The Legend of the Latecomer and the Emerald Wall

A soft breeze rustled through the cherry blossoms, their petals drifting like whispers in the moonlit air. The world felt weightless. He stood under the shade of the trees, the fuwa-fuwa (fluffy) petals brushing against his skin.

And in the midst of it all, she stood there.

A girl.

Her presence was both familiar and mysterious. Her face was a blur, yet his heart ached with a deep sense of natsukashii, nostalgia as if he had known her for lifetimes. She turned toward him, the warmth of her voice blooming in the air.

A soft whisper echoed...

"Help me."

Just as he reached out—

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

The sharp, metallic shriek of an alarm shattered the silence.

Reikou jolted awake, tangled in his sheets like a fish caught in a net. WHACK! His hand smacked the clock as he groaned into his pillow.

"Huh... again?!"

He rubbed his eyes, caught in the haze between the dream and the cold morning air. "So it was just a dream, huh?" he mumbled. He glanced at the clock and then DOKI! his heart skipped a beat in pure terror.

7:43 AM.

"WAIT! TODAY IS THE ENTRANCE CEREMONY!!"

Panic surged. In a whirlwind of chaos, he scrambled out of bed, shoved on his uniform, grabbed a single sock, and tried to brush his teeth while hopping into his shoes.

"This is so stupid! This is NOT how a main character starts his story!" he yelled at the ceiling.

Minutes later, he was sprinting through the streets, a piece of toast clamped between his teeth. Haa... haa... "I'm late on the very first day..."

By the time he burst through the school gates, his lungs were screaming for mercy. He slid into the classroom just as the door was closing.

SLIDE—!

The teacher stared at him with an expression of pure "Are you serious?"

"Ah... you must be the final student," the teacher said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Yes... sensei," Reikou panted, doubling over.

"Late on your first day? What a oroka (foolish) entry," the teacher sighed, adjusting his glasses. "I am Yinglan-sensei. Since you’ve made such an entrance, go ahead and introduce yourself."

Reikou took a deep breath. He stood tall, placed a hand over his heart, and closed his eyes. The room fell into a curious silence.

"I am Reikou Shion."

"There are only three rules I live by."

He raised one finger. "Rule one: Food is life. If you eat, you are happy. If you are happy, you are strong."

A few students nodded. “He’s not wrong,” someone whispered.

He raised a second finger. "Rule two: Sleep is sacred. If you wake me without a valid reason, I will consider you my mortal enemy. No exceptions."

A few chuckles rippled through the room. Even Yinglan-sensei sighed. But then, Reikou’s voice dropped to a dramatic, low vibration. He raised a third finger.

"Rule three: I believe in fate."

The laughter stopped. Reikou opened his eyes, scanning the room and then the laughter erupted twice as loud.

"Enough, enough!" Yinglan-sensei groaned, "Just take the window seat, Shion-kun, and don't make me regret letting you into this school!"

Reikou walked to his seat, still catching his breath. As he sat down, his eyes drifted to the girl in the seat next to him.

The world stopped. Clang.

It was her. The girl from his dream.

Her face was no longer a blur. Her dark, silky hair framed her features like a frame around a masterpiece. Her emerald eyes were sharp, cold, and distant like high walls no one was allowed to climb. She was beautiful, but a type of beauty that felt dangerous.

‘What is this feeling...?’ Before he could even process it, the girl turned. Her emerald gaze locked onto his, hardening instantly.

"Are you seeing a girl for the first time, hentai (pervert)?" she deadpanned.

Reikou nearly choked on his own breath. "I—no! I wasn't—!"

"Yo, new guy!"

An arm wrapped around his shoulder with a heavy thud. A boy with messy hair and a mischievous grin leaned in. "I'm Ryuuto! Ryuuto Ketsuhiro. You seem like a riot, Reikou-San. Let’s be friends!"

"That was... fast," Reikou blinked.

THWACK!

Two pieces of chalk flew through the air with sniper-like precision, hitting both their foreheads.

"Enough talking!" Yinglan-sensei barked

"Shion-kun, Ketsuhiro-kun out in the hallway! Stand there until I say otherwise!"

"Late on my first day. Punished within ten minutes. My legend is off to a great start," Reikou muttered, leaning against the cold hallway wall.

"Hey, at least we’re in this together, partner!" Ryuuto grinned, completely unfazed.

They both shared a small laugh. Then, Ryuuto’s expression turned sly. "So... you totally fell for Meiyu Sazanami-san, didn't you?"

"Meiyu... Sazanami?" Reikou whispered the name. "I don't know why, but when I saw her... I felt something. Something I've never felt before."

"Love at first sight?"

"N-No! I mean... maybe?" Reikou felt his face heat up.

Ryuuto leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper. "You really don't know? She's the sole heiress to Sazanami Entertainment & Media (SEM)."

Reikou froze. "SEM? The company that controls half the entertainment industry? The ones who manage every top idol and movie star in the country?"

The realization hit him like a freight train. He wasn't just sitting next to a girl; he was sitting next to the most untouchable person in the city.

[End of Chapter 1]