COTE 2V01 - Chapter 2 (In Progress)

A New Stage

The short spring break but seemed long was over, and the opening ceremony has finally arrived.
On this day, we left our classroom we have been familiar with for 1 year, and move to the new classroom for the 2ND grade students.
They should be the same chairs and desks at first glance, but I have a feeling they were different somehow.
The first thing had awaited us who have arrived at school was a message, which was ‘Displayed’ on the blackboard.
‘Wait and take the same seat as the 1ST year.’
Until last year, the thing called the blackboard was something that the teacher would write with a chalk.
However, the blackboard in front of us wasn’t really a blackboard.
In short, a huge screen has completely replaced the blackboard.
I suppose it will be introduced from this year, judging from the fact that it was shinning like a brand new product.
It seemed even those students who arrived in the classroom after me were surprised to see the blackboard.
Anyway, I headed towards the seat at the very back by the window, which was my fixed position last year, and sat down there as instructed.
The opening ceremony will be held in the gymnasium after this, when the time has come.
And then, we are going to listen to the explanation about current year schedule and the necessary matters and so on for about two hours from our homeroom teacher, and we will be disbanded during the morning.
It seemed those students were still relaxed in some ways, since the spring break has just ended.
Friends who didn’t meet up for some time, were getting excited with the kind of story about what they were doing during the consecutive holidays.
“Yo.”
I was being called, when I looked for the information from the Internet casually with my cell phone.
It was my classmate, Miyake Akito. 1 of my small group members who has a good relationship with me.
“I was a bit worried, since you often didn’t show up to our group during the spring break.”
Akito said like that.
Indeed, I hardly met up with my group during the spring break.
I wonder if I should say that I had been neglectful, since there were times when I was busy with my surrounding situation.
“Of course, since there’s no such rule that we have to get together, but it seemed even that girl, Haruka and especially Airi were worried about you, you know.”
Akito gave me an advice that way to consider the feelings of those girls in our group.
“Well, I’m sorry. I’m going to show up often again from now on.”
“That’s fine. I’m also lonely without you, you know.”
I was slightly uncomfortable when a friend told me like that. Well, but I don’t feel displeased.
Perhaps Akito didn’t intend to stay for long, he raised his hand slightly and returned to his own seat.
I think that I really have a good friend.
Since he came all the way to give me a gentle advice like that.
I decided to listen carefully to the chats in my class, since I have lost my mood to fiddle with my cell phone after that.
The topic of their conversation has changed from the spring break matters to the new students.
Well, since the 1ST grade students will join us in the school entrance ceremony tomorrow.
We D-Class got carried away and made a mistake due to the school’s good treatment after the school enrollment last year, and it wouldn’t be strange if it would happen that way.
The Class Points given to us immediately after the school enrollment was 1,000 points. In short, it was equal to ¥ 100,000 in cash.
Those students, who were overjoyed with the large amount of money, imagined that it would be transferred every month, and they bought all the things they wanted one after another.
Furthermore, lateness and absence were common, and whispering and dozing during the lessons were also happened frequently.
On the other hand, those serious students focused only on themselves, and they didn’t even pay attention to their surroundings.
I suppose there are several reasons why they didn’t pay attention to it, but I think we can say that the main reason was those teachers who had ignored those troublemakers.
I mean there’s no need for the students to do it, since the teachers didn’t even warn them.
However, we could say that it was also the first ‘Special Exam’ of our school.
Whether we paid attention to the difference between high school and compulsory education in elementary school and junior high school.
We were tested whether we could do the obvious things independently as a high school student.
And D-Class totally got the lowest evaluation in that special exam.
On May 1ST of the following month, our Class Points became 0, and the amount transferred to us was plunged to 0 abruptly.
D-Class was having a series of tests for 1 year after that, but our classmates, who were disunited, had slowly grown up and learned about the teamwork, since we had dropped to the very bottom for a moment.
We could even go up to C-Class at one time, but unfortunately we ended up drop back to D-Class after the end term exams.
However, our Class Points has recovered to 275 points throughout the year.
The difference from A-Class is still huge, but I suppose how much we can increase our Class Points during this 1 year period when we became the 2ND grade students, will be important for us to go up to the upper class.
“Good morning〜!”
I suddenly heard a voice of a cheerful girl.
Immediately after that voice, those girls who were already in the classroom, responded too and have gathered up one after another.
It was Karuizawa Kei, who led the girls in this class.
The number of the girls were increasing rapidly, and they began the similar conversation with a moment ago again from the beginning, when I paid attention to it.
I started dating Kei, who was the leader of those girls just a few days ago.
There’s no one who knew about that fact at this moment besides Kei, who was the person concerned.
A shocking voice which was even sounded like a scream, was echoed in our classroom this time, when I was recalling it at the same time I was listening to their chatters.
I immediately realized the source of that shock, when I raised my head and wondered what happened.
Perhaps I should say if it was a very reasonable reaction to see the appearance of the female student, who have arrived at school quietly.
The female student, who has attracted everyone’s attention to herself, headed towards the seat next to me, which was her own seat, without responding to that shock.
Her black hair, which was long and beautiful, has disappeared and became shorter than the tip of her shoulders.
Perhaps she cut her hair to reconcile with Horikita Manabu, who was her elder brother, and broke away from her own past.
I wasn’t surprised either since I obviously knew that fact, but I suppose I would have showed a similar reaction with others, if I was seeing it for the first time at this moment.
“Su, Suzune……? You, that hair…… Hey, what happened to your hair!”
It was Sudō Ken, who screamed in panic like that. A male student who fell in love with Horikita, who was his classmate.
He ended the chat with his friends and came rushing here.
And then, 1 more person, a young girl who looked confused with the changes in Horikita, had approached as well.
“Horikita-san, you changed your image drastically…… you know. I’m surprised.”
Kushida Kikyō. She is our classmate, who was also from the same junior high school as Horikita.
“I wonder what’s so strange about I cut my hair.”
Not only at Sudō, but Horikita also glanced fiercely at those many students who stared at her.
