Zeal

Unifying someone or something is difficult, but it doesn’t mean it can’t be done. I looked toward Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He was of lowly and unknown origins, but after commanding armies and winning battles after battles, he built himself a reputation as a dependable leader.

If a humble sandal-bearer could achieve near-unity of an entire nation, then a shoe-cleaner also could unify a school.

But, I was not a shoe cleaner.

Since it was difficult to unify the different parts of the class altogether, I arranged occasions to have one group bond with the other, but I haven’t started those plans, because there was one huge event.

This event concerned the whole academy——it concerned the academy’s long-running tradition.

Every year, after the first quarter exams, a ball would be engaged. During the ball, there would be an inter-class competition: the class with the best dance performance would win.

It sounded simple as it was if it wasn’t sprinkled with other underlying factors.

The judges would be the school’s board, who were some of the richest aristocrats in the country, but that was not to go as saying they were the richest. So, even the wealthier parents might influence their decisions.

Not only that, but Class Gold has never won the competition before, so giving a chance to Class Gold would be out of the question.

I found it foolish. The competition affected nothing in any aspect. It was supposed to be a friendly gathering, and yet such history corrupted it.

It would be better if the tradition would be abolished if it caused harm more than great. It was even worse than the tradition was meant to ‘harmonize’ the classes with each other. But all it did was to set one at the depths.

The announcement of the event grieved the class, except the always-aloof, unconcerned student. The voices of complaints filled the room. The declarations of defeat disheartened the class. Everyone has given up——anyone could tell from their faces.

It was clear they hoped for no change and accepted their fate, but I wasn’t a familiar student like them. And this event was a great chance for a change.

This event could change how the class acted with each other. This had the potential to finally unify the class and compete with the higher classes. This will change their conduct.

To the conservative clique, they’d never cheat again. To the rebellious boys, they’d never transgress again. To the fashionable gals, they’d belong to the class again. And classes would go smoothly for the first time. Teacher Jitan would be overjoyed. And I can convince Eriki that I was the opposite of her thoughts——that’s only the first step in befriending the cold Eriki.

After Teacher Jitan announced the ball’s set time and date to class, he assigned us time to discuss and brainstorm about it. But, as expected, no one made the initiative to form a group discussion. Not even a word of the event was uttered from their lips.

As for me, I had an initiative that came with great motives. It was a grand ball after all. The ball was to be held in that expanse Assembly Hall. Though the memories were a blur since the only time I was there was when I was beaten up, I remembered how spacious it was.

The seats and stages were the ones you see in an opera. There were also designated areas for chatting and dining. There was a mezzanine as well.

Because of those wonderful things, my motive was to make the most of it——an objective that aligned with my goals.

I tended to overdo things, but when I didn’t, I made something amazing——near-perfect I would say. And that attitude I shall apply in this ball which my classmates were indifferent to.

It was ideal to speak with one of the girls in the class, but I wasn’t confident enough to do so. Instead, I spoke to Ryuu Morimoto, who had the strongest connections to a certain girl, Ria Morisaki.

She was part of the fashionable gal group. Approaching her was quite intimidating, especially since they glared at me when I advanced.

Soon, they started whispering to one another. They were inspecting me as if I was a zoo animal or spectating a flying plastic bag that has escaped from a trash can. They were both impressed and disgusted.

Directed by the kind Ito Takuya, I stood in front of the supposed Ria Morisaki.

I started to open my mouth, then I realized: How should I speak?

Instantly, I came up with a custom diction.

“Yo, are ya Ria Morisaki, yea?”

I received a confused look from her.

“Well, if ya not—” Maybe it was ‘yer’, not ya… “If yer not Ria—”

“Can you stop? You’re cringy.” Her mouth expelled bullets twice, and they went through my heart.

“Sorry, I’m sorry. I meant to say, ‘Are you Ria Morisaki?’”

“And so what if I am?”

“I have something to discuss.”

“I don’t want to discuss it with you.”

So, she was Ria Morisaki. What a long way to answer.

“But, this concerns school.”

“I don’t care.”

Right, the wrong choice of words. I shouldn’t mention a sliver of school to delinquents.

“I mean, it’s not school. It’s more like me… and you.”

