So it's said.
Just a rumor, mind you, with no reliable source, and no one knows how it spread—as if it existed by convention from the start.
According to the rumor, every year at Sobu High, a girl of exceptional beauty appears, far surpassing her peers. With qualities unmatched by those her age, she's worthy of being called the queen of all flowers, the ruler of all beauty.
This year is no exception.
By the second week after the school opened in April, some busybodies conducted a survey to gather data on the most popular beautiful girls by grade, compiling a list and publishing it.
Third year: The Literature Witch—Kasumigaoka Utaha.
Second year: The Ice Queen—Yukinoshita Yukino.
First year: The Silver-Haired Angel—Tachibana Kanade.
Don't ask why they have such over-the-top chuunibyou nicknames; just chalk it up to cultural quirks.
Since it's a survey, most boys naturally accept the results, while some girls, though grumbling a bit, can only swallow their complaints after objectively comparing themselves to the trio and redirect their frustration at the nosy boys who made the list.
After all, these three—whether in appearance, beauty, aura, or intellect—stand undeniably at the pinnacle of the pyramid.
And in the second semester, in this late summer to early autumn season, the arrival of a transfer student has sparked questions about the list's fairness. Some are even preparing to protest, refusing to believe the transfer student could be inferior to her peers, demanding a new survey.
The source of all this controversy lies in Class 2-J.
"I'm Natsukawa Masuzu… I'm new here, please guide me."
After a brief introduction, the girl on the podium bows slightly, her glossy silver hair cascading with her movement.
Amid enthusiastic welcoming applause, she straightens up, her blue eyes blinking twice, her lips forming a friendly, sweet smile. Her sharp, refined features and fairy-like appearance are breathtaking; her skin is transparently snow-white, her lips moist like cherries.
A beauty unmatched by even the most meticulously crafted doll, better described as a "jewel" than a human.
"Alright, Natsukawa-san, please take a seat next to Yukinoshita."
"Yes, thank you, Sensei."
Nodding politely to the homeroom teacher, Masuzu steps down from the podium, spreading a cool, fragrant aura through the classroom. She smiles kindly at every student she passes. Hostile glares from many girls soften, as if they're considering whether to recruit her as an ally, while most boys put on what they think are their coolest expressions, vying to meet her gaze or catch her attention.
Walking casually through the atmosphere of praise, Masuzu places her bag beside the empty seat, pulls out the chair, and sits, nodding and smiling at the black-haired girl beside her:
"Starting today, I'll be sitting next to you. I might have a lot of questions for you. May I know your name?"
"Yukinoshita Yukino, pleased to meet you." Shifting her gaze from her book, brushing her hair at her temple with her fingers, the black-haired girl—whose beauty rivals Masuzu's—turns, her eyes calm and clear.
"You can ask, but I can't guarantee I'll answer everything, Natsukawa-san."
Her voice sounds cold, but her demeanor and tone are earnest—she must be kind-hearted despite her cool appearance. Making this unilateral conclusion, Masuzu smiles and looks away, feeling relieved inside.
(There are so many beautiful girls in this school. Yukinoshita Yukino beside me is already so popular… Having someone nearby to share the burden means I won't be too bothered by those love-crazed guys.)
But soon, Masuzu realizes her thinking was too naive.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Lunch break.
Standing in front of the automated food ticket machine, Yuu scans the diverse menu. After a moment's hesitation, his finger presses the Mapo Tofu Rice option.
It's all Haruno's fault, getting him hooked on spicy food with an increasingly bold palate—back then, Yuu preferred lighter lunches to avoid bad breath when talking to people in the afternoon.
After paying, the ticket pops out. Just as Yuu is about to join the queue to pick up his food, he hears a soft sigh behind him.
"Mapo tofu, sold out…"
Turning, he sees a petite silver-haired girl standing in front of the ticket machine, slightly tilting her head. Though expressionless, her eyes show clear disappointment, staring blankly at the sold-out Mapo Tofu Rice button.
Yuu glances at her, then at the ticket in his hand. He didn't expect the Mapo Tofu Rice he impulsively ordered to be the last bowl of the day…
Guess everyone loves bold flavors?
After a moment's thought, noticing the girl resembles his sister—both petite with silