"Is the direction she's looking in… a bit off?"
It wasn't like anyone in class was blind. Anyone with half a brain could tell Kani Nayuta was staring fixedly at one spot. Like, really staring. It was impossible to ignore.
But the weird part was— Did she already know someone in this class? If so… who? A boy? A girl?
A few nosy classmates subtly followed her gaze, curiosity bubbling up like carbonated soda—
And right at that moment—
From the podium, Kojima Kana-sensei pointed toward the only vacant desk in the room and said in her usual commanding tone:
"Honda Kazuko, you can sit there. Leave your bag and I'll take you to collect your textbooks."
"Okay, sensei," Kani Nayuta responded, a little too respectfully. It was clear she was somewhat intimidated by Kojima Kana.
Which, honestly? Fair.
Even a hardened Yakuza boss would probably flinch and bow ninety degrees when facing Kojima Kana. Her aura was that intense.
"Dude! This transfer student's a knockout! Heaven's really spoiling us this year!" "Right? Our class just keeps leveling up! Another bishoujo joins the ranks!" "Yo, Anjima, Masahei left behind blessings when he transferred! What a legend!" "Honda Kazuko's silver hair is insane! Like, she's got that same glow as Eriri Spencer Sawamura's golden locks! Super eye-catching!" "And her skin! It's like, milky-white. Think she might be half-Japanese too?" "No way! For real?" "I dunno... she kinda gives off that vibe."
Apparently, Kojima Kana-sensei had left the classroom by then, because the boys couldn't hold it in anymore and started whispering among themselves.
Typical puberty-brained guys—one pretty girl and suddenly they're all acting like monkeys in mating season.
Some girls in class threw them nasty looks.
Seriously, why were the boys in their class always like this? Disgusting.
Meanwhile, in hushed tones, some of the girls began to whisper about Kani Nayuta as well—
"Transferring this late into the semester? It's only been a week since school started... kinda sus, right?" "Yeah, I wonder why… Don't tell me it's another scandal like what happened with Anjima, Masahei?" "Tch, maybe she's some kind of troublemaker."
Eriri Spencer Sawamura, sitting nearby, couldn't help but overhear the conversation between the two gyaru sitting behind her. Her expression tightened, brows knitting into a frown.
Kani Nayuta was one of her few real friends.
Sure, they mostly interacted online and rarely hung out IRL, but that didn't mean Eriri was about to sit back and let people badmouth her.
And besides… she had a vague idea of why Nayuta became a shut-in in the first place.
"You think so too, don't you, Eriri Spencer Sawamura?" Gyaru A asked sweetly, flashing a smile that was anything but genuine.
She clearly didn't like Eriri. Then again, she didn't like any girl who dared to shine brighter than her.
Eriri was competition.
And Gyaru A? She was the kind of girl who lived for attention. Her reason for going full gyaru in the first place was to stand out—flashy clothes, loud makeup, bold style. She loved being the center of everyone's gaze.
"Jumping to conclusions without knowing anything… don't you think that's kinda awful?" Eriri's voice was sharp, displeasure evident in her tone.
It was rare for her to get this worked up. The last time she showed this level of attitude was during the whole Anjima, Masahei mess.
The nearby students turned to look at her in surprise.
But after a moment, they seemed to agree. Judging someone without knowing the full story? Yeah, that was pretty irresponsible.
Besides, in Japan, transferring schools because of a parent's job was totally normal. Maybe this was one of those cases.
For a brief moment, Eriri Spencer Sawamura's popularity score in class went up a few points.
Well, for everyone except the two gyaru.
"Ugh, what's with the lecture? So random!" Gyaru A's forced smile froze for a second before she huffed and looked away.
Gyaru B muttered, "Ugh, trying too hard to play the good girl," under her breath and followed suit.
Eriri didn't spare them another glance.
Instead, she turned her eyes forward, already planning to have a word with Kasumigaoka Touji later.
That idiot better show some decency this time.
She wasn't going to let poor little Nayuta Kani get bullied again!
…
Meanwhile, at the heart of the class room—
Kasumigaoka Touji was in deep thought, pacing like a brooding shoujo manga protagonist as he tried to devise the ultimate plan to soothe the tempest that was Kasumigaoka Utaha.
Yes, Kani Nayuta's sudden appearance had been a surprise—a pleasant one, sure—but also a harbinger of chaos.
There was no doubt in Touji's mind.
Kasumigaoka Utaha would absolutely be angry. No, beyond angry—jealous, possessive, silently brooding in that classic cool-girl fashion that made Touji want to both hug her and run away.
He didn't want her to be sad. Or upset. Or... start plotting murder.
So what was the solution?
Feed her. Pamper her. Physically conquer her (with consent, of course). And most importantly—create something that moved her soul.
In short: cook a heavenly meal, cuddle her senseless, and compose the ultimate track for her alter ego, Kasumi Utako.
Kasumigaoka Utaha was, at her core, a creature of deep emotion. Touji had known this since they were kids. Which was why—
Without hesitation, he yanked open his notebook and began to transcribe a melody.
Last night before bed, he'd bought a handful of [Rock Experience Packs]—ten in total. With a whole decade of rock coursing through his digital soul, Touji's composition process had reached a new level of smoothness.
It was only a pity he didn't have an actual instrument on hand. If he did, he could compose and refine the track in real-time like a true music god.
But alas, fate had its limitations.
…
Back in the storage room—
"Honda Kazuko, these are all the textbooks you'll need. The uniform's not here yet, so you'll have to wait a bit longer."
Kojima Kana, ever the responsible homeroom teacher, leaned forward with her peach-shaped behind subtly jutting out, as she handed the stack of First Year G Class textbooks to Kani Nayuta.
"Okay, thank you, sensei!"
Kani Nayuta gave a deep bow of gratitude.
"You're very welcome."
Kana paused for a moment, then added with a gentle smile, "Here, add my contact info. If anything comes up—something you can't figure out or need advice on—just text or call me anytime."
Remembering the background she'd heard from Nayuta's parents, Kana's expression softened further as she pulled out her phone.
Nayuta didn't hesitate. After all, this was for her own good.
Kasumigaoka Touji had once told her that Kojima Kana-sensei was a true beauty, despite having a gaze sharp enough to pin a delinquent to the wall with just one glance. Her presence might be terrifying, but deep down, she was kind-hearted.
With contact information exchanged, the two left the storage room and began walking back to the classroom.
On the way, Kana's mind wandered to Nayuta's situation. Transferring in a week late, with so many emotional scars—it wouldn't be easy for her to blend in. So, after some thought, Kana turned to her with a smile:
"Honda Kazuko, have you thought about joining a club?"
"There's one I supervise. It's full of great kids." She nodded knowingly. "The club president's from our class. Bit of an airhead. There's also a girl with extreme social anxiety, another with an intense sense of justice—also from our class. Then there's the top student from Second Year and a sweet girl from G Class."
Nayuta's eyes sparkled.
"Is it the Nap Club?"
"Eh? Yes, it is... You know about it?"
Kana blinked, visibly surprised.
"Yup. I heard about it from Kasumigaoka-san."
"You know Kasumigaoka Touji?"
"Of course!" Nayuta's voice rose, her whole demeanor brightening like a magical girl transformation.
"Last winter, on the first snow day, I fell in love with his singing at first sight!"
…
Kana looked at the suddenly radiant girl beside her, stunned into silence by the sheer sparkle in Nayuta's eyes.
What kind of romantic comedy had she just walked into…?