She raised one eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“I mean to say, I have something to tell you at lunch, so if you’d meet me at the rooftop—”

“Why won’t you tell me now?”

I scanned nervously to the surrounding gals who were spectating. They were still muttering things about me, with the same look of disgust.

“I—It’s embarrassing, you know?” I hinted.

“No way!” the gals teased in unison.

“Heh, I’m not coming,” she replied.

“I’ll wait anyway.” Then I left.

After politely declining Ito’s daily lunch service, I went up to the rooftop and waited.

I felt the city breeze blow through my hair and my smart clothes flutter. The sun was high up, and I was starting to sweat, but I wiped myself to look presentable. Even though she said she wouldn’t come, I waited.

After waiting for thirty minutes, I started considering ceding. Then, the elevator doors opened. And the ‘Ria Morisaki’ walked up to me.

The breeze has calmed down for a while. So her loose-fitting, but seductive clothes didn’t flutter. She wore her sunhat matched with the unneeded sunglasses.

She hollered, “What are you do—” But a strong wind blew her large hat away, and she jumped to catch it.

This caused her short skirt to lift and reveal underneath. She looked like a ballet dancer without the essential petticoat. But, she was no ballet dancer. She successfully caught her hat and failed to land. She dropped to the ground.

I came over to her and held out my hand, “Are you alright?”

But she rejected my offer and helped herself. Wiping her skirt from invisible dirt, she looked at me, “Are you crazy? I told you I wasn’t coming up here.”

“Look who’s here.”

“W—well,” she clenched her hat. “I felt like coming here, you know? To take a breather and everything.”

“You seemed relaxed in your company. I didn’t think you needed a breather.”

“What is that to you? It’s none of your business.”

We stared at each other for a moment, and she felt awkward and looked at the cityscape.

“Aren’t you going to tell me something?”

“No, not really.”

“Didn’t you tell me you had something to tell me?”

“But you said you aren’t coming.”

“But I’m here—”

“But you said, you aren’t coming.”

She sighed and walked over to the railings. I followed her. She looked over the cityscape and down below. Her short blonde hair swept with the air. She tucked her hair over her ear, revealing silver earrings. She faced me.

“I guess you have something to ask me.”

“Ask you?”

“Like ‘I didn’t get your name!’ or something like that.” She giggled.

“Ria Morisaki, would you like coffee at the café later?”

The meeting was appointed after school. The class bell rang loudly from the outside. I went immediately headed for the cafeteria.

To my surprise, I saw Ria waiting for me at a table. A waiter stood by receiving her order. The waiter left, and I arrived at the table.

“Greetings,” I said.

“Do you think all rich people are formal?”

“It’s just my manners.” I took my seat in front of her.

“Hey, why did you just sit there?”

“So, you are formal after all.” I stood up and pushed the seat back. “May I take a seat?”

“You just don’t get it,” she sighed. “Just sit anywhere. Even on the floor will do.”

“I humbly take your grace,” I sat again.

She seemed to grumble after I sat. I looked at her, waiting for the waiter to serve me, but I thought I had built my reputation poorly, literally. So, no waiter came.

“Could you stop staring at me?” she scowled.

“I’m sorry. I was just expecting something; that’s all.”

“You know, I’m the one expecting something.”

What? Her expecting something? Oh, did she mean that?

“Right, I was meaning to ask if—”

“If?” She interrupted me.

“If you could do me a favor?”

“Eh? A favor? For you? Why?”

“It won’t be free. I’ll give you something in return. It’s just that it’ll take some time.”

“With payment or not, I’m not going to give you any favors.”

“Oh, is that so.”

The waiter came and placed two latte cups on the table.

“It would be rude but,” I stood up and tapped the waiter’s shoulder. “How much for these?”

“That would be 1,320 yen.”

That price caused me a mini heart attack.

I frantically checked my wallet; I only had enough for two with some coins to spare for candy. Then, I gave the cash to the waiter.

“Thank you very much,” he bowed and left.

“U—um,” Ria pointed, “the coffee?”

“You can have both. Just share the other one. Excuse me.”

As I turned to leave, she stood up and yelled, “Wait! We haven’t finished our discussion.”