Shizuka stood at the door of his new classroom, eyes taking in the wave of unfamiliar faces. The sound of students talking amongst themselves filled the air, but it did not penetrate. He could hear it, yes, but it seemed a far-off hum, an irrelevant buzz.
He'd heard enough about what high school would be like—boundless cliques, cutthroat students, and the so-called "best school" in the country. But none of that had prepared him for this strange feeling, the sense that something was off. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there was an undercurrent here, something simmering below the surface.
"Welcome to your first day," the teacher said as he walked into the room. His voice was sharp, cold, like a general issuing commands. No warmth. No compassion.
The class quieted in near-instantaneous time. It wasn't obedience—it was fear.
Shizuka looked around once more, his eyes darting across the faces of the students. They all appeared. eager, though none of them uttered the word out loud. Eager for what? He wondered.
The instructor's eyes raked over the room, his own bright and calculating. "This school is not like any other. You'll soon discover here that success isn't just about how hard you work. It's about how well you play the game. Your decisions, your behaviors. they count more than you know."
He paused for a second, as if allowing his words to sink in.
There are no promises. There's a system, but it's not one that can be defined in a couple of easy words. What I will tell you is this—if you succeed, you'll get an opportunity to get above the rest of them. But you'll also have consequences on every choice you make."
The class was silent, stunned, the impact of his words sinking in.
Shizuka was no longer fully attentive. He had already started to break down, to dissect. The game had started, but the rules were still uncertain. He was not one to blindly follow. If there was one thing he knew, it was that every game was imperfect, and imperfections could be manipulated.
As the teacher finished his concise description, Shizuka permitted his gaze to wander around the room once more. He spotted one student sitting in the front row, leaning forward over a book, eyes intently focused and unblinking. There was something about him—something unique. The majority of students were still abuzz with questions and doubts, but this boy seemed immune, as if he'd penetrated the ruse a long time ago.
Shizuka's eyes paused on him for an instant, taking in his expression. Impressive, Shizuka mused. I wonder how long he'll survive before the class's noise reaches out and catches up with him.
The bell tolled, marking the lesson's conclusion. While the students rose from their seats and gathered their belongings, Shizuka sat, allowing the commotion to settle around him. His thoughts were still consumed by those same questions: Why does this feel so unusual? And What part will I have in all of this?
Without responding to the others, Shizuka exited the classroom and walked down the corridors, his footsteps quiet against the polished floor. The campus was a maze of hallways, staircases, and open courtyards, and he took it all in, observing the flow of student life around him. But none of it mattered.
He wasn't here to be a part of this. He was here to study, to understand. As he passed by a group of students, his gaze briefly fell on a familiar face.
"Where have I seen her before?" Shizuka thought, his eyes narrowing slightly as he walked past her. She looked young, no older than him, but there was something about the way she carried herself that caught his attention. It wasn't the way she looked; it was the subtle confidence in her demeanor.
The girl didn't seem to notice him, at first, but then, as if sensing his presence, she glanced over her shoulder. A smirk played at the corner of her lips.
"So, that's him? Kensuke Shizuka. The so-called genius that Sensei raised".
Her eyes flickered with something, interest, maybe even amusement.
Shizuka didn't stop walking, but the thought lingered in his mind. "So, you've made your move... I didn't expect it to be so soon. Alright then, I'll play your little game, Sensei."
A cold glint flashed in Shizuka's eyes.