Just like the morning, the afternoon classes unfolded in the same atmosphere. Before we knew it, the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day.
As if released from a spell, every student jumped up, ready to leave. I stood too, but for a different reason. Leaving my things at my desk, I walked to the teacher's podium.
Once there, I turned my attention to the class. I could already see that those about to leave had paused, intrigued by my move.
"Dear classmates, may I have your attention, please?"
I asked.
My action had stopped the crowd, and my words made them sit back down without complaint. Even Horikita, whose attitude I'd been wary of, stayed in her seat, calmly reading a book.
Without delay, I dove in.
"Sorry for holding you back like this, but I'd like to discuss something with all of you."
Seeing no objections, I continued.
"I'd like to set up study groups for the class. What do you think?"
I laid the topic out for everyone. I'd love for the whole class to agree, but this is Class D we're talking about…
At my words, the once-quiet class stirred.
"Kōenji-san, I agree with your idea, but I think it's a bit too early for this kind of thing."
Yukimura Teruhiko spoke up.
His response didn't surprise me.
"Yeah, and I don't think we can form reliable groups when we don't even know everyone's academic levels. It's way too soon, Kōenji-san."
This time, it was Mori Nene, a girl with light brown hair down to her shoulders—a named but minor character.
The rest of the class shared similar sentiments. Sure, some students supported my proposal, but they were in the minority.
I let the class buzz for a bit before speaking again.
"May I have your attention, please?"
As if my words carried a calming weight, my classmates quieted down, restoring the room's calm.
"I know it might seem early, but I firmly believe that sowing early leads to an earlier harvest. We're in a school that demands excellence, and as you've noticed, the material is far more advanced than in a regular high school. My main goal in setting up these study groups now is to establish a solid foundation for everyone and give us all a shot at staying above average."
With that, I gauged the class. My words seemed to be reaching a growing audience, but it hadn't hit the peak I was aiming for.
I looked at Mori.
"As for the issue of not being able to form effective groups due to a lack of data, there's a solution."
I scanned the class, their eyes eagerly awaiting my next words.
"The solution is me."
Confusion rippled through the room.
My statement was so baffling that everyone instinctively tried to make sense of it. But no answers came, forcing them to abandon their thoughts and ask me instead.
"What do you mean by that, Kōenji-san?"
As if speaking for the whole class, Hirata asked.
No need to drag out the suspense.
"It's exactly what I said. I'm the solution to the problem."
I answered in a tone that suggested it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Kōenji-san…"
"What Hirata's trying to say is, explain how you're the solution, Kōenji-san."
As Hirata started to press, Yukimura cut in, taking over.
No point in being cryptic any longer.
"To put it plainly, with me, there's no need to wait to figure out everyone's levels. In other words, I already know each of your academic abilities."
This time, my words were clear, but the class remained utterly baffled. Understandably so.
"What're you getting at?"
Yukimura asked, his tone hinting at irritation with my seemingly bizarre claims.
"Yeah, Kōenji-san. How could you possibly know all of us? It's only been two days."
Those words came from Kushida. Of course, there's a hidden edge to her question.
"I can assess anyone's abilities with a single glance. I can also read people's thoughts, but that requires physical contact."
My words came out so calmly, they sounded like the most rational thing ever. If my earlier statement had thrown everyone off, this one flat-out stunned the class.
I looked at Sudō.
"That's how I was able to read your personality the other day, Sudō-kun. Can you confirm for the class that we'd never met before then and whether my description of you was accurate?"
A heavy silence settled in.
All eyes turned to Sudō. Feeling suffocated by the attention, he grumbled a bit before finally speaking.
"I don't know how you did it, but I can't argue with your take on me from yesterday. I don't recall ever seeing your face before the first day."
'Thanks for the assist, Sudō. Now, will that convince everyone?'
"Utterly ridiculous. Who'd believe nonsense like that?"
Of course, it wouldn't wrap up that easily.
Eyes glued to her book, Horikita spoke up.
Honestly, I'd been surprised by how quiet she'd been. It's a bit reassuring to see her react.
"But Sudō-san just said Kōenji-san nailed his personality the other day."
Ike shot back at Horikita.
"No surprise there. It's easy to read a delinquent like him at a glance."
Horikita replied coolly, her eyes still on her book.
"What'd you just say? Say that again."
Even the densest guy could tell who she was targeting.
Feeling insulted, Sudō shot up, demanding she repeat herself.
"As you can see, a textbook delinquent."
Without a care for the consequences, Horikita doubled down, eyes still fixed on her book.
"What the…"
"Easy, Sudō-san. Calm down."
Like he did with me before, Ike tried to cool Sudō off. This time, Sudō didn't push him away. He let himself be held back, trying to calm down internally.
'Either it's my interaction with him yesterday, or the fact that his opponent's a girl now, but Sudō's managed to chill. If I had to pick, I'd bet on the latter. Either way, friction between classmates doesn't help my goal.'
I waited until Sudō was fully calm and seated before stepping in.
"You think my claims don't hold up with Sudō-kun, Horikita-san?"
My gaze landed on her as she feigned indifference, eyes on her book.
I didn't feel ignored in the slightest and pressed on.
"If I do the same for you, Horikita-san, will you still be skeptical?"
This time, her eyes left the book, shifting to me, trying to size me up.
'Pointless, Horikita. We're not playing on the same field. Your neighbor, though…'
She closed her book.
"Your name's Kōenji, right?"
I neither confirmed nor denied since it wasn't an open question.
"Well, I don't know why you're spouting such nonsense, but if it'll end this pointless meeting faster, I'm game. However, obvious stuff like 'I'm a tough girl,' 'introverted,' or 'antisocial' won't cut it. Like I said about the delinquent earlier, those things are easy to spot about me. So, still want to try, Kōenji-san?"
'Of course I do. I never planned to say anything that obvious about you. The real question is whether you're ready, Horikita.'
"As long as I have your permission, Horikita-san."
I answered without hesitation.
I had no worries because I wasn't lying in the first place.
This body can read anyone with a glance. It's not a gift or magic, though. The truth is, this body can pick up the tiniest micro-expressions on people's faces, and like telltale signs, those reveal their emotions and, by extension, their personality. Unless you can control every muscle in your body, you're an open book to this body. Even the main character couldn't escape this scanner. Add to that my knowledge as a reader, and Horikita, a major novel character, has no secrets I don't already know.
"Well, go ahead."
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