“No, nothing strange, I’m just surprised, but…… I’m saying that your hair changed your image incredibly…… Um, I said I don’t mean that it doesn’t look good on you at all. You look good even with short hair though. Well, right, Kushida?”
The impact was great, but something like the length of her hair was a trivial matter from Sudō’s viewpoint.
Rather, he showed a good impression and accepted the new image of the person he was in love with easily.
However, Kushida, who was being asked to agree with him, couldn’t hide her confused expression.
“Well, that’s true. Yeah. I think that it looks good on you. But…… what happened?”
Kushida shifted the course of conversation to find out the reason why she cut her hair, regardless of whether she disliked being asked about her feelings in details.
“I wonder what you mean by what happened.”
Sudō interrupted and asked Horikita a question, before she answered it.
“For example…… something like unrequited love.”
“Un, un, unrequited love!?”
“I guess it showed my resolve, if you insisted I told you about it.”
Horikita replied him immediately in order to deny the word of unrequited love.
“Well, that’s, that’s right. There’s no way that you are broken-hearted like that, right?”
It seemed Sudō was under tremendous fear, even though he was saying like that.
“This year we have become the 2ND grade students, and I’m going to fight for raising our D-Class to the upper class. That’s why I wanted to do what I could do.”
“I see. Well then…… I wonder if I should grow long hair instead.”
Kushida was saying it cutely like that, but it has conveyed her real intention in a sense.
She was displeased with the fact that the person she hated had the same length of hair as herself.
I suppose no one would have taken her seriously to grow long hair, but perhaps she would really do it.
I couldn’t help but imagine her hidden anger inside her words.
“Do you mind to return to your own seat, if you are satisfied?”
Horikita stated that she didn’t want them to pay attention on her hair long or short all the time.
It seemed Horikita, who gave a strong impact on everyone, was slightly displeased with the fact that she has attracted everyone’s attention.
She was in a bad mood, but fortunately the buzzer was rung immediately and we were forced to end our chat.

1
A few days have already passed since the opening ceremony was over.
Monday came along and ended the weekends.
A peaceful school life. Our routine will be repeated.
What has changed significantly in the beginning of the new academic year was the fact that the blackboard had become a digital blackboard, and all the textbooks have been replaced with a tablet computer.
We stared at a tablet device, which was distributed recently to us last week.
The textbooks used during the lessons have also been replaced with a tablet computer, in order to promote the e-books remarkably.
One tablet computer has been given to each student, and a fast charging devices has also been installed recently behind our classroom.
Even a portable battery charger has always been available, in order to prevent from running out of battery during the lessons just in case.
Moreover, we basically have been prohibited from bringing the tablet computer home, but we have been approved to bring the necessary data in it home over the school network.
All those troublesome and enormous quantity of textbooks have been stored as files on this 12-inch model tablet computer.
Not only can we freely manipulate and even utilize something like graphics and photos, but our school had also responded to globalization, such as enabling us to interact smoothly with foreigners in English classes and so on.
It was quite late introduction, if we remembered this school was supervised by the government.
However, it remained unclear at this moment whether that enhancement was entirely right.
I suppose the opinion will be enormously divided on whether those students will be recognized by the society in the future.
The scope of learning that our teachers taught us in the 2ND grade is crucial, and naturally the difficulty level was higher than when we were the 1ST grade students.
I don’t know how high the standard of the other high schools are, but it seems that at least this school is situated above the average.
I wonder how far Sudō and Ike can keep up with their studies on their own efforts.
Even so, we absolutely need more support than ever, in order to prevent anyone from dropping out of school.
Anyway, the thing that has changed significantly wasn’t only about the digitization related to our studies, but other than that, I suppose there was a change of seat where we could obtain our favorite seat with the Private Points, if we insisted on getting it.
I have moved my seat by the window to the very back near the hallway instead.
It seemed the seat near the hallway was generally unpopular due to many people were passing by, but I had never been bothered by such thing.
However, the situation where I ran into the 1ST grade students in my daily school life had increased as well, but there were no particular changes in me who didn’t participate in any club activities, and I haven’t even talked with anyone yet.
It was I who talked with our upperclassman directly as well 1 year ago, when it was our special exam for the first time where we could make use of the questions in the past, and I suppose it wasn’t a strange thing.
Anyway, a few days after the new academic year had begun were supposed to be peaceful.
“Everyone is present, right?”
Our homeroom teacher, Chiyabashira showed up in our classroom almost at the same time as the buzzer was rung.
The expression of Chiyabashira, who stood on the podium after the morning homeroom session had begun, was very serious.
And, we can guess that there was something, since we didn’t have any lessons in the 1ST or 2ND class period after this.
It seemed she was about to inform us that our few peaceful daily life has ended.
“Sensei, is it about the special exam?”
Ike asked the question before our homeroom teacher began to speak.
It seemed he wasn’t fooling around, and I suppose he has expressed his words with impatience thoroughly.
Chiyabashira understood that as well, that’s why she didn’t seem to consider it as a problem particularly.
In the past, many of those students would have only felt anxious whenever we had a special exam.
However, it’s an inevitable path for us in order to aim for the top now.
They were being able to take a stance to confront it.
“I suppose you are worried about it, but I have something to show you before we proceeded with our conversation. This is a very important matter in order to live your school life from now on.”
Chiyabashira took out her own cell phone, and she continued to speak while showing us her cell phone she held in her hand.
“Everyone, I want you to take out your cell phone and put it on your desk. You will have to return to your dormitory to take it immediately, if there were any students who have forgotten it…… but just as I expected, it seemed there are no student who have forgotten it, right.”
A cell phone is essential for our life nowadays. I suppose we could say that it was what we brought along with us more than anything else.
Chiyabashira began to speak, shortly after she confirmed the 39 cell phones placed on our desks.
“Well then, first of all, all of you access our school’s homepage (HP), and you will have to install our new application. It should have become available for download right at this time. The official name of the application is OVERALL ABILITY, but it would only be displayed as ‘OAA’ after you installed it.”
She switched to the blackboard screen, and began to explain it by written texts and a live-action video that also serves as her presentation.
I suppose we could say that it was the handy function we could gain through digitization.
