COTE: Bag And Love System

1st Grade, Class B - Hashima Hikaru

It was common knowledge that opening ceremonies were one of the most boring events in student life.

Not only did you have to be on time, but you also had to stand in long, orderly lines and listen to speeches from school officials. Even when boredom overcame them to the point of sleepiness, leaving early was not an option.

Something about this particular opening ceremony, however, struck Hikaru as.... strange.

This was a crucial moment: the induction of a new class into the school. And yet there was not a single teacher present in the large auditorium.

Instead, the event was entirely supervised by members of the student council, who could be identified by the armbands they wore. They directed the new students to their assigned class sections and maintained order with demonstrated efficiency.

Even stranger, the seniors showed no signs of surprise or confusion.

Hikaru stood in the class 1-B group and scanned the room before his eyes landed on the podium at the front.

"I am the student council president, Horikita Manabu."

A tall, bespectacled young man rested both hands on the podium. His tone was firm, but conveyed an undeniable authority.

"On behalf of the student council, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all new students to this institution."

"Our school is known for both its academic excellence and its strong emphasis on physical education. As you already know, we have high college admission and job placement rates, achievements made possible by the tireless efforts of students past and present. They are the pride of our school.

"I hope they continue that tradition. This school operates on a meritocratic philosophy. You are expected to demonstrate your abilities and make the most of this unique opportunity.

There was one clear key word in his speech:

Strength.

Not just academic strength, but strength in a broader sense.

Shouldn't the performance of its students be a school's primary concern? And what did he mean by expected ability?

Did the school assess each student's potential before admission?

What were their evaluation criteria?

"This school seems to be more complicated than I expected," Hikaru muttered, rubbing his temples.

As a reincarnate, Hikaru had graduated at the top of his class from a public high school. His principal had offered him a special admission opportunity that led him here.

The Tokyo Senior High School, located on an artificial island in the center of the city, covers an area of nearly 600,000 square meters and covers enrollment for all three years.

The school's public image was almost too pristine.

It boasted a 100 percent college acceptance rate and a 100 percent employment rate, a perfect record. Even though it had been founded more than a decade earlier, no scandal had occurred to tarnish its reputation.

This only confirmed how valuable a diploma from this school really was.

For Hikaru, the free tuition was secondary. What really mattered to him was to secure a good future.

The past was behind him. In this life, his goal was to get into a top university, a way to repay his new parents for raising him.

-Well," Hikaru sighed and put his doubts aside. After all, this school was founded by the government. No matter how unusual it may seem, it should still function as an educational institution.

With the student council president's speech over, Hikaru followed Class 1-B out of the auditorium.

It was then that he noticed something... unusual.

The girls in this school were on a different level.

He had already noticed a pink-haired beauty in his class. He had not yet heard her name, but her delicate features far surpassed those of the girls he had met.

As he left the classroom, he saw more beautiful girls from other freshman classes. Some were even comparable to the pink-haired girl.

"But... why are they all grouped together in Class 1-D?"

After looking at the Class 1-D lineup a few more times, Hikaru finally looked away. While it was surprising to see so many beauties grouped together, it wasn't a bad thing to have flashy classmates.

---

Back in class 1-B, Hikaru found his assigned seat.

Unfortunately, it wasn't in the back row or by the window, just a middle seat with nothing to see.

But just as he was getting over his disappointment, the pink-haired girl he had noticed earlier sat right next to him.

She was his seatmate.

"Hi! I'm Ichinose Honami, let's get along!"

She turned to look at him, her bright blue eyes radiating warmth. Now that they were so close, Hikaru took a closer look at her.

There was no denying it: Ichinose Honami looked stunning.

Her crystal clear gaze, delicate features and soft, welcoming smile radiated a pure, trustworthy aura.

Like an angel, someone who was effortlessly easy to please.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Hashima Hikaru."

The brief exchange ended, but not before a robotic voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

A translucent blue holographic screen materialized in front of her eyes.

[Wicker!]

[Love Exchange System Loading...]

[Host successfully connected. Functions enabled]

[Character information unlocked.]

[Money received from newbie. Please check your balance].

[Important notice: The Love Stock Exchange system inherently requires interactions with multiple female characters. Proceed with caution. Any risk to personal safety is the sole responsibility of the host. The system is not responsible for any "accidents". Enjoy your trades!"]

"...What?"

Hikaru froze and looked at Ichinose.

Seeing her talking to other colleagues, he relaxed before discreetly opening the system interface.

A sleek, shiny menu appeared, displaying three main tabs:

[Character Info]

[Stock Exchange]

[Trade Shop].

Hikaru scanned them before clicking on [Character Info] first.

---

Name: Hashima Hikaru

Age: 15

Intelligence: 7

Charm: 8

Physical ability: 3

Own actions: None

Skills: None

Funds: ¥100.000

---

"I'm smart and handsome, but my stamina sucks."

He clicked on [Trade Shop] and scanned items such as athletic boosters, skill scrolls, and even stock analyzers.

At that moment, a bright red warning appeared system-wide.

> [Ding! Ichinose Honami's inventory is now available!]

[Current price: ¥10]

[Total shares issued: 5,000].

Looking at the girl now surrounded by classmates, Hikaru's gaze sharpened.