Practical Classroom: Kaoru Hanayama's Classroom of Merit

The next morning, the air in Class 1D was decisively different from the previous three days.

The information that Huashan brought yesterday spread rapidly not only among those who paid, but also among the other half of the students who did not pay, through word of mouth.

Attitude towards the class will be directly linked to the student's living expenses for the following month.

Faced with this fact, even the most unserious students have no choice but to correct their attitude.

Even Haruki Yamauchi and Kanji Ike, who usually play on their smartphones during class, straightened their backs. Regardless of whether they understood the content, they were at least facing the blackboard and pretending to take notes.

Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, too, quietly gazed ahead, absorbed in the lesson.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the third period in the morning and the start of the break.

"Ugh—, damn it! This is suffocating!!"

As if a taut string had snapped, Takeru Sudo violently kicked the chair away and stood up.

He couldn't hide his anxiety and spoke to Ayanokouji, who was sitting in front of him, with a hint of displeasure.

"Hey Ayanokouji! Why are you all suddenly acting like model students? This class is already incredibly boring, and everyone's silent, which just makes it more annoying!"

Ayanokouji didn't change his expression much, and simply replied calmly.

"...I can't help it if you put it that way. If it's a rule, there's no other way but to follow it."

Just as Sudo frowned further at those words, Hirata Yosuke intervened with a gentle smile between the two.

"Sudo-kun, could you please be a little more patient? This is related to the class's points next month. Everyone wants to leave as many points as possible."

Hirata's words contained a unique, unforced protectiveness.

Faced with the shield of the shared will of his classmates, Sudo could no longer find a reason to continue his outburst.

"...Tsk. I know. I don't want my points to drop to zero either. It's just that there's suddenly too much air, which makes me feel nauseous."

As Sudo said this, he walked down the steps, preparing to lower his raised fist.

However, one man deliberately disrupted this barely maintained stability by using cold water.

"—Ha. That's what makes ill-mannered boys so troublesome."

Sitting by the window, Rokusuke Koenji combed his blond hair while staring at a hand mirror, and cast a mocking glance at Sudo.

"This level of low-level course is utterly boring to me. Even so, I wouldn't snore like you, making such an embarrassing spectacle of myself. Is your brain made of muscles?"

The moment those words were spoken, thick veins bulged on Sudo's forehead.

"You bastard...! Say that again if you dare, you narcissistic bastard!"

Sudo's body sprang up like a spring, attempting to lunge towards Koenji's seat.

Hirata hurriedly tried to step forward to stop him, but the burly Sudo was not so easy to stop.

Just then.

A dull thud, like the dragging of heavy machinery, echoed from the back of the classroom.

That was the sound of Huashan standing up from his chair.

The moment he stood up, some of the light streaming in from the window was blocked, casting a huge shadow in the classroom.

"...Let's stop here."

The deep, calm voice resonated throughout the classroom.

Koenji snapped the hand mirror shut, revealing a confident smile.

"Oh. Since this extraordinary Big Man has said so, I'm not interested in unpleasant arguments."

With that, Koenji completely ignored Sudo and turned his gaze to the window.

Sudo, who was left behind, lost his raised fist.

Since the opponent has no will to fight, if I were to fight my way through from here, I would truly become the sinner who squanders next month's points.

However, the anger that could not be quelled and the shame of being ignored by others.

That entanglement led Sudo to direct his anger at the man he least wanted to provoke.

"You...! With looks like that, what are you pretending to be, a model student?!"

Sudo glared fiercely at Hanayama.

"Other guys might be intimidated by your size, but I'm not afraid of you at all!"

The moment he uttered those words, cold sweat poured down Sudo's back.

(...Oh no. I went too far.)

However, if one backs down here, one's self-esteem as a man will be completely shattered.

Even when provoked, Huashan's expression didn't change at all.

"...Pay attention in class."

That's all I said.

Seeing that Hanayama made no move, Sudo's bluff instantly regained its strength.

"...What a joke! Why should I be bossed around by someone like you!"

Just as Sudo took a step forward to further entangle them, the next instant...

Gudong.

