Chapter 22 – The Shocking Arrival of Saeko Busujima!
High school life tends to be monotonous. Most days blend into one another, uneventful and drama-free.
Even though Yukinoshita Akira had skipped the entire morning session, when he returned just before afternoon classes began, no one made a fuss. A few students glanced his way for a second, but that was it. Everyone quickly returned to their own worlds.
After all, in this class, Yukinoshita Akira was practically a ghost—an outlier in the social hierarchy, much like the legendary loner himself, Hachiman Hikigaya.
No—perhaps even worse than Hachiman.
At least Hachiman had a little sister who cared for him in her own quiet way. Not to mention Totsuka Saika, the walking trap of dreams.
But Akira? He was truly alone. He didn't talk to anyone, and no one ever tried to approach him.
The school bell rang, marking the end of the day's lessons.
The teacher quickly gathered his materials and left without another word. Students began moving in groups, chatting and laughing with their cliques.
Some were packing their bags to head home. Others dashed off to their clubs. The rest? They scattered into cafes or arcades—the elite social butterflies of the school.
Akira calmly packed his things, getting ready to head to the Kendo Club.
After all, he was in desperate need of a real sword—especially after that demon ambush the night before.
The illusion of safety in this world had been shattered.
A proper weapon… now held unimaginable value.
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway.
Silence swept over the classroom like a wave.
Akira raised his head, puzzled by the sudden stillness. It didn't take long for him to realize what was happening.
Every single student was staring at the doorway. Frozen.
Their eyes were all locked on the same figure.
Following their gaze, Akira saw her—a tall girl with long, violet hair standing by the door.
Shoulder-length hair, long legs, slender waist, and a figure that was perfectly balanced in all the right ways. Combine that with her flawless idol-tier face, and she practically radiated divine energy.
"Isn't that Saeko Busujima?! The Kendo Club President? The National Champion?! Why is she here?!"
"Whoa, the goddess herself walked in!"
"Shhh! Don't speak too loud! If anyone from the Kendo Club hears us, we're dead meat!"
"Right, right!"
—Whispers erupted like wildfire.
The arrival of someone this dazzling was enough to paralyze an entire room.
"Excuse me... is Yukinoshita Akira here?"
Saeko's voice was calm and composed as her eyes scanned the room. Not spotting Akira immediately, who was seated near the back by the window, she turned to a pink-haired girl nearby.
"Um... Yukinoshita Akira? He's right there, back row, by the window."
Saeko followed the girl's gesture. Her gaze met Akira's—and her lips curved into a soft smile.
Akira stood, slung his shoulder bag over one arm, and began walking toward the door… toward Saeko Busujima.
The whole class watched in utter disbelief.
The goddess of Kendo herself… had come to see him?
"Wait! Now that I think about it—wasn't he the guy who defeated Saeko Busujima yesterday?!"
"Huh? What do you mean?!"
"I heard they had a match in the Kendo Club! And Akira actually beat her. They even had a private talk afterward!"
"No way… don't tell me they're dating?!"
"It's possible… Even someone as cold as Saeko might fall for the guy who beat her."
Just like that, the rumors from yesterday exploded once again.
Defeating the Kendo Club President and then having her personally visit you the next day?
Yeah, good luck convincing high schoolers that nothing was going on.
Their curiosity burned like wildfire.
"I apologize for showing up so suddenly."
Before Akira could even speak, Saeko gave a polite bow, her expression calm and respectful.
It was pure Japanese etiquette—never impose, never cause trouble.
Especially since her appearance was already causing a scene.
"It's fine. I'm guessing you brought the item I asked for?"
"Yes. This is a Murata Katana. It may not be a legendary sword, but it has a total length of 83.185 centimeters and a blade length of 66.357 centimeters. Forged during the Meiji era by Lieutenant General Murata himself. It's one of the rarities passed down in the Murata family. It should meet your specifications."
"A Murata Katana, huh..."
Akira accepted the neatly wrapped sword from her hands.
The moment he touched it, he felt it—a presence. As if this blade had already tasted blood… a lot of it.
And it made sense. A sword with a "Three-Body" grade would never be bloodless.
The surrounding students were glued to the scene.
A beautiful girl personally delivering a real katana—of course people were losing their minds.
"Is that... an actual katana?"
The pink-haired girl blinked, eyes wide in curiosity. In Japan, regardless of age or gender, people naturally held deep respect and fascination for katanas.
It was part of the soul of the samurai.
"Huh?"
Akira turned, finally getting a clear look at the girl who spoke.
Her pale pink hair fell to her shoulders in soft waves, bouncing lightly as she moved. It was tied up in a bun-like dango with a black ribbon—familiar, charming, iconic.
The top of her school uniform was slightly unbuttoned, revealing a stylish heart-shaped pendant around her neck.
No mistaking it—this was Yui Yuigahama, one of the three main heroines of My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU.
A girl who always smiled for others, who watched the mood of the room before making her move.
"Ehh~"
Realizing she was being stared at, Yui instantly flushed.
Though she gave off a gyaru vibe with her trendy fashion, the truth was, she was sweet and gentle. She only dressed that way to match the people around her.
"Umm… Yukinoshita-kun, why are you staring at me like that?"
Her face turned redder, and her voice was laced with flustered confusion.
"It's nothing. You just looked… really familiar. Like I've seen you somewhere before."
Akira replied coolly. He knew better than to sound overly friendly—he had an aloof image to maintain, after all.
"How rude! We've been in the same class since first year, you know! Even now we're still classmates!"
"Ah… sorry. I don't really pay attention to my classmates much."
"Hmph~!"
Seeing her puffed-up cheeks and exaggerated sulking expression, Akira couldn't help but think—this girl really was adorable.
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