COTE: The Quiet One Can Be Dangerous

Vol. 8 Chp. 3: First Day

'...': Writing
'...': Sign language
"...": Text to speech

I was already up when I started hearing light background music entering the room. It was coming from the speakers installed in the room.

"What is the awful noise?" Ryuuen groaned and complained.

"I wonder what we're going to start with first on today's schedule," Hamaguchi said.

"We should all get up. If one of us is even late, we will all get a demerit," Akito said.

"Oi, fairy-tale princess, get your ass up," Ryuuen said.

I was already up as a deadpan expression appeared on my face. I already had a jersey on and was ready for the day.

'That's not a good morning.'

"Piss off," Ryuuen flipped me off.

I see that Ryuuen is not a morning person.

"Ryuuen-kun, you need to promise you'll cooperate," Akito said.

Ryuuen clicked his tongue and sneered, "Tch."

The students from different years were divided into groups and assembled in a single classroom. There were roughly 40 students present, which made it feel like a class. The first-year students greeted the second and third-year students in a friendly manner. After a short while, a teacher entered the classroom.

"I am the Class C teacher for the 1st year. My name is Chabashira Sae. First, we will perform a roll call, and then you will head outside to clean your designated areas. After that, you will clean the school building every morning. This will be a routine task. If it rains, you will not be required to clean outside, but you will need to spend more time cleaning the school building instead. Starting today, lessons will be taught by various individuals instead of the school's teachers. Please welcome them warmly and act politely towards them."

~Timeskip~

After cleaning up outside, Chabashira-sensei came to search for us and led us to a spacious area that looked like a dojo.

"Starting from today, this will be where you practice Zazen in the morning and the evening," Chabashira-sensei explained.

"What the hell is Zazen?" Ryuuen grumbled.

'Meditation.'

"Just say meditation. I don't need some fancy ass word," Ryuuen complained.

In this place, known as a Zazendo, we must ball up one of our fists, either left or right, and hold it with the other hand at all times, whether standing or walking. This stance is called Shasyu; the fist's height should be around the solar plexus. The specific hand depends on the school, but it's not applicable here.

Zazen is a form of meditation. Practicing Zazen doesn't mean emptying your mind but instead forming an image. There's a method known as the Ten Bulls, which helps to visualize the image. It consists of a series of ten illustrations that depict the road to Zen enlightenment.

"After you sit cross-legged, place your legs on your thighs. Since the exam's outcome also depends on how well you can perform the lotus position, ensure you do your best."

"Are you for real...?" Komiya complained.

She noticed that some students were having a hard time.

Chabashira-sensei had a severe expression, "If you cannot pull it off from the beginning, then you may opt for the half lotus position that you perform with one leg."

She demonstrated it herself by giving us a sample of that, too.

As the students understood what it is in general, Zazen time began. Since much time was spent on the explanation, the first session was limited to about five minutes.