[Nap is Great]: "Everyone, come to the clubroom at noon. I have a present for you, (￣▽￣)/."
[Touji.]: "Okay."
[Ghost Girl]: "Okay."
[Solo]: "Okay."
[Kasumi Utako]: "Okay."
"..."
As the bell to signal the start of class neared, Mayonaka Kokonoka suddenly @-mentioned everyone—everyone except the teacher, of course.
Kasumigaoka Touji responded casually with an "Okay," then poked her arm gently. As she turned around, he leaned closer and asked with a bit of curiosity:
"Is it a pillow?"
He recalled her mentioning something about gifting everyone a pillow as thanks for helping start the Nap Club. It had almost slipped his mind, honestly. But now that she brought it up again, his memory flickered with the image of those adorable animal-shaped pillows neatly arranged on the clubroom's soft carpet.
Sitting just behind him, Gotou Hitori—visibly anxious yet quietly attentive—perked up her ears the moment she heard the word "pillow." Her curious gaze sneaked over, though she tried her best to look nonchalant.
"Mmm, it's a pillow," Kokonoka replied with a sweet nod. Her tone and expression were soft and full of innocence. When she caught Gotou Hitori sneaking glances, she gave her a warm, cheerful smile.
Gotou Hitori stiffened like a startled cat and returned a tight-lipped smile. It wasn't out of dislike or awkwardness—just the way she was. Being around people still made her nervous.
"Then I guess I'll test out the new microwave during lunch," Touji grinned, a bit too excited for someone talking about reheating food.
"..."
Their idle chatter was suddenly sliced in half by a palpable wave of pressure that swept through the room. Touji didn't even need to turn around—he knew who had just walked in.
Kojima Kana.
Her presence was ridiculous. It made zero sense. She was supposed to be a character from a wholesome slice-of-life anime—maybe even a fanservice one at that. Yet somehow, she carried the same menacing aura you'd expect from a seasoned warrior in a battle shounen. Truly absurd!
The noisy classroom fell deathly silent.
Students copying homework froze in place, hastily flipping to textbooks as if their lives depended on it. Groups of students chatting casually suddenly dissolved, everyone returning to their seats with alarmingly synchronized speed.
Within a mere ten seconds, First Year Class G had transformed into the image of a perfect academic sanctuary—books open, pens in hand, eyes forward.
Touji could only let out a quiet sigh of admiration. Truly... Kojima Kana was powerful beyond measure.
"Is everyone here?"
Kojima-sensei marched to the podium, her gaze razor-sharp and her voice commanding. She clapped once—smack!—and everyone instinctively locked eyes on her.
Planting her hands firmly on the desk, she leaned forward and swept her intense gaze over the room. It was the kind of look that stripped away your soul and graded your test scores with a single blink.
"We're now entering the second week of the term. Last week, some of you were clearly still stuck in spring break mode. This week, I expect full engagement and proper conduct."
The room remained deathly silent.
"Now, there are two main things I want to address this morning."
She raised two fingers like a war general preparing to issue a strategy. Then she dropped one.
"First. Anjima Masahei from our class has officially transferred out."
The boys all tensed up.
"You all know why he had to transfer. I don't want any of you pulling stunts that'll make me—your homeroom teacher—lose face."
Her voice was calm, but the underlying menace was unmistakable. It was like watching a volcano about to erupt. Some students even imagined a dark aura rising behind her, like the visual effects used when a villain boss appears in an anime.
A chill ran through the classroom. The boys—now trembling—swore collectively under their breath.
"Damn it, Anjima! You dragged us all into this!"
"Thanks for nothing, you idiot!"
Not only had he earned the wrath of 'Kojima the Demon,' he also tanked the class reputation with him. He was now Public Enemy No.1.
"Second..."
Kojima-sensei's tone softened just a tad, enough to signal a shift.
"We have a new classmate."
That announcement stunned the class.
New classmate?
Murmurs of curiosity began bubbling up, though no one dared speak above a whisper.
Touji rested his cheek in his hand, raising an eyebrow. "Eh...? What is this, some kind of seamless plot handoff?"
"Honda-san, please come in."
Eshima Kana turned her gaze toward the classroom door. Every single student followed.
Then—
A girl stepped inside.
