His lips parted slightly, unable to form words.
Jealous? Hiyori… was jealous?
The idea seemed surreal. This was Ichinose Hiyori—dignified, beautiful, always calm and composed. And she was standing in front of him, cheeks flushed, eyes lowered, voice fragile, admitting that she felt something akin to possessiveness… over him.
"That's why I did something so stupid," she continued, her hands curling into fists by her sides. "I thought… maybe if I showed you something that Himeno-san hadn't… then maybe you'd forget her. Even for a moment."
Kouhei looked at her, his breath hitching in his throat. His heart thudded against his ribs, loud and fast. She wasn't playing around. She wasn't teasing anymore.
"Ichinose-san…" he said softly, but his voice trailed off. He didn't know what to say. He didn't want to say the wrong thing.
Her eyes slowly lifted to meet his, wide and glistening, her expression conflicted. "You probably think I'm disgusting now… don't you?"
"No," he said at once, firm and clear.
The word came out stronger than he expected—an instinctive denial.
She blinked at him, startled.
"I don't think that at all," he added. "What you did… sure, it surprised me, but it didn't feel disgusting. You just… acted on what you felt."
Hiyori's lips parted slightly, her breath caught.
"And honestly…" he continued, looking away for a second, then forcing himself to meet her gaze again, "my heart's still pounding because of you. So please, don't ever do that again."
A silence fell between them—but this one was different.
It was heavy with something unspoken, something fragile and potent… something that could shatter or bloom, depending on the next word.
Hiyori looked at him for a long moment… then smiled—soft, genuine, radiant.
"I'm glad," she said, her voice trembling faintly. "Because… it's the same for me."
The shrill ring of the bell echoed through the halls, marking the end of the midday break and the start of the afternoon classes. Kouhei quietly returned to his classroom, his footsteps light against the polished floor. As he stepped inside, the familiar scent of chalk and sunlight filtering through the windows welcomed him. He was the first to arrive.
The classroom, still cloaked in a lazy hush, gradually stirred to life. Not long after, Hiyori entered. Her stride was casual, but there was a glow to her face—an uncontainable smile blooming across her lips like a secret she was desperately trying to hide. Yet it betrayed her nonetheless.
"My, Ichinose-san, you seem unusually cheerful today," one of their classmates commented with a teasing tone, her curiosity piqued. "Did something good happen?"
A soft flush blossomed across Hiyori's cheeks, her expression flustered yet charming. "A-Am I really that obvious? I didn't even notice… Hehehehe" she said, then let out a lighthearted, bashful giggle that danced in the air like chimes in the wind.
The two girls closest to Hiyori, friends since their first year, exchanged a silent glance. Their lips curled into knowing smiles before turning back toward her with mischievous twinkles in their eyes.
"So something did happen!"
Their voices rose in unison, excitement bubbling over as they leaned closer with barely contained enthusiasm.
They had known Hiyori long enough to recognize this wasn't just a fleeting mood. She had always been the epitome of discipline—firm, punctual, and always prioritizing her studies. Rarely did she deviate from her academic path. To see her now, smiling like a girl in love, was a striking shift. And they were right to notice it.
They already suspected she had a crush—anyone observant enough could see it. Her subtle glances, the dreamy way she sometimes stared off during lunch, the nervous gestures when certain classmates spoke. But she had never once shared who the person was. The only clue they had? He was in their class. But which one of the boys had managed to steal the heart of someone like Hiyori?
"N-No! What would've happened? There wasn't anything. Nothing at all!" Hiyori stammered, her voice pitching slightly as she tried to steer away from the topic, her flustered expression deepening with every word.
Just a few seats away, Kouhei, who had been quietly listening to the exchange, heaved an inward sigh, his thoughts already unraveling. It wasn't even the end of the day, yet he felt as if he'd run a marathon.
First, there had been the unexpected kiss from Yui. Then, the thing where Hiyori suddenly lifted her skirt for him. And earlier this morning, he'd already had his sanity tested by Hina and Misuzu's double blowjob. It was as if the universe was determined to throw him into chaos.
It was only half past midday, and Kouhei was already completely drained. All he wanted was for the remaining hours of this school day to pass uneventfully, like clouds drifting across a calm sky.
Unfortunately, that hope evaporated the moment their homeroom teacher, Kyouka, entered the room with her usual commanding presence.
"Everyone. Be quiet and take your seats," she said, her voice firm yet poised, her eyes sweeping the classroom. "We'll begin in just a moment."
Right behind her, Hina walked in without a word, her white hair gleaming under the afternoon light that poured through the windows. She made her way to her seat next to Kouhei and sat down in a fluid motion. Then, without warning, her nose twitched. Her gaze immediately snapped toward Kouhei with such speed and intensity it was as if her instincts had been triggered by scent alone.
