Inside the chairman's office at Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School, the air was so still it seemed to solidify time.
Chairman Sakayanagi Narumori leaned back in his large office chair, his gaze like a torch, scrutinising two distinctly different yet subtly interconnected files before him.
The file on the left had "Ayanokoji Kiyotaka" written in the name field, recommended by Prof. Ayanokoji.
All his entrance exam scores for academic ability, intelligence, judgment, and athletic ability were marked by the system as slightly below average.
However, a glaring "Special Note" revealed unusual circumstances; these scores showed "evidence of intentional manipulation, reason unknown."
A cold "C or D" class assignment recommendation lay at the end, like a deliberately painted mist.
The file on the right had "Arima Andras Jin" recommended by Arima house, as the name suggests, one of the four conglomerates of Japan, Arima Zaibatsu.
The same test dimensions, yet the evaluation was remarkably excellent. But beneath this dazzling report card was etched a heavier truth.
"Special Note: Physical examination revealed multiple scars on his body, the most severe one on his chest, extending diagonally from the left clavicle to the upper abdomen, measuring 10 centimetres in length.
The scar's morphology indicates it was a deep, open wound with an extremely high risk of being fatal." The class assignment recommendation also pointed to "D."
Two files, one deliberately hidden, one riddled with scars, silently confronted each other in the tranquil air.
Because of these special circumstances, they needed a special interview before they could enroll these students.
"Knock, knock, knock." A steady knocking broke the silence.
"Come in."
The door opened softly. The young man who entered had a tall, straight posture and long black hair with red tips.
His eyes were as deep as an ancient well, calmly reflecting the room's furnishings, yet showing no trace of the curiosity or ripple of emotion expected of a youth.
He has a handsome face thought at the left corner a red patch of birthmark could be seen. Though that didn't diminish his handsomeness one bit, but elevated it.
His posture was relaxed, yet it exuded an almost instinctive sense of coordination, his steps precise, carrying a tranquillity far beyond his age. It was indeed the excellent student with scars from the file—Arima Andras Jin.
"Hello, Chairman Sakayanagi Narumori. I am here for an interview today, Arima Andras Jin. Please guide me." His voice was clear and steady, without any fluctuations. His bow was standard and fluid, as if precisely measured.
"Hello, student Arima Andras Jin. Please have a seat." Sakayanagi Narumori gestured towards the sofa, his gaze gently assessing him.
The young man sat as instructed, his back straight, his hands neatly placed on his knees. There was no expression on his face, as calm as an unmelting iceberg.
"No need to be nervous, this is just a routine pre-admission interview." Sakayanagi Narumori's tone was gentle, trying to create a relaxed atmosphere.
"Understood, Chairman." Jin nodded slightly, his gaze fixed on Sakayanagi Narumori, indicating he was listening, still without any emotion betraying his face.
Sakayanagi Narumori picked up the report card marked "Excellent" and posed the first question, "So, what is your goal for admission? How do you hope to spend your next three years of high school life?"
A brief silence. In the depths of the young man's fathomless eyes, a faint trace of bewilderment seemed to flit, perhaps even unnoticed by himself. His voice remained steady, with the candidness of stating facts.
"Due to certain circumstances, I almost lost my life. Though I survived, I lost my emotions pretty much. I hope to recover my missing emotions and become complete again." He articulated logically, as if analysing a math problem.
"Science shows that the three easiest places for people to acquire emotions are family, school, and work. I am an orphan and the only one I could call my family is my grandfather. I lost my parents at the age of three, to build my family, I got the worst possible betrayal by the person I once trusted the most, and whether I will regain one in the future is unknown. The workplace can be entered at any time. But the stage of high school only happens once. Therefore, I choose to try to recover my missing emotions through school life first."
Beneath his concise and powerful words, the open-ended statement about the future possibility of family subtly revealed an unextinguished desire for connection deep within his subconscious.
Sakayanagi Narumori's fingertip gently tapped on the glaring note about the scars, his tone carrying a weight of concern.