An icon that looked like our school illustration was created with the name of OAA, when we installed the application on our cell phone according to the explanation given by Chiyabashira and the blackboard.
“Everyone, I want you to let go of your cell phone, if you have finished those steps so far. Raise your hand, if there’s any one of you who didn’t understand.”
As we had expected, it was a simple process.
There were no student who had a hard time getting used to it, and we proceeded smoothly.
“Not only you guys in D-Class, but at this moment, the students of all academic years are also following those steps to install it at the same time. This application is a great application that will bring various benefits to the students of Kōdo Ikusei Kōtō Gakkō in the future. You will believe it when you see it yourself, let’s get it started.”
I tapped the icon to activate the application.
And the camera of my cell phone started up automatically.
“The initial setup will be completed automatically by scanning your student ID card with the camera.”
The login was progressing after the camera scanned my face shot and student registration number and so on, when I photographed my student ID card with the camera according to the instructions.
“Now we have created 1 account for each student. You don’t need to log in again, so please be more careful when handling your cell phone, since it will be linked to your cell phone.”
Several items that seemed tappable have appeared, when the login completed.
“This application holds personal information of the students of all academic years. For example, your name would have been displayed in alphabetical order, if you pressed the item of the 2ND grade D-Class. Try it.”
The total of 39 people’s face shots with full names were displayed in order correctly.
“It doesn’t matter whoever you are observing, but I suppose you should try to tap your own name first.”
I tapped my own name as I was told to.
I thought that perhaps my birth date and so on would come out, but it seemed it wasn’t something like that.
My cell phone screen displayed items with numbers that I have never seen.
2-D Ayanokōji Kiyotaka
The 1ST year grades
Academic Ability C (51)
Physical Ability C+ (60)
Tactical Thinking Ability D+ (37)
Social Contribution C+ (60)
Overall Ability C (51)
“Sen, Sensei, but somehow my grades were being converted into numbers like a game!?”
“That’s right. These are your individual grades that the school has recorded based on your grades up to the end of your 1ST year. It has become possible for you to view the grades of the students of all academic years, and of course, not only your own class, but also the other classes. It has been concluded and adopted if it was essential for you in order to continue your education from now on.”
In other words, she was saying that the role of this application called OAA was the tool that enables us to figure out the individual grades numerically.
It seemed it can even send an online chat to all the students as well.
There was a ‘Description’ letter along with the ‘?’ mark at the upper right corner of the screen, and the detailed description for each item was also displayed, when I pressed it.
Academic Ability…… It was mainly calculated from the student’s scores on written tests held throughout the year.
Physical Ability…… It was calculated from the teacher evaluation in the physical education classes, the student participation in club activities, and the teacher evaluation in the special exams, and so on.
Tactical Thinking Ability…… It was calculated based on the student’s adaptability to society, such as the student’s communication skills, including the student’s number of friends and the student’s social standing, and whether the student use their wits effectively.
Social Contribution…… It was calculated from various factors, such as the student’s attitude during the lessons, including lateness and absence, and whether the student has problem behaviors, and the student contribution to the school by being the member of the Student Council.
Overall Ability…… The student ability derived from the values of the 4 items above mentioned, but only the effect of the Social Contribution given to the Overall Ability was reduced by half.
※ The specific calculation method for Overall Ability.
Calculated from (Academic Ability + Physical Ability + Tactical Thinking Ability + Social Contribution × 0.5) ÷ 350 × 100 (rounded).
I see.
Perhaps I should say it was an acceptable evaluation criterion, if my Tactical Thinking Ability was lower than other items.
Well, since my number of friends and communication skills weren’t great, even as flattery.
I suppose we could say that it was reasonable figures, when we were being evaluated, since the other items were also seen normal.
There were items for the 2ND year grades and the 3RD year grades other than the 1ST year grades, but they were blank currently.
“Only the first year grades were being displayed at the moment, but you will be evaluated again with the currently in progress, since today will be your 2ND year. The update will be made at the beginning of the month just like the Class Points. Sudō, your current Academic Ability was judged as an E, but I suppose you will be given an A+ evaluation on the 2ND year grades’ page, if you got a perfect score on the next written tests.”
In other words, she was saying that the 2ND year will be evaluated in the 2ND year, separated from the 1ST year. And our yearly grades will always remain as our record.
Even if Sudō got a perfect score on the written test and got an Academic Ability A+ in April, perhaps he will get around C evaluation during that time, if he got 0 score on the next written tests, and so on.
It was a mechanism where our total average will be announced in the end, after we spent 1 year by doing like that.
I suppose the noteworthy feature of this application is what we can find out through OAA wasn’t only our own class.
We didn’t know anything about those students, who had no relationship with us to date, if we didn’t gather their information directly, but it has become obvious to us whether their full names, their faces, and what grades they were having, regardless of they were Senpai or even Kōhai, if we looked at this application.
By the way, it seemed those 1ST grade students’ data were prepared based on our school entrance exams and the information when they were in the 3RD grade of their junior high school.
Aside from our Academic Ability, Physical Ability, and Social Contribution evaluation, there’s a possibility that our Tactical Thinking Ability evaluation wasn’t really reliable.
It was a handy tool to find out the students’ grades…… No, there’s no way it was only that.
It was obvious that this application will play some important role.
“I suppose there were also some people who felt displeased with the fact that those record will remain, among those students who ended up with unsatisfactory grades. However, I had no choice but to give you an objective conclusion that it was yourself who had spent your 1ST year like that.”
Since the closer our essential Academic Ability and Physical Ability to an E evaluation, the more it will bring disgrace to us as the student.
“However, the 1ST year grades were entirely something in the past. It doesn’t have any affect at all on the future evaluation of you guys who have become the 2ND grade students. In short, it’s important for you to change your awareness on this occasion, even those who have got disappointing grades. Your grades visualization was expected to have an effect of encouraging that kind of growth.”
I suppose most of the people will think that they want to work harder in order to make themselves look good even a little, if their individual grades will continue to remain in the application that anyone can view from now on.
It seemed it has a certain effect of encouraging our grades improvement just like Chiyabashira said, but……
“Sensei, I wonder why only the evaluation method of the Social Contribution was slightly different from the other 3 items?”
