(V3) Chapter 1: The New Student Has Uncanny Abilities!

“Good morning, everyone.” She gave a small bow, her short pink hair falling gracefully over her shoulders. “My name is Miyamoto Ayase. I recently transferred from the United States, but I was born here in Japan. It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”

A polite, standard introduction. But it didn’t matter—her voice alone had sent another wave of murmurs across the class.

“She doesn’t even look like a high schooler—more like a porcelain doll!”

“I swear, if she picks a seat next to me, I’ll consider it destiny.”

“Wait, did she just say she lived abroad? Damn, she’s probably crazy smart too.”

“Ahh, my heart—she’s the whole package…I wanna pinch her cheeks!”

Akito whistled lowly. “Man, it’s like the perfect heroine just walked out of a light novel.”

I sighed. “You read too many of those.”

He ignored me.

Ayase hesitantly there, visibly shaken by the sudden surge of attention.

I knew that she never met people outside of my circle, let alone attend school.

But I gave her a nod of approval and a knowing smile.

And her composure was refreshed.

“Please treat me well.” She follows with a bow.

A brief silence followed after her introduction.

Boys are leaning forward in their chairs, observing and studying her. Some girls whispered among themselves, already analyzing her presence. Even the usual bookworms, who never bothered with school gossip, stole curious glances.

Akito was no exception, and his mouth was left slightly open.

“Dude.” He nudged me hard. “Why didn’t you tell me you had a goddess-tier friend? From the States, no less?!”

“Would it have changed anything?” I questioned, rubbing my shoulder where he poked me.

“Yes! I would’ve at least prepared myself mentally!”

“Me too.” Saori chimed in, glancing over her shoulder. “You always like to drop bombs on us, right?”

“Hell yeah!” Akito nodded in agreement. “First, he left himself broke after saving a girl. Then, he fought against delinquents like Jackie Chan. Then this?!”

Akito puts a pair of hands to his head, and he's already losing it. “I cannot believe this! This is impossible!”

Before I could respond, Yumi-sensei, our homeroom teacher, gently clapped her hands. “Alright, alright, settle down, everyone. Miyamoto-kun, please choose an empty seat.”

The classroom quieted—well, as much as it could in this situation. The murmurs softened, and all eyes returned to Ayase, awaiting her next actions.

She took a step forward, her expression calm and poised. Then, in a clear, almost melodic voice, she spoke.

“I want to be next to Ishida-san.”

Ayase’s bright pink eyes flickered across my position, along with the glances of my own classmates that burned my flanks.

The class immediately reacted.

“Wait, wait, she’s sitting next to him?”

“The new girl’s already getting close to Haru?”

“What’s going on?!”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. Here we go.

Akito, meanwhile, looked like he was witnessing the birth of a legendary event.

“The heroine falls into the hero’s embrace,” he whispered dramatically, leaning close. “Well then, good luck!”

And then, he picked up his supplies and went to the empty seat next to Saori.

“Our dear Haru is getting all the hype!” Saori remarked. “I hope you won’t forget us though!”

I huffed back sarcastically, slumping to my chair.

Within seconds, Ayase already took Akito’s seat and the former manly ambience by his luxury perfume now reeked with familiar sweet roses.

Then—

Ayase wraps me in an embrace.

My shoulders jolted and I muffled a yelp.

“So how do we start, Ishida-san?” she said softly, just loud enough for me to hear.

And just like that, the classroom erupted.

“WHAAAAAT?!”

“SHE’S HUGGING HIM? ARE THEY DATING?!”

“They already know each other?!”

“Oi, Haru! Explain! Now!”

I turned to her, trying to cool down the warmth on my face.

“Ayase, in school, we’re supposed to study.” I whispered. “This is not like our apartment. Our classmates will feel uncomfortable. So let go, please.”

Her eyebrows scrunched cutely. “Is that so?”

I nodded. “Yup. We’re supposed to act like just classmates. We can’t make ourselves any more suspicious than usual.”

Fortunately, Ayase released me. But my internal tension remained.

“Hmmmmph.” she puffed her cheeks tightly, crossing her arms. "But this is the normal me.”

I can't help myself but smile at the sight of her harmless and bubbly anger.

“They'll misunderstand. Let's just focus on getting comfortable with the people around you and the school environment.”

“I don't need them. I only need you.” she murmured.

