While gazing at one of the most intriguing characters from what seemed to be ordinary slice-of-life works from his past life, Ren couldn't help but wonder.
'Yeah, right, a regular person whom even I barely noticed, considering all the supernatural nonsense I now know exists, it wouldn't be surprising if Megumi indeed possesses some sort of powers.'
"Nice to meet you, my name's Hoshino Ren," he said, smiling at the girl with bob-cut chestnut hair.
The girl, barely showing any facial expression, stared at Ren for a few seconds and then nonchalantly gave him a slight bow with her head.
"Hello, Hoshino-san, I am Katou Megumi," Megumi said while continuing to stare at Ren's face, as intently as if trying to figure out what stood before her.
"Hoshino-san, are you Japanese?" Megumi suddenly asked with her typical calm and monotone expression, when she finally noticed that Ren had double-lidded eyes.
"Hahaha, yes and no, Katou-san. While my father hails from an old Japanese family, he met my mother in Europe while visiting, so because of that, I might not have all the typical Japanese physical characteristics," Ren chuckled and replied with a warm smile.
Truly, what a fascinating human being. If someone else interacted with Katou Megumi without knowing that this girl simply didn't know how to express herself, they would believe she didn't find the conversation interesting.
'All the years she lived barely being noticed, even by her own family, maybe upgrading to 2-tomoe or even 3-tomoe might be worth.' Ren mused to himself.
"I'm sorry if I offended you with my sudden question, Hoshino-san," Megumi said and quickly bowed her head again.
"It's alright, I don't mind, Megumi," Ren replied, once again amused by her stone-cold facial expression.
"Oh, gomen, can I call you Megumi? You can call me Ren, too, if you want. I'm not very comfortable when people address me by my family name."
Getting called by his family name by his peers truly didn't sit well with Hoshino Ren.
Sometimes, it gave him the feeling that he was in one of his family's offices or businesses, where workers would always pester him.
Megumi tilted her head sideways, her smooth, brown hair following the motion.
She furrowed her brows ever so slightly, as if deeply pondering the most challenging thing she ever had to consider.
"Mmm, daijobu, Ren-kun..." Megumi calmly nodded, and as she was about to finish her sentence.
SLAM
A loud smacking sound suddenly erupted from within the classroom.
"Let's talk more at a later time, Megumi, go inside the class."
Ren finally remembered he was still waiting for his new homeroom teacher to call his name and reminded Megumi.
---
Earlier, right before Hiratsuka Shizuka came (nice) inside the classroom.
Inside the classroom of 3-A, now almost fully occupied, were seated students brimming with energy.
Well, perhaps not all of them; let's not pretend attending high school was that much fun.
Closer to the back of the room, in the last two rows of desks, were seated familiar faces Ren could recognize at first glance.
One person who even came to school together with him, Hayasaka Ai, was now slightly slumping at her desk, pondering about the strange behavior of the person she served.
'First, his reply in the car, later, right after he came out of the car, and to top it off, his clearly suggestive words in front of Hiratsuka-sensei...'
Sigh.
Noticing the unusual behavior of the ever-so-stoic Hayasaka Ai, a red-headed beauty sitting behind her couldn't help but ask.
"Hey, hey, Hayasaka-san, what is bothering you so much early in the morning? Is it your oh-so-important work you refused to join my club for? Or perhaps it's... problems with boys? Hmm?"
The ever-so-cheeky red-headed beauty couldn't help but ask, as it wasn't every day you could see the calm and collected Hayasaka Ai so bothered by anything.
"Ara ara, Rias, don't jump to conclusions so quickly, fufufu." her friend and close aide, Akeno, covering her mouth with one of her hands, chuckled, but she too now stared at Ai with a questioning gaze.
"But, Hayasaka-san, are these truly boy problems? As far as I know, girls our age only behave like you do when it comes to romance."
Hearing two questions directed her way from behind, Ai finally composed herself and turned around in her seat, replying in slightly annoyed tone.
"You two don't have much experience in romance either, so even if I do have problems in that area, you two clearly only know how to turn down confessions, hmph." Ai quickly bombarded the two bombastic girls with her answer and turned back around, trying to collect her thoughts.
"Huh? No way, NO WAY! Akeno!" Rias, hearing what Ai just said, excitedly turned to her friend.
"Fufufu, Rias, it seems summer is coming early this year," Akeno replied, now clearly amused.
Just as the trio finished their romance-related confrontation.
They heard a fourth voice, clearly interested in the topic, coming from the side.
"You know, Hayasaka Ai-san, if you indeed have problems in the romance aspect, you can always talk to a professional, me."
Ai, now visibly annoyed, turned her head to the left, and sitting across one empty desk, right beside the window, was a rare beauty.
Propping her head on one hand and holding the novel she was just reading a moment ago in the other, she sat while crossing her black stocking-clad long legs.
Kasumigaoka Utaha sat and stared at Ai with interest.
With long, flowing raven-black hair and piercing, almond-shaped eyes . Tall, curvy figure, accentuated by a fitted uniform. A sly smirk plays on her lips, complementing her sharp cheekbones and flawless, pale complexion.
At the moment that Ai was ambushed from the second flank, she couldn't help to curse Hoshino Ren's for his stupid, handsome face that made her feel the way she did this morning.
Just as she was ready to curse Utaha out, crassroom doors opened.
shhh-clunk
"Just you wait!" the homeroom teacher of class 3-A, Hiratsuka Shizuka, was clrealy talking to someone behind her right before she entered the classroom.
shhh-clunk