Kouhei jolted slightly in his seat. The sharpness of her movement had startled him, as though he'd just witnessed a reflex faster than human thought. Her eyes—normally playful or unreadable—were now piercing. Cold. Almost accusatory.
"Kouhei," she said, her tone icy, "you smell like a girl."
The words struck like a blade cloaked in velvet.
"How many girls have been rubbing off on you while I wasn't looking?" she continued, her gaze narrowing further, unreadable emotions simmering beneath the surface.
Her voice wasn't loud, but the chill behind her words was unmistakable.
A single bead of sweat slid slowly down Kouhei's back, its trail uncomfortably cold.
"Uh… I did get close with Himeno-san and Ichinose-san today, but…" he replied cautiously, choosing his words with care.
"I see. Hmmm…" Hina murmured, turning her eyes forward again.
She rested her elbow on the desk, propping her chin under her palm. Her expression was unreadable, her white hair cascading like silk down her shoulder, catching the warm sunlight in faint glimmers. A discontented air hung over her profile, her lips pursed in silent displeasure.
"Hina-san…" Kouhei began, intent on explaining himself further, but the moment passed before he could say another word.
"You can enter now," Kyouka announced, turning toward the door.
The classroom fell still.
A single figure stepped in, and time seemed to freeze.
The breath of every student was momentarily stolen. Their eyes widened, transfixed. The one who entered carried an air of elegance so profound it seemed almost unearthly.
She was beautiful—so much so that words stumbled in the minds of those trying to describe her. Her presence alone made the space feel smaller, as though the very room shifted to accommodate her arrival.
"Unbelievable… Our class is already filled with goddesses, and now another one appears?" one of the boys whispered, almost reverently, the awe in his voice undeniable.
Some of the boys couldn't hold back their excitement. A few even began cheering, their voices ringing out with unfiltered enthusiasm. It was the natural reaction to a girl of that caliber entering their midst—a beauty like hers stepping into their classroom was like a fantasy come to life.
But Kouhei didn't cheer. In fact, he didn't move at all.
While everyone else was starstruck, Kouhei's body tensed. His eyes widened ever so slightly, not from awe… but from sheer disbelief. A cold pulse shot through him like ice water rushing down his spine. His jaw clenched involuntarily, and his hands, resting atop his desk, curled ever so slightly into trembling fists.
She wasn't just some random transfer student or a pretty face to swoon over.
She was the woman who had once come at him with murder in her eyes—who had tried to kill him without hesitation.
Before Kouhei could process another thought, Kyouka's voice broke the momentary silence. "You can introduce yourself," she said calmly, turning to the woman with a nod.
The woman—elegant, composed, and terrifyingly graceful—swept her gaze across the entire classroom. It was slow and deliberate, like a predator taking note of her new surroundings.
And then… her eyes landed on Kouhei.
Kouhei's breath hitched. A twitch tugged at the corner of his mouth. A primal alert surged within him as if his body still remembered the threat she posed before his mind could even react. He stared into those eyes that had once held murderous intent.
"Good afternoon," she began, her voice smooth, melodic, and deceptively warm. "I know this is already late in the day for me to come here and introduce myself, so I'm sorry for that."
The entire classroom hung on her every word. Her voice flowed like a lullaby, disarming and elegant, yet to Kouhei, it was laced with venom.
"But I would like to introduce myself," she continued, placing a hand gently over her chest. "My name is Sugisawa Masaki. And starting today, I'll be your classmate. I hope I can know a lot of all of you."
As she bowed with flawless poise, the class erupted in applause. Some even whistled under their breath. The students' faces beamed with joy—this was the kind of classmate you only saw in dreams or on TV dramas.
His thoughts were a fragmented blur.
His brain was frozen, like a machine short-circuiting under an impossible overload. How many ridiculous, impossible events was he supposed to deal with today? He hadn't even made it through a full day of school, yet this was already incident number… what? Four? Five?
"Take your seat now," Kyouka instructed. "I'm sorry, since the classroom and the chairs are already filled, there is no seat for you other than the one at the back of Okumura-kun. I want to change the seating arrangement, but it's already late for that at this point."
"I'm fine there, Amemiya-sensei," Masaki replied politely, offering a serene smile.
"Alright then," Kyouka said, giving a curt nod.
With that, Masaki began walking—graceful and unhurried—down the aisle. Her presence commanded attention with each step. The classroom had never felt so small and suffocating.
And then… she sat down.
Kouhei's heartbeat thundered in his chest. Each beat was a deafening drum, rattling in his ears. He could feel her presence looming just inches from his back, the hairs on his nape standing on end as if anticipating a blade.
Why was the same woman who once tried to end his life now sitting behind him, smiling like nothing had ever happened?
Then, without warning, she leaned forward.
Her breath tickled his ear.
"I'll be in your care starting from now on, Okumura-kun," she whispered.