Ring ring ring~~
The school bell rang, and the teacher at the podium slowly gathered his lesson plan, preparing to leave.
Teachers at public schools wouldn't meddle with what you did, nor were they willing to, as long as you didn't cause trouble in class.
This was no longer the 'Showa' era of thirty years ago when teachers used 'slaps' and 'canes' to maintain discipline. Forget about corporal punishment; even speaking in a harsh tone could lead to parents causing a scene at school. If the incident was recorded or secretly filmed, you'd lose your job on the spot, asked to resign.
As a result, teachers were even more reluctant to get involved in others' business. After all, it was just a 'job', and students who were willing to learn—
"Madoka-sensei, I have a few questions about the lesson just now..."
Iai Nao held her notebook and quickly caught up with the teacher who had just stepped out of the classroom.
"This problem should be solved like this."
The teacher stopped, glanced at the neat and elegant handwriting in the notes, and immediately pointed out the key point.
They were indeed unwilling to meddle, but when they encountered an excellent student, they didn't mind answering their questions.
After all, most high school students who wrote down 'teacher' on their examination forms after the national exams once held the dream of 'teaching and educating'.
Meanwhile, Akiyoshi Yuu had already packed his school bag and was getting up to leave the classroom.
As he passed by two guys with bruised and swollen faces who were organizing their books with their heads down, Akiyoshi Yuu's gaze swept over them.
That guy named 'Yamamoto' skipped a whole day of class?
Walking out of the school building, he looked up at the clock on the building; it was 3:30. Normally, most students would participate in club activities, both to develop skills and to learn how to socialize. Of course, this being a public school, there was generally a large group known as:
The Go-Home Club.
"Yaho~~ Yuu-kun~~!"
Just as he reached the school gate, a voice came from behind.
A short-haired girl waved her hand and ran towards Akiyoshi Yuu without a care in the world, causing the students heading home to turn their heads.
Say what you will, it's no wonder his 'former self' was so hated.
"Tennyo-san,"
While complaining internally, Akiyoshi Yuu waited for her to reach him before turning around to make an invitation.
"Together?"
"Of course~~"
The girl was, by eye measurement, not even 1.6 meters tall, with delicate, petite features. Her short black hair was tied into a small braid, and she exuded an indescribable vitality, which brought Akiyoshi Yuu a fair number of hostile glances.
Tsk,
Being handsome is also a crime.
"Let's go."
Amidst a flurry of vaguely hostile glares, the two left the school side by side; not to walk home together, but to go to the subway station together.
"Hey, hey, Yuu."
"In my class today..."
On the train, the girl chattered away, recounting the day's events in her class, as if she were always full of energy.
To this, Akiyoshi Yuu just smiled and occasionally chimed in with "Oh," "Amazing," "I see," and the like.
He didn't dislike the girl beside him.
After all, anyone who could be so unguarded around him could be considered a friend.
"Arriving at Nippori station. Passengers who wish to get off..."
"We're at our stop, Tennyo-san."
"Yuu-kun, you should call me Ei!"
"Okay, Tennyo-san~"
"..."
Taito Ward.
Kouou Girls' Academy.
More than ten minutes later, Akiyoshi Yuu and Tennyo Ei arrived at this school.
Unlike Homitsu Gakuen, which was a public school located in Adachi Ward, this was a private girls' school with a 'long' history of a hundred years. Whether it was the school atmosphere, management, or the quality of the teaching staff, it was worlds apart from the high school the two attended.
To put it simply, it was a 'noble school'.
"Kazu-chan, over here!"
At the entrance of Kouou Girls' Academy, where students spoke in whispers,
Tennyo Ei was still waving her hand full of energy, her target a cool and aloof girl walking towards them.
The other girl wore the Kouou Girls' uniform, her smooth, long black hair cascading down her back. Though her features were beautiful, she gave off an air that kept people at a distance. She held her school bag in front of her with both hands, pressing down the hem of her skirt. Every step was as if measured with a ruler, unhurried and steady.
Although it wasn't the first time he'd 'seen' her, a phrase still popped into Akiyoshi Yuu's mind:
A flower on a high peak.
In fact, she was worthy of that title.
"Ei,"
Seeing the short-haired girl next to Akiyoshi Yuu, the approaching cool beauty bloomed like a winter plum, a faint, genuine smile on her face.
