Chapter 2 - Hidden Systems

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Kiyotaka POV

Ai and I got off from the bus, arriving at the entrance of the Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School. I couldn't help but note that the school grounds were massive, complete with its own facilities. This level of self-sufficiency was to be expected, school took isolation from the outside world very seriously. It led me to wonder whether ANHS had its own form of  economy, a unique form of currency perhaps. I highly doubted they would allow the use of external cash, given their emphasis on isolation and without a form of currency shops and other facilities would have no purpose.

A noticeable divide among the senior students caught my attention, adding another layer of suspicion to the workings of ANHS. Some seniors confidently openly with the school facilities, conducting transactions. In stark contrast, there was a distinct group whose spending seemed to be more sparse. They were wearing worn and cheap clothing, their eyes betraying a sense of envy as they observed others. This stark contrast in appearances and behaviors further supported my theory that ANHS functioned as a system with varying levels of privilege and resources. However this was just a cursory look at ANHS from its entrance, my observation could indeed be false. Despite that possibilties, given the current information I'm more than certain that everything is not what it seems.

Trust was a luxury I couldn't afford, and I would have to constantly stay vigilant. As I stepped onto the grounds of ANHS, I knew that my I would enjoy my time here, or at the very least find interacting with normal people my age interesting. I thought back to the information that Matsuo had relayed to me before I was enrolled.

The rules of ANHS had been made clear: students were prohibited from having any contact with individuals from the outside world, be it their parents, friends, or anyone else. This was precisely why I had chosen to attend—a safe haven where the White Room would have a significantly harder time tacking me back. However, it would be naive to ignore the possibility of my father sending his agents to locate me and potentially having me expelled from the school.

?????: "Hey you."

Someone was making a commotion behind me, how troublesome. It would be best if I didn't interact with them, I don't want to stand out after a-

?????: "HEY I'M TALKING TO YOU!" Wait are they talking to me?

What would she want with me, I kept my head down and attempted to not draw attention to myself as much as possible. Aside from Ai, I didn't talk to anyone at all. Was talking to Ai perhaps a mistake? Did she know anything about me, is that why she's talking to me? Did I make a mistake and revealed something about myself?

 Was talking to Ai perhaps a mistake? Did she know anything about me, is that why she's talking to me? Did I make a mistake and revealed something about myself?

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Kiyotaka: "Are you by any chance talking to me?" I decided to respond with the hope that she was in fact talking to someone else.

?????: "Of course, who else would I be talking to." Sighing, I turn around to look directly at her, she seemed impassive, almost aggressive towards me. What a strange person, does she perchance have a superiority complex?

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