The break wasn't even over, yet Lucas and Simon were already sprinting back to their seats.
Class officers always had to set a good example for others. That was exactly why Ethan never bothered to compete for any of those leadership roles.
The last few classes of Friday morning flew by quickly. For the entire morning, all kinds of words, math formulas, and numbers… were completely rejected by Ethan's brain.
Because right now, instead of focusing on absorbing knowledge, Ethan's practical brain was entirely fixated on collecting Harmony Points.
He did some quick calculations.
Throughout the school year, the Harmony Points race was a battle among 12 classes across three grade levels: 10, 11, and 12.
But by the time it came to the final tally before graduation, it would only be a showdown among the four Grade 12 classes: 12A, 12B, 12C, and 12D.
Therefore, at this point, there was no need to concern himself with Harmony Points of Grade 10 and Grade 12. The focus should solely be on the Harmony Points of the four Grade 11 classes: 11A, 11B, 11C, and 11D.
By lunchtime, it was Ethan who proactively approached Lucas and Simon with questions.
"Why is 11A's Harmony Points so far ahead of the other three classes, Lucas?"
"For many years, the A groups -10A, 11A, and 12A - have always been filled with rich kids."
Lucas replied, visibly dispirited.
"The parents of the A-group kids aren't just wealthy; they're also well-educated. So their children have been learning singing and dancing professionally since they were little. It's like the food of rich families has better nutrition than ours or something. So, the A-group - specifically 11A - is full of tall, good-looking guys and girls."
Ethan nodded, recalling the Femme Fatale girls - all of them from 11A. Even the girls who admired Royce and asked him to deliver gifts were from 11A.
He hadn't really paid much attention to the guys, but almost all the girls from 11A were undoubtedly beautiful - mature and elegant, completely different from Autumn's childlike cuteness.
"The school's Music Club mostly consists of students from the A groups. Did you notice how during the Back to School Day on 01/08 and the Opening Ceremony on 05/09, there were 2–3 music performances each time?"
"Yeah, on 01/08, Harmony High did have music performances. But I remember during the Opening Ceremony on 05/09, the musical part was replaced by a memorial song and a tribute ceremony for Felix Hoang of 10A."
Ethan tried to rummage through his memory about Harmony High's activities during those events.
Oh, and speaking of Felix Hoang…
Suddenly, Ethan's mind made a connection…
He ordered his brain to stop thinking about the blood-soaked body and the torn throat of Felix Hoang right away.
But - Ethan still made a mental note of this hypothesis - to confront Autumn and Royce about it later.
"Yeah, you've got a good memory, Ethan. The marching band, the drum line, the choir… basically anything or anyone that makes musical sounds is part of the Music Club."
Lucas continued his monologue without taking a breath.
"And the members of the Music Club from 10A, 11A, and 12A have been working together to plan performances for each of the Events. They prioritize 12A for the most performances since they're graduating this year and need to rack up as many Harmony Points as possible for the final tally. But even with that priority, 11A's Harmony Points are still way ahead of the other three classes."
"And next year, when 11A becomes 12A, their Harmony Points will be at such a ridiculous level that the other classes probably won't even bother trying to compete, right Lucas?"
Ethan realized that his chances of winning the full scholarship to Symphony International University were looking slimmer and slimmer.
"According to what I heard, the A classes don't always come in first every year. There have been years when the top spot went to a B or C class. The school events at Harmony are designed carefully so that students can showcase a wide variety of talents."
"The students in the B groups are known for their physical strength and a bit of that 'gangster vibe.' Even the nerds in Class B are strong enough to kick a tough guy from Class D to the curb. Basically, in events that require physical strength, they completely dominate."
Ethan wasn't too sure about that. He'd never seen Harmony students getting into fights, whether inside or outside the school.
But the only representative from a B class he knew - Nathaniel from 11B - definitely had that rough-around-the-edges vibe.
Wait, hold on! Andrew The Detective is also in 11B with Nathaniel. But he doesn't seem to fit that typical description of a Class B student, does he?
Oh, but Andrew did manage to dodge Autumn's punch once. And even though she seemed to hold back in school, her speed was still far beyond that of a regular human.
Maybe Andrew just got lucky? Either way, Ethan mentally noted this detail - who knows, it might be useful later.
"As for the students from the C groups, they're masters of persuasion, debate, and even manipulation. Basically, they talk their way out of any situation. At almost every event, students from Class C always end up as the MCs."
Lucas summarized the students from the C groups with a quick explanation.
The only person from the C classes Ethan knew was Flora from 11C. And yes, he had to admit, she was definitely manipulative.
Flora always appeared gentle, soft-spoken, and feminine. She could cry anywhere, no matter how many people were around.
And by doing so, she always got what she wanted - a kind of soft power that looked cute but was actually terrifying.
"And as for the students in the D classes…"
Lucas hesitated for a moment.
"Weird and bizarre!"
Simon finished the sentence.
Ethan didn't want to admit it, not one bit. First, there was himself. He just thought of himself as a little introverted and quiet, that's all.
Lucas and Simon weren't that strange either, right?
Lucas just talked too much, while Simon barely spoke a word. They were among the very few boys who got selected as class officers at Harmony High.
And then there were Autumn, Royce, and Camellia… Oh, those rotten apples spoiled the whole bunch.
If people only looked at them, it would be easy to stereotype the entire D classes as weird and bizarre.
"Before joining Harmony, I already heard my older cousins talk about the terrible Harmony Points ranking of the D classes. So when I got placed into 10D, I thought I'd just accept my fate and settle down."
Lucas shared his thoughts wistfully.
"But later on, I realized our class has so many hidden gems - rough diamonds - that just need a bit of polishing to shine."
"For example, Royce. We all know how attractive he is to the students at this school. Last year, when he sang 'Toss A Coin To The Witcher' during our class camping trip, the crowd of fans that gathered nearly collapsed our entire tent. I really wanted to get him into the Music Club… But sadly, despite looking like a total CEO, Royce is just a closet otaku who loves gaming and is obsessed with virtual girls."
"And then there's Autumn… Even though she's a girl, I guarantee no one at Harmony High can beat her in terms of speed. Maybe even her strength and endurance are better than a lot of the guys here. But she just refuses to participate in any sports or competitive events."
"Next is Camellia. She's on the Homeschooling program, so she never shows up at school events. But she's active in Telegram and Discord chats with the students. I swear, she wins every single debate with her massive amount of knowledge in just about every field. Even if she's totally wrong - and it sounds absurd - she somehow makes it convincing. It's such a waste that we can't use her in events that require brainpower."
Lucas paused for a moment to catch his breath, then continued with a tinge of sadness:
"And not only did the three of them not use their strengths, but they also have the worst attendance records. Every month, they miss several days of school. They contribute almost nothing to our class's Harmony Points."
"If only we could persuade them, Ethan, don't you think?"
Simon turned his gaze to Ethan.
Yes, what a waste!
Even if Ethan joined the Music Club and did all sorts of crazy performances in the Events… it wouldn't be enough to lift 11D's Harmony Points to the top.
He had to find a way - no matter what - to get Autumn, Royce, and Camellia to participate in school events.