Hanayama's enormous right hand rested casually on Sudo's shoulder.

"Why?"

A foolish sound escaped from Sudo's mouth.

It wasn't a strike, nor was any force applied intentionally.

It's just that an overwhelming mass has been placed on their shoulders.

Sudo's body was experiencing a downward force so strong it felt like his knees were about to shatter.

(What's with this weight...!)

Sudo, who had honed his skills through basketball, used all his muscle strength to try to push Hanayama's arm back from below with both hands.

The soles of the sneakers rubbed against the floor, making a squeaking sound in the classroom.

Thick veins bulged on Sudo's arms, and his face turned bright red.

but.

Huashan's right arm was like a steel skeleton driven into concrete, not moving even a millimeter upwards.

"Woo, ooh ooh ooh ooh!"

No matter how much Sudo increased his power, all that was transmitted was a despairing gap.

It wasn't a fight between humans at all; it was more like humans trying to push heavy machinery back with their bare hands.

Hanayama didn't even change his expression. He just pressed down on Sudo's shoulder and forced him to sit back in his original chair.

Hanayama slowly brought his face closer to Sudo's face, who couldn't move an inch.

"Pay attention in class."

That statement contained neither anger nor threat.

It's just a repetition of the facts.

Sudo's strength was completely drained.

After Hanayama's hand left his shoulder, Sudo couldn't utter a single word.

He was filled with regret and a sense of helpless powerlessness, and he weakly slammed his hand on the table.

Lunch break.

Freed from the tension of the morning, many students headed to the cafeteria or convenience store.

Horikita Suzune was eating her lunch quietly at her seat, all by herself.

A tuna sandwich she bought from the convenience store was spread out on the table. She took a small bite and chewed it elegantly.

Just then, a huge shadow fell.

Turning around, I saw Huashan standing there, holding a thick notebook in one hand.

"Sorry to bother you."

"...Cough, cough cough...!"

As the terrifying face suddenly approached, Horikita choked on her sandwich and coughed violently.

Contrary to her usual indifferent demeanor, she patted her chest with an unguarded air and hurriedly inserted the straw into the tea box to sip.

"Ugh... Hey, can you please not stand behind someone who's eating without making a sound? Do you want to be an assassin?"

Horikita gently wiped her slightly reddened eyes and cast a cold gaze at Hanayama.

"I'm sorry... there's a part I'd like you to teach me."

Horikita glanced at the notebook and sighed softly.

"...You really are completely lacking in the basics. Well, I did promise to teach you."

What followed was a strange scene.

The girl, exuding a cold and unapproachable aura, explained mathematical formulas bit by bit to the giant man standing next to the table, who looked like he had stepped out of a yakuza movie.

Huashan didn't interrupt, listening intently as if he were savoring her words, nodding deeply from time to time.

About ten minutes later, all of Huashan's questions were answered.

"...That concludes the explanation. Hopefully, you understand now?"

"You've been a huge help."

Just as Hanayama was putting away his notebook and preparing to leave, Horikita couldn't suppress his question any longer and blurted it out.

"...Wait. There's something I want you to tell me."

Huashan stopped and lowered his gaze.

"You acquired a large number of personal points yesterday through information trading. Even if the monthly remittances become zero starting next month, you should be able to live comfortably until graduation."

Horikita's eyes keenly probed Hanayama's heart.

"There's absolutely no need to listen to the lectures so diligently. Why do you have to work so hard?"

For Horikita, who values ​​reasonable judgment, that was a pure question.

"I'm sitting in this classroom right now, and if I fail, their points will decrease."

Huashan's voice was filled with unwavering conviction.

"It would be despicable to shirk one's responsibilities just because one doesn't have to worry about anything. That's not something I should do."

This was not forced upon us by anyone.

But given the circumstances, he absolutely could not allow himself to abandon the responsibilities he should bear.

Horikita Suzune's eyes widened slightly after hearing those words.

"You have the appearance of a delinquent, but you have a more upright moral compass than anyone else."

"Men have bottom lines they must uphold."

After giving a brief answer, Huashan returned to his seat.