"Is that so? Your file indicates you have many scars on your body, including a potentially fatal wound on your chest. May I ask about the origin of these scars, is it related to the betrayal?" His sharp gaze met the young man's eyes, trying to penetrate that calm, icy shell.
"I apologise, Chairman." The young man's voice deepened slightly, carrying an undeniable, resolute barrier within its steadiness.
"I cannot answer that. Those memories are something I do not wish to share with anyone at this time. I hope that 'Arima Andras Jin's' life begins a new with this admission, leaving behind the past at that. I apologise."
His refusal was swift and decisive, leaving no room for negotiation. Behind this resolve, Sakayanagi Narumori sensed not coldness, but a self-protection so heavy it was sigh-inducing.
Sakayanagi Narumori gazed deeply at him. His exceptional aptitude (proven by his grades), the fatal scars and unspeakable past hidden beneath his calm demeanour, and his strong desire to sever the past and embrace a new beginning—all these elements intertwined in his mind.
"I understand." Sakayanagi Narumori finally nodded, a gentle smile appearing on his face.
"Then, Student Arima Andras Jin, welcome to Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School. I hope you achieve your goals during your three years of school life. We will contact you regarding specific school regulations and admission dates. Goodbye."
"Thank you for your time, goodbye Chairman." Jin stood up, bowed, his movements fluid and silent. He turned and left, his tall back carrying a desolate solitude.
The door closed softly, separating the inside from the outside.
Sakayanagi Narumori leaned back in his chair, his gaze once again falling on Jin's file on the desk.
Only the soft ticking of the clock remained in the office, like the second hand of fate quietly turning.
His evaluation of Jin was,
• A genius whose report card shone with "Excellent."
• A young man whose body was etched with fatal scars, his eyes as still as a deep pool.
• A young love, which was betrayed so heavily that his trauma runs very deep.
• A soul yearning to find emotions and redefine himself in school.
• A resolute declaration to completely seal away a heavy past.
Sakayanagi Narumori picked up his pen and, in the blank space below the file, carefully wrote down his evaluation and final decision, his strokes carrying scrutiny and a hint of expectation.
[Chairman's Comments and Class Assignment Decision]
"This student possesses excellent fundamental qualities. His academic ability, intelligence, judgment, and physical fitness are all at an excellent level. However, he bears the marks of unusual trauma, his past experiences are a mystery, and there are significant abnormalities in his psychological state (lack of emotional expression, strong defence mechanisms).
According to conventional evaluation standards, his physical and mental state presents significant hidden dangers, fitting the definition of Class D (defective product).
However, the student explicitly expressed a strong desire to 'start life a new with admission' and 'redefine himself through school life.'
This desire itself indicates that his core consciousness still possesses malleability and a tendency towards good, and his spiritual core has not been completely twisted or solidified by the past.
He is like a 'paper' that, though stained with past ink, has an unclear base colour and urgently needs to be rewritten.
If placed directly into a Class C or D environment, his potential instability and past shadows would, with high probability, be catalysed by competition and pressure to lead to malignant development, even becoming a destructive factor.
Class A requires purity and high controllability; his emotional deficiency and potential trauma risk do not meet the standard.
Considering his excellent foundation, desire for self-redefinition, and potential risks, I hereby overrule his actual designation, and he shall be placed in Class B.
The atmosphere in Class B is relatively stable, primarily characterised by healthy competition, moderate interpersonal pressure, and the class includes students with distinct qualities, such as Ichinose Honami, who has already passed her interview and possesses strong inclusiveness and positive guidance.
This environment is most likely to provide him with the stable space and gentle soil needed for 'rewriting,' helping the good intentions within him, which have not been extinguished, to take root and sprout, encouraging him to develop in a positive and complete direction. I hope he can find his own colours in Class B."
With a flourish, Sakayanagi Narumori placed Arima Andras Jin's file into the "processed" stack.
His gaze then shifted to the adjacent file belonging to Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, marked with a "C or D" recommendation.
"Well, next…" he murmured to himself. The office door was knocked on again.
"... Come in." With that once again he started the interview with another unusual potential student.