The morning breeze of early spring danced through the trees. Birds sang beautiful hymns while students chatted nearby, their laughter echoing the feeling that a new season was finally upon us.
The shrill ring of my alarm shattered my deep slumber. I sat up, gathering my thoughts; today was the day of my high school debut. While brushing my teeth, I lingered at the mirror, checking my reflection and adjusting my hair. Once my morning routine was finished, I headed downstairs to the sound of a familiar voice.
"Yuu, dear! Breakfast is ready," my mother called out.
"I'm on my way, Mom," I replied warmly.
In the kitchen, my father and little sister were already eating.
"Oh, Aniki! Good morning," my sister greeted me with a bright smile.
"Today is the big day, right Yuu?" my father asked gently.
"Yes, Father," I said, taking my seat.
My sister squinted at me, looking confused. "Aniki, why are you wearing those glasses again? They make you look... gloomy."
"It's for fashion," I replied with an awkward smile.
"You have weird taste," she teased.
The table erupted in laughter. To anyone watching, we were just a normal, happy family. But the Kobashigawa family held secrets—secrets we all respected in silence.
--Arrival at Sakura High--
I left the house and walked toward Sakura High. It was a prestigious school, famous for offering students a "perfect youthful life." I'd be lying if I said that wasn't why I chose it.
As I passed through the gates, the energy was electric. Seniors were desperately recruiting for clubs, and circles of friends were already reuniting. In the center of the chaos stood a group that moved with a different authority—the Student Council. At their center was a girl with stunning, long black hair.
"Kyaah! It's Masuyo-senpai!" a group of girls squealed.
"Is that really Fuuji Masuyo?" a boy whispered nearby. "The legendary President? I heard she's the one who turned that group of first-year delinquents into honors students."
I moved past the crowd, heading toward the auditorium. However, the "peaceful" vibe shifted as I reached a quiet corridor. I heard voices—sharp and cruel.
"Oh my, why are you here, freak?" a girl who looked like a gyaru sneered. She and her friends had another girl cornered. "I can't believe she had the audacity to show up after that incident."
The girl being cornered didn't flinch. Suddenly, the air around her felt heavy.
"Hah," the cornered girl let out a cold, sharp laugh. "What a group of bitches, spouting shit for your own entertainment. You're supposed to be grown up, yet you're still looking for someone to step on?"
The bullies froze, flabbergasted by her bite. Offended but intimidated, they huffed and hurried away. As I tried to pull back into the shadows, our eyes met. She rushed toward me and gripped my uniform with terrifying strength.
"Don't tell anyone what you saw," she hissed, her voice dropping into a dangerous register. "Pretend you saw nothing."
I nodded quickly. She released me and disappeared toward the auditorium.
--The Seat Neighbor--
After a long opening ceremony filled with the Principal's speeches, we were sent to our classrooms. My seat was in the classic spot: the back row, right by the window. I took a deep breath, deciding my first goal was to socialize with my neighbor.
To my right sat a girl with glasses and bangs that partially hid her face, though her charm was obvious even from a distance. When she noticed me looking, she looked away instantly.
Did I give her a bad impression? I wondered. I decided to try anyway.
"Hello! Nice to meet you," I said with my best friendly smile. "I'm Kobashigawa Yuu. You can call me Yuu."
She looked back at me, her voice small and shy. "Uhm... nice to meet you, too. I'm Hase Sayuri... You can call me Sayuri."
"Nice to meet you, Sayuri. Let's have a great year."
Sayuri's face turned bright red—like a tomato—and she looked away again. She was incredibly shy, but something about her caught my interest. I had a feeling this year wouldn't be boring at all.
The homeroom teacher eventually entered, a stern-looking man who droned on about school rules, but my mind was elsewhere. I kept stealing glances at Sayuri. She was hunched over her notebook, scribbling so intensely you'd think she was solving world hunger, but her ears were still pink.
Once the bell rang for the lunch break, the classroom transformed into a battlefield of social circles. Desks were pushed together, and the smell of convenience store bread filled the air.
"Hey, Yuu-kun! Right?"
