"I haven't changed my body wash lately, so you probably just imagined it, Yukima-san," said Katou gumi, tilting her head slightly.
"Then... could it be your natural scent?" Azuma replied with mock curiosity.
"Yukima-san, you're saying weird things again."
"Co on, let's check the class assignnt board."
"Okay."
The class assignnt board was sward with people.
First-years clustered around it like moths to a fla, searching eagerly for their nas.
Azuma and Katou coordinated effortlessly, moving to opposite ends of the board without needing to discuss it. Their eyes scanned quickly, nas flickering past.
No luck on the first few lists.
Then—
"Yukima-san," gumi's soft voice floated over the noise.
Azuma walked over.
At the very bottom of the Class 1-E list, his na stood out at the top—clearly first place.
It seed the lists were ordered by entrance exam results.
Scanning downward, his eyes stopped on the na Katou gumi.
Sa class.
He turned slightly toward her—she was already smiling.
Just a tiny, gentle smile. But on soone like Katou gumi, even the smallest expression could say everything.
He looked back at the board.
Aki Tomoya.
Azuma frowned. Annoyance flickered across his face—but only briefly.
Not worth thinking about.
And then—
Sakamura Spencer Eriri.
The na stood out like a sore thumb, long and dramatic among the shorter ones.
Azuma looked around—and spotted her in a corner, laughing happily like she was the star of a rom-com.
Without hesitation, he pulled out his phone.
Click.
Under the soft sunlight, her golden hair glowed. Her white blouse complented her porcelain skin. That huge grin on her face?
Perfect.
He opened the photo editor and added a caption:
"Hehe, silly."
Straight into the bank.
The crowd began flowing from the gate to the announcent board, then surged toward the main hall.
Azuma and Katou followed the tide.
But with her faint presence, students often passed between them like she didn't exist. A few even nearly bumped into her.
Still, Katou gumi, a master of moving through crowds unseen, weaved gracefully between people like a ghost with excellent footwork.
But even she couldn't stop the two from gradually drifting apart.
Azuma noticed imdiately.
He reached out and gently pulled her closer.
"Hold on to my shirt. I'll lead—this way we won't get separated."
"Okay," she murmured, almost inaudibly.
She reached out, gripping the hem of his shirt lightly, her eyes flickering with sothing unreadable.
And like that, they continued on, staying close.
Once inside the main hall, they found seats.
"I wonder who this year's freshman representative is..." Katou said softly, finally letting go of Azuma's shirt. Her voice carried a subtle hint of embarrassnt.
"So curious, Katou-san?" Azuma teased.
"Curious might be a bit much," she replied, twirling her finger in the air. "But it's impressive, don't you think? The freshman rep is always the top scorer. To beat everyone else at Toyosaki... that's no small feat."
Azuma scratched his chin lightly.
"It's not that impressive."
Katou turned to him.
Eyes narrowed.
She stared.
Unblinking.
"...Don't tell ."
Azuma nodded, unfazed.
"Yep. That'd be ."
"So cheeky." She gave him a light tap on the shoulder, her smile growing brighter.
Soon after, the principal—a bald old man with a penchant for dramatic pauses—stepped onto the stage and began his welco speech.
It was pompous. But rcifully, it stayed within the promised five-minute limit.
Then ca Azuma's turn.
He walked up to the stage under the weight of thousands of gazes.
Not that it bothered him.
He'd lived through two lives. Seen more situations than most people could imagine.
And thanks to years of Go, his ntal fortitude was practically unshakable.
Stage fright? Please.
He delivered his speech—clean, confident, composed.
Below the stage...
Katou gumi looked up at him with eyes as soft as jasmine, her gaze unwavering.
Eriri, wide-eyed and slack-jawed, stared in open admiration. Her sky-blue eyes sparkled like she'd just seen a prince walk out of a fairy tale.
Aki Tomoya narrowed his eyes slightly, gears turning. He had gathered pre-enrollnt data. The real-ti comparison was... jarring.
And just like that—
Toyosaki's new stage began.
Class 1-E
"Yukima-san, that speech was amazing!"
"Top scorer? Seriously?"
"Yukima-san, are you single?"
The mont Azuma stepped into class, a crowd surrounded him—most of them girls.
It wasn't just the speech. Or the top entrance score.
He had the looks, the air of mystery, and the perfect timing.
In the opening days of the sester, everyone was eager to make connections—and Azuma was the obvious hub.
In no ti, a social gravity well ford around him.
Even more people joined in, drawn by the excitent.
Azuma smiled politely, replying calmly, treating everyone with equal courtesy.
It wasn't just about popularity.
High school social dynamics were delicate.
Unlike the adult world, where relationships were shaped by benefits and status, teen friendships were all emotion and instinct.
But handled well, they could offer influence without the usual price tag.
A rare kind of luxury.
anwhile, Eriri had entered the classroom early.
She was in the sa class.
She had looked forward to it.
But now... seeing the crowd around Azuma, especially the number of girls, her tension spiked.
Her hand clutched a handkerchief tightly—too tightly.
Her teeth almost sank into the fabric.
"Why are there so many of them...?"
She glared at the growing crowd like a wildcat, silently fuming.
Reviews
All reviews (0)