The impact of the Social Contribution on the Overall Ability was lowered by half.
It was a question from Hirata Yōsuke, who wondered about that matter.
“Your Academic Ability, Physical Ability, and Tactical Thinking Ability. Our school considered these 3 items as the most important ranking factors. On the other hand, the Social Contribution is slightly different. The Social Contribution is basically based on your ‘morals’ and ‘manners’. It’s your wording and attitude towards the teacher, and whether you have any lateness or absence. Whether you have been able to comply with our school various rules. And finally, we obviously evaluated the student’ performance from all aspects, such as their articulation and accuracy. It was some kind of common sense that it was an ability we obviously should possess, that’s why the effect given to the Overall Ability has been set lower.”
Our Social Contribution has a possibility where we can improve it significantly depending on our way of thinking and how we change it from that day, unlike the 3 items that couldn’t be developed immediately.
Perhaps the difference was like that.
“This application is fair. It has nothing to do at all with your class was being on the top or at the bottom. Everyone has been evaluated equally. Right now, I suppose we can say that you have got good results and deserved to be praised as one of the students, who have received a high evaluation for your Overall Ability.”
The list was arranged in alphabetical order, but it seemed it was even equipped with a sorting function.
I don’t need to check one by one for the student who has the highest Overall Ability in the 2ND grade D-Class at this moment.
It was Yōsuke, who came out on top on the Overall Ability, when I tried the sorting function.
2-D Hirata Yōsuke
The 1ST year grades
Academic Ability B+ (76)
Physical Ability B+ (79)
Tactical Thinking Ability B (75)
Social Contribution A- (85)
Overall Ability B+ (78)
We realized immediately about Yōsuke’s excellence, when we observed those figures again.
They were perfect grades at a high standard in every respect.
Perhaps it would have been a little bit higher, if Yōsuke didn’t expose his weak-minded which he showed us at the end of our 1ST year.
On the contrary, Ike came out on top, when I tried to replace the sorting order from the lowest on the Overall Ability. His Overall Ability is 37.
And then, there was also Sakura Airi’s name in the notation of the Overall Ability 37 with same rate.
Sudō, who everyone has considered that he has a high possibility in last place, was being placed above several students.
2-D Sudō Ken
The 1ST year grades
Academic Ability E+ (20)
Physical Ability A+ (96)
Tactical Thinking Ability D+ (40)
Social Contribution E+ (19)
Overall Ability C (47)
His Academic Ability and Social Contribution were evaluated quite low, and along with his bad conduct for 1 year.
However, he was avoided from being in last place, since he was evaluated highly on his Physical Ability and enough to make up for it.
I found out the fact that there was only one person, who has received an A+ evaluation on the Physical Ability item amongst the 2ND grade students, when I examine it.
It seemed Sudō, who has improved his Academic Ability compared with when he enrolled into this school at first, and has also shown his mindset growth, will significantly improve his grades that will be recorded from the 2ND year.
“And then, this should have nothing to do with the D-Class directly, but we have chosen the mechanism to evaluate the 2ND grade A-Class Sakayanagi Arisu at the same figure as the 2ND grade students in last place only for her Physical Ability evaluation, as our special measures for the 2ND grade students.”
The 2ND grade A-Class, Sakayanagi Arisu, has a physical disability.
She even has to use a cane for walking every day.
In other words, there’s no way she can do it, even if she wanted to exercise.
On the other hand, she can’t afford to get the overall grades without the physical part.
In that sense, perhaps it was quite reasonable decision to place her together with the student in last place.
Anyway, perhaps we can also say that this visualization of abilities is essential in order to reflect the individual true ability was proposed by Nagumo.
“I suppose you can raise your awareness towards your grades by having this application, and it can play an active role as your essential tool in order to improve your social network, since you immediately knew about their names and faces, regardless of their academic year. However…… I’m thinking it’s not only that. This is my personal speculation── those students whose the Overall Ability were below a certain standard will be given ‘Some sort of penalty’ after a year from now, right.”
“Penalty…… Don’t tell us that we will be expelled from school……?”
“I suppose there’s also a possibility for it. However, as I said, this was my speculation. That’s why it’s not always true. But, you had better thought that the closer your Overall Ability to an E evaluation, that risk will be higher.”
Ike and Airi, who were in last place at the moment, have received an evaluation close to an E on their Overall Ability.
They will be in danger zone, if they spent this 1 year the same as they were last year.
“I suppose there are some people amongst you guys who dissatisfied with the difference between your own self-evaluation and our school evaluation. However, this was the current ‘Evaluation of you guys by the school side’. You should show it to our school in this 1 year in order to convince our school, if you dissatisfied with that point. Our school isn’t faultless either.”
“But, but I wonder how I can show it, Sensei!”
Ike, who had confirmed in last place, raised his hand hurriedly.
“There are also differences in the evaluation accuracy of your Physical Ability for those students who participated and didn’t participate in club activities. I suppose 1 of the ways is that you can also try to join the club activities, if you have a confidence.”
In most cases, it seemed those students who have appealed to the school were basically given preferential treatment. However, it’s a case by case.
It seemed it would be a problem, if those appeal were granted carelessly.
“Well, it’s like an individual battle.”
Chiyabashira didn’t mishear the remarks from Horikita, who muttered like that.
This application introduction felt like it has disregarded the actions of ours who had fought as a class so far.
I suppose it’s not only Horikita, who has an impression like that.
“That answer is neither right nor wrong. This system, which will be introduced from this year, was proposed by the current Student Council President Nagumo Miyabi, and of course it was implemented since our school has approved it.”
He created a mechanism where the students will be evaluated based on the individual true ability, that’s why it has realized the dream of Nagumo, who has declared like that.
I suppose he rarely made a move last year since it took a considerable amount of his time and effort before this application introduction.
“However, it doesn’t change the fact that the basic concept is the same as before where you guys were required as a class. You guys should work hard only on that viewpoint every day without forgetting it.”
The first class period has ended, right at the time we had finished the application installation and the explanation.
