"It Takes a Great Deal and Skill to Conceal One's Talent and Skill." – François de La Rochefoucauld
________________________________________________________________________________「April 1st︱Morning︱Advanced Nurturing High School Frontal Gate」
There are 35 minutes left until the Entrance Ceremony. Other first-year students who were on the bus were already walking through the frontal gate to the main auditorium to attend the Entrance Ceremony.
-"This school is something, huh." - Yamasaki muttered more to himself rather than to Mihara. Mihara ended up overhearing his comment.
- "Let's go, we better not get late. You have a job interview for today Mihara-san." - Yamasaki said these words to Mihara who was still in her world.
-"O-oh, yeah sure." - Mihara responded with a hesitant response. No, she wasn't caught off-guard. Rather, she felt a little self-conscious about walking together with Yamasaki. Even if he is a few years younger than her, he is still a boy and a handsome one. In addition, he was a few centimetres taller than she was. From an outsider's point of view, it would not be out of place to assume these two are close if it weren't for Yamasaki's outfit. She didn't have many opportunities to converse with others, especially with boys due to financial difficulties and lack of time. And now, coupled with the intimate moment they shared a few minutes ago, Mihara was perplexed about how to talk to him.
-"Something wrong? - Yamasaki asked Mihara noticing her lack of reaction.
-"Yeah. Everything is alright. I am just a little nervous about the interview." - Mihara swiftly improvised a believable justification. Yamasaki knew it was a lie, but decided not to brush it aside.
-"Let's go then." - Yamasaki replied curtly before he and Mihara walked together through the frontal gate.
-"Won't you be late for the entrance ceremony Yamasaki-kun?" - Mihara inquired Yamasaki a reasonable question. He might be late for the entrance ceremony and miss out on important information. Even if he won't face expulsion for absence, the consequences won't be minor, at least from Mihara's perspective.
-"There is still some time left to get to the auditorium. Besides I want to be here." - Yamasaki replied as if it was obvious.
-"I see." - Mihara nodded her head understanding the situation. Inwardly, she was happy to know that she could enjoy his company for a little longer.
As they walked through the school grounds, Yamasaki and Mihara paused for a moment to enjoy the captivating view of falling sakura cherry blossom trees. As they slowly strolled through the school grounds, Yamasaki identified several cameras as they walked towards security.
"Based on the number of cameras and their positioning, there are no blind spots in a public area to create a ruckus. At least, not without ramifications. It's only natural to want to preserve order in a public province. High school is no exception. What is out of the norm is the number and location. If the school wanted to prevent disputes, they would have placed them in more conspicuous locations. The fact that they didn't is proof that the school does not students to become aware of them, at least for a certain period. Without intentional exploration, the majority of students would only notice 1-2 cameras. Even if there are students who can identify more than a few cameras most would not think much about this." - Yamasaki thought to him.
"Yamasaki-kun must be looking forward to his first day at school." - Mihara thought to herself after she perceived a glimpse of inquiry in Yamasaki's eyes. Contrary to Mihara's expectations, Yamasaki's thoughts had nothing to do with "looking forward" to the school to have a pleasant time. Rather, it was an inquiry to get one step closer to comprehending the true nature of ANHS.
4 minutes later...
-"It looks like we will go on separate ways, Mihara-san." - Yamasaki commented to Mihara accompanying her next to the security where only ANHS faculty members, employees, and job applicants are allowed to pass through.
-"It was for a short time, but it was nice talking to you Yamasaki-kun." - Mihara remarked with a small smile on her face. There were no lies in her words. She sincerely enjoyed his company.
-"I enjoyed your company as well Mihara-san." - the young man replied with a small smile on his expression. Mihara blushed a little, and suddenly she experienced a strange yet comforting giddiness in her chest. This was the first time she experienced these feelings, and she did not want to let go of them.
-"Y-You can call me Kasumi, Yamasaki-kun." - the office lady felt a little bashful to be referred to in such an intimate manner.
-"Then you can call me Isao, Kasumi-san." the young lad replied in a smooth tone. Of course, he had no objections to using his first name. Yamasaki just wanted to tease her a little.
The office lady felt a little embarrassed being called by her first name. No one other than her family called her that way.
-"Then, I will be going. I hope we will see each other again Isao-kun." - Miharu waved with a bright smile on her expression and a noticeable blush on her cheeks before leaving for an interview.
-"The feeling is mutual, Kasumi-san." - Yamasaki said with a small smile on his expression. Yamasaki and Mihara went to their target destinations with the hope they would encounter each other soon.
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5 minutes later...
Yamasaki was not interested in going to an assembly hall before the entrance ceremony began. Hence, Yamasaki decided to do a little reconnaissance to kill time. After 2 minute walk, Yamasaki went inside the cafeteria.