A tall, athletic guy with messy hair leaned against my desk. He had the kind of effortless "protagonist" energy that made my glasses feel twice as heavy.
"Yeah, Kobashigawa Yuu," I replied, offering a polite nod.
"I'm Ishida Takeo. I saw you talking to the quiet girl earlier," he whispered, gesturing toward Sayuri, who had turned into a statue the moment he approached. "Bold move for the first day. Most people are too intimidated by the 'Ice Wall' she puts up."
"She's just shy," I defended, though I wasn't entirely sure myself.
"If you say so! Anyway, a few of us are heading to the rooftop to check out the view. You in?"
I looked at Sayuri. She was staring at her desk, clutching a small, handmade bento box like it was a shield. She clearly wasn't going to join a loud group.
"Maybe next time, Ishida. I think I'll stay here for a bit," I said.
"Suit yourself! Catch you later, glasses-kun." He flashed a grin and swept half the boys in the class out the door with him.
The room grew quiet. Only a few students remained. I turned back to Sayuri, who was now slowly opening her bento. It was meticulously packed—octopus-shaped sausages and neatly rolled tamagoyaki.
"Did you make that yourself?" I asked softly.
She flinched, a piece of egg nearly falling from her chopsticks. "U-uh... yes. My mother is busy, so I... I usually cook."
"It looks professional," I said, and I wasn't lying. "Compared to my store-bought melon pan, it's a masterpiece."
For the first time, she gave a tiny, genuine flick of a smile. "I can... give you a sausage? If you want?"
Before I could answer, the classroom door swung open with a bang. The atmosphere didn't just change; it froze.
--Amaya--
The classroom was buzzing with the energy of new friendships, but that energy curdled the moment the door slid open. The girl from the corridor—the one who had threatened me—walked in.
She didn't look like the victim I'd seen earlier. She carried herself with a sharp, cold confidence that made the students near the door pull their desks away. Her eyes scanned the room like a hawk's until they locked onto me.
She marched straight over and slammed her hand down on Sayuri's desk with a loud thwack.
"Move," she commanded. Her voice wasn't loud, but it was heavy with a threat I didn't understand.
Sayuri let out a small, terrified squeak. Her face, which had been so red just a moment ago, turned as white as paper. She began to fumbled with her bento box, her hands shaking so hard she almost dropped her chopsticks. "I-I'm sorry! I'll go..."
"Wait," I said, my voice cracking slightly. I felt my heart thumping against my ribs—not with anger, but with the sheer awkwardness of the situation. "Sayuri, you don't have to go. The teacher... he said these seats are ours for the term."
The girl turned her gaze toward me. Up close, her eyes were a piercing, golden-amber. "I don't remember asking for your input, Glasses."
She reached out and grabbed the collar of my uniform, jerking me toward her. I stumbled forward, my glasses sliding down my nose. I felt completely helpless, my hands hovering in the air as I tried to figure out how to de-escalate this without making a scene.
"Didn't I tell you to pretend you didn't see anything?" she hissed, her face inches from mine. "That includes pretending I don't exist. Now, tell your little friend to get lost before I lose my patience."
I gulped, looking at her hand on my collar and then back at her eyes. "I... I really think we should just follow the rules. It's the first day, right? Let's just... have a peaceful start?"
She let out a short, dry laugh. "A peaceful start? You're either very brave or just an idiot."
"Is there a problem here?"
A clear, authoritative voice cut through the tension. We all turned. Standing at the door was the Student Council President, Fuuji Masuyo. Her presence felt like a cool breeze hitting a fever.
The girl, Amaya, clicked her tongue and released my collar, smoothing out her skirt as if she hadn't just been ready to toss me across the room. "Just greeting the new students, President," she said with a mocking tilt of her head.
Masuyo walked toward us, her long black hair swaying with a grace that silenced the entire room. She stopped at our desks, her sharp eyes darting between Amaya's smirk and my disheveled uniform.
"Amaya-san," Masuyo said coolly. "The incident in the corridor was already reported. If I see you bothering your classmates again, your 'fresh start' at this school will be a very short one."
Amaya gave a lazy, insincere bow. "Understood, Kaichou." She leaned in one last time, whispering to me, "Don't get comfortable," before sauntering out of the room.
