The School Diva's Return

A crowd had gathered in the hallway, and at the center was Yume.

She stood frozen, her eyes wide in shock and fear. Before her was a beautiful girl with blond curls tied up high like spun gold. She wore light makeup, which gave her smiling face a refined charm.

Her posture and stance exuded that familiar confidence that Hanazono High School had not seen in a while—nor expected to see again.

Seira twirled a strand of hair and grinned wider. “Sakura Yume."

“M-Miss Airin…” Yume clutched her books to her chest, now trembling.

‘That Airin, I swear…’

Kaien had rushed over with Minato, thinking a fight had already started.

But once there, both boys realized that the situation was not as grave as it sounded. The two girls were only standing there, having probably just arrived at school together.

What had truly caused a commotion among the students was Seira looking all dolled up again after dressing plainly for some time.

Simply styling her hair and applying makeup had garnered her this much attention. It was as if she never left the limelight. That was the kind of power she held.

Kaien watched Seira incredulously. 'Is she really doing it now?'

“Sakura Yume.”

“Miss Airin...”

“Sakura Yume.”

“Miss, um…?”

‘...What exactly is she doing?’

Nothing was happening at all. Seira just kept repeating Yume's name like a broken recorder.

In the past, she would have fired off insults after insults the instant she locked onto her target. Yume, being on top of her hit list, had it the worst. Aside from getting mocked in front of others, she would also get tripped over or shoved around.

That explained why Yume was so terrified that Seira was talking to her again. There was only ever one meaning.

"Sakura Yume..."

Kaien furrowed his brow at the subtle change in Seira's tone of voice. 'Does she actually know what she's supposed to do?'

Yesterday, Kaien learned that Seira either forgot or was unaware of who he was to her. However, he did not get a chance to ask what other memories she had lost, or if she even had them.

'Since she's gone this far already, she must've at least prepared?'

This was not him encouraging bullying. In fact, it would be interesting to see Airin Seira at a loss for once, and if she retreated, it would save Yume the trouble of enduring this farce. But he did expect more than this pitiful display.

'I mean, she rambled on and on about the best, perfect, ultimate villainess scheme, so I-'

"Glad to have you back, Miss Seira!"

"Oh, what's this? Did this ugly girl make you angry again?"

"Sakura, care to explain yourself?"

Out of nowhere, a group of girls joined the scene—Seira's clique.

They used to hang out together before Seira became distant. Kaien was not sure what they had been up to ever since. They had kept bothering Yume for a while but eventually lay low as well.

Without their leader, they did not have enough sway on campus. Some students said they were all Seira wannabes, and it was true. They tried to imitate her to take her place, yet to no avail.

From the beginning, Seira was a one-woman show. She had the looks, the wealth, and the popularity, but above everything, she had that aura nobody could emulate. Now that she approached Yume again, the girls must have thought that this powerhouse was back in action.

Kaien clenched his fists. 'Airin is one thing, but them... They won't spare Sakura.”

"They're scaring Yume," Minato muttered from beside him, expression hardening.

"Yeah, better not let this drag on any longer," he sighed and started advancing toward them. "Call the student council, Minato. I'll go there and-"

"Who are you people?"

At Seira's question, Kaien stopped short. The others, who had been watching with bated breaths, were also caught off guard. Even Yume, who was still cowering before Seira, looked confused.

"What?" one of the clique members snorted. "You're...asking us?"

"Oh, it's been long, after all! We apologize, Miss Seira. We understand it's been tough for you lately, but please know we've always been here for you."

"And sorry for not checking on you! Everybody needs space sometimes, and we just think you might be going through difficult things that you can't tell us yet-"

"None of that answered my question," Seira said with cold indifference, silencing the group. "But I get what you want to do. You're also after Sakura Yume, right? Well, too bad, I'm here first. Could you step aside and wait for your turn?"

'Like they would fall in line just to bully someone.' Kaien was unsure whether to take her seriously or not. 'In any case, it seems she doesn't remember them either. But doesn't she realize that having minions around can help her appear more...villainous, I guess? Though I shouldn't be thinking this, it can get the job done faster, given that she doesn't even have any idea what to do.'

"Uh, Miss Seira? W-What did you just...?"

Seira glared at the girls, already getting impatient. "I don't need backup dancers. You're not even in the rehearsal. I can perform well enough on my own."

"E-Excuse me? Rehearsal?"

"Miss Seira! We're your friends-"

"Listen to me." She turned to the clique, and though Kaien could not see her face, he could somehow feel the sheer pressure she was putting them through. "I practiced all night for this. But with you guys around, I can't concentrate. You're nothing but distractions. Maybe try being my props, at least, and be still.”

Kaien, seeing the girls finally back down, heaved a sigh. 'That's one problem solved. Now then, what did she practice? Saying Sakura's name?'

Seira cleared her throat loudly before facing Yume once more. The air in the hallway tensed up.

"Sakura Yume!" she bellowed, then reached out her hand. "Give me your lunch money!"

The crowd went silent. If it were not for Kaien quickly covering his mouth, a laugh would have been heard.

'Seriously, Airin? That's the best you can think of?'

"Pardon me, my queen," one of the girls near Seira whispered to her hesitantly. “But aren't you from a rich family?"

"Huh?! Uh, um, well..."

"H-How much?" Yume stammered as she pulled out her wallet tremulously. "I-I don't have a lot right now, but-"

"Wait! No! That's not..."

"A-Ah, e-everything, then?"

"What I mean is... Ermmm..."

‘Okay, that’s it.’

Kaien could not bear to watch any longer, so he walked forward and left the sideline. Seira was too flustered to notice him approach, whereas the rest now looked at him.

He stood next to Yume, shoulders slacked and hands in his pockets.

“Airin, what is it this time?”

“K-Kinryuji!” Yume exclaimed, glad and relieved to see him.

“Ah, Kinryuji Kaien.” Seira addressed him as though he's a new contender in a competition, drawing baffled looks from the other students. “Well, well, well… Who do we have here?”

‘How is she so bad at this? She literally just said my name.’

It was as if she was mixing up her lines. That was one sign of her being nervous.

Kaien did a double-take. ‘Airin is…nervous? That’s not like her at all.’

But that was indeed not her. That was a different person, a different Airin Seira. It was obvious why she was messing up.

And alas, she snapped.

“Arghhhhh! I don’t want this anymore!” Seira held her head in her hands before pointing a finger at him. “Kinryuji Kaien! How dare you intervene?!”

“...Airin, just what is it you don’t want anymore?” For a moment, he thought she was giving up.

“U-Um! Miss Airin!” Yume interjected all of a sudden, stepping in between them. “Please, don’t… D-Don’t shout at him. I’m the one you hate, so…”

Seira stared at her for a second, then smirked. “Why? You love him or something?”

‘Hey! You don’t just ask things like that!’

“Ehhhh?!!!” Yume flushed bright red, startled and seemingly embarrassed.

“Ohohoho~ So, you do?”

She blushed harder. “T-T-That’s… Nghhh...”

‘Huh? Could Sakura be…?’

Kaien stared, speechless and unmoving. Seira nodded, looking more than satisfied.

‘Told ‘ya,’ he could practically hear her say.

Kaien wondered what happened to trying to be a villainess, but then, he recalled that Seira did mention she would be a matchmaker as well.