Chapter 2: Blonde wig, red lipstick, and ridiculous bodybuilder poses

The morning sun filtered through the windows of classroom 3-2, illuminating the lively chatter of students catching up after the spring break.

It was the first day of the new school year in April, and the atmosphere was electric with energy.

Some were laughing about their holiday adventures, while a few already had their heads buried in textbooks hoping to get a head start.

A few, however, lay slumped over their desks, trying to catch some last-minute sleep.

The door slid open with a sharp sound, and in walked their homeroom teacher, Mr. Takashima.

He was a composed man in his mid-forties, with and a no-nonsense demeanor that immediately demanded attention. The conversations died down, and the class hushed almost in unison as he cleared his throat and addressed them.

“Good morning, everyone. I hope you’re ready for a productive year. Before we begin, we have three transfer students joining us today. Please give them your attention as they introduce themselves.”

He motioned to the hallway, and one by one, the new students stepped in.

The first was Kaede Fujimoto, a striking girl with light blonde hair tied into a neat ponytail to the side.

She exuded confidence, her eyes scanning the room as if assessing each classmate.

Half the class stared at her in awe, while the other half whispered amongst themselves about how pretty she was.

A faint smile played on her lips as she spoke in a clear, energetic voice.

“Fujimoto Kaede,” she said simply. “Pleased to meet you.” She added a playful touch, forming her fingers into a heart sign and sending it toward the class.

It was almost theatrical, but the effect was immediate.

Both boys and girls clutched their chests, as though struck by her charm.

Next came Ishikawa Hiroto, a boy whose broad shoulders and muscular build were impossible to ignore, even under the loose school uniform.

He surveyed the class briefly before delivering his introduction in a deep, steady voice.

“Ishikawa Hiroto. Let’s have a good year.”

The whispers grew louder, and some students openly gawked at him. Hiroto’s physique was clearly a topic of fascination.

Finally, the third student entered.

Unlike the others, Ren Sakurai didn’t make much of an impression at first glance.

He had average height, slightly disheveled black hair, and an unassuming demeanor that seemed to fade into the background.

His voice was quiet and polite as he introduced himself.

For a moment, it seemed as though the class had already dismissed him as unremarkable—until he suddenly broke into an entirely unexpected performance.

With an exaggerated flourish, Ren pulled out a blonde wig from his bag, slipped it on, and smeared red lipstick across his lips in one motion like using a samurai sword.

Then, rolling up his sleeves to reveal surprisingly muscular arms, he struck a series of ridiculous bodybuilder poses.

“I’m Ren Sakurai, nice to meet you all!” he declared with mock grandeur.

The room fell silent for a beat, the collective shock rendering everyone speechless.

Then, almost as if on cue, the silence exploded into laughter.

Some students clutched their stomachs, tears streaming down their faces, while others scrambled to record the spectacle on their phones.

Mr. Takashima, though visibly annoyed, let out a quiet sigh of exasperation.

He had dealt with his fair share of troublemakers over the years and had learned to tolerate some antics.

“Enough, Sakurai,” he said firmly but without anger. “Go clean up and return to class.”

Renji, visibly pleased with the chaos he’d caused, gave a small bow to the teacher before exiting.

Before lunchtime, a video of his antics had already circulated through most of the school, and the name “Ren Sakurai” was on everyone’s lips.

In class, Ren’s gaze lingered on Kaede.

She noticed, of course.

Her instincts told her that his interest wasn’t personal.

Someone like Ren doesn't approach people without an agenda.

She couldn’t believe he was interested in her in any genuine way.

No, his attention had to be part of some larger scheme.

His behavior was too erratic, too calculated.

She remained on her guard, especially since Ren was the only one whose past she couldn’t decipher.

She knew why Hiroto was expelled from his previous school, but Ren was an enigma, and how he had gone toe-to-toe with Arata showed that he is dangerous.

At lunch, the trio went their separate ways, each carving out their space in the school’s social ecosystem.

Kaede quickly drew a group of admirers.

Her beauty and energetic personality made her the center of attention wherever she went.

But Kaede wasn’t just charming for the sake of it; she was gathering information.

Every smile, every laugh was calculated to make people drop their guard.

