Living in a Class-Based World

For Yuuta the School Day in March marked his first attendance at school ever since the first School Day in the first term of junior high.

In the case of a junior high boy attending school, the female students permitted to attend the boy’s school would be informed about it in advance. That meant all the female students would know where to find Yuuta’s classroom on the appointed day.

Damn, I’m so nervous～

When attending school, boys were expected to wear the school blazer and pants. And although Yuuta had stayed away from school all the time, his closet was always stacked out with a school uniform.

Because the nurses had taken his body measurements during the physical examination, a new uniform had been delivered in time. Imagining how he’d have been forced to wear the super-tight uniform from his first year while attending school caused Yuuta to thank himself for having accepted the physical examination a few weeks back.

Oh, they’re looking at me… They’re not glaring, are they? Hmm…the stares don’t feel stabbing or anything, but anyway, I’ll hurry to my classroom.

Some of the female students had already arrived at school, but they weren’t surprised to see Yuuta. Because Yuuta’s attendance had been announced in advance, they used the opportunity of him attending for the first time in more than two years to take a good look at him. Some of their stares were kind while others were skeptical.

Even so, Yuuta drew more attention among the girls allowed to attend――basically, the high family’s daughters――than he’d expected.

Of course, it was a well-known fact that Yuuta had reached E-Rank. The women would be immediately informed if there were any changes in the male ranking.

The shut-in F-Rank trash Yuuta was attending school after rising to E-Rank; that piece of news caused a flurry of various information to spread among the female students hailing from high families. Some said he had recovered his grounding and was now sincerely facing his Service Activities, some said he bought ratings by doing deals with common women, and some said he was a fool who relied on common women since he couldn’t measure up to them, the daughters of high families.

While a few assessed Yuuta favorably, the majority remained doubtful of him. Even so, the number of female students outright shunning him was low with many girls staying on the fence as they couldn’t quite believe his positive ratings.

If I remember correctly, the female students can’t enter a classroom until the boy has gone in first, right? So, it’s not set that I’ll spend my day here alone, even if the place is deserted right now.

Yuuta encouraged himself after opening the door to a completely empty classroom.

The boy’s seat was a comfy chair situated in the middle of the room. If any student of the Old World were to sit in such a chair, the people around them would immediately ask them who they think they are to act like they owned the place.

It’s not like we’re going to study at school, so I guess it makes sense to not have any blackboards in here either.

Because a boy’s school attendance at junior high wasn’t about studying, the classrooms were set up as a lounge for the boys to interact with the female students.

On a side note: even the school regularly attended by the female students had no blackboards as Yuuta knew from his previous world. It was common for schools in this world to use electronic boards.

As he was reminded about the differences of this world with his old one, the door of his classroom was slowly opened. He immediately turned his eyes in that direction, just to find a female student standing there.

“Excuse my intrusion.”

A dignified voice echoed through the room like the tolling of a bell. Yuuta’s eyes registered how the girl in her neat uniform entered the room with a gentle smile on her lips.

A Yamato Nadeshiko</abbr>  ― those were the words crossing Yuuta’s mind as soon as he saw her. ¹

“Nice to meet you, Yuuta-sama.” ²

“N-Nice to meet you too…”

Adorable.

Yuuta’s face immediately heated up when confronted with the smile of that neat and prim girl. This world was filled with nothing but charming women, but the student in front of him now was in a league of her own among the women Yuuta had met so far.

“It has been a very long time since I had the honor to meet you, so please allow me the liberty to introduce myself once more. My name is Aoi. I am very happy about having been given the opportunity to converse with you on this fine day, Yuuta-sama.”

“Aoi-san… Ah, I’m Yuuta. Please treat me well. I’m extremely happy that you’d come to the classroom of a person like me. Actually, I was quite worried that no one might visit me here today.”

“Hehe, how very humble of you. After looking at your recent, wonderful exploits, everyone is very curious about you. I also…wanted to talk with you by all means. It embarrasses me to admit, but I have been eagerly waiting nearby for you to enter the classroom so that I would be able to visit your classroom as the very first person today.”

“Eh? You waited for me? T-Thank you very much.”

As far as Yuuta could tell, this wasn’t their first meeting. Yuuta-kun had apparently exchanged greetings with her when he attended junior high for the first and last time as first-year. However, apparently Yuuta-kun didn’t remember that meeting, and therefore Yuuta couldn’t recall anything even when he tried to think back on the first meeting with Aoi.

“Yuuta-sama, your Game Stream was wonderful.”

