Volume 1 - Chapter 1: Admission to Kurohana Academy

"Sayuri, are you awake?"

The voice of her classmate and best friend echoed softly.

"If you don't wake up, we won't make it to the graduation ceremony."

Sayuri opened her eyes. In front of her was Kaori Hasegawa: black hair, impeccable posture. Her great companion, the person who had changed her world. When her calculations said no factor could alter its possible outcomes, Kaori, in one way or another, completely transformed the events.

"Kaori... is today the day of the ceremony?"

"Of course it is! What happened to you? You fell asleep."

"I remembered my beginnings. It was totally different... thanks to you, I was able to see the world differently."

"Um, yes, but thank me after we get out of here."

As Kaori left Sayuri's room to change, Sayuri's mind traveled back to the first day she entered the academy. A reminder that effort could change even a person like her.

And so her first day began.

The day of the entrance ceremony

The train was packed. The cold air that seeped through the cracks made each breath seem like an inaccurate calculation.

Around her, young people wearing the same academy uniform chatted, laughed, and shared expectations for the future. Sayuri watched.

An elderly woman who had just boarded stumbled in front of her. She could help her, of course... but it wasn't necessary. Her interest wasn't in the action, but in the observation. She wanted to see who, among so many applicants, was capable of acting out of conviction rather than instinct.

No one did.

A few steps away, a blond-haired student—who looked like an athlete—was arguing with a man who looked like a doctor. Everything seemed to revolve around getting priority seating for the elderly woman, who could barely stand.

"Hey, could you do me a favor and give up your seat for the lady?" the man asked.

"And why would I have to? I don't have any obligation... or do I?"

"Because that's what society dictates. She's your superior, and you should give in to your elders. It's something basic you should know."

The boy smiled ironically.

"Let's see, tell me something. First: there's no rule that forces me to do it. But there is that hierarchy in the world. Even if we say we're all equal—men, women, young or old—there will always be a hidden layer that determines who gets more benefits. That's the true order, don't you think, sir?"

"Even if it were, don't you think it's a little inhumane? A lack of morality?"

The tension was palpable. The old woman didn't want to be the center of attention and decided not to intervene.

Ego, morality, and logic in conflict, all condensed into a minimal dispute, revealing more than any psychological exam.

Sayuri simply crossed her arms and waited. It confirmed her hypothesis: under low pressure, most people prefer to feign indifference rather than expose themselves to social judgment.

The blond boy sighed, relaxed, with an expression of utter disinterest.

"I don't care," he said. "You can keep talking while listening to music."

He turned the volume up to maximum. The man frowned.

"Excuse me, ma'am, I couldn't get through to him. He seems a bit inexperienced... although with that kind of ego, he won't get far."

The old woman just nodded.

Just when it seemed the situation was over, an attractive, somewhat shy young man wearing the same uniform as Sayuri appeared. His voice was calm but firm.

"Could you give up your seat to the lady? That way you'd contribute a little to society."

The blond man looked at him without interest.

"Are you really saying that? I don't care in the least about 'contributing' to this society. I only think about myself. I don't care about anything else."

The boy didn't give up.

"Please, could someone give up their seat for the lady?"

The car fell into an awkward silence. Sayuri wasn't going to move either. Although she was in a priority seat, she remained seated perfectly, without disturbing any of the order of the system.

Then she heard Kaori's firm voice for the first time:

"I think we should all listen a little."

She turned her face slightly. Kaori was there, with a neutral tone and an imperturbable gaze. She wasn't seeking attention, just poise. That was interesting to Sayuri.

She felt that Kaori, from that moment on, would be very useful.

Then a young woman stood up, perhaps moved by guilt.

"Here you are, ma'am. I'll give you my seat."

"Thank you very much, miss."

"You're welcome, I'll walk you."

The atmosphere calmed. The train moved to the terminal station, and the crowd disembarked with murmurs.

The bright sign read: "Kurohana Academy." The academy operated like a city of its own, with its own currency. Chaos seemed inevitable; the students could hardly maintain rational sustainability.

At the entrance, another sign declared: "We mold those who will build tomorrow." It wasn't a threat. It was a promise.

As they walked along the platform, Kaori stopped Sayuri with a precise gesture.

"You looked at me a moment ago. Why?"

"Just curious," Sayuri replied. "I noticed that you didn't help the old woman either."

"Exactly. I saw no point in doing so. I act according to my own rules, not out of habit or social pressure."

His answer was so logical that Sayuri almost smiled. For the first time, someone spoke her language.

That day, she realized that Kaori wasn't an obstacle, but a controlled variable. A potential ally. For now.

They walked to school, side by side, without speaking, with an almost uneasy synchronicity. Between the footsteps and the murmurs of others, Sayuri had one clear certainty: in Kurohana, no one would play fair.

And to survive there, it wasn't enough to think. Every relationship had to be calculated... like a human equation.

Because that was what her father gave her: a brilliant mind, without allowing feelings to interfere with her future goal.

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