Yamasaki continued to move as if this was not the first time he was here. In the meantime, Yamasaki made several inferences through emotional perception, inductive reasoning, and adductive reasoning. All meals have "Private points" as a price tag. The menu on the front of the soon shows the price tag for all meals and drinks.
In contrast, some second-years and/or third-years were eating vegetable sets. Appearance alone dictates the taste. One might assume them some of them are just vegetarians, but the expressions on their faces indicate otherwise. They are not eating out of choice. It was out of necessity. In addition, It is not evident at first glance, but there is almost an invisible wall separating certain groups of students from other groups.
Discrete snickering, mocking words uttered in silence in-between group members. Demeaning behaviour towards the target group was not towards the specific student, but rather a group as a whole. Yamasaki observed a specific table. The first group consisted of 4 second-year/third-year students mocking another group of students with 3 male students. Unfortunately, it was hard to hear anything that coincided with the noisy cafeteria environment and the distance between Yamasaki and a second-year group.
Through lip-reading, Yamasaki was able to decipher a few words from watching 4 student groups: "Defect", "D-class", and "Class points". All aforementioned clues, especially the last part indicate big clues to decrypt the system ANHS uses to evaluate students. Yamasaki formed several inferences collected from the cafeteria and the interviews he did a few months ago.
Of course, there are some questions Yamasaki can't answer with 100% certainty but he was not particularly eager to solve this mystery at the moment. He only came here to take a glimpse. He decided to return to the original destination before he forgot. 2-minute walk and Yamasaki has reached the target destination.
Right after Yamasaki entered the building, 4 lines were formed: Class 1A, Class 1B, Class 1C, and Class 1D. Even from a third point of view, Yamasaki could identify several potential key figures in the respective 4 classes. For Yamasaki, It was not a matter of captivating appearance or eccentricity. Rather, it was the way they carried themselves - an aura of utter confidence in themselves. Premonition through intuition. From Yamasaki's point of view, there are at least 6 potential influential figures in the upcoming class competition which will officially commence by the last day of April, or on the first day of May.
"Rotating from the left to the right, Class 1A has two leader figures. A petite, lilac-coloured, short hair with violet eyes with a cane on her right hand. She gives the impression of a "going along with the flow" attitude. The other one is a tall, well-built, high-schooler. Coupled with a large body frame and baldness he exhibits an intimidating aura. He gives the impression of overly serious, a somewhat prideful, yet principled and decent person."
"It is just an intuition, but I could not shake off the feeling that there will be an internal schism between two factions in Class 1A in the future. The reason being? Different approaches to leadership. Efficiency aside, neither of them gave the impression they would be willing to compromise, much less accept the idea of dual leadership. As long as the class is divided into factions, even a superior class in overall ability will face difficulties when other classes will attempt to seize an opportunity to attack Class 1A united under a shared objective." - Yamasaki concluded his analysis on Class 1A's overall behaviour and attitude.
"Advantage and victory feel similar... but could not be more different. They are not the same. Bluntly speaking, just having an advantage doesn't mean anything all by itself. Meaning, it can create the means for someone else to win, as well. Whether winning means self-profit, or safety from defeat, it can only be 100% certain, once you have secured the win." - Yamasaki's final words are both a warning and advice to Class 1A not to fall victim to complacency being placed in the top position from the start.
"Class 1B's overall impression is a class of polite, friendly, and good-natured students. There are 2 leader-type figures in this class or at the very least, students who will play an instrumental role in their Class 1B internal affairs. The first one is a stunning beauty with a bright smile. Average height, back-length strawberry-blonde hair, entrancing blue eyes coupled with extremely well-endowed figure potentially igniting feelings of jealousy among girls and the wrong type of "attention" amongst boys. For the moment I was concerned for her that she might face bullying due to her peers being envious of her appearance. The moment I glanced at her classmates, I knew it wouldn't happen.
The other is of average height, with violet-bluish hair and purple eyes male student. He appears to be more on the diligent side. He gives the impression of a stern, somewhat aloof, a bit prideful, yet helpful and considerate person. He will most likely be a second-in-command or at the very least act as an adviser to the strawberry-blonde hair girl. Unfortunately, considering the upcoming special exams through the 3-year class competition period, it is very likely that Class 1B will be near the bottom or even at the very bottom of the class competition by graduation. A strawberry-blond girl would face a pang of immense guilt for her inability to lead her class to victory, and disappointment towards herself for not being able to live to others' expectations."
"If Class 1B's overall attitude and position, especially concerning the leader won't change, refusing and/or being unable to adapt to the cutthroat ANHS environment, it will be only a matter of time before Class 1B will face an utter defeat." - Yamasaki was content with the current analysis on Class 1B's internal affairs.
"Ethics does not win the war, but they help keep the peace." - The last words could be interpreted as both a warning and advice by Yamasaki who would describe Class B's internal affairs and overall mindset if they were to have any fighting chance in class competition to reach Class A."
