The Prodigy - Classroom Of The Elite

The next morning, I woke up early. After getting freshened up, I made breakfast and put on my school uniform before heading out.

When I got to the elevator, I had to wait a little bit for it to arrive.

When the elevator doors finally opened, I saw someone was already inside. To my dismay, it was a girl. Things got even more awkward because she wasn't from my class, Class D. I didn't really know many people outside my own class, so I had no idea who she was.

The silver lining was that she looked friendly.

I stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do, but then she shifted to one side of the elevator, as if she understood my awkwardness and was trying to make room for me.

Without saying a word, I stepped into the elevator and stood to one side, making sure to keep a comfortable distance from her. I didn't want to get too close and make her feel uneasy.

As the elevator doors closed and it began its descent, I stood there in silence, waiting patiently to reach the ground floor.

Suddenly, she broke the silence. "You're Hayashi-kun, right?"

I was surprised she knew my name. Was she someone from my class? Even though I said I only recognized people from my own class, it's possible I could have forgotten someone.

"Yes," I replied.

"From Class D?"

That question confirmed she wasn't from my class. But why would someone from another class know my name? And how did she know it?

People usually forget my face pretty easily, and my name isn't exactly memorable either. So, how could someone from another class possibly know it?

"Yes," I eventually answered, still puzzled.

Noticing my surprise, she offered an explanation. "I heard your name from someone. I'm Honami Ichinose, from Class B."

Class B?

I gave a slight nod, turning my attention back to the elevator doors, waiting patiently for them to open.

"Have you thought about joining any club activities, Hayashi-kun?" she asked.

I wasn't sure if she was genuinely interested or just trying to break the awkward silence. Maybe she was just naturally friendly.

"No, I don't think I will," I replied. "What about you?"

I probably asked her back because it would have felt even more awkward if I didn't say anything after my response. Am I getting more social on my very first day of high school? I couldn't quite figure myself out.

"I plan to apply for the student council. I'm not really great at other club activities," she said.

Joining the student council?

As the elevator reached the ground floor, the doors opened. She stepped out first, giving a slight bow and saying goodbye before walking away.

I followed her out of the elevator and headed towards the school on my own.

"Good morning, Hayashi-kun!"

"Good morning!"

"Morning!"

As soon as I stepped into the classroom, I was met with a wave of greetings. I replied with a nod or a simple "good morning" to each one.

It seems my plan to stay under the radar isn't working out. Somehow, I'm doing the opposite of what I intended. Honestly, I'm feeling a bit confused about everything.

I made my way through the classroom and sat down at my desk, where Horikita and Ayanokoji were already seated.

"Good morning!" I greeted them both as I settled into my chair.

"Morning," Ayanokoji replied in his usual calm and almost emotionless tone. I can't quite figure out why he's always so expressionless.

Horikita just gave me a slight nod in response.

As the morning bell rang, the classroom settled into a quieter mood. Chiyabashira-sensei entered and started the day's lesson. I tried to focus, but my mind kept wandering back to the morning's interactions—the greetings, the talk with Ichinose, and Horikita's remark were all swirling around in my head.

Lunchtime came faster than I expected, and I was left wondering how to spend the break. Normally, I'd find a quiet spot to read, but the recent social interactions had me feeling a bit restless.

I ended up staying in the classroom for most of lunch, after grabbing something to eat from the convenience store.

Ayanokoji and Horikita were there too, and we ended up having a casual conversation. Even Horikita joined in, somewhat at least.

She actually responded properly to me, which felt like a bit of progress, although it was about study and class staff.

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4.1

As lunchtime wrapped up, we started getting ready for the next class—swimming. Everyone headed over to the school's pool area.

"Hey, Ayanokoji!" I called out, giving him a wave. He just nodded in response.

In the locker room, there were some other guys from our class who I didn't really know. I made my way over to Ayanokoji, who seemed to be talking with them.

"Hey, Hayashi-kun!" one of the boys next to Ayanokoji greeted me. "Want to join our bet?"

A bet? What kind of bet were they making here at the swimming pool during class?

"What bet?" I asked, a bit curious, glancing at Ayanokoji for some kind of clue.

Ayanokoji looked around, maybe checking for some sort of approval, but the excitement on his face was a bit too much for my taste.

"We're betting on the girls' breast sizes," he explained.