“Oh, so you watched it?”

“Yes. You…seemed to enjoy yourself so much while playing the game.”

“Y-You’re right. I like games quite a bit.”

“I also tried God of War after watching your stream. But, I couldn’t defeat that cow.”

Realizing that Aoi was talking with him on a positive note, Yuuta also cheered up and started to chat about games. After all, being able to talk about stuff you like was great fun for anyone.

Originally, Aoi wasn’t that much of a gamer, but she recounted how hard she had tried to defeat that cow, just like Yuuta had done. Hearing her proactively talk about a game, Yuuta became even happier and ended up giving her serious advice on gaming. He informed her of several games besides God of War, which he believed Aoi would be able to enjoy as well, and got all excited talking about those recommended games.

But, despite having a friendly attitude towards each other, both were somewhat nervous. That nervousness of both groping for the right distance between each other continued to diminish and before long, their voices, as they chatted while cheerfully laughing, could be heard even outside the classroom.

══•°• ⚠ •°•══

Manami listened to their voices with a smile on her lips, but then she noticed that Moe was fidgeting nervously next to her.

“Sorry, Moe-san. It’s because Aoi-sama has been talking with him so cheerfully.”

“N-No, don’t worry about it. I don’t mind it at all. Umm…is that really Aoi-sama?”

“Hehehe, I’m sure you’d think that her telling you how much she fears talking to boys during our recent cafe visit must have been a blatant lie, if you hear her now talking so happily with a boy, right?”

“I wouldn’t go so far to call it a lie…”

“As a matter of fact, I’m a bit surprised as well. Aoi-sama seems to have perceived Yuuta-sama to be different from other boys after watching his Game Stream Service. I also watched the stream, and certainly, he’s different from other men…how to describe it best…? Oh, right. It was very pleasant to watch him enjoy the game so innocently.”

“Y-Yes. I watched the stream as well. Umm…actually, my mother and grandmother watched it as well.”

“Oh my, is that so? In that case, I’m sure your Grandmother would be cheered up if Yuuta-sama were to visit her.”

“I believe so as well. My mother and grandmother were both extremely delighted when Yuuta-sama read their names after they posted a comment.”

“Oh, I see, so they were even fortunate enough to have had him read their names.”

“Did you and Aoi-sama comment as well?”

“I didn’t do it. As for Aoi-sama, she said that she had stared at the screen aaaaall the time and completely forgotten to post a comment. And when she finally came back to her senses, the comment function had been disabled, causing her to get quite depressed over it.”

“T-That’s…very unfortunate.”

The laughter, which could have been heard from inside the classroom, died down and the voices of its two occupants switched to a quiet talk.

“We should enter soon. That Aoi-sama…she must have forgotten about us because she’s enjoying herself so much.”

“O-Okay!”

Manami exchanged an eye signal with the female students blocking the ways leading to Yuuta’s classroom and then made a move.

══•°• ⚠ •°•══

————– End of Part 1 ————–

The door to Yuuta’s classroom opened, and two female students entered. The instant Aoi saw those two, she yelped, “Ah!”

Hmm? Are they acquaintances?

“Manami-san, Moe-san, forgive me. How silly of me.”

“Hihi, it’s alright. It sounded like you had lots of fun and that’s all that counts.”

“I enjoyed my conversation with Yuuta-sama so much…really, I’m so silly.”

“H-Hearing you say that makes it already worthwhile for me to have attended school today. I had fun too,” Yuuta replied to Aoi’s indirect praise while looking embarrassed.

“Yuuta-sama, please allow me to introduce you. This is Manami-san. She is my best friend who has been spending a lot of time with me ever since our childhood.”

“Long time no see, Yuuta-sama. Having said that, we only met once during the first School Day of junior high and since I have merely been accompanying Aoi-sama on that occasion, I believe that you will not remember my presence.”

“S-Sorry. That’s…I don’t remember.”

“The number of female students greeting you on that went beyond a hundred, so please do not worry about it since it is only natural for you to not recall me.”

“Thank you. I’ll be happy if I get the chance to get to know you better from now on, Manami-san.”

“Yes. I feel it would be an honor to have the chance to socialize with you alongside Aoi-sama, Yuuta-sama.”

She resembles Aoi-san somewhat and she has that same dignified aura which reminds you of a Yamato Nadeshiko</abbr>, but Manami-san seems to be more like a reliable big sister and feels more energetic than Aoi-san. Seeing how she’s adding a -sama to Aoi-san’s name, there must exist something akin to a pecking order among the school girls here. It kinda feels like Manami-san is Aoi-san’s adjutant.