In Class 1C, there is only one person who gives the impression he meets the conditions to unite the class scattered into different groups. He was rough-looking, with shoulder-length magenta-coloured hair and sharp eyes striking trepidation and fear to those he looked upon. He appeared to be the type to use more direct, and aggressive methods to have complete control. Normally, it would be questionable for a normal person to acknowledge such a violent, and brazen behaviour and attitude is appropriate for a leader." Yamasaki thought otherwise.
"Class 1C's overall demeanour was worse compared to Class 1A and Class 1B. If the aforementioned classes listened attentively to student council presidents or at least pretended to listen, then about 50% of Class 1C's students were caught slacking. Class 1C majority of students give the impression of delinquent-like behaviour and a rebellious attitude. Delinquents are not the types to be persuaded through logic or appeal to empathy. A different approach would be necessary. For the better or the worse, he seems to be one of few people who would have both the ability and will to keep Class 1C in check."
"Behind him, there is an above 1.80 m height student, with an immense body build, and black skin colour indicating that he is likely from the United States of America or at very least his biological parents are. From observation alone, It is easy to tell his raw physical ability far surpasses anyone in Class-1C, and most likely the entire first-year student body. Of course, physical ability alone does not determine the victor in a fight. Fighting ability, unyielding will to win, and the environment - these are all key factors which could change the outcome. Even if it is not completely accurate it is a stepping stone towards a better understanding towards Class 1C's strengths, weaknesses, and methods, nonetheless." - Yamasaki's analysis of Class 1C's was more or less completed.
"You may question the methods, but you cannot deny the results." is a statement to which Yamasaki would describe Class 1C's, especially the leader's overall mindset.
Yamasaki went to his respective class - Class 1D. 3 minutes later, the entrance ceremony was cemented with the introduction by a well-built, short black-hair, scarlet-eyed male student who gives the impression of an intelligent and solemn man.
-"Welcome to the Advanced Nurturing High School. I am the Student Council President, Horikita Manabu." - The Student Council President assertively introduced himself to the first-year student body.
"Student council president. The highest position a student can work their way through merit. He must have an exceptional overall individual ability and a considerable amount of influence amongst the third-year students. He must be acting as a leader figure to his respective class." - Yamasaki thought to himself.
In Yamasaki's respective class, the Class 1D situation was more nuanced. Yamasaki counted less than 10 students paying attention or at least trying to show that they were listening. About 80% of Class 1D students are either talking to each other, trying not to fall asleep or doing something else that is not related to the introduction speech.
Next to Yamasaki, there was an average-height, hip-length black-haired, scarlet-eye colour girl. She was staring intently at the student council president with an unreadable expression. Rather, the girl experienced multiple emotions. Yamasaki observed that the girl's feelings towards the student council president are an intricate mixture of respect and fear. Yamasaki noticed instantly that these two must be blood-related siblings. The relationship between them does not seem to be the usual supportive relationship normal siblings would have for each other, at least from an outsider's perspective.
-"As a representative of the upper classes, I would like to extend words of welcome to our newest students. As I believe you know, our school is highly accomplished in all aspects and boasts a high employment and college entry rate. This is the pride of our school, accomplished through the hard work of both our graduating students and those still attending. We expect the same from the new students." - Horikita Manabu concluded his speech in a calm, yet decisive tone.
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After the introduction, everyone went their separate ways. Most first-years went straight to respectively assigned classes. Yamasaki decided to take a detour to observe second-years to confirm a few things. He won't do anything or say anything. He will just take a few moments to observe the surroundings and leave right away before anyone notices and questions him.
5 minutes later, Yamasaki was walking through the corridors of second-year classes. Yamasaki's first stop was Class 2D's classroom. As Yamasaki was passing by he noticed a solemn atmosphere in the classroom. Based on classroom size, and the area size per 1 student, Yamasaki calculated that the classroom is enough to fill in with 40 seats. Exactly as the graduate said during the interview Yamasaki conducted a few months ago. And yet, there were 31 seats in Class 2Ds. Yamasaki knew it was not a miscalculation. The question is how. Midterms? Final Exams? Special exams?
To confirm his suspicions, Yamasaki enacted the approach with Class 2C. The mood was more positive compared to Class 2D's, though the difference was not significant. Yamasaki could not dismiss the possibility that class simply consists of more friendly, easy-going students. Besides, if he continues to walk any further and tries to do the same with the third-years there is a possibility someone will notice he is passing by with a specific objective.
He could excuse himself by saying he was curious how the other year's classrooms looked and he lost track of time. Another excuse he could use is to say that he wanted to get used to school grounds saying that he is bad at remembering things or has poor spatial awareness. An average student would probably believe it, but a more perceptive student might notice there is more to it.