"Breast size?" I echoed, taken aback for a moment before composing myself. I turned to Ayanokoji, genuinely surprised. "You're joining in on this?"

To my amazement, he nodded.

"Yeah, Ayanokoji joined too. Do you want to get in on it?" the boy encouraged.

I figured Ayanokoji might be trying to make friends, given his usual solitary demeanor. Though we talked more in class now, I wouldn't quite call us friends. From what I'd overheard between him and Horikita, they seemed like friends, but Horikita didn't seem to agree.

"No, I don't think I'm interested," I replied, then turned back to Ayanokoji.

"That's okay. Let's go together, then, Ayanokoji,"

"Huh? O-Okay," he replied, a bit taken aback.

"No matter the reason, you're finally making friends," I noted with a hint of encouragement.

"You sound a lot like Horikita now" He said

Afterwards, he left first, as after changing I also got out of the locker room to the swimming pool.

Sooner than later, the girls also started coming out of their locker room in their school given swimming suits. And soon I spotted Horikita, who was , as always alone.

"Hi," I said , waving at her as I walked over to her , as she was standing far from the other groups and classmates alone. "What are you doing here alone !?"

Horikita glanced at me with her usual composed expression, her eyes briefly flickering with curiosity before settling into her typical stoic demeanor.

"Standing here," she replied curtly, her tone flat and devoid of any unnecessary embellishment. It was a straightforward answer, typical of her no-nonsense approach to conversation.

I nodded, expecting nothing less. "Not interested in joining the others?" I asked, more to keep the conversation going than out of genuine curiosity.

"No!" She said it so clearly and simply, like she always does.

That's exactly what I'd expect from her—she's serious, determined, and doesn't care much for the usual high school gossip and drama. Horikita always knows what she wants, and chatting with classmates isn't really her thing.

"So, you're just here for the swimming practice?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

"Exactly," she said, looking at the pool with a look that showed she meant business. "I see these classes as a chance to better myself, not to waste time talking about nothing."

Her dedication was something to admire, even if it made her seem distant sometimes.

"Fair enough," I nodded, understanding where she was coming from. "Everyone's got their own way of doing things, I guess."

"But, what's someone as popular as you doing here, talking to me?" she asked. It sounded more like she was teasing me than actually asking.

"You're a bit blunt, Horikita-San," I replied.

Horikita didn't seem bothered by what I said. Her expression stayed calm and steady. "I'm not blunt; I'm just honest," she said with a little challenge in her voice. "If that's tough for you, maybe you should think about how you approach things."

I laughed a bit, finding her straightforwardness refreshing. "I guess I should thank you for being so honest, then."

She nodded, agreeing with what I said. "It's better than pretending to care about things that don't really matter."

"Exactly! That's why I'm here, too," I replied, turning my head a bit towards her. Suddenly, I remembered a conversation with Ayanokoji and Ike, something about a bet they had mentioned.

Now, not to sound judgmental or anything, but when it comes to Horikita's figure, I'd say her breasts are nicely shaped. They're not too big or too small—probably a B or C cup, if I had to guess.

Horikita's sharp eyes turned towards me, and I could feel her gaze narrowing, like she could sense where my thoughts were wandering. Her voice was cool and had a slight edge of disapproval to it.

"If you're thinking about anything other than your swimming, Hayashi-kun, you might want to focus on what's important," she said.

Did she just read my mind? Anyway, why was I even thinking about her figure in the first place?

"What?" I blurted out, noticing she was still looking at me.

"Hayashi-Kun, do you exercise?" she asked suddenly.

"Huh, well, sort of. Not a lot," I replied. Honestly, I couldn't even remember the last time I worked out. Luckily, I stayed in shape thanks to a good routine I had before coming here.

"I don't think 'sort of' explains those forearms and muscles. You seem to be..." she started to say, but before she could finish, Ayanokoji walked up to us, followed closely by Kushida.

"Hi, Horikita-San, Hi Hayashi-Kun, Hi Ayanokoji-kun," Kushida greeted us all in one cheerful breath, her usual bubbly self.

The three of us just nodded in response, and it seemed like Kushida didn't mind at all. She kept talking, clearly focusing more on Horikita this time.

"Are you good at swimming, Horikita-San?" she asked with genuine curiosity.

