The lively student supermarket bustled with people coming and going, students hunched over selecting products everywhere. Their faces reflected anticipation for the future, relaxed and carefree.
Hikaru stood in front of a shelf, pretending to browse items while keeping an eye on the girl who had just passed by him.
She was a newly listed "stock" in the system. Her name was Horikita Suzune.
Her delicate features and slender figure made her unforgettable at a glance. Her long black hair reached her waist, with a single braid on the left side tied with a white ribbon.
Her violet eyes held a cold glint, and her expressionless face seemed to radiate an aura that said, "Don't talk to me."
Unlike other girls who shopped in groups, she stood alone in front of the shelves, picking items without much care for quality—choosing mostly cheap products.
The reason Hikaru paid her so much attention was simple: Horikita Suzune had the highest initial stock price of any girl he had encountered so far, even surpassing the combined value of the other two.
The system's interface now listed three different "stocks": [Ichinose Honami Stock], [Chabashira Sae Stock], and the newly added [Horikita Suzune Stock].
Hikaru had already raised the [Ichinose Honami Stock] to 70, while the [Chabashira Sae Stock] had an initial price of 50. But Horikita Suzune? Hers was double that, starting at a steep 100.
"That's way too expensive."
Hikaru clicked his tongue. After purchasing the [Ichinose Honami Stock], he only had 49,000 points left. Though he wanted to invest in more stocks, he had no desire to approach the troublesome Professor Chabashira.
Now that a new stock was available, it was yet another hard-to-approach girl—far from Ichinose's sociable nature.
"Whatever, I'll leave her aside for now and focus on raising Ichinose's stock."
Hikaru stared at Horikita Suzune's back, deliberating before deciding to put her on hold. Not only was she from another class, but her initial price was outright discouraging.
He'd deal with it later, once he had more funds. After all, this school was a completely closed system—he'd have other chances to see her.
After picking up his daily necessities, Hikaru quickly checked out. He was eager to see what his future dorm would look like.
Upon arrival, he wasn't disappointed. Though the room wasn't particularly large, it was more than enough for one person.
His dorm, Room 301, was around 20 square meters—a standard apartment-style setup. Entering the doorway, a wall-mounted storage unit lined the right side, with a simple kitchenette including a sink and stove.
Essentials like a washing machine and fridge were placed nearby, along with a separate bathroom. Everything he needed was there.
Beyond the entrance was the bedroom, with a single bed against the wall, a desk, and a TV—all seemingly brand new.
"Seriously, a place like this would cost a fortune in Tokyo. The school really doesn't hold back."
Hikaru tossed his purchases onto the floor before flopping onto the bed, savoring the softness of the mattress. His expression turned pensive.
"Three years here… It still doesn't feel real."
Looking back on the first day, he felt more exhausted than any previous school opening.
"Class competition, personal points, special exams… All of that's probably going to be the students' biggest concern from now on."
"But…"
Hikaru gazed at the system panel in front of him, the pale blue screen displaying shifting text.
After a long moment, he murmured, "The future might just get more interesting, don't you think?"
For now, the only stock he owned was Ichinose Honami's. As his classmate and future partner, earning her favor was relatively easy as long as he acted right—as the system proved.
[Ichinose Honami Stock]
[Current Price: 70]
[Shares Held: 5000]
Hikaru already had a plan: once the [Ichinose Honami Stock] hit 100, he'd cash out some shares to buy items. Boosting his physical stamina was a top priority—the sooner, the better for future class competitions.
"Speaking of which, what time did Ichinose say again? 4 PM? 5 PM?"
After fiddling with his phone for a while, Hikaru checked the time and left his room. For the first group gathering, it was better not to be late as a guy. Better to arrive early.
The student dormitory was massive, with separate floors for boys and girls. The only meeting point was the elevator lobby, where students gathered.
Once outside, Hikaru easily found the place Ichinose had mentioned using the school pamphlet—the family restaurant at Keyaki Shopping Center.
To accommodate student meals, the school had not only a huge cafeteria but also numerous restaurants in the shopping district. The family restaurant was the most popular.
Designed for group gatherings, it had plenty of spacious booths, perfect for large parties.
Upon arriving, Hikaru noticed the place was packed. Groups of students chatted while waiting in line for their turn.
"No wonder reservations were needed. This place is seriously popular."
But then again, even with all three grade levels combined, the school only had a few hundred students—nowhere near the crowded backstreets of schools in his past life.
As Hikaru idly scrolled through his phone by the entrance, a familiar voice finally called out behind him.
"Hanashima-kun, you're already here!"
He turned to see a small group—Ichinose, three girls he didn't recognize, and two guys.
Coincidentally, Hikaru knew both of them. They had participated in the point-gathering strategy meeting that morning. The sporty, short-haired guy was Shibata Sō, and the purple-haired one, Kanzaki Ryūji, seemed just as capable.
*Hah, all the key members of Class B are here. What an honor.*
Hikaru smirked inwardly before replying, "I just got here. There's really a lot of people."
"That's why Andō-kun made a reservation in advance. Pretty smart, right?"
Ichinose Honami walked up to Hikaru with a smile, patted his shoulder, and then took the lead like a true captain.
"Let's go! The first Class B meetup starts now!"