Each of the students began to stare at their cell phone screens intently as soon as the break time came.
Of course, they have wanted to find out not only their own evaluation, but also their classmates and the grades of the students from the other classes.
“Hey, but I’m not pleased with their consideration that I have less common sense than Kōenji!”
Sudō, who was viewing the application intently, shouted like that and glared at Kōenji.
I tried to check it with the application while listening to it (although his voice volume can be heard by itself).
2-D Kōenji Rokusuke
The 1ST year grades
Academic Ability B (71)
Physical Ability B+ (78)
Tactical Thinking Ability D- (24)
Social Contribution D- (25)
Overall Ability C (53)
Kōenji, who has been showing a decent performance in everyday classes and tests, has been evaluated highly for his Academic Ability and Physical Ability.
“What, but perhaps it doesn’t matter. I’m totally ahead of him on the Physical Ability.”
Ike, who didn’t excel in any subjects particularly, complained enviously.
“I think since Kōenji didn’t do it seriously. Hey, even though I don’t want to admit it.”
Kōenji’s Physical Ability is exceptionally high as Sudō said.
It seemed he has the potential equal to or higher than Sudō, but there was a huge inconsistency since he was influenced by his mood even in physical education classes and so on, besides he didn’t join club activities.
He could sabotage it without hesitation and sometimes he gave up suddenly, if he wasn’t interested in it.
First of all, it’s not unusual situation either where we wouldn’t even move our body.
On the other hand, Sudō was earning the highest grades, since he was always working hard seriously on whatever the assignments.
It’s natural that there’s a huge differences in their evaluation, even if they have a similar Physical Ability.
What Sudō was angry about like that was the Social Contribution item.
In other words, it was about morals and manners.
Kōenji, who was being chosen as the target for criticism, was also a troublemaker who was on par with Sudō.
It seemed he wasn’t pleased with the fact that he was below Kōenji, even though we could say that it was a very small difference.
I can kind of understand how Sudō felt, if he wanted to complain, but……
I guess Kōenji has a higher score than Sudō on the Social Contribution, since there weren’t many occasions where he caused problems directly for the school side and our class compared to Sudō.
Sudō, who had received the penalty for school suspension and violent disturbance, and so on, wouldn’t be strange even if he was below Kōenji.
Kōenji himself didn’t argue with him at all, even though he listened to that sort of conversation.
There’s no one, who would even argue with someone, who was worried and engrossed with the OAA excessively.
Well, perhaps it was Kōenji, who hasn’t changed the most after more than 1 year of our school life.
Anyway, we, the students have been able to visualize our grades for the 1ST year.
This action of the school side was both a merit and a demerit for us.
For example, it has created a temporary ranking of our true ability, since the existence of the item called the Overall Ability.
I suppose it was obvious who will be nominated as the candidate for dropping out of school, if an unfavorable special exam was happened now.
We will be focused on the student who has the lowest overall scores.
Well, I suppose there was also an anxiety in the mind of Airi, whose name was put in last place just as Ike.

2
We continued on the topic of OAA introduction as the 2ND class period began.
And I suppose, perhaps we will move on to the whole story from this time.
Those students’ minds prediction will be proven accurate easily.
“I will explain the outline of the special exam to you guys from now on.”
Chiyabashira, who began to talk about the topic like that, wanted to begin the class as usual.
“For your first special exam which will be held since you guys have become the 2ND grade students, the content will be adopted was our new experiment that we have never done before. Well, it’s just like the application introduction.”
Whether it was Tsukishiro’s influence or it was Nagumo’s influence.
It seemed our school system has been changing drastically.
“It was the main point of that content, but it will be the written tests where you guys, the 2ND grade students will form a partnership with the 1ST grade students, who are the freshman.”
“Partner with…… the 1ST grade student……?”
Our school had hardly ever held anything beyond our own academic year to date.
There are also some exceptions, such as the Training Camp, but it was reasonable since the mechanism where we competing against classes.
I wonder if that means the wall has been removed by the OAA introduction.
“Your written tests and your communication skills are extremely needed in the special exam this time.”
Our communication skills with our study. Those kinds of subject aren’t related with each other at first glance.
“I don’t need to explain the importance of the written tests to you guys once again, but the students haven’t held a friendly communication with the students from the other academic years so far, only during the Sports Festival and the Training Camp. Therefore, we concluded that the students’ communication skills didn’t make much progress.”
“But, but we are competing with the same academic year, right? I wonder if you were saying that there’s something wrong with it for some reason.”
Ike showed a slight dissatisfaction with the fact that the 1ST grade students are hugely involved with it.
“It’s not like I couldn’t understand you, but you should try to think about it objectively. There’s no way that the people who come in contact with you are only fresh graduate people like you, since the first year you have become a member of the society. You won’t only be competing in the same society with some people who were in their 2ND year, but also the veterans who have been 20-30 years. I suppose sometimes the other parties who are very much older than you will become your rivals.”
“That’s…… well, I can kind of imagine it though.”
“Many Japanese companies are still remained restricted by seniority wage system and lifetime employment, while the world is shifting to the merit system. It’s strange to do something with your Kōhai, or it’s strange to do something with your Senpai. You should change your viewpoint once again, for those who felt like that when you heard about this special exam. Simply put, something like an academic acceleration is also one of them. It was a system that was being practiced normally, in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and so on. It’s not rare either for younger children to mix in and study with the high school students and the university students. Can you guys imagine and accept the situation where there are elementary school students, who take the same lessons with you guys in this classroom?”
Our classmates used their imagination as suggested by Chiyabashira.
And, I suppose they certainly wouldn’t be able to accept it. They should be feeling that it was impossible and strange.
Indeed, there’s hardly any case where an academic acceleration system was used in Japan.
I suppose there are quite many people, who didn’t know the fact that actually there’s a possibility for us to skip a grade, even though there are specific requirements.
In fact, the system so-called an academic acceleration itself hasn’t been entirely accepted, since the system isn’t suitable for the current situation in Japan, where we were being treated equally in our study.
This matter can be well understood in the White Room, since there was no equal treatment in our learning speed and so on.
