The True Elites

Chapter 1-1: Introductions

Ayanokōji's POV

Similarly to most of the student body, I disliked the entrance ceremony. There was far too much time spent in lines and far too many words of gratitude exchanged between the prinicpal and the students. But those weren't my only issues. The entrance ceremony represents the start of a new trial for the students. In order for students to enjoy their time at school, they must make friends, and there are only a few key days after the entrance ceremony to do that. Failure to do so signals the beginning of a tragic three years.

As someone who dislikes trouble, I decided I'd like to establish proper relationships. However I was unfamiliar with the notion and consequently I'd spend the day before agonizing over various  scenarios and how I'd make friends.

I pondered this as I walked through a corridor, sometimes glancing into other classrooms full of students. When I reach mine, Class 1-E, should I burst into it and actively start talking to people? Should I secretly pass around a slip of paper with my email address? Someone like me needed to practice beause this environment was so alien compared to everything I'd experienced thus far. I was completely isolated on this battlefield, and it was do or die.

I reached class 1-E and as I entered through the door, I immediately noticed something odd. Compared to all of the other classes, which were lined with multiple rows of desks which spanned the entire room, this classroom had a mere 7 desks positioned in a straight line.

Four of these were occupied already while the other three including mine were vacant. I made my way over to the desk at the far side of the room, the very end desk in the line. I realised that no one had paid any attention to my entrance. Rather, two of the students were having a debate while the other two watched with mild interest.

One of the students in the debate was the boy who gave up his seat to the old woman on the bus - Kururugi Suzaku was his name if I recall correctly. His seat was the third one from the window, which means there is one desk between me and him.

In the desk between us was the boy he was having a debate with. He was raven-haired and his eyes resembled amethysts - they had a brilliant purple colour. He was leaning back in his chair away from his desk, his right leg crossed over his left giving off a confident aura.

"Your outlook is naive. If you spend your time doing everything by the book and trying to help everyone, you'll end up wasting your entire life." he said, looking at Kururugi and ignoring everything else around him.

"Results gained the wrong way are meaningless. When you're done, all you'll be left with is an emptiness as you look back at the path you've taken." Kururugi replied, slightly heated.

"Do you truly believe that, Suzaku?"

"Of course. As long as you make sure to do the right thing, whatever result you come out with is justified." Kururugi said this as if it was an indisputable fact.

"That's wrong. The ends justify the means. There will be times where you cannot afford to fail. What will you do then? You will have no choice but to use other people and discard them once their usefulness expires." the raven-haired boy replied calmly.

I see now. It appears that the 2 boys are having a discussion about their clashing ideologies which was effectively Individualism versus Altruism. If you asked me, I would have to side with the raven-haired boy. I have no interest in helping someone else if it negatively impacts me, and I have no problem using people for my own gains.

"It seems that we'll never see eye to eye when it comes to this. However, I think you'll end up living a life of isolation if you stick with that mindset." Kururugi sighed.

The raven-haired boy didn't respond and directed his attention toward the door. Two students had just entered the room, a boy and a girl who were holding hands.