the fact that my winter break is coming to an end. The basic premise was inspired by the Chinese fanfic 青春猪头比企谷的实力至上教室果然有问题.
Story wise I hope Hikigaya being in Class A seems realistic enough. Afterall Class A did include Yahiko Totsuka, so a person like Hikigaya slipping through the cracks isn't too unrealistic. For those worried about Hikigaya being overpowered, my intention is to make it not so with Hikigaya taking more of a back seat in regards to class exams and competitions being one of many talented students.
In terms of romance, I already have a main heroine in mind, though I am still debating on whether or not to include a harem. Personally, my favorite of the pairings I've seen with Hikigaya are 1st: Ichinose and Kamuro, 2nd Kushida. 3rd Horikita. That being said, the heroine I have planned has a rather understated presence throughout COTE and really isn't paired with Hikigaya at all as there isn't that much info on her. Hopefully I can remain truthful to what is shown in the LNs in regards to her character and relationship with Hikigaya.
As with all my other works please leave feedback or suggestions. I hope to see you soon in the next update. Fingers crossed it won't be absurdly long!