School

A Japanese high school might look like this:

A three-story building made of light concrete and glass, with a neat courtyard in the middle. At the entrance, there are shoe lockers (getabako) where students change into their change slippers. The hallways are clean, with schedules, club announcements, and photos from past school festivals hanging on the walls.

The classrooms are spacious, with large windows overlooking the schoolyard and sports fields. The desks are arranged in neat rows, and the teacher's desk is located near the blackboard. In the corner, there is a cupboard with study materials, and sometimes someone's forgotten belongings. The back desks are usually occupied by more relaxed students, while the top students tend to sit closer to the blackboard.

School uniforms are mandatory, with boys wearing jackets and trousers, and girls wearing skirts and blouses with ribbons. Some students try to stand out a bit by wearing shorter skirts, casually tied ties, or unbuttoned collars.

The atmosphere may seem friendly at first glance, but there is an unspoken hierarchy within the classrooms. Popular students gather in their groups and discuss