However, I’m also sure that what Chiyabashira has said wasn’t everything.
We shouldn’t just imitate everything from several foreign countries either.
It was important that the education in Japan is also match with our Japanese culture.
Well, I suppose Chiyabashira herself had probably known it too, but she had no choice since she has to explain it to us according to the instructions from her superior.
“I suppose there will also be an event where you will compete with the 1ST grade students and the 3RD grade students from now on. However, the matter you should keep in mind is the fact that you will build a cooperative relationship to the end only for this time.”
Perhaps this is the reason why it had become the special exam where we need both our written tests and our communication skills this time.
Those students, who couldn’t imagine what kind of rule will be implemented, were confused.
“The best way in order to have you understand is to have you remember the last year’s special exam. It’s easy for you to understand it, if you considered it as an improved version of the Paper Shuffle, where the format was to find a partner from amongst your classmates.”
The Paper Shuffle.
That’s when we built a partnership of 2 people in 1 group with our classmates to take the exam.
In short, perhaps that would be in the format where we form a partnership not with our own classmates, but the 2ND grade students with the 1ST grade students.
I felt the difference was only that alone, but this is a huge difference from the previous one.
“It’s also your personal freedom to pair up with anyone in any class from the 1ST grade students. The exam is at the end of the month, which is about 2 weeks from today. We have prepared the time for you to choose your partner carefully, and the time for you to make an effort to study.”
I can also understand why our school has made us install the OAA application at this moment for this special exam.
The 1ST grade students obviously don’t know both the faces and the full names of their upperclassmen in detail.
The 2ND grade students obviously don’t know both the faces and the full names of their underclassmen in detail either.
The Paper Shuffle between classmates, which was held before, was conducted amongst our own comrade, that’s why we were able to make various adjustments and formed the partnership at will.
In other words, it was also easy for someone to support the student who wasn’t good at studying to survive.
However, the exam this time is different. It will work on the assumption that we could find an excellent partner for each other.
Moreover, the other party who will be paired up with us isn’t someone from the same academic year with us, but our underclassmen who almost has no relationship with us.
There’s something called the situation of the 2ND grade in the 2ND grade, and the situation of the 1ST grade in the 1ST grade.
Most importantly, it will take considerable time for us to build mutual trust relationship from zero.
I suppose 2 weeks are definitely not enough, when we considered that we try to build a relationship without this kind of application.
However, there are some possible shortcuts, since we can match and find out their full names and their faces with OAA.
Moreover, we can use it easily as our reference too when we paired up, since we can even know entirely their current Academic Ability.
“We will hold the tests, 5 subjects altogether on the day of the exam. The perfect score is 100 points per subject, for the total of 500 points. And it’s the main rule…… but we have prepared 2 types of outcome for the class credit and an individual credit this time.”
Chiyabashira, who held out her finger towards the blackboard, displayed the results of the special exam.
The class outcome for each academic year:
• The class will compete on the average score derived from the scores of all classes and the scores of all partners.
• From the highest average score in order, the class will get 50 points, 30 points, 10 points, and 0 points of the Class Points reward.
An individual outcome:
• The students will be graded by their combined scores with their partners.
• Each student of the top 5 pairs will receive 100,000 of the Private Points as the special rewards.
• Each student of the top 30% pairs will receive 10,000 of the Private Points.
• The 2ND grade students will be expelled from school, and the 1ST grade students won’t receive the Private Points for 3 months, regardless of the Class Points they were holding, if the total score was 500 points or less.
• Moreover, those students who were considered that they have manipulated or lowered their scores by making mistakes on the questions intentionally and so on, will be expelled from school, regardless of their academic years.
• Similarly, that person will be expelled from school as well, if he/she forced the third party to lower their score.
“I suppose you have already understood it anyway. Since each of those students who were evaluated high for their Academic Ability, will be popular in the exam this time.”
We would never be able to look into the details if there was no OAA, but the students’ abilities were completely exposed since this application was introduced.
The lower our Academic Ability evaluation, the harder we find a partner.
I suppose we can see an obvious tendency that those students, who are worried about their Academic Ability aspect, will be left alone.
Those smart students obviously will pair up with the smart partners and aim for the top rank rewards.
Those students, who are worried about their Academic Ability, are also looking for the smart partners in order to survive.
I suppose sometimes we could even fail to reach 500 points, if we ended up pairing with those students who have been left out for their low Academic Ability at the end.
What we called the harsh reality will be waiting for the 2ND grade students, who will be expelled from school, if that happened.
The 2ND grade students understood our school’s mechanism and have developed quite a lot of friendship in their class.
I suppose we can act in order to help our classmates, even if we disregarded the top rank rewards.
However, for the 1ST grade students, they obviously haven’t been able to unite their class yet and so on.
In that case, those students, who don’t even have many friends, wouldn’t think it’s a big deal or regard that kind of situation as a very serious problem with the fact that they wouldn’t receive the Private Points for 3 months.
It was the same with exactly 1 year ago when many people in this class wanted to let Sudō dropped out of school without trying to help…… no it’s more than that.
“The partnership was built on mutual approval, and it will be completed by registering it on the OAA. It will be possible for you to pair up from this moment today, but you won’t be able to cancel your pair for whatever reason after that, once you have approved the partnership.”
Well, it will be difficult for us to make a decision immediately unless our partner has a very high Academic Ability, when we were told like that.
There’s a possibility that our careless decisions will lead us to regret later.
The monitor was refreshed, and displayed the information about the partnership after that.
The methods and rules in order to decide the partners:
• For the students, who wished to use the OAA, can submit their application only once in a day (the application will be reset at 24:00, if it wasn’t approved).
• The partnership will be decided, once the partner has approved the application, and it will be impossible to cancel it after that.
 Excluding the unavoidable problems, such as the school expulsion and a serious illness.
• The information displayed on the OAA for both person, whose partnership have been decided, will be updated all at once at 8:00 the next morning, and they won’t be able to approve the new applications.
 The partner, who has formed the partnership, hasn’t been specified.
From this rule, we won’t be able to send too many application e-mails carelessly, and there’s even a possibility those applications will be wasted, since at 8:00 the next day we will know about that person who has formed a partnership with another student on the same day, even  if he/she sent it to a specific person.