"And Akiyoshi-kun, thank you for taking care of Ei."
As the other girl bowed slightly, Akiyoshi Yuu waved his hand.
"We were just on the same path."
"Exactly, exactly, and if we're talking about taking care of someone, it should be me taking care of Yuu."
With her hands on her hips, the short-haired girl retorted righteously.
Hey, hey, hey,
The past is the past, the present is the present...
"You're late."
A clear voice rang out, causing Akiyoshi Yuu to lower the fingers he was rubbing against his temples.
"Kaoru."
From Kouou Girls' Academy, another girl walked straight towards them.
The girl was petite, with long, smooth hair tied into long twin tails with two white butterfly ribbons. Her skin was so fair it looked almost sickly, and describing her as sweet and cute would be no exaggeration. However, upon seeing Akiyoshi Yuu, her expression was clearly angry.
No, it should be said that when her gaze swept over Tennyo Ei, a flicker of barely perceptible hostility flashed through it.
"Sorry, I'm late."
In fact, because he didn't participate in club activities, by the time Akiyoshi Yuu arrived, most of the students at Kouou Academy were just beginning to leave school, so there was no question of him being 'late'.
However, facing this girl, Akiyoshi Yuu smiled apologetically, the curve of his face softening considerably.
Akiyoshi Kaoru,
His adopted sister.
Parents dead, has a sister, has a house; a standard transmigrator template.
"Well then, Tennyo-san, Nagisa-san, goodbye."
"Yuu, see you tomorrow!"
The energetic Tennyo Ei waved goodbye, then was led by the cool... no, it should be 'Nagisa Kazuha'-san, who was a head taller than her, towards a stretched black sedan parked outside the school.
Although Akiyoshi Yuu didn't recognize the make of the car, the 'old money' aura it exuded was impossible to hide.
No, it's not like they were trying to hide it: a middle-aged driver in a suit and sunglasses opened the car door for the two girls.
It was the classic style of a major financial conglomerate.
"Hmph,"
Noticing Akiyoshi Yuu's gaze, Akiyoshi Kaoru beside him snorted coldly.
"What are you looking at? That's something we shouldn't touch."
"That's not necessarily true."
Turning around and taking a few steps to catch up with the girl who was storming off alone, Akiyoshi Yuu thought for a moment.
"Kaoru, if you like—"
"I don't."
"I'm hungry, let's go home."
Meanwhile,
Adachi Ward, in a certain garage.
"Toshikawa-aniki, please make a move. I really can't swallow this!"
Yamamoto, who had been knocked out by Akiyoshi Yuu with a hook punch in the restroom that morning, was bowing at a ninety-degree angle to a bald man with a tattoo on his arm, wearing a tank top and sitting on a motorcycle.
"You said..."
The bald man rubbed his bruised jaw.
"Which guy's parents are both dead? And just got a large sum of money?"
"Yes!"
Yamamoto nodded vigorously.
"That bastard Akiyoshi Yuu's old man and old lady were in a traffic accident while traveling abroad a month ago!"
"Now at his house, there's only... no, I heard he has a sister."
"As long as Aniki makes a move, won't he just hand over the money obediently?"
Yamamoto understood that to get these 'street' big shots to act, he had to present real 'Fukuzawa Yukichi'... although the current ten-thousand yen bill featured 'Shibusawa Eiichi', habits formed over decades weren't so easy to change.
"Hmm,"
The bald man, addressed as 'Toshikawa-aniki', didn't agree immediately, but continued to rub his chin.
Only after Yamamoto's bowing forehead was beaded with sweat did he finally speak slowly.
"Since you acknowledge me as your big brother,"
"Of course I have to protect you. Our 'Zanshi-gumi' isn't to be bullied."
"Yes, yes!"
"Thank you, Toshikawa-aniki, thank you, Toshikawa-aniki!"
This bald man named 'Toshikawa' was merely a wakashu of the 'Zanshi-gumi': an 'unofficial member', not even formally initiated. But compared to Yamamoto, who was just a school bully, he was undoubtedly a real 'big shot on the streets'.
"Lead the way, Yamamoto."
The bald man waved his hand, and two other men with buzz cuts and street clothes stood up from their motorcycles.
A student whose parents were dead, with no other relatives, and a large sum of compensation money...
Isn't this a gift from heaven?