I heaved a weighty exhale.

“Ayase…”

Despite her antics, the rest of the day proceeded the usual way.

The only difference being, as expected, my classmates would try to strike up conversations with her during classes.

I never thought that this is what was supposed to happen bringing her here.

Damn, so this is what my highschool life will look like in the coming days?

This is so much for a quiet morning.

***

It was already lunch break and curious eyes darted towards Ayase, and to me, envious.

Dangerous.

Some students from other sections might have heard the news of the cute transfer student and silently spectated from the windows.

The image of Akio-san lingered on my head. How he got his henchmen to forge false documents for Ayase’s identity, how he managed to bribe immigration to acquire Ayase’s passport and how he circled around the law just to make Ayase an existing person.

Not just that, he was also the one that bought Ayase every school supplies he needed, and her branded phone that made her look ‘lavish’.

I can’t thank him enough—not even the deities could believe how good of a person he is.

And I would never regret being taken by him, for changing my life, for giving me everything.

For giving me a second chance.

“Uhm, Miyamoto-san?”

Busy with my introspections, a male student materializes in front of Ayase, carrying a hesitant smile.

“I was wondering if…” he fidgets nervously, avoiding eye contact. “If you can join us in the cafeteria?”

I gasped slightly, thinking about how people move so fast. Only hours have passed and somebody has already made the first move.

Based on the color of the uniform he’s wearing, he looks like an underclassman and from a different section.

“Uh…” Ayase hesitates, searching for reasons.

The student remained there fidgeting, waiting for her response.

Ayase played with the tips of her fingers, and turned to me with a questioning look.

Looks like this is the first time for her to be asked out.

But before I could give my opinion, a shadow of a woman emerged behind him.

“No.” Saori voices out, firm and determined.

She crosses her arms, leaving no room for argument.

“Ayase-chan belongs with us.” Saori whispers sharply, her scowl creeping through the student's skin. “Now head out or I’ll report you to your homeroom.”

The student’s jaw tightened as he slowly turned to Saori.

He clicks his tongue, “Why do these Class 3-2 students act so violent?”

And that led us to a catastrophic Saori eruption.

“Me, violent?!” Saori raises a brow. “We’re just keeping our precious jewel from poachers from other sections!”

The air hung heavy between them, and I braced for the worst.

However, the student just grumbled and surrendered himself to his friends waiting outside.

“Saori…” I sighed.

Hearing it, her eyebrows sharpened.

“What?!” she snapped, like a mother scolding her son. “You expect me to let her get swarmed on the first day? Ayase-chan doesn’t know how things work here yet.”

A smile surfaces from my lips. I did not expect Saori to be this protective. And I mean, overprotective.

Akito nodded, smirking. “Looks like Saori-chan will be Miyamoto-chan’s guardian angel?”

“Hmph.” she crossed her arms. “Of course. My injury won’t stop me from being a good student and sister.”

A wave of pink stood between us.

“I don’t mind going out with you all.” Ayase said sheepishly. “Ishida-san’s friends are my friends too.”

“So sweet!” Saori exclaimed as she pulled Ayase into a tight embrace. “You’re the most adorable person I've ever met!”

A collective giggle comes out from the loser’s circle. Looks like Ayase already found her paradise, and being with us doesn’t even need further convincing.

***

The cafeteria was packed, but we managed to secure our usual table in the corner.

Hell, the road towards here was full of onlookers keeping after Ayase’s impossibly natural cuteness. I never knew that the school uniforms would fit her so much.

Their sights converged like guided missiles, especially to me, the boy that was always next to her.

As we unwrapped our lunches, Ayase’s gaze swept over our bentos with interest.

“Uhm…” she started, hesitant. “Are those…homemade?”

Akito grinned. “Of course! My mom says a good lunch is the key to success.”

Saori scoffed. “You say that, but you still flunk your exams.”

“Hey!” Akito argued, pointing at Saori accusingly. “I'm trying to craft a beautiful image here!”

As Ayase and I unwrapped ours, Akito’s eyes immediately narrowed towards our lunch.

“Tonkatsu, ebi…” he murmured. “Rice balls with salmon…”

A fork was aimed at my position. Behind it, Akito’s glowing eyeglasses.

“Be honest with me, are you two living together?”

I shook my head before glancing at Ayase’s lunch.