The weight in the air lifted, but my legs still felt a bit like jelly. Masuyo turned her attention to me, adjusting her student council armband.
"You're Kobashigawa Yuu, correct?" she asked.
"Yes," I managed to say, pushing my glasses back up. "Thank you for the help, President."
She didn't smile. Instead, she looked at me with a strange, searching expression. "You should be more careful about who you try to reason with. Some people don't care about 'rules' or 'peaceful starts.'"
She turned and left without another word. I sank back into my chair, letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
"Yuu-kun..." Sayuri whispered, her voice trembling. "I'm so sorry. It's my fault you got targeted."
"It's okay," I said, giving her a small, shaky smile. "I'm just glad she's gone. Let's just try to enjoy the rest of lunch, okay?"
--A Quiet Connection--
I looked over at Sayuri. She was still frozen, her hands hovered over her half-eaten bento as if she were afraid that moving would bring Amaya back.
"Hey," I said softly, trying to sound as "normal" as possible. "Are you okay? You're shaking a bit."
Sayuri jumped slightly at the sound of my voice, then slowly lowered her hands. "I... I'm okay. I'm just... so sorry, Yuu-kun. You shouldn't have had to do that for me. She's... she's really scary."
"It's fine," I replied, adjusting my glasses. I picked up my melon pan, which felt a bit pathetic compared to her home-cooked meal. "I just don't like seeing people get bullied. Besides, the President came to the rescue, so no harm done, right?"
Sayuri looked at me, her eyes peeking through her long bangs. "You're very brave. Most people would have just looked away. Even the boys in the front row didn't say anything."
"I'm not brave," I lied, forcing a sheepish laugh. "I was actually terrified. My legs are still a bit like jelly."
She giggled—a tiny, muffled sound behind her hand. The "tomato" blush returned, but this time it seemed warmer, less like a panic reaction and more like a genuine emotion. "Really? You didn't look terrified. You looked... steady."
"Must be the glasses," I joked. "They hide the fear in my eyes."
We sat in silence for a moment, the comfortable kind. She picked up a small octopus-shaped sausage with her chopsticks and held it out toward me. "Um... here. For... for helping me. Please take it."
"Are you sure?"
She nodded vigorously, her bangs swaying. "I made too much anyway."
I took the sausage with my barehand. "Thanks, Sayuri. It really does taste amazing. You're a great cook."
She looked down at her desk, a small, shy smile playing on her lips. "No one has ever told me that before. I usually eat alone."
"Well, you're not alone this year," I said, my voice turning a bit more serious. "We're seatmates, after all. We have to stick together, especially if characters like Amaya-san are running around."
She looked back up at me, and for a split second, the shyness faded, replaced by a glimmer of hope. "I'd like that, Yuu-kun. To... to not be alone."
The bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch break. As the rest of the class swarmed back to their seats, I felt a strange sense of satisfaction. My "normal life" was already a mess, and I'd managed to get noticed by the most dangerous girl and the most powerful girl in school within three hours.
But looking at Sayuri, who was now neatly packing her lunch with a much calmer expression, I thought that maybe—just maybe—it was worth the trouble.
--The Predator and the Protector--
I stopped at a vending machine to buy a drink, using the reflective glass to confirm what my gut already knew. A small figure was darting between shadows behind me. I didn't feel threatened—I felt amused.
I continued walking until I reached a quiet alleyway, then I ducked behind a utility pole. A few seconds later, Sayuri hurried around the corner, her head spinning as she searched for me.
"Looking for someone, Sayuri-chan?" I called out, leaning casually against the pole with a smirk.
She let out a tiny gasp, nearly jumping out of her skin. She immediately hid a small notebook behind her back, her face turning a deep, delicious crimson. "Y-Yuu-kun! I... I was just... walking! The sunset is so pretty from this specific alley!"
I took a step toward her, closing the distance until I was well within her personal space. I reached out and gently tilted her chin up with my finger, forcing her to look past my glasses and into my eyes.
"Is that so?" I lowered my voice, letting a bit of that old, smooth authority slide into my tone. "And here I thought you were so worried about me that you couldn't bear to let me out of your sight. You're quite the dedicated bodyguard, aren't you?"
