Chapter 3

"Once again, I'm your homeroom teacher, Miss. Nagao, and I will make it clear from the get-go that you're not allowed to sleep during class." Her eyes went straight to Kuruma, and the class laughed.

"Oops, my bad. Sorry, Miss. Nagao." Kuruma yawned again.

"Especially not during an assembly or such, with the principal right there." She shook her head and briefly looked at Izumi, who froze, before turning her attention to the pile of documents to hand out on her desk.

Am I in trouble? Is it because I didn't wake him up right away? What was I supposed to do?

Miss. Nagao handed out stacks to the front row to pass back of schedules, club information, school calendars, and the school rulebook, in case they didn't get the original one. "Your homework for today is to read through the information and get ready for the real first day of school. For now, it's time for introductions."

The class groaned in complaint. "Homework on the first day."

"This much is doable. First up..."

Introductions? What can I say about myself? I'm from out of the city? I love shoujo manga, video games, and cute things? I don't think that'd work well this time either. What else can I even say about myself?

One by one, students introduced themselves.

"Hashito Izumi," Miss. Nagao called out her name.

Izumi swallowed hard and stood, gripping her hands tightly as she made her way to the front. "My name is Hashito Izumi, and I moved into the area recently."

"Why'd you move?" a student yelled.

"Put your hand up if you want to ask something," Miss. Nagao warned him.

His hand shot up. "Why'd you move?" he asked, without waiting to be called on.

Because I wanted a new start. Izumi put on her practised smile. "Because... my family wanted a fresh start. New place with new people."

"Does that mean you were running away from something?"

Whispers took over the classroom.

Not completely wrong, but why would they ask that? "We wanted a new adventure, that's all." She swallowed hard.

"Are you a country bumpkin?"

"Not exactly, but this city is definitely bigger and busier than my old one. I look forward to exploring it." Izumi bowed, hoping they'd back off.

"Thank you, Hashito. Please sit. Hiroto Kuruma, you're next."

Izumi scurried back to her seat, passing Kuruma. "Good job," he whispered and lightly patted her back as he made his way to the front.

She sat and held her face, turning red. He said I did a good job! She bit her lip, holding back from squealing.

"Hiroto Kuruma," he introduced himself. "I know most of you already from middle school and farther back, so I don't think I need to say anything."

"I don't know you," Miss. Nagao said, stopping him mid-step as he tried to flee.

He turned to her. "I like playing video games and reading manga."

"Okay, good, but please don't let those interfere with your sleep. You're a growing boy who needs his sleep, and it's important to pay attention in class if you want to pass."

"Yes, ma'am."

She sighed and waved him away. "Up next..."

Kuruma sat back at his desk and smirked. "I honestly don't know why they bother with this," he grumbled. "It's not like everyone is going to suddenly be best friends after knowing one or two things about someone else."

"It might be enough to help people start a conversation..." Izumi trailed off and glanced at him.

He nodded and shrugged. "I guess, but I doubt most of us pay attention to it. We're all just worried about what we have to say."

"Ahem." Miss. Nagao cleared her throat and glared at Kuruma and Izumi. "No talking during introductions."

Kuruma and Izumi silently bowed their heads in apologies.

"Moriko Shiori," Miss. Nagao called her to the front, and Izumi sat up straight, her eyes sparkling.

Shiori stood at the front. "I'm Moriko Shiori. I like peace and quiet, and if anyone disturbs it unnecessarily, I'll put a curse on them." With her eyes narrowed, her mouth thinned into a wide smile, sending chills down the other students' spines.

Most of them looked away, and a few of them even rubbed their arms, swearing they could feel a ghost pass by them.

"Please don't scare the class... and me."

Izumi gave her a thumbs-up and a small clap as she returned to her seat. Can't believe she got such a reaction out of them! It's not like she'd actually do anything... right? She's too sweet to.

When Yanagi was called to the front, the girls all sat at attention, twirling their hair and gazing at him with stars in their eyes.

What a weird phenomenon. I can't help but wonder what Yanagi has done to receive this. He's charming, sure, but it's not like he's a pop star.

"Tsueno Yanagi, a pleasure to make your acquaintance." He bowed dramatically, hand over his heart, as his other arm swung to the side.

"Yanagi!" a couple of girls called out to him.

"Shh!" Miss. Nagao held her finger to her lips. "Quiet, please."

"I love playing video games, hanging out with friends, and playing baseball. Hopefully I can join the team soon." He gestured throwing a baseball in the air and hitting it with a bat, watching it fly. His eyes went to Kuruma. "And my best friend better join me again on the team."

"What? Why?" Kuruma complained.

"You were on the team in middle school; why wouldn't you be on it in high school?"

"I didn't even play that much. I was more of a benchwarmer."

"Not because you're bad, but because you'd fake injuries to get out of it."

"Exactly! Which is why I see no need to join the baseball team in high school."

Yanagi waggled his finger. "Unacceptable. You're coming with me whether you—"

"Mr. Tsueno, that's enough. Please sit down," Miss. Nagao said.

The class laughed, and a few guys gave Yanagi a friendly nudge as he passed by.

"Just had to go there." Kuruma sighed and gave Yanagi a tired look as he headed back to his seat.

"We must chase our dreams together." Yanagi tapped on his desk.

"Your dream. My dream is to create my own epic video game."

"Oh, make it an open world baseball game—"

"Mr. Tsueno," the teacher called out to him again.

"Sorry, ma'am, but these introductions have brought out some important questions." Yanagi bowed and sat down.

"Yes, yes. Next!"

Once all the introductions were done, she moved onto locker assignments and explaining cleaning duty, which went in alphabetical order for the groups of five, alternating areas per week.

I'm in a group with Kuruma! It's like fate keeps trying to push us together. Izumi sighed, leaning her head in her hands as she glanced at him again. He kept looking between the front and his manga hidden in his backpack sitting on his desk.

"The duties will start tomorrow," Miss. Nagao said, and a collective groan rang through the class. "Yes, I know. I hear it every year, but now you may all go off to find your club or a few to try out before you settle on what you want."

"Are clubs mandatory?" one student asked, their hand shooting up.

"They're strongly recommended. You're dismissed."