"Wow, it's really big," Kaneda said, his voice filled with genuine awe as we entered Gymnasium.

I took in the sight of the gymnasium, the buzz of excited students filling the air as they gathered around various club booths. The place felt alive, buzzing with energy. 

Kaneda seemed eager to dive into the chaos, but I remained still for a moment, my gaze drifting over the rows of posters and sign-up sheets.

I wasn't sure what I was looking for here. I wasn't particularly interested in joining a club, but I figured it might be a good way to blend in for once, to not stand out too much. 

Kaneda seemed excited, glancing at me with a smile. "So, where should we start?"

I shrugged, indifferent. "Let's just walk around and see what catches our eye."

As we walked through the gymnasium, I glanced at the various club booths, each one filled with students trying to recruit new members. It felt like a chaotic sea of activity, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I needed to know more about this place, about what made it stand out.

"Hey, Kaneda," I said, breaking the silence between us. "Are there any clubs here that are particularly famous or well-known? The ones that stand out, I mean."

Kaneda didn't hesitate. "Oh, for sure. The sports clubs definitely get the most attention. The soccer and baseball teams, especially—they've been dominating the competitions for years. Then there's the drama club, which has a pretty strong reputation for putting on amazing performances."

"Wow, sounds impressive," I said, nodding. "But what about the equipment? I mean, do any of these clubs have really top-notch gear?"

Kaneda's eyes lit up at the question, clearly excited to talk about this. "Oh, absolutely! The equipment here is something else. The soccer and baseball teams have some of the best gear I've ever seen. Top-tier shoes, jerseys, training equipment—it's all professional-grade stuff. You could practically feel the quality just by looking at it."

I raised an eyebrow, impressed. "That good, huh? What about the other clubs? Do they have anything like that?"

Kaneda grinned. "You bet. The robotics club has some insane tech—cutting-edge equipment, the kind you'd see in professional labs. They've got 3D printers, advanced robotics kits, and even their own computer systems for programming. And photography, they've got cameras that cost more than my whole setup at home, plus editing software that's just as high-end."

I couldn't help but smirk, impressed by the range of opportunities here. "Sounds like they spare no expense. This place is definitely on another level."

Kaneda nodded eagerly. "Yeah, it's all about giving you the tools to succeed. Whatever club you're into, they've got the gear to back it up."

"Thank you for waiting, first-year students. Representatives from each club will explain their activities and how to join. I am Tachibana, the secretary of the student council, and I am the host of this club fair. It's a pleasure to meet you all."

After Tachibana's greeting, the club representatives lined up on the stage in the gymnasium. As the representatives continued to introduce their clubs, I couldn't help but feel a mix of curiosity and indifference. 

The Judo club, with its disciplined atmosphere, caught my attention for a moment. Martial arts, discipline, and competition—those were concepts I understood. 

Then came the Japanese Culture club, which seemed a bit more delicate, focusing on traditions I had no real interest in. But the music club? That piqued my interest. Performances, music, creativity—it was all a bit too lively for my taste, but it had a certain appeal.

I glanced over at Kaneda, who seemed lost in thought as he listened to the introductions. I decided to break the silence. "So, these clubs seem pretty interesting," I said, trying to gauge his reaction. "But do you have any intention of joining one?"

Kaneda seemed unsure. "Maybe the Robotics club," he said, after a pause. "I heard they have a lot of advanced tech equipment. What about you?"

I thought for a second, then shrugged. "I probably won't join. But seeing them introduce their clubs like this, it's kind of intriguing." I couldn't deny it—there was something fascinating about the way each club tried to sell itself, trying to stand out, to make you want to join. But I wasn't sure if I was ready to be part of any of it.

Kaneda nodded, a faint smile forming on his face. "Yeah, I might give it a try if I have time. But for now, I guess I'll just watch."

After all the club representatives had taken the stage and introduced their club activities, the atmosphere in the gymnasium became more lively than ever. Each club made an impression with exciting activities and opportunities they offered to the students. 