Sayuri's breath hitched. Her eyes wide, she looked like a deer caught in headlights—but she didn't pull away. If anything, she leaned into my touch.
"I... I just wanted to make sure you were safe," she whispered, her voice trembling. "After what happened today... I couldn't sleep if I didn't know you got home."
"How sweet," I teased, my thumb brushing lightly against her jawline. I leaned in closer, whispering near her ear. "You even checked the student directory to find my house, didn't you? The one with the blue mailbox?"
She stiffened, her heart practically thumping loud enough for me to hear. "How did you...?"
"I'm more observant than I look, Sayuri." I pulled back just enough to catch her gaze again, giving her a wink that I knew would send her head spinning.
"But honestly? I don't mind. Having a cute girl follow me home is a lot more interesting than walking alone. Just make sure you ask nicely next time, and maybe I'll even hold your hand."
The "shy" girl seemed to melt right there. A small, shaky smile touched her lips—a smile that looked a little too wide, a little too intense.
"Really?" she asked, her fingers gripping the sleeve of my blazer. "You'd hold my hand? You... you don't think I'm weird?"
"We're all a little weird, Sayuri," I said, patting her head gently before stepping back to give her some air. "But we should probably get you home before it gets dark. I wouldn't want my bodyguard getting lost, right?"
"Tomorrow," she said, her voice sounding like a trance. "I'll be at the gate. I'll wait for you. I won't let anyone else near you, Yuu-kun."
"I'll be looking forward to it," I replied with a wave, turning to walk away.
The moment my back was turned, the flirtatious smile dropped. My expression went cold. I thought teasing her would calm her down, I thought, my mind racing. But I think I just poured gasoline on a fire. She didn't look scared—she looked encouraged.
I made it to my front door and locked it behind me, leaning against the wood. My "peaceful" life was officially over. I hadn't just made a friend; I had accidentally charmed a girl who might never let me go.
I headed upstairs, the weight of the day finally catching up to me. As I passed by my little sister's room, I saw her sitting on her bed, scrolling through her phone. An idea popped into my head—a way to gauge just how much trouble I was actually in without giving away my secret.
I leaned against her doorframe, trying to look as casual as possible. "Hey, Hana. Quick question."
She looked up, blinking. "If it's about your 'fashionable' glasses again, I stand by what I said. You look like a gloomy NPC."
I chuckled, shaking my head. "No, not that. I was just wondering... purely as a joke, of course... what would you do if a girl started acting, I don't know, a little obsessed with you? Like, checking your address and following you home on the first day?"
Hana stared at me. The silence stretched out for a few seconds before she slowly sat up. "Aniki... did you join a cult on your first day of high school?"
"What? No! I'm just saying, hypothetically," I defended, waving my hands. "You know how some manga characters are. I'm just curious what a 'normal' person's reaction would be."
Hana squinted at me, clearly not buying the 'hypothetical' bit, but she played along anyway. "Well, if it's a joke... honestly? That's not 'obsessed,' that's a restraining order waiting to happen. If a girl is already tracking your mailbox on Day One, she's not a 'waifu,' she's a hunter. And you? You're the prey."
I felt a cold drop of sweat slide down my neck. "The prey, huh?"
"Yeah," she continued, returning to her phone with a shrug. "But hey, look on the bright side. At least someone finally noticed you. Just make sure she doesn't lock you in a basement or something. Why do you ask? Did you meet a girl like that?"
"Of course not," I said, putting on my best 'big brother' smile—the one that had successfully hidden my past from my family for years. "I told you, it's just a joke. I'm just a normal student, remember?"
"Whatever you say, weirdo," she muttered.
I walked into my own room and shut the door. I tossed my bag onto the chair and caught sight of my reflection in the window. The "normal student" mask was still there, but beneath it, my mind was already calculating.
Amaya wanted my head. The Student Council President was watching my every move. And Sayuri... Sayuri wanted everything else.
I laid back on my bed and stared at the ceiling. "Youthful life," I whispered to the empty room. "This is going to be a lot more violent than I expected."