Well, but I’m not sure if there are any students who would approve the applications from the students who they don’t even know well.
I supposed perhaps this rule is our school’s measures, since we would never know who has paired up with whom.
Since we could analyze the competitive ability of each class easily, if it was reflected from the people who paired up with them.
“Sensei! There’s absolutely no Kōhai, who wanted to pair up with me! I mean there’s no way someone stupid like me can do something only with my communication skills, right!?”
It was reasonable that Ike was in despair like that.
The probability was low for those students, who have a low Academic Ability will be needed until there were no more students, who thought that they wanted to pair up.
But it’s a situation if we simply take a straightforward approach.
“Don’t worry. We have considered it in order to prevent the situation where you can’t form the partnership, no matter how many people who don’t want to pair up with you. Since we have decided to randomly select it at 8:00 that very day morning, if you couldn’t form the pair until the special exam.”
Ike, who was relieved with her remarks, has taken it as a relief measures.
“However, those students, who couldn’t find a partner, can’t be treated the same with the other students. Therefore, we are going to adopt the mechanism where the 2 persons of the pair that was formed after the deadline, will receive the 5% score penalty from their overall score.”
Our class was complaining about the 5% penalty, when everyone was even relieved for a moment.
Well, it doesn’t mean that we can’t accept the special exam, but we were facing a quite serious handicap.
“Sensei, there are 3 people from us, the 2ND grade students, who have been expelled from school. Aren’t the 1ST grade students having 3 people more than us in the end?”
Chiyabashira answered such of trivial question from Yōsuke plainly.
“For the remaining 3 people, there’s a mechanism where those students will have to make it up by doubling the score they have. However, I suppose the person, who would be happy for being alone, is rare, since they will also be punished with the 5% penalty.”
That means it’s plainly 1 person with 2 roles, huh.
It seemed it wouldn’t cause any problems, if those 3 people of the 1ST grade students, who were being left alone, have a high Academic Ability.
But I can’t afford to worry only about Ike and Sudō in the special exam this time.
Since I have confirmed that it will be the most difficult special exam for me.
The part that said: ‘We will be expelled from school, if our total score was 500 points or less’ is the reason why it will be the most difficult.
In other words, it’s the part where our partner, who is crucial in order to overcome the special exam, absolutely has to get not less than 1 point.
I can’t avoid from dropping out of school, if my partner got 0 points, even if I got a perfect score in 5 subjects.
Generally, this is a very harsh rule and obviously dangerous.
We will be forced to drop out of school unreasonably, if the 1ST grade students didn’t put their efforts into it and got a low score, since they have no risk of dropping out of school……
However, it’s the rules made by the school, and also we are even following those rules.
The phrase that said: ‘Moreover, those students who were considered that they have manipulated or lowered their scores by making mistakes on the questions intentionally and so on, will be expelled from school, regardless of their academic years. Similarly, that person will be expelled from school as well, if he/she forced the third party to lower their score.’
I suppose we can say that those are a very important and necessary thing to do, in order to validate this special exam as a decent exam.
It’s our school’s measures in order to prevent dishonesty, such as requesting the Private Points with a threat if they won’t put their efforts into it.
Given this situation, they can’t mess up openly in the test.
Ordinary students will be strongly protected by the rules with this.
But even the rules that have protected us well normally, shall not be reliable enough.
Since── only the White Room student is a different matter.
These rules won’t be a hindrance, since the other party will set the traps with the intention that I will be expelled from school.
I suppose he/she will get 0 points mercilessly, if he/she succeeded to become my pair.
In other words, I will be expelled from school by only that, if I accidentally chose the person from the White Room as my partner.
More than 1 out of 160 chances will be waiting for us to drop out of school, once the special exam has begun.
Originally, our school may have enough measures that ‘The pair of that student will be treated as passing the exam without receiving any penalty, if the partner would be expelled from school due to dishonesty’.
However, I couldn’t find that kind of guarantee anywhere, as far as I hear now.
Nobody would question this point, since obviously based on their personal opinion there should be no students, who would bother to take that kind of action since they will be expelled from school.
No, it’s not only that. Perhaps our school will deal with it quickly, if that kind of student showed up by any chance.
The measures was too severe for those student, who was expelled from school after getting caught manipulating their test score.
However, I suppose that man will force the punishment to me, if only I was getting caught up in that penalty.
He would even say that it was my mistake to form a pair with the student who didn’t take the exam seriously.
He has set up a small flaw in the rules, so he will be able to respond flexibly.
Tsukishiro’s image came into my mind.
I have no doubt that it was that man, who has designed and made those rules.
There’s no way he would miss the opportunity in this special exam.
Besides the person from the White Room, the possibility for me to choose the partner one after another and attract the White Room student will increase, if I acted slowly and fell behind.
I should act quickly and pair up with the student, who I believe that he/she isn’t the White Room student, but my Academic Ability is a C evaluation according to the OAA.
I’m not in the position to choose my partner at will.
On the other hand, I suppose those 1ST grade students as the other party, won’t be able to get rid of their anxiety and won’t give their approval to form a pair with me who have a C Academic Ability, even if I chose those students who have a very low Academic Ability.
Given this situation, it seemed I will have to find the other party, who has an Academic Ability around C and thought that he/she has no objection to pair up with me either, but we can also consider the fact that the other party who will ambush me, is around that evaluation and has anticipated it.
Well, it’s obvious that the obstacle will be even higher than any exam to date, when I received the rule explanation.
“Sensei. I wonder how high the difficult level of the test.”
Horikita raised her hand and asked to Chiyabashira about the important point for the other students.
“To tell you the truth, there are many very difficult questions. We can say that it will definitely be the most difficult test, even amongst the tests you guys have taken so far. But…… it’s the matter if you guys were only aiming for a high score. It has designed so that you guys can get not less than 150 points without preparation, even for those students who have an Academic Ability around E evaluation. I suppose 200 points will be secured, if you have studied for a few days. And this is for your reference only, but──”
Chiyabashira, who said like that, showed the score estimation table based on each Academic Ability.
