Chapter 2 – First Period Is Already Hell

**Chapter 2 – First Period Is Already Hell**  

I thought the courtyard incident was the worst thing that could happen to me today.

I was wrong.

By the time the bell for first period rang, the entire school was in chaos. Girls were still whispering my name in the hallways like I was some kind of idol. Some had even started making handmade “Haruto-kun Fan Club” badges on the spot using notebook paper and heart stickers.

I slipped into Class 2-B and tried to hide in my usual seat at the back near the window. No such luck.

The moment I sat down, the girls in my class turned toward me in perfect synchronization. Heart-shaped pupils. Blushing cheeks. Sparkly background effects that definitely weren’t there yesterday.

“Haruto-kun… good morning…”  

“Haruto-kun, your bed hair is so cute today…”  

“Haruto-kun, can I sit on your lap during class? I’ll be quiet, I promise…”

One girl (normally quiet and bookish) actually crawled across three desks to reach me, eyes glittering.

“Haruto-kun… let me feed you my homemade bento every day for the rest of our lives…”

I sank lower in my chair, face burning.

“Personal space! Personal space!!”

The only person who seemed completely unaffected was our homeroom teacher, **Ms. Takahashi** — a strict 28-year-old woman with sharp glasses, tied-back black hair, and a no-nonsense aura. She stood at the front of the class tapping her attendance sheet with a ruler, completely unfazed.

“Everyone, settle down,” she said in her usual calm, authoritative voice. “Nakamura, stop causing a commotion and sit properly.”

Thank god. At least one woman in this school was immune to whatever curse that old lady put on me.

I let out a huge sigh of relief.

Ms. Takahashi began the lesson — today it was Classical Literature. She wrote a passage from *The Tale of Genji* on the board and started explaining the themes of courtly love and fleeting romance.

“Love in Heian period literature was often idealized yet tragic,” she said, voice steady. “It—”

She stopped mid-sentence.

Her eyes flicked toward me for half a second.

Then she continued as if nothing happened.

I relaxed a little.

Maybe the curse had limits. Maybe teachers were safe.

Wrong again.

Ten minutes into the lesson, things started escalating.

A girl in the front row raised her hand.

“Sensei, I have a question.”

Ms. Takahashi nodded. “Go ahead.”

The girl stood up, face bright red, and pointed straight at me.

“Why is Haruto-kun so perfect? His tired eyes… his messy hair… I can’t concentrate on the lesson because all I can think about is marrying him and raising three kids while he plays video games all day!”

The entire class erupted.

“Me too!”  

“I want to be his personal maid!”  

“Haruto-kun, please step on me during break!”

Ms. Takahashi slammed her ruler on the desk.

“Quiet! This is a literature class, not a fan club meeting!”

Her voice was still firm, but I noticed her ears were slightly pink.

She continued the lesson, but every few minutes her gaze would drift to me. She’d quickly look away and clear her throat.

“Focus on the text, everyone. Nakamura, stop distracting the class with your… existence.”

I sank even lower in my seat.

Yui, who sat two rows ahead, kept turning around to glare at the other girls while occasionally shooting me embarrassed glances. Her massive chest bounced every time she moved, which only made things worse for my concentration.

“Haruto, you idiot…” she muttered under her breath loud enough for me to hear. “If any of these girls touches you, I’ll… I’ll…”

She didn’t finish the sentence. Instead she just puffed her cheeks and faced forward again.

Ten minutes later, the situation reached critical mass.

A girl from the seat behind me leaned forward and whispered directly into my ear.

“Haruto-kun… after school, can we go to the rooftop and… make memories together?”

Her breath was warm. Her hand brushed my shoulder.

Before I could answer, another girl from the left side of the room stood up dramatically.

“Sensei! I can’t take it anymore! Haruto-kun’s presence is too powerful! I request permission to confess my love right now in front of the whole class!”

Ms. Takahashi’s ruler hit the desk so hard it cracked.

“Sit. Down.”

Her voice was still calm, but her cheeks were now visibly flushed. She adjusted her glasses with a slightly trembling hand.

“Class, we are studying literature, not… not whatever this is. Nakamura, if you cause one more disruption I will—”

She stopped.

Her eyes met mine for a long second.

For the first time, I saw something flicker behind her strict expression — a tiny spark of pink.

She quickly looked away and cleared her throat again.

“…I will assign you extra homework.”

The class giggled.

I buried my face in my arms.

This curse was merciless.

Even the teacher was starting to crack, even if she was fighting it harder than anyone else.

By the end of the period, I had received seventeen handwritten love letters slipped onto my desk, three confessions whispered in my ear, and one girl had tried to feed me a chocolate from her bento using chopsticks while the teacher wasn’t looking.

When the bell finally rang, I bolted for the door.

Ms. Takahashi’s voice stopped me.

“Nakamura. Stay behind for a moment.”

The rest of the class filed out, shooting jealous glances at me.

Once the room was empty, Ms. Takahashi walked over to my desk, arms crossed.

Her cheeks were still faintly pink, but her expression was back to strict teacher mode.

“Explain,” she said flatly. “What did you do to cause this chaos in my classroom?”

I pulled out the glowing red pendant from under my shirt.

“An old lady cursed me on the way to school. Now every girl who sees me falls in love with me. Even you’re starting to act weird, Sensei.”

Ms. Takahashi stared at the pendant for a long moment.

Then she sighed, pinched the bridge of her nose, and muttered:

“…Of course it’s a curse. Nothing else could explain why I suddenly want to pat your head and tell you you’re doing your best.”

She froze.

Her face turned bright red.

“I-I didn’t say that out loud. Forget you heard anything.”

She turned on her heel and walked back to her desk, ears burning.

“Get to your next class, Nakamura. And… try not to cause any more riots.”

I stood up, still in shock.

Even the teacher was affected.

This curse had no limits.

As I left the classroom, Yui was waiting outside, arms crossed, cheeks puffed.

“Took you long enough, idiot. If that teacher touches you, I’ll…”

She didn’t finish.

Instead she grabbed my sleeve and started dragging me toward the next class.

“…Just stay close to me. I’ll protect you from the other girls.”

Her grip was tight, but her hand was trembling slightly.

I looked up at the sky and sighed.

“God… please remove this curse before lunch.”

Somewhere in the distance, I swear I heard the old lady’s evil cackle.

**To Be Continued in Chapter 3 – “Lunch Break Is a Battlefield”**