(PS: The image depicts Matsushita Chiaki)
Since he arrived fairly early, there were only a handful of people scattered around Class D.
The moment he stepped inside,
everyone glanced in his direction.
Each desk had a nameplate placed on it.
Amamiya Yuki scanned the room briefly and quickly found his seat.
To his left was Miyake Akito, to his right Okitani Kyosuke, and directly behind him was the name Horikita Suzune.
So this is one of the heroines, Yuki thought. And behind her seat was the name Ayanokōji Kiyotaka, the protagonist—though neither of them had arrived yet.
Only one girl was seated in front of him.
She had smooth, chestnut-brown hair draping over her shoulders, a well-proportioned figure, and light makeup that gave her a mature, refined look.
Sensing Yuki's gaze, the girl subtly turned her body, revealing the nameplate on her desk—
Matsushita Chiaki.
Amamiya Yuki let out a faintly disdainful smile.
When humans enter an unfamiliar environment, they inevitably feel uneasy. They crave rapid social connections, forming groups to face the unknown together.
Outgoing people hesitate only briefly before taking the initiative, while introverted ones tend to grow anxious, sinking to the bottom of the classroom hierarchy—or eventually becoming isolated.
Matsushita Chiaki's little gestures were naturally not lost on Yuki.
She might as well have had it written on her face—
Please come talk to me!
Amamiya Yuki flashed a bright, friendly smile.
"Matsushita Chiaki—that's a beautiful name."
Matsushita immediately turned around, glanced at his nameplate, and smiled.
"Amamiya Yuki? That sounds quite poetic too. That surname feels familiar… Amamiya-kun, you wouldn't happen to be from Kyoto, would you?"
"That's right," Yuki replied smoothly. "And honestly, being in the same class as such a beautiful girl really feels like good luck. So, Matsushita-san, why did you choose this school?"
The conversation flowed naturally, the two quickly striking up a lively exchange.
Yuki knew Matsushita Chiaki very well, and the way he steered the discussion made her feel extremely comfortable.
She was a beautiful girl with a good family background, strong academics, and solid physical ability. To avoid being relied upon and to keep trouble at bay, she deliberately suppressed her own capabilities—a low-spec version of Ayanokōji, one could say.
She wanted to reach Class A.
But she didn't want to put in too much effort, and the moment success seemed unlikely, she would give up without hesitation.
At the same time,
she enjoyed guiding conversations, subtly leading topics so everything stayed under her control, giving her the sensation of holding all the cards.
In simple terms…
Big ambitions, limited ability.
Of course,
Yuki actually agreed with some of Matsushita's thinking.
He, too, wanted to reach Class A without exerting himself too much, reserving most of his energy for talent scouting.
Thus, the persona he crafted for himself was clear: straightforward personality, top-tier academics and physical ability, yet not someone who drew excessive attention.
What kind of boss jumps into the fray personally?
Any company that can go public is prey for capital.
The real winners are the hidden hands behind the scenes.
That was a core doctrine of the Amamiya family.
And Amamiya Yuki firmly believed in it.
Just like in his previous life—when it was time to harvest, harvest they did. The real winners sat comfortably in the shadows, feasting without restraint.
Everything ordinary people are allowed to see is merely a carefully constructed illusion.
Their conversation continued.
Matsushita Chiaki grew increasingly curious about the handsome boy who could effortlessly keep up with any topic. Smiles of delight surfaced again and again, and she learned quite a lot from Yuki in the process.
Gradually, more students began filing into the Class D classroom.
Hearing Matsushita's frequent laughter—as if this were already her domain—some students became even more restrained and awkward.
Taking advantage of her "home field," she began pulling in a few girls she found acceptable, forming her own small circle.
At the same time, Amamiya Yuki drew several boys into the conversation as well, chatting briefly with each of them.
Every class assignment was no different from a battle—it largely determined one's standing in the class going forward.
In a school governed by absolute meritocracy, this was even more true.
That was why maintaining a certain level of social interaction was necessary.
Yuki never believed himself to be the strongest existence in the world.
If someone surpassed him in a specific field, he wouldn't be surprised—there would always be geniuses with unparalleled talent in certain areas.
But in terms of overall capability, he was confident he surpassed even Ayanokōji.
Just as everyone was chatting excitedly, delighted to meet new friends, two more students entered the classroom.
One was a beautiful girl who paused briefly to survey the room before walking to the seat behind Amamiya Yuki. She smoothed her skirt, sat down quietly, and took out a copy of Crime and Punishment, showing no intention of socializing.
She gave off a cold, unapproachable air.
It was Horikita Suzune.
Her long black hair flowed smoothly down to her waist. On the left side of her head, a ribbon tied into a bow secured a thin braid.
The other student, sporting a pair of lifeless, emotionless eyes, walked to a corner of the classroom and sat down.
It was Ayanokōji Kiyotaka.
Horikita opened her book and spoke flatly.
"What an annoying coincidence."
"Don't say that," Ayanokōji replied, his voice equally devoid of emotion. "It just means we're somehow fated."
Amamiya Yuki turned around and looked at the two of them.