The third day after the start of the semester, the teachers had met with the students, and it was considered that the learning phase had officially begun.
Japan had a period of happy education in the past, but found that students' abilities declined significantly afterward. The remaining time from the original happy education was replaced with club activities, home economics, handicraft classes, and other daily life experiences, with very little actual learning time.
Because of limited class time, teachers could only teach simple and easy-to-understand knowledge, but the difficulty of Japan's university entrance exams was quite high. This caused students aiming for higher education to have to join cram schools after class to extend their study time.
To learn basic subjects well, one needs to spend a lot of time on them, and attending a cram school is already a relatively good choice.
This distorted educational method made it almost impossible for students from poor families to get into university, and they could only go to more specialized schools to become vocational workers.
This is why Advanced Nurturing High School is popular: graduates can choose any university and company.
One could say that to outsiders, this place is simply a chosen land for leaping over the dragon gate; graduation from here instantly elevates one's social status.
Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a free lunch in the world. Taking shortcuts will ultimately lead to a dead end.
Looking at the math teacher droning on and the blackboard behind him that could be counted on one's fingers, Nohara Hikaru couldn't help but grumble: Quadratic function, wasn't this taught in middle school? Why are we only learning this in high school?
Nohara Hikaru looked at most of the students around him diligently taking notes, and suddenly felt a sense of "everyone's intellect has dropped tenfold, and only my intellect is normal."
Seeing Ichinose Honami, Kanzaki Ryuji, and others, Nohara Hikaru felt somewhat relieved; there were still normal people like him in the class.
Nohara Hikaru then placed his original textbook aside, revealing a Linear Algebra book inside! (Author is studying this this semester lol)
If Ichinose Honami and the others knew what Nohara Hikaru was thinking, they would surely cry out in injustice, feeling they were not worthy of being ranked alongside him as normal people.
Mathematics is something that is difficult for those who don't know it and easy for those who do. If you don't understand the intricacies, you can't solve it.
This life has given Nohara Hikaru a smart brain, allowing him to finally swim in the ocean of mathematics, instead of drowning in a lake like others.
Time spent studying earnestly always passes quickly. In the blink of an eye, it was evening.
Nohara Hikaru planned to go to Class 1-D to ask Horikita Suzune to meet at a pre-arranged location.
Nohara Hikaru arrived at the door of the Class 1-D classroom. Although it was after school, the scene inside made Nohara Hikaru frown.
In Class B, the classmates were all harmonious. While they had a strong sense of collective consciousness, they tried not to disturb others.
In Class D, however, as far as the eye could see, there were small groups of girls discussing where to go shopping after school; some had their feet propped on the desk, trimming their nails; some were playing games in the classroom with the volume turned up to maximum, while another was sleeping next to them. Nohara Hikaru truly admired that he could sleep in such an environment. However, in a way, it was a good habit, as being able to fall asleep in such an environment must mean his sleep quality was absolutely top-notch.
Nohara Hikaru wanted to find Horikita Suzune's location. He remembered that she and Ayanokoji were in the last row by the window.
Kushida Kikyo was discussing after-school plans with her friends. Seeing Nohara Hikaru outside the classroom, she approached him with the intention of being friends with everyone:
"Excuse me, are you looking for someone?" Kushida Kikyo's voice was sunny and lively, sweet with a hint of cheerfulness, which was one of her strategies for befriending everyone.
Nohara Hikaru looked at Kushida Kikyo in front of him. She had brown hair, a delicate oval face, fair and smooth skin, watery big eyes beneath her eyebrows, purplish-red irises like gemstones, a high-bridged nose, and a cherry-like mouth with a slight upward curve, wearing a friendly smile. Even her ordinary school uniform looked exceptionally stylish on her.
'This must be Kushida Kikyo,' Nohara Hikaru thought. Although he knew Kushida Kikyo had another side known as the Black Angel, Nohara Hikaru did not stop Kushida Kikyo from speaking to him: "Yes, I am looking for Horikita Suzune. Could you please tell her that her elder brother is looking for her?"
Nohara Hikaru did not want others to know about the sibling relationship between Horikita Manabu and Horikita Suzune yet, though their relationship seemed quite obvious. If he told Horikita Suzune that her brother was looking for her, she would naturally follow him.
Kushida Kikyo's expression faltered slightly but quickly recovered. She came to this school precisely because she didn't want to see her former middle school classmates. Now, with Horikita Suzune from the same school, and this boy from another class who met Horikita Suzune on the first day, she felt her fate was truly unfortunate!
Nohara Hikaru observed Kushida Kikyo's change in expression. Although it was only a slight shift, to Nohara Hikaru, Kushida Kikyo's acting was not yet up to par.
Despite wanting Horikita Suzune, and even Nohara Hikaru in front of her, to be expelled, she had to maintain her persona as Kushida Kikyo and continue speaking in her sweet voice: "You're looking for Horikita Suzune? She doesn't interact much with others. I'll help call her out for you." After speaking, Kushida Kikyo returned to the classroom and relayed Nohara Hikaru's message to Horikita Suzune.
Horikita Suzune saw Nohara Hikaru outside the window. Without much thought, she, who usually paid little attention to outsiders, immediately got up from her seat upon hearing from Kushida Kikyo that the boy outside knew her brother's whereabouts. She didn't even bother with Kushida Kikyo.
Kushida Kikyo was left looking hurt. The other girls crowded around her, speaking ill of Horikita Suzune: "That Horikita Suzune is so rude. Little Kikyo kindly offered to call her, and she didn't even say thank you."
Kushida Kikyo, while outwardly defending Horikita Suzune, sarcastically said, "Don't say that about Horikita Suzune. Perhaps no one taught her how to interact with people?" In her heart, she was urging them to say more.
"Little Kikyo, you're too kind. You can't let people like that walk all over you." The others chimed in with agreement.
Nohara Hikaru watched Horikita Suzune walk forward and the chaotic scene behind her, sighing inwardly. It was a long and difficult road to help someone like Horikita Suzune communicate normally.
Horikita Suzune walked out of the classroom and stood before Nohara Hikaru. Without regard for his thoughts, she directly asked, "You know something about my brother, Horikita Manabu? Tell me quickly."
"I do, but I don't want to tell you right now. If you want to know, follow me." After saying this, Nohara Hikaru turned and walked towards the Experimental Building.
Horikita Suzune looked at Nohara Hikaru's retreating figure, thinking he was seeking attention. But to learn about her brother, Horikita Manabu, she stomped her foot and followed him nonetheless.