“I would be very delighted if you would be so kind as to become friends with Manami-san as well, Yuuta-sama. And the other girl is called Moe-san.”

“I-I’m Moe!”

“I don’t remember you either, but please let’s get along.”

“U-Umm…it is our first meeting, so…actually I do not hail from a high family, but common descent.”

“Oh, okay. I understand.”

“Moe-san is a classmate at the school we’re usually attending. She attended this school for the first time together with us during the last School Day. This makes it her second attendance.”

“I see.”

A common female student who’s started to attend only recently, huh? Hmm, if I remember correctly, almost no common students attend this school. Right?

“Moe-san.”

“Y-Yes!”

“Hmm?”

Once Aoi gently urged her on, Moe resolved herself and addressed Yuuta once more, “Y-Yuuta-sama! U-Umm…I know that it is terribly rude for me to ask this of you, but I asked Aoi-sama and Manami-san for the huge favor of bringing me along to School Day because I have a request!”

“Oh, okay. A request? To me?”

“Yes! As a matter of fact…my grandmother has been hospitalized because she’s sick.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

At this point, Yuuta could already somewhat guess where this was going. But he waited for Moe to continue.

“She was operated on once, but…didn’t manage to recover completely. Now my grandmother is refusing to get a second operation, saying that she doesn’t want to feel any more pain.”

“What is going to happen to your Grandmother if she doesn’t receive the operation?”

“We have been told that it’s unclear whether she would live for another year at this rate. The symptoms of her illness aren’t terminal yet, so she will definitely recover if she gets another operation, the doctor has told us.”

“Okay, so you have come here to make a request while wanting your Grandmother to undergo the operation, correct? But, what is it that I could do in regards to that?”

Before Moe could say anything, Yuuta asked about the details of her request from his side. Aoi and Manami smiled all over their faces out of delight and admiration due to his words, but Yuuta was too focused on Moe to see any of that.

“Eh? Umm…would you be willing to do a sick visit for my grandmother as a Service? I-I will definitely give you an A-Rating!”

“Huh? I don’t really need an A-Rating.”

“Eh?”

“If your Grandmother gets encouraged by my visiting her, I won’t particularly care about the rating. A D-Rating will do for all I care. Though I’d be slightly sad if you gave me an F-Rating.”

“N-No way! A D-Rating for this sort of request is out of the question!”

“I don’t mind.”

Manami interrupted their debate.

“Yuuta-sama, do you have a moment?”

“Oh, sure. What is it, Manami-san?”

“Thank you kindly for willingly accepting Moe-san’s request. But, I believe it would lead to rather bad circumstances if someone learned that you told Moe-san to give you a D-Rating instead of an A-Rating after accepting her request.”

“If someone learned of it?”

“It goes without saying, but neither Moe-san, nor Aoi-sama, nor I would mention a word about it. I doubt Moe-san’s family would disclose it either.”

“Of course not!”

“Yes, I would never talk about your matters to anyone else, Yuuta-sama.”

“In that case…”

“However, we do not know who might listen in or watch us. Maybe someone is eavesdropping on this classroom right now, too.”

“Oh.”

In reality, the female students stationed by Manami were preventing anyone from approaching this classroom, so no one was listening to their conversation.

“Besides, it will definitely become a hot topic if you, Yuuta-sama, got to visit Moe-san’s Grandmother as a Service in a hospital located outside the Exclusive Male Zone. Unlike other facilities, hospitals cannot clear out all people when a man visits for a Service because of their patients.”

“That makes sense.”

“If rumors spread…that you have accepted a Service plea in exchange for a D-Rating, it will have a bad impact, I believe. Especially seeing how you are going to create your own class after being enrolled at high school, it is quite possible that many students with appeals similar to Moe-san’s might appear. Naturally, it likely won’t become a huge problem if you deal with them by properly choosing which you will do in person, but it is my humble opinion that it is preferable to keep matters capable of worrying you as low in number as possible, Yuuta-sama.”

Hmmmmm.

Yuuta considered Manami’s view to be legit. It made a lot of sense. It was a way of thinking stemming from a value system far too commonplace in this world.  As such, it’d be correct for a man, who lived in this world, to go along with Manami’s opinion.

However, Yuuta wondered whether following his own heart――while considering his current livelihood, environment, and circumstances――as a man possessing the value system of the Old World would become a felony that forced the unreasonable. He wondered whether his own heart would be able to come to terms with the words of the girl in front of his eyes, stating that she’d fork over a ten million Yen for him to visit her sick grandmother.

