I have to raise infatuation in Classroom of the Elite

Kushida's introduction had certainly managed to capture the attention of the entire class, especially the guys. She seemed like the type of person who would open up her heart to anyone, and she was very cute as well.

Only Akira knew her true personality in this class.

The introductions continued as it reached Sudo's seat, and just like in the books, he scowled at Hirata and left without introducing himself.

Several other students, including Sakura and Horikita, followed suit and left the classroom without introducing themselves.

"They're not a bad bunch. It's my fault. I was being selfish and made people do this," Hirata tried covering for them, but he probably didn't realize that it would only make his situation worse.

Nevertheless, the remaining students were happy to continue with the introductions.

"I'm Ike Kanji. I love girls, and I hate pretty boys. I'm currently in the market for a new girlfriend. It's nice to meet you! All the better if you're a cutie or a beauty!"

Akira had read the books, but hearing someone say such retarded shit was a different experience in itself.

"Wow. You are so cool, Ike-kun," said one girl, clearly sarcastic, but Ike seemed to have taken her words differently.

"Seriously? Seriously? Oh, man. I mean, I thought that I wasn't bad or anything, but… heh heh."

You're unbearably naïve.

Next up was Koenji's turn. Seeing that he was in his own world, inspecting his hair with a mirror, Hirata politely urged him, after which he decided to 'grace' the class with an introduction.

"My name is Kouenji Rokusuke. As the sole male heir to the Kouenji conglomerate group, I will soon be tasked with carrying Japan into the future. I sincerely look forward to making your acquaintance, ladies."

"Starting today, I will mercilessly punish anyone who makes me uncomfortable. Please exercise proper precaution so that you may avoid that."

Perhaps it was a trait of this world, the personalities of people here felt vibrant. Even Johan never dealt with people like this in his life.

Or maybe Akira was just overthinking things.

Hirata asked Koenji what he meant by the word 'punish' while Akira shifted his gaze toward Ayanokoji, next in line to introduce himself.

"Um. Well, my name is Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. And, uh, I don't really have any special skills or anything. I'll do my best to get along with all of you. It's, uh, nice to meet you."

Akira had to admit he was quite good at acting like an average joe. Hirata responded to him with a refreshing smile as the class gave a dispirited applause.

Next would be Horikita, but since she had left, it was Akira's turn now.

Without waiting for Hirata to urge him, Akira stood up and passed a gentle smile.

"My name is Akira Kazama. I am very good at strategy-based video games. I don't think I can be friends with everyone like Hirata-kun or Kushida-san, but I will try my best."

The introduction he gave was true to the core. This is what he is like. The knowledge and abilities he has were given to him by the system. He'll make use of them, but he knew they aren't truly his.

The applause he got was obviously way better, especially from the girls. Akira couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed—not used to such attention. He had maxed out all his stats, including his looks. Even in a different world, he looked otherworldly.

"It's nice to meet you too, Kazama-kun. I have a feeling we'll become great friends. Let's do our best, okay?" Hirata said with a refreshing smile.

If only he knew what Akira had planned for him.

…

The school's entrance ceremony was surprisingly boring. The Chairman and Student Council President gave a small speech, offering their words of thanks, and it concluded without incident.

After the ceremony, Akira was invited by a few students to go to karaoke with them, but he politely declined. He needed to make his way toward the convenience store.

Entering the convenience store, he saw Ayanokoji and Horikita bickering with each other, but decided to ignore them. He didn't come here for them anyway.

There was a plethora of items he needed. After all, the school didn't allow them to bring anything from the outside. So, from clothes to basic necessities, Akira had a lot of stuff to buy.

Akira could feel some stares and occasional whispers directed at him, but he had learned to ignore them by now.

Eventually, he encountered Horikita and Ayanokoji in front of the cup noodle section.

What's the best way of faking a coincidence? To actually have one!

The convenience store wasn't that large; Akira knew he'd eventually cross paths with them.

"Hey, what do you think? Is this price high or low?"

"Hmm. I'm not sure. Why, is there something curious about it?"

"No, I was just wondering."

Ayanokoji was asking Horikita about the cup noodle's price, trying to gauge whether one point was really equal to a yen or not.

"May I take a look?"

Akira decided to join their conversation, stretching his hand toward Ayanokoji.

"Um, sure." Ayanokoji nodded his head, handing him a noodle cup. Horikita stared at him from a distance.

Akira examined the price tag. It said 156 yen—neither high nor low. Even though the school worked on points, the prices were still listed in yen.

"It's relatively average. There are some cup noodle brands that come under 100 yen. But it'll generally cost you around this much at least." Akira calmly gave his assessment and handed him the noodle cup back.

"I see." Ayanokoji gave a rather weak reply before asking a generic question. "Are you also shopping for stuff?"

'What else would I be doing in a convenience store?' was what Akira wanted to say, but he decided against it considering the fact that he had little to no social experience. Instead, he nodded to him with an expressionless face.

Horikita, who Akira thought would leave as soon as he joined the conversation, surprisingly stayed there… still staring at him. Is she curious about something?

Maybe he should introduce himself…

"My name is Akira Kazama."

"Horikita Suzune."

"…"

Well, is that it? Akira didn't expect her to even introduce herself, so this was a start. He wasted no time in activating Aphrodite's Eye.

[15%]

Surprisingly, it's higher than Kushida's. Is it because of his looks? It's possible, everyone likes good-looking people.

Akira activated Mind's Gate. Turns out she is curious about the questions he asked in the morning. Something seems to be bugging her, but she wasn't sure herself what it was.

"Um, is there something I can do for you?" Since she wasn't going to say anything at all, Akira decided to break the silence himself.

"Nothing," she replied, looking away. "I was just curious."

"About what?"

Horikita's eyes flicked back to his. "The questions you asked this morning. During the introduction."

'Can't you just get to the point?' Akira started to grow somewhat impatient. He hated these types of people, they'll keep beating around the bush instead of getting to the point. Horikita made this conversation sound like it was Akira who wanted to ask her something.

"What about them?" He nevertheless carried on. As annoying as he found her, he needed those infatuation points.

"You're... strange," she said plainly, without a hint of hesitation. "Most students would be thrilled at the thought of getting that many points every month. But you? You questioned whether it's morally right. That's not something a typical high schooler would say."

Akira's expression didn't change, but inwardly, he was taken aback. She was far more observant than he'd expected. Is this what they meant when they kept babbling about how Horikita had 'potential'?

"You're very observant," Akira passed on a light remark.

"I consider myself, at the very least, to have a good eye for people."

Ayanokoji didn't say a word, listening intently to their conversation. Probably curious about those questions as well.

"I just found it odd that everyone was given the same amount, that's all."

"Why? Isn't it only fair that everyone receives the same treatment?"

"That was what I originally thought. But then Chabashira-sensei said that the points are allocated based on our 'worth'. Do you think all people are worth the same, Horikita?"

Horikita paused and thought for a moment before shaking her head. "No, everyone is different, so their 'worth' should also be different."

How cruel—comparing people's worth so bluntly, calling one superior over the other without hesitation. It might be true—a person might be better than another.

But even so, Akira hated it.

Calling someone superior. Measuring one's worth like you'd price goods.

He knew that some people were better than others, but deep down he had his own morals, and he valued life according to them.

"What do you think, Ayanokoji-kun? Are people truly equal?"