Hence, Yamasaki decided to play safe and went to Class 2B's classroom as a final destination. Class 2B's student number based on tables was 38 seats with 35 students present. The mood was much more uplifted compared to Class 2D and Class 2C classes. In addition, compared to Class 2D and Class 2C, Class 2B students are more healthy, at least in mental health. Yamasaki decided to call it quits and took his leave before anyone noticed.
This further confirms Yamasaki's suspicions about the ANHS class competition. The ones that will be Class A by the end of the third year will be the only ones to be guaranteed 100% entry to leading universities and workforces. Otherwise, Class 2C and Class 2D students would not be so dejected, almost as if knowing fighting any further would be meaningless.
Proof?
Class 2 B is in a much better mood compared to Class 2C and Class 2D. If the benefits promised by the school were truly distributed to everyone except for Class D, Class 2C students would not have expressions filled with disappointment, either at themselves or others, even though it was not as evident as in Class 2Ds. If ANHS truly offered a 100% guaranteed at any place reward by the end of the third year other than Class A, Class 2D and Class 2C would not looked so discouraged. To gather more concrete evidence, Yamasaki decided to take a tour to glance at the second-year and third-year class points scoreboard. After a 5-minute walk, Yamasaki arrived at the target location.
3-Year Class Points Scoreboard:
Class A - [925] Class Points
Class B - [631] Class Points
Class C - [411] Class Points
Class D - [164] Class Points
2-Year Class Points Scoreboard:
Class A - [1128] Class Points
Class B - [508] Class Points
Class C - [318] Class Points
Class D - [156] Class Points
1-Year Class Points Scoreboard:
Class A - [?] Class Points
Class B - [?] Class Points
Class C - [?] Class Points
Class D - [?] Class Points
As Yamasaki expected, Year 1 class points are not there. The school won't reveal the truth behind ANHS's true motives right away. Most likely, the truth will be revealed by the last day of April, or on the first day of next month - May 1. Why?"Let's try to discern the system from another angle. If we were to perceive students as employees and ANHS as an employer, private points would be considered as a "payment". Most workforce employers pay employees on a weekly or monthly basis. I lean towards monthly, specifically May 1. Why? From the interviews I did a few months ago, all students stated that their monetary reward was reduced at the beginning of the next month compared to what they got a month ago. Each class is "assessed" through cameras set in the classroom. They are not just to ensure security in the class. Otherwise, they would be placed in more conspicuous locations. In addition, there are way too many cameras only to prevent problems such as bullying, fighting, stealing, and many others. It is almost as if they are meant to observe every single angle of the classroom."
"Another question. The so-called "evaluation". What criteria are used to "evaluate" students? I am not 100% sure, but the most likely explanation is the overall behaviour of the students in the classroom. Each "improper" behaviour would result in a class point deduction. Some of them are the following: talking in class, using a phone during class, being late, and unauthorised absence. For every misbehaviour, class points would drop. Class points would determine the private points each student of the respective class will receive as a form of "payment" for the "input" they produce."
"What about the possibility only the students responsible for the "bad" behaviour will be punished? I can't dismiss it completely. However, chances are unlikely. Why? Once again, the chief objective of ANHS is to produce superior people with the ability and willingness to contribute to society. When you enter the outside world, you have to learn to accept or at the very least pretend to follow societal rules. For example, a company suddenly becomes bankrupt due to its inability to compete in a hyper-competitive environment against rival companies. As far as society is concerned, if the company fails, so are employees. Even if the leading employee has done nothing wrong, even if he has more merit than his co-workers, if the company fails he is out of the job together with co-workers even if they produce less "input" than Nr 1. employee. One person will suffer the consequences of the other person's incompetence, even if it may not be his fault."
"The next thing that piqued my attention was the word "defect". The second-year or third-year students in the cafeteria whispered the words "defect", while secretly demeaning the other group through snickering, and silent mumbling to each other in the group. The meaning of the word has less to do with individual ability and more with at least one personality flaw. A drawback preventing students from contributing to society in the future. To name a few: inability to interact with people, lack of cooperation, lack of initiative, egotistical attitude et cetera. Of course, there might be more behind the root cause of the said personality flaw. One student may lead a relatively normal life and develop problematic tendencies throughout their lifetime. On the other hand, some students would develop personality "problems" due to certain circumstances or a specific event. It might have been an accident, a coincidence, but the statement still stands."
"I believe I learned enough for 1 day. There is always next time to learn more about the system ANHS uses to evaluate students." - Yamasaki thought to himself that he learned enough. He will soon receive confirmation of his hypothesis either way through his homeroom teacher anyway.
There are still 15 minutes left until the homeroom begins. He will reach his classroom in about 6 minutes. Yamasaki walked at the usual pace to reflect on several things. Yamasaki already knew how he would present himself to the class.
"All preparations are in place." - Yamasaki commented to himself.
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