By the end of lunch, she had already mapped out the school’s social hierarchy.

Hiroto, meanwhile, was effortlessly blending in with the jocks.

His easygoing confidence and athletic build made him an instant favorite among the soccer and kendo teams.

Within minutes, he was discussing tryouts and practice schedules, seamlessly integrating himself into their ranks.

Ren, however, seemed to be everywhere at once.

His earlier stunt had made him a school-wide sensation, and students from other classes flocked to him out of curiosity.

But beneath his approachable demeanor, Ren was observing just as much as he was being observed.

All of them didn't know what Arata was planning, which pushed them to be constantly on their guards.

From a corner of the cafeteria, the student council vice-president, Yuna Tanaka, watched them closely.

A sophomore with a reputation for cunning and manipulation, Yuna's calculating eyes missed nothing.

She knew they’d only arrived that day, yet they acted as though they had been there forever.

Yuna recognized potential in all three of the newcomers, and she was already thinking about how they might fit into her plans to dethrone the ecurrent president, and take his place.

After classes ended fornthe day, the three of them made their way to Classroom 48.

Ren entered last, a deliberate choice.

Kaede wondered if they were about to witness another clash between Ren and Arata like the one from before, but Ren surprised everyone.

As soon as he stepped into the room, he bowed deeply and said, “I’m sorry for my behavior the other day. Please forgive me, Arata-sama.”

Kaede, Hiroto, and even Sayuri, who was standing nearby, were stunned.

Not only did he bow, but he addressed Arata, with a formal honorific.

Arata, composed as ever, replied, “Don’t worry about it.”

Ren remained bowing. “Thank you for choosing me and bringing me here.”

“You’re welcome,” Arata said, his tone measured. “Now, raise your head, please.”

Ren straightened but immediately turned to Sayuri and bowed again. “I’m sorry for the other day, Sayuri-san. Please forgive me.”

Sayuri, taken aback, didn’t know how to respond at first as he didn't anything to her.

But after a moment, she realised that it was about when he was rude to Arata while she was there, she was impressed that he took that into consideration.

Arata smiled. The humility amused him.

As Ren took his seat, Hiroto leaned over and whispered, “What was that about?”

Kaede, still processing, thought to herself, “He’s so unpredictable.”

Ren hesitated, unsure whether to reveal the truth about Arata.

Before he could answer, Arata spoke again. “You can tell them if you want later.”

Then, addressing the group, he continued, “By the way, you haven’t met Kaito Nakamura yet.” Arata gestured to another student sitting in the back.

The name "Kaito Nakamura" rolled off Arata’s tongue with a weight that made even the most distracted students sit up a little straighter.

Kaito slowly rose from his seat, like someone who didn’t feel the need to rush for anyone or anything.

His dark hair was neatly combed, but not without a few rebellious strands falling over his forehead.

“He was a freshman last year at this school, but his academic excellence allowed him to skip a grade and join you as a senior. He is a prodigy."

When he finally spoke, his voice was calm and measured, the kind of voice that commanded respect without needing to raise its volume.

“Kaito Nakamura,” he said simply, giving a polite nod.

Hiroto couldn’t help but admire Kaito’s composure.

Unlike Ren, who had caused chaos with his flamboyant antics, or Kaede, who dominated conversations with her charm, Kaito didn’t need to demand attention. It simply came to him.

“He’s got the same kind of aura as Arata-sensei,” Hiroto thought, his instincts honed from years of competing in sports telling him that Akihiko wasn’t just a book-smart student. There was something else—something hidden beneath the surface.

“Well, isn’t this interesting,” Ren said with a playful smirk. “A genius joins the party. Welcome to the club, Nakamura-san.”

“Thank you,” he replied.

“This one’s going to be fun,” Ren whispered to Hiroto, who nodded in response.

“So, we’ve got a clown, a musclehead, and a Barbie doll, great." Said to himself in discontent.

“Now, let’s begin. I want you to think of these lessons as an expansion of your ethics classes. But unlike the ones you’re used to, these lessons will prepare you better for the real world, since you already have what it takes.”

Arata wasn't exactly sure how to proceed in other explain it in a way they would understand it, so he took a short pause, then turned to the chalkboard and began writing