The bell signaling the start of the new school year rang out, cutting through the lingering sweltering heat of summer. Class 10A was like a disturbed beehive; the new students, though still unfamiliar with one another, had already begun gathering in small groups, their laughter and chatter echoing down the hallway.
Amidst the bustling scene, Mr. Niro walked in. Tucking an old, grey briefcase under his arm, he placed it on the teacher's desk with a sharp thud, enough to bring the class to order. Adjusting his glasses, he scanned the room.
-"Greetings, class. I am Niro, your homeroom teacher for Class 10A this year. I hope we can work together to make these three years of high school a memorable journey."
He paused, flipping through the class roster, then glanced toward the door.
-"Before we begin, we have a new member joining us today from another province..."
A girl with long black hair reaching her waist stepped into the classroom.Whenever Keijy entered the classroom, the sound of her shoes tapping on the floor had a strange rhythm—not hurried, but heavy, as if she always knew exactly where she was going, a stark contrast to the chaotic new students. In just a few strides, she stood at the podium. Her eyes were filled with determination, and her serious expression exuded an unusual coldness.
-"I am Gushiken Keijy. I look forward to your support during this school year."
Anyone could see that Keijy's striking appearance stood in stark contrast to her icy demeanor. Mr. Niro smiled.
-"Please take the fourth seat by the window."
The room buzzed as she headed toward the empty desk next to Haruto Kurosawa. Haruto looked up, intending to flash a polite, Vice-Presidential smile, but it froze before it could even form. Keijy brushed past him like a cold gust of wind, indifferently pulling out her chair and sitting down without so much as a glance.
Haruto, a boy always surrounded by admiration, suddenly felt... invisible in front of his new seatmate.
-"She gets to sit with the Vice President of the Student Council?"
-"Isn't sitting next to Kurosawa a bit too lucky?"
[...]
Whispers began to fill the room, but Keijy paid them no mind. Haruto turned toward her, his eyes shining with friendliness.
-"Hi Keijy, I'm Haruto Kurosawa. Nice to meet you."
Keijy responded with an icy tone.
-"Hmm, me too."
Gushiken Keijy wasn't exactly an iceberg; she had simply forgotten how to smile. Her natural warmth had been sealed away since the winter of her 13th year—the year family pressure and a tragic event took away the person she loved most, her grandfather. Since then, Keijy's smile had withered away like the incense on his grave.
The sound of Mr. Niro tapping his ruler snapped Keijy out of her hazy memories. She quietly opened her bag and took out a worn-out notebook. Haruto, though a bit deflated by her curt response, couldn't help but steal a glance at his new friend. His eyes lingered on Keijy's hands—her fingertips had distinct calluses, unlike those of a student who only held a pen.
"Does she play an instrument? Or is she an athlete?" Haruto thought, his curiosity quickly interrupted by the sound of the class flipping through their textbooks.
Kurosawa Haruto: He is the Vice President of the Student Council at Taeyo High. He was famous for his intelligence, sociability, and good looks. Haruto was also the school's star archer, which was why so many girls liked him. Furthermore, rumors claimed he was dating Aika—the Student Council President.
Throughout the lessons, Keijy didn't say a word. Despite that, her academic performance was excellent.
Haruto deliberately dropped his pen towards Keiji or flipped through the pages forcefully to get her attention, but she didn't even blink. Her gaze remained fixed on the blackboard or staring blankly out the school gate.
Riiiing...!!!
The bell signaling the end of the first period rang shrilly. Students swarmed out of the classroom. A few bold girls tried to approach Haruto's desk to talk to the "newbie," but Keijy's "stay away" aura made them stop two meters short.
Among them was a girl with shoulder-length hair and large, round eyes—Yamamoto Miha, the class president of 10A. Miha intended to say hello, but when she met Keijy's gaze—sharp as an arrow—she hesitated.
-"Hello... I'm Yamamoto Miha, the class president. I look forward to working with you."
A faint, hollow smile appeared on Keijy's lips.
-"Hmm, thank you for coming over to talk."
As the afternoon sun began to fade on the hallways, Keijy stood up indifferently. She was the first to leave the room the moment the final bell rang. She walked straight out, leaving Haruto stunned with a farewell he hadn't even had the chance to say.
The bell for Tuesday's class rang earlier than usual in Haruto's mind. He glanced sideways; Keijy was already sitting there, her face as cold as the first day. Haruto turned his chair, leaning his chin on his hand nonchalantly.
-"Keijy, I'm really curious about you. You've been sitting here for a week, but it feels like you're... not actually here."
Hearing this, Keijy sighed softly. She knew her silence acted as a magnet for busybodies like Haruto.
-"It's none of your business."
Haruto chuckled, scratching his head. He knew he'd get the cold shoulder, but since she hadn't turned away yet, there was still a chance. Suddenly, Keijy glanced at the ID badge on his chest and asked:
-"Are you the Student Council Vice President?"
-"Huh? Ah... yeah, that's right." -Haruto was slightly surprised; it was the first time Keijy had initiated a conversation.
-"I heard a rumor that you're dating the President."
Keijy's casual remark left Haruto stunned. He didn't expect someone who seemed so "disconnected from the world"—someone who barely bothered to take out her books—to notice such things.
-"You care about stuff like that?"
-"No," Keijy replied in a flat tone. "Just confirming. After all, I should know who the 'powerful' faces in this school are to avoid trouble."
-"Is that so..."
Haruto realized that while Keijy seemed indifferent, she was actually observing everything in her own way. Perhaps behind that cold exterior lay a mind that was always calculating and highly alert.
The bell for Saturday's final class rang. Keijy quietly packed her things, not lingering for a second to say goodbye to anyone. Watching her slender but straight back disappear behind the classroom door, Haruto subconsciously twirled his pen, lost in thought.
-"Gushiken Keijy... What exactly are you looking for at this school?"
The first week passed just like that, with a new seatmate full of enigmas. Haruto was certain that he wouldn't stop at just "confirming rumors" with her.