Academic Ability E is 150-200 points
Academic Ability D is 200-250 points
Academic Ability C is 250-300 points
Academic Ability B is around 350 points
Academic Ability A is around 400 points
“I suppose you can get at least those scores, if you have prepared yourself properly. But don’t forget that perhaps your score will naturally be lower than these, if you were self-conceited and neglected your study.”
Chiyabashira added that we shouldn’t trust the content displayed on the monitor too much.
“Moreover, I believe that you realize, if you look at the part where the student, who have an Academic Ability A is around 400 points, but it seems it hardly shows the student, who exceed 90 points in each subject, let alone a perfect score in the exam this time, right.”
It seemed it was directly related to what she said that it will be the most difficult tests to overcome.
Anyway, that means they are plainly in a critical situation of being expelled from school, if those students, who have an Academic Ability around E, became a pair with each other.
“The above-mentioned is the special exam outline which will be held in April. Prepare yourself in order to challenge it.”
Then, she gave us a verbal explanation about the scope of the tests.
Chiyabashira said that it seems we have almost no problem, if we properly prepared ourselves on the scope that we had learned in the 1ST grade.

3
Many students inevitably gathered around Yōsuke, when the break time came.
Horikita also left her seat and went to join them immediately after that.
I will also listen to their conversation for the moment.
“What, what should I do, Hirata!? I’m in big trouble, since my Academic Ability is an E evaluation!”
Ike asked Yōsuke for help while holding his head.
Yōsuke looked around the whole class, while persuading Ike who was like that in order to calm down.
“Let’s calm down first, and then we will define our course of action.”
“Yeah, there’s no need to panic at all.”
“But, but!!”
“Indeed, it’s certainly not an easy exam. We have to pair up those students who have an Academic Ability E with the 1ST grade students who have an Academic Ability B or higher, in order to ensure we get not less than 501 points. But on the contrary, we can say that it’s even quite a safe exam, if we could pair up with the students who have an Academic Ability B or higher.”
She explained that what we need to overcome the exam isn’t so complicated in order to calm him down.
“Besides, we have been working together and had overcome a similar exam in the 1ST year. There’s no way that we can’t exceed 250 or 300 points, if we worked together and made an efforts to prepare ourselves for the exam as before.”
“Yeah. Horikita-san was right. Everyone should definitely be able to overcome the exam safely, if we worked together.”
Everyone’s anxiety has gradually calmed down by the following remarks of Yōsuke, who supported Horikita.
“The important thing isn’t to decide on our partner in rash action. You can make your own decision anytime, only if you told us that you can pair up with 1ST grade student who has an Academic Ability B or higher.”
Indeed, we can’t change our partner until the exam was over, once we have decided on our partner first.
We need to make sure that we have a partner who can definitely get not less than 501 points.
“And then, I want you guys to analyze the situation without rushing, for those who have an Academic Ability B+ and higher. Since perhaps it will be crucial for us to keep a certain number of students who are good at studying beforehand, in order to save everyone. Anyway, regardless of those who are good at studying or those who aren’t good at studying, be sure to consult with me or Hirata-kun whenever there was any development.”
Horikita, who wished that they don’t carelessly be anxious or panic, only told them about the minimum necessary things.
Those honor students such as Keisei and Mii-chan also nodded and showed their cooperative attitude without hesitation.
I suppose there’s also a possibility that she will take on the responsibility to negotiate for everyone in our class at once, but it will be difficult for her to decide on our partners smoothly.
We have to race against time, since we were competing in the presence of our rivals.
“I’m thinking that I will try to negotiate with those guys who had joined in the soccer club for the moment. It seemed there are also some people amongst those students who are good at studying, and perhaps they can become our partners.”
Yōsuke, who was also listening to the conversation, spoke to Horikita like that.
The human resources mobilization tactics is also an important strategy.
“I wonder if I can ask you a favor. I feel reassured, if I have your cooperation.”
Moreover, it was the part where Horikita couldn’t even do, if it would be getting through the club activities.
Yōsuke smiled gently and nodded.
“And then, I think that we should consider and talk with those students who have an Academic Ability C- and lower, just in case.”
“Well, your judgment was right. Let’s work together and make a move to find those partners.”
I suppose it would make a huge difference, even though they could only explain their plan and convey it to everyone in our class in the very first stage like this.
Those students, who aren’t good at studying will receive their support, and can also gain a sense of security that no one will be forsaken.
“Horikita-san, and then there’s one more thing──”
“There are also some people amongst those students who have an Academic Ability C and above aren’t good at that kind of conversation. I’m also going to support those who have trouble with building a partnership in a different aspect of their Academic Ability.”
Both of them who have enough intelligence, could understand each other, even without discussing it in detail.
They were working together perfectly, with minimum required conversation.
“Thank you. It would be helpful, if you could do like that.”
Horikita and Yōsuke proceeded with their conversation smoothly, and sorted out the situation in a way that both of them agreed to it.
There was one time where both of them had a head-on confrontation, but they were able to work together so incredibly well.
Since it was the flexible thinking of Yōsuke, who has influenced it, more than the fact that Horikita, who has become gentle.
“By the way Sudō-kun, I wonder how your basketball club was doing. The 1ST grade students have also come to join in it, right?”
Horikita asked the opinion from Sudō, who has been working hard enthusiastically with the club activities.
However, Sudō turned his gaze away awkwardly for some reason.
“Ah, yeah. However……”
“However?”
“The club activities have begun a few days ago, but it was quite harsh…… or perhaps I should say, since we were making it into that.”
“Do you mean you have treated them with intimidation?”
“Well, perhaps they will feel that way. Hey, since basketball is a serious sport.”
In short, he was saying that perhaps his position has become the sort of person who was already being hated by them.
Of course, I suppose it’s precisely because he takes basketball seriously.
It seemed those Senpai, who were strict during practice, have a huge difference in being liked and disliked by them.
“It’s fine. You should focus on your study for now and don’t think about the special exam.”
“Ah, yeah.”
Horikita reminded him strongly, since it will be counterproductive if he acted recklessly.