"Shizuka-sensei? Shizuka-sensei? I'm coming in, okay?"
Hakuto spoke softly. At that moment, in Hiratsuka Shizuka's office, she was sitting in her office chair wearing her signature white lab coat.
Only, Hiratsuka Shizuka wasn't working or playing around—she was napping on her desk.
"Shizuka-sensei~ Shizuka-sensei?" Hakuto walked up slowly and called her gently.
But Hiratsuka Shizuka seemed to be sound asleep and didn't hear his voice.
Seeing this, Hakuto didn't disturb her any further. Instead, he slowly took off his coat and draped it over her.
The teacher's office had air conditioning, but Hiratsuka Shizuka was dressed rather lightly, and it was snowing outside. Catching a cold wouldn't be good.
Maybe the movement was too loud, because Hiratsuka Shizuka stirred from her nap.
The next second, she slowly raised her head, stretched, and let out a tired yawn.
"Good morning, Shizuka-sensei."
Still groggy from sleep, Hiratsuka Shizuka stared blankly at Hakuto's handsome face and was instantly confused.
"Huh? Hakuto?" She frowned. "Am I still dreaming…"
"Eh? I was only gone a few months. No need to wonder if you're dreaming just from seeing me."
Hakuto looked puzzled. Although he hadn't contacted her much over the past few months, this reaction seemed a bit extreme.
"Hakuto! It really is you!" Hearing his carefree tone, Hiratsuka Shizuka instantly snapped awake.
"You haven't been back for a few months, and your hair's gotten longer again."
"Wouldn't it be weirder if it hadn't grown…"
Right now, if Hakuto took out the hair tie, his hair would indeed be too long.
Although he kept long hair, it was starting to get excessive—it might be time to get it cut...
Feeling Hiratsuka Shizuka's hand running through his hair, Hakuto felt a bit odd. What is this, grooming a monkey?
"Why didn't you let me know you were coming back?"
"Things at Hoshino Umi are wrapped up, so I came back. My enrollment is still at Toyonozaki, after all."
Hakuto had considered staying at Hoshino Umi, but his contract expired. He got his pay—including Otosaka Yuu's share!
That's right—Otosaka Yuu hadn't known the student council paid a stipend, so Hakuto, as president, naturally kept it.
Not because he wanted the money, but so Otosaka Yuu would have something to look forward to—a different kind of motivation.
He planned to return the money when Otosaka Yuu came back. Hakuto really didn't mean to pocket it… well, maybe just a little.
"How was it? Your time at Hoshino Umi," Hiratsuka asked while lighting a cigarette.
Since Hakuto had been gone for so long, she wasn't in a hurry to send him to class.
Their relationship was part teacher, part friend—sometimes even a bit ambiguous—so she preferred to chat with him for a while.
"How did it go? Your student became student council president. What do you think?"
"Wait a sec—you're telling me you became student council president as a first-year exchange student?"
"Yep. At Hoshino Umi, they care about ability, not experience."
Hoshino Umi was different from other schools. It was founded to locate other ability users across Japan.
Other student council presidents might handle club budgets or whatnot, but not at Hoshino Umi.
So it wasn't hard for Hakuto to become president. Given the situation at the time, no one else could've done it anyway.
"Instead of worrying about that, Shizuka-sensei, maybe worry about how to keep me out of fights."
"You little punk…" Hiratsuka Shizuka stubbed out her cigarette and slowly stood up. "Let's go. I think I have the next class—come with me to the homeroom."
"Alright."
Just as she stood up, she noticed the coat draped over her shoulders. Looking at Hakuto without a jacket, she instinctively ruffled his long hair again.
"Here's your coat. Wearing so little—you're not afraid of getting sick?"
"You can give it back, but did you have to mess up my hair…"
Hakuto frowned. At the same time, he decided he'd cut his hair tonight—not all the way short, but at least back to its original length.
He put on his coat and followed Hiratsuka Shizuka.
They stepped out of the office right as the second class ended.
Students joking and playing in the hallway instantly froze when they saw Hakuto walking behind Hiratsuka Shizuka.
Σ(ﾟдﾟlll)?? The White Tyrant is back?!
Everyone who saw him gulped and, without hesitation, cleared a path down the hall.
"Seriously… was that necessary…" Hakuto mumbled. This really made him look like some yakuza boss.
He really was just a normal honor student, nothing more!
"Our White Tyrant's fearsome name still holds strong."
"What kind of chuuni nickname is that?!"
"I think it suits you."
"Huh~?"
Hakuto didn't bother arguing over nicknames. After all, he'd carried the "Undefeated Weakest Hero" title for years—it wasn't a big deal.
But… could he still be called that?
In a sense, Hakuto was now the strongest! Peerless under the heavens!
Even if the last person to say that didn't end well… Hakuto did have the qualifications.
Ahahaha~ Peerless under the heavens!
"Quit grinning like an idiot, we're almost there."
"Oh, okay."
Hakuto followed Hiratsuka Shizuka into the classroom and immediately spotted his empty seat.
But just as he headed for it, the once-noisy class fell silent.
"Wait, is that Shiratori Hakuto next to Hiratsuka-sensei? Am I seeing things?"
"Σ(ﾟдﾟlll)?! No way? Shiratori Hakuto's back?!"
"We're doomed! I made fun of Takanashi's chuuni act yesterday—am I getting dragged to the bathroom for a beating today?!"
"Awesome! That bunch of punks from the next class told me to wait after school—looks like they're the ones getting waited on now!"
"The Monkey King is back! Peace returns to Toyonozaki!"
Though everyone feared Hakuto, they couldn't deny that when he was around, Toyonozaki was at peace!
Hearing the buzz of conversation, Hakuto just smiled without saying a word, walking back to his seat and sitting down.
When he went to Hoshino Umi, he only brought his uniform.
Now, after all this time, his books were still neatly in his desk drawer, which saved him a lot of trouble.
"Hachiman! It's been so long…" Hakuto turned to greet his deskmate, Hikigaya Hachiman—
Only to see a blushing girl with pink hair staring at him.
(๑•ี_เ•ี๑)?!
What the hell? Did my bro turn into a girl?!
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