“Your view was a very valuable input, Manami-san. Thank you.”

“I will be happy as long as I can be of help to you, Yuuta-sama.”

“But, I still believe that a D-Rating will do for this time’s sick visit of Moe-san’s Grandmother.”

Aoi couldn’t help but feel overjoyed by Yuuta’s words. Manami was the same. Because she was facing him as they were talking, Manami had to exert herself to not show it on her face. Only Moe looked all shaken up, obviously being unable to settle down.

“Why is that so?”

“It is always important to keep the future in mind, but I wish to cherish the things currently existing in front of me. And I want to value my own heart. I don’t want to burden Moe-san with an A-Rating for visiting her sick Grandmother. Besides, I don’t want to burden my own heart with the idea that I had performed a sick visit for the sake of obtaining an A-Rating. Even if things might become disadvantageous to me now or in the future, that will be my very own responsibility.”

“…Thank you kindly for explaining your line of thinking to me, Yuuta-sama. Moe-san.”

“Y-Yes!”

“Yuuta-sama has said all that, but what is your take on it?”

“Eh? Umm, t-that’s…are you truly fine with accepting my Visit Service request for a D-Rating?”

“Yes,” answered Yuuta right away.

“T-Thank you very much. Thank you sooo much!”

“Hehehe, isn’t that great news, Moe-san? Even we were deeply touched to witness Yuuta-sama’s wonderful kindness.”

“Y-You’re going too far.” Finally noticing Aoi’s broad smile, that smile caused Yuuta to become all bashful again. “Umm, should I accept it here and now?”

“Oh my! What a marvelous idea.”

“That’s fine with you!?”

“Yes. Will it be enough for me to look up your name, Moe-san?”

“Ah, my mother has put forth the request. Her name is Sumire.”

“Sumire-san? Okay, I’ll look her up.”

Once he used his tablet to search for Sumire’s Service request, he immediately found a Service request by a Sumire-san asking for a sick visit for her mother.

“Oh, there it is. Let me see. Your Grandmother’s name is Fumika-san, correct?”

“Yes! That’s the one!”

“Umm, I’m free at any time, but what time would fit you?”

“Eh? That’s…we will accommodate you, Yuuta-sama.”

“How about tomorrow then, for example?”

“T-Tomorrow!? You can visit so quickly!?”

“Sure, I don’t mind.”

“Yuuta-sama, please wait a moment.”

Once again Manami interrupted their conversation.

“Other hospitalized patients will be present as well. So, when it comes to a man’s sick visit, the hospital’s administration has a considerable amount of preparations to do. I think the earliest for them to be ready would be the day after tomorrow.”

“Oh, that makes sense. Okay, would you be okay with the day after tomorrow then, Moe-san?”

“Yes! Gladly!”

Yuuta accepted Sumire’s Service request on the spot, scheduling it to take place in two days.

“I have accepted it, so I will visit your Grandmother the day after tomorrow.”

“Thank you! Thank you so much!” Moe couldn’t do much more than repeatedly thanking Yuuta as she was crying out of joy.

Aoi had been watching Yuuta with a smile, but now she clasped her hands in front of her and started to fidget a bit. Because that whole behavior was so adorable, Yuuta almost felt like fainting.

“U-Umm, Yuuta-sama.”

“Y-Yes?”

“It will be a sick visit for Moe-san’s Grandmother, but…I-I will come with you as well.”

“Aoi-sama!” Manami instinctively stopped Aoi because she had concluded this to be a bad idea.

Even if it was Aoi, this wouldn’t be permissible as it went too far. Aoi clearly knew that it meant for a woman to accompany a man to his Service Activity. Being a woman herself, Manami could understand how her friend felt about this, but that action would be extremely rash for the next family head of the Eternal Yoshiwara.

“Ah…”

Aoi came to her senses due to Manami’s outcry and stopped speaking any further.

But.

“Will you come with me?” Yuuta offered to Aoi as if it was a trivial matter altogether.

Thanks to this, Aoi’s face bloomed into a smile as bright as a flower while she cheerfully and loudly answered, “Yes!”

...

1. Yamato Nadeshiko</abbr> is a term describing the ideal of a traditional Japanese woman. It doesn’t have any equivalents in English and thus has been adopted as loanword. You can google it if you wish to know more about its origin etc.
2. The classical “Gokigenyou” you’d expect of noble/high-class female students. It’s a polite, semi-formal greeting among girls of higher standing.