The students around the room were chattering enthusiastically, exchanging information, looking at the sign-up sheets, and preparing to join the clubs they felt most interested in.

Only one representative remained on the stage. All eyes were now focused on that person.

The person was about 1.7 meters tall, not particularly tall. He had a slender build, smooth black hair, and sharp glasses that gave off an air of calculation.

Standing at the microphone, he gazed calmly at the first-year students. 

What club was he from? What was he going to present? My curiosity piqued. However, that curiosity vanished in the next moment. He remained completely silent. Perhaps he had forgotten what he was supposed to say. Maybe he was nervous and couldn't find the words.

"Come on, you can do it!"

"Did you forget your notes?"

"Ahaha!"

The first-year students threw these words at him. Despite the teasing, the senior standing on stage remained unmoved. Even as the laughter and teasing started to die down, his emotionless expression didn't change. 

The students began to wonder, "What is Senpai doing?" and the gymnasium started to buzz with chatter. Still, he didn't move. He just stood there, silently, staring at the first-year students.

The atmosphere, which had been relaxed, suddenly took an unexpected turn. It was a sharp shift in mood. Soon, the entire gymnasium was enveloped in a tense and eerie silence. No introduction came, and no one dared to speak—a frightening stillness. No one uttered a word. The silence stretched on for thirty seconds...

Then, the student on the stage spoke up. "My name is Horikita Manabu, and I am the president of the student council."

"The student council is also looking for first-year students to replace those third-years who will be graduating. There are no strict requirements to apply for this position, but those who are interested should not join any clubs. In short, we do not accept applicants who are involved with other clubs." His tone was calm, but the tension in the air remained palpable. He had silenced the entire room on his own.

"At the same time, the student council does not want those with naïve thoughts. Not only will such individuals be eliminated from the selection, but they will certainly become a stain on this school. The student council is responsible for reforming students, and the school expects more from them. Those who understand this can become potential candidates."

After his unwavering speech, he left the stage and exited the gymnasium. No one dared speak as he left the room. Everyone was too uncertain about what would happen if they tried to speak up. It was a feeling shared by all.

"Everyone, thank you for coming. Also, the club fair has now come to an end. The registration area will only be open until the end of April, so those who want to join later can bring their application directly to the club."

With the help of the host, the tense atmosphere gradually dissipated. After that, the club representatives opened the registration area.

I turned to my right and saw two familiar faces, a guy with brown hair and a girl with straight black hair.

"Oh, Ayanokouji-kun. You came too?" A gentle voice called out. I turned to see a tall student with short, spiky red hair.

So the guy with brown hair is Ayanokouji.

I glanced at the two guys behind the red-haired one. One had brown hair and seemed eager, while the other was taller, and looked a bit clueless.

"What's going on? Three of you? Looks like you've already made some friends" Ayanokouji said.

 "Are you planning to join a club too?" The red-haired one said.

"No, I'm just looking around," he said, then asked, "So, are you planning to join a club?"

"Yeah, I used to play basketball in middle school. I think I'll continue here," the red-haired one replied

"What about the other two?"

"We're here because it seems fun and interesting. I'm also hoping for a fateful encounter," the guy with brown hair said with an air of excitement.

"What do you mean by a 'fateful encounter'?" 

"My first goal is to find a girlfriend. So, I hope a fateful encounter will happen here."

"And the student council president has quite the strong aura. It's like he could dominate this place."

"Right? He can make everyone shut up."

"Uh, uh. I also had a group chat with the boys yesterday."

The guy with brown hair took out his phone. "Do you want to join? It's pretty fun."

"Eh, is that okay?"

"Of course. We're all part of Class D, after all."

Kaneda turned to me and said."So the guy with brown hair wants a girlfriend, and the guy with red hair will join the basketball club, and everyone there is in Class D."

"That's useful information. Knowing their intentions might come in handy later."