Horikita, who I noticed didn't really enjoy chatting with everyone, gave her an indifferent look. "I wouldn't say I'm particularly good or bad at it," she replied.

It was clear that Kushida was trying to befriend everyone, but Horikita wasn't the easiest person to get close to. She wasn't someone who made friends easily, and Kushida seemed to be putting in extra effort to engage her.

Even though Horikita responded, you could sense a 'don't want to talk' or 'please leave me alone' vibe coming from her.

The coach's whistle blew loudly, marking the beginning of our swim class. We all scrambled to get in line, while the coach—who was strong and full of confidence—scanned the group with a look that was both sharp and friendly.

"Okay, everyone, get in line!" he shouted, his voice carrying a sense of command. He looked like someone who loved sports more than anything else, and I found his energy quite impressive. "There are twenty-six of you here, huh? I expected more, but this will do."

I noticed some of my classmates shifting uncomfortably, probably wishing they had skipped today. However, the coach didn't seem to mind the missing students. He was focused on those of us who showed up.

"Once you're warmed up, I want to see what you've got. Show me your swim skills," he said, his excitement rubbing off on us.

A boy in the group hesitantly raised his hand and spoke softly, almost like he didn't want anyone to hear. "Um, excuse me, sir. I'm not really good at swimming..."

The coach's expression softened with understanding. "With me as your teacher, you'll be swimming like a pro by summer. Don't worry about it."

Another student chimed in, sounding doubtful. "Do we really have to push ourselves to swim? It's not like we're planning a beach trip or anything."

The coach laughed and shook his head. "Not at all. I don't care if you're not great at swimming right now. My job is to turn you all into winners. Plus, knowing how to swim is a skill that could be useful in the future. Trust me."

I thought to myself, we really lucked out with this coach. He seems like someone who genuinely cares about his students.

As for me, I'm confident I'll do just fine on my own. I picked up swimming just for the fun of it, simply because I could.

At the start, the teacher gave us some time to warm up with exercises, so my classmates and I got into the pool to swim a bit for practice.

It seemed like most of the class knew how to swim, even if it was just the basics , even the teacher appreciated it.

"Of course, sir. Back in junior high, they called me the flying fish," one of my classmates bragged, clearly proud of his swimming talent.

The coach nodded, a competitive spark in his eyes. "Alright then. Let's have a little competition. We'll split you into groups by gender. Fifty-meter freestyle."

"C-Compete?! Are you serious?" Ike's voice cut through the chatter, sounding shocked.

The coach's grin grew even bigger. "Yes, absolutely. There's a special bonus for the winner: 5000 points. But for the one who finishes last, there'll be extra lessons. So, get ready."

The announcement stirred up a mix of excitement and nerves among us. The skilled swimmers were buzzing with excitement, while those who weren't as confident let out a few groans.

"Since there aren't many girls, I'll divide you into two groups of five," the coach explained. "The girl with the fastest time overall will be the winner. For the boys, I'll take the top five times for a final round."

I was surprised the school used points as prizes, but it was a smart way to encourage us. It seemed like a strategic plan to reward both skill and effort. There were sixteen boys and ten girls ready to compete. The girls went first, leaving us boys watching eagerly from the sidelines.

Before long, the girls' race wrapped up, and it looked like Horikita came in second place.

"You did great!" I said, as Ayanokoji and I somehow ended up congratulating Horikita at the same time.

"Yeah, but you were so close. Second place isn't bad at all. Those swimmers on the team must have been pretty tough, huh?" Ayanokoji remarked.

Even though I didn't catch the entire race, I could tell Horikita was doing really well. Whoever beat her must be quite the swimmer.

"I don't really care if I win or lose. Enough about me. What about you two? Are you feeling confident?" she asked us.

"Oh, definitely. I just need to make sure I don't come in last," Ayanokoji responded.

"That's not exactly something to be proud of," Horikita replied, giving Ayanokoji a teasing look. "I thought boys were all about winning and losing." Then she turned to me, "And you?"

"I'm not sure. What do you think I should aim for?" I tossed the question back to her.

"Me? Well, if you're asking, I'd say you should go for the win. Be competitive," she encouraged.

"Right! I'll aim for the win, then," I replied with enthusiasm.

She looked at me with a curious expression, but I just flashed a small, confident smile and walked away.