She stood at about 165 cm tall—a respectable height for a high school girl—and possessed the kind of dazzling beauty that could hush a room. Her long, shimmering silver hair sparkled under the fluorescent lights, a playful ahoge bouncing atop her head. On the left side, a single lock of hair, tied with a small blue ribbon, fell gracefully to her chest.
She wore a sleek black V-neck knit sweater over a white high-neck T-shirt. Her long, slender legs were bare, drawing attention from some of the boys, and her feet were clad in stylish khaki boots. As she strode in, there was an air of reserved grace to her walk, like a noble lady entering unfamiliar territory.
"It's a girl!"
"She's adorable...!"
"K-K-Kawaii—!!"
"And that figure... dang."
Whispers of admiration spread like wildfire. A few boys couldn't help but gasp in awe—only to be met with sharp, no-nonsense glares from Kojima Kana. They shrank back immediately, their shoulders curling in like startled turtles.
Amid the collective curiosity and hushed murmurs, Kasumigaoka Touji—who had been resting with a slightly disinterested posture—suddenly straightened in his seat.
His eyes met hers.
And time… stopped.
She'd looked nervous at first—her posture guarded, her steps cautious, like a startled fawn in a clearing. But the moment her gaze locked with Touji's, her demeanor shifted entirely.
A spark.
Like a child spotting a long-lost friend—or a fangirl recognizing her favorite protagonist in the flesh—her sky-blue eyes lit up, shimmering like the summer sky. Her nervous tension melted away, replaced by barely-contained giddiness.
Touji blinked, stunned.
The entire class noticed the change in atmosphere.
'Eh? What's this sudden vibe?' 'She looks like she's about to squeal.' 'Total fangirl energy.' 'She'd totally let him... no, stop! Get your mind out of the doujinshi gutter!!'
That last thought belonged, of course, to Eriri Spencer Sawamura.
She side-eyed the new girl, then sneaked a guilty glance at Touji.
Last weekend, the Cross Guild had hosted an offline meetup, organized by none other than Yamada Elf. Everyone in the group was curious—naturally. Five girls, all around the same age, all nerdy in their own ways: two light novel authors, a doujin artist, a hardcore otaku, and an angel with questionable habits.
Kani Nayuta had been the first to jump at the chance. Then Umaru Doma/ UMR joined in, slightly hesitant, but too curious to resist. Even Gabriel—who groaned at the idea of going outside—was dragged along.
And Eriri? She was honestly surprised.
They were all... really cute.
But things had spiraled fast. Nayuta had been clingy. Really clingy.
Before Eriri knew it, she'd blurted out her school and class during small talk. She hadn't expected the silver-haired menace to actually follow up on it.
Besides— Touji had already let slip bits of Eriri's info before.
So really, this was Touji's fault!
...Right?
Anyway—
She hadn't expected Nayuta to transfer in today of all days.
And to take over Anjima Masahei's vacant seat? The timing was almost too perfect.
'This... this is gonna be wild.'
Eriri snickered to herself, thinking of Kasumigaoka Utaha—Touji's childhood friend and her personal rival of sorts. There'd been a bit of friction last week, so Eriri couldn't help but see this as divine retribution.
'You've got competition now, Utaha-san!'
Don't underestimate Eriri the Otaku! She could fight dirty too!
…Except—
She glanced back at Nayuta and bit her lip.
Would she be okay?
They'd known each other since they were kids, after all. And Touji… wasn't he technically Utaha's childhood fiancée or something?
Compared to Kasumigaoka Utaha, who had a refined air and sharp tongue, Nayuta was like a sheltered kitten.
No match, really.
Eriri's heart wavered. She looked over at Touji again.
He noticed. Their eyes met.
"…Tch."
Touji smirked faintly. That explained everything—her weird behavior that morning, her awkward stares.
He'd thought she was anxious about their manga collab being exposed.
But it was this!
Kasumigaoka Touji wasn't mad. Not even a little.
Honestly, he felt… surprised. And kind of happy.
It was like that weird, thrilling moment when you meet your online crush for the first time IRL.
Meanwhile, the silver-haired girl—Kani Nayuta—stood confidently at the podium. She picked up a piece of chalk and, with a flourish, wrote her name on the blackboard.
Then, turning toward Touji with sparkling eyes and a smile that could kill a man, she declared:
"My name is Honda Kazuko! Yoroshiku onegaishimasu~!"
No subtlety. No pretense.
Her gaze made it clear—
She had transferred here for him.
Kani Nayuta's war had begun.