Right, we missed that crucial detail. Of course when two people prepared the same meal, one could easily determine that these two people ‘live together’.

The atmosphere thawed as Saori casted the same questioning look.

I nearly choked.

“Nope,” I voiced out immediately.

Saori, however, had pressed on. She leaned forward, mirroring Akito’s suspicion. “Huh…now that you mention it, their lunches do look pretty similar.”

I sighed, raising my hands in mock surrender. “Alright, alright, chill out. We’re not living together. Right, Ayase?”

I turned to her.

Ayase, to my absolute horror, didn’t respond immediately.

Instead, she sat there, deep in thought—like she was actually considering how to answer.

“…Right?” I prompted again, my voice slightly strained.

A single bead of sweat rolled down my temple.

Seeing this, Ayase finally snapped out of it.

“Yeah! We live in the same apartment, but in different rooms,” she said quickly. “My aunt made these and just shared some with him.”

I let out a fake chuckle, rubbing the back of my head. “See? Totally normal.”

Saori leaned in further. “You live with your aunt, Ayase-chan?”

Ayase laughed lightly. “Mm. My parents are still in the States, so for now, I’m staying here with her.”

Wait…where did she get that? This isn't even a part of our scripted conversations! And an aunt?! Akio-san can't even sit next to a woman!

Akito narrowed his eyes further. “That’s suspiciously vague.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Why do you sound like an investigator?”

“Because I am!” Akito pointed a chopstick at me. “We know nothing about Miyamoto-chan! How can we trust you? You could be a spy, a runaway princess, or even an alien!”

Saori groaned. “You read too many mangas.”

I nodded. That can't be helped. It's too real for Akito to begin with.

Ayase, instead of denying it, hummed playfully. “Maybe I am a runaway princess.”

Akito gasped. “I knew it!”

I sighed.

“Ayase, don’t encourage him. You'll regret that when he starts acting up on his delusions.”

She just smiled.

“You know, that intrigues me…” Saori spoke, fitting sushi between her chopsticks. “What do your parents do for a living? You seem well-off, even more than Takamine-san.”

I barely processed her question.

Because the moment Saori mentioned Takamine-san, something clicked in my mind.

I hadn’t noticed her absence until now.

Takamine-san wasn’t the type to skip our circle’s lunch without reason. And considering the timing…could it be because of Ayase?

I snapped out of it before my thoughts spiraled any further.

“My mother was a nurse, and my father was an engineer.”

“Ah, makes sense. I heard even simple jobs in the States pay well. But with careers like your parents’? No wonder you’re stable.”

Akito, ever the clown, switches his gears immediately. “So, how's life in the States?” he asks, in a ridiculous English accent.

Saori and Ayase's eyebrows perked, and they both giggled.

“Uhm…” Ayase clears her throat, and replies in the same exaggerated way. “Life in America is paradise, but I crave the feeling of home, the cherry blossoms, and Ishi…I mean, the natives.”

I almost had a heart attack with Ayase nearly mentioning my surname but luckily, Akito and Saori were too busy sharing a laughing fit.

“In a British accent?” Akito gasped, clearly amazed by Ayase. “Wow! Our new classmate has uncanny language proficiency!”

I was a witness about how flawless Ayase was, in her own ways.

I guess being a Sentinel puts your life in an easier setup.

Like a cheat code.

Either way, I had to be careful keeping her profile low.

“That’s what happens when you live in a foreign country, dummy.”

“But that was melodious! As if Ayase was never human at all!”

My breath caught on my throat.

I fidgeted side to side, checking if there’s someone overhearing us.

Luckily there were none.

I stuttered nervously, scratching the back of my head. There was something I wanted to say that felt really uncharacteristic of me, let alone my throat burning, crying not to say it.

“...like an anime waifu, right?”

Ah, I hope the ground would just swallow me at this point. This is way beyond what I can take.

“She is! She’s that anime waifu with multiple talents!” Akito trailed off, jaw slightly dropping in realization. “Wait—where did you get that?”

I exhaled.

“Because you talk too much about that culture.”

“Oh, fufufu! The culture saves me from boredom, buddy! You should join me too!”

“Over my dead body.”

We continued eating, the conversation shifting to lighter topics. The dynamic felt oddly natural—like Ayase had always been part of this group.

Of course, it was meant to happen. That’s why I never regret choosing my own circle as my best friends.