The Prodigy - Classroom Of The Elite

After freshening up and getting dressed, I was ready to head to the meeting with Hirata and the rest of the class at Keyaki Mall. As I was about to leave, my phone buzzed with a message from Hirata. He mentioned that he was already on his way to Keyaki Mall and that the others would be joining soon.

Sliding my phone back into my pocket, I left my room and locked the door behind me. I walked down the hallway towards the elevator.

The elevator arrived, and I stepped inside. It was empty, so I waited quietly for it to descend to the ground floor.

As the elevator doors opened, I was greeted by a familiar face right in front of me.

"Hey, looks like we run into each other again, Hayashi-kun."

It was Ichinose. I wasn't particularly surprised. We both lived in the same dorm, attended the same school, and were in the same year. Bumping into her here wasn't unusual, even though this was only the second time it happened.

"Hey there. I guess we can't avoid bumping into each other," I replied with a slight grin, stepping out of the elevator. I assumed she'd hop in right after I got out, but she stepped aside, leaving space for anyone else who might need it. It seemed our conversation wasn't over yet. I needed to wrap it up quickly since I couldn't keep the others waiting too long.

"Is there something you wanted to say?" I asked, noticing her eyes still fixed on me.

"Oh, I just had a quick question for you. It won't take long. Is that okay?" she inquired, checking if I was too busy to spare a moment. I was indeed in a hurry, but the way she asked made it hard to say no. It was like she had a knack for persuading people. Maybe I was overthinking it. Too much Death Note on my mind again.

"Yeah, sure. What's up?" I asked.

"It's about the student council I mentioned the first time we talked. Remember?" she said.

"Yes, you told me you were thinking about applying to the student council. What's going on with that?"

"Well, I actually got accepted into the student council. But I'm the only one from our entire year who joined."

"Oh, I see."

"Yeah, it's not a huge deal, but I think it would be better if there were more students from our year in the council. I asked a few others if they were interested, but they all turned me down."

"So, you're asking me too?" I asked, cutting straight to the chase.

"Yeah. But don't worry, there's no rush. I'm just letting you know," she replied.

"Thanks for the heads-up. I'll definitely think about it," I said, glancing at my watch and realizing I was already 5 minutes late for the meeting. "Sorry, but I really need to go now. Thanks again for the info."

"Okay, and thanks for taking the time to listen," she said as I nodded. She turned back to wait for the elevator, and I headed out of the dormitory and made my way to Keyaki Mall.

As I walked, I mulled over Ichinose's suggestion. Joining the student council could be intriguing, but I had to weigh the commitment against my current priorities. For now, though, I needed to focus on the meeting with Hirata and the rest of the class.

The walk to Keyaki Mall took about 10 minutes, and as soon as I stepped inside, I scanned the area for the group. It didn't take long to spot them at one of the largest tables in the café. I counted nine heads from where I stood.

Hirata was there, along with Karuizawa, Kushida, and Yukimura, who had surprisingly joined them. Karuizawa's friends, Matsushita and Mori, were present as well. The group was mostly girls, except for Hirata, Yukimura, and me, who was about to join them.

Karuizawa was the first to notice me. She gave a slight wave, signaling, "We're over here." I nodded back as the others turned their attention to my approach.

"Sorry for keeping you all waiting," I said, my voice carrying a hint of apology.

"It's not a problem, Hayashi-kun," Kushida replied, her bright smile as constant as ever. I don't think I've ever seen her wear any other expression.

"Yeah, I just got here myself, so no worries," Hirata added, as I took the remaining seat between Kushida and Yukimura.

Glancing at the table, I noticed only cups of coffee in front of everyone. If this meeting had happened a day or two ago, the table would've been filled with food. But after the morning's revelation in class, this was to be expected.

"Alright, let's start the discussion then," Hirata said, taking the lead.

"Will you order anything, Hayashi-kun, before we begin?" Kushida asked, her voice gentle.

I shook my head. "No, I'm good. It's almost dinner time, and I prefer to cook for myself. Better to save points now more than ever."

"Okay, if you say so," Kushida replied, as everyone shifted their attention to Hirata.

"I thought we were supposed to discuss planning to increase class points. So, what is the plan?" Yukimura asked impatiently, his gaze momentarily resting on me.

I had invited Yukimura to join us during class, thinking his academic prowess would be beneficial for the discussion. Though we hadn't spoken much before, it seemed like a smart move to include him.

"First of all, thanks to all of you for coming to this meeting," Hirata began, acknowledging the group. "Today at school, we already discussed improving class discipline to avoid losing more points. Now, let's focus on how we can increase our class points."

"Yeah, without class points, we won't receive any individual points. I've already used up all of mine," Karuizawa said, her tone tinged with concern.

"And moving up from Class D to Class C requires increasing our class points," Kushida added optimistically.

"While that's a good long-term goal, our immediate focus should be on the midterm exams," I interjected. "Doing well in them could really help us improve our standing."

"Exactly, Hayashi-kun," Hirata concurred. "My plan is to form study groups within our class to prepare for the exams."

Just as I predicted.

"What do you all think?" Hirata asked, looking around the table for everyone's opinions.

"I think it's a very good idea, don't you, Hayashi-kun?" Kushida chimed in first, her voice cheerful, as she gave her positive feedback and then turned the spotlight to me.

There wasn't much to debate here. Forming study groups was a straightforward but effective strategy for boosting the class's exam scores and ensuring everyone got involved in their studies.

"I agree," I replied, nodding. "It's a good plan."

I could see the others nodding in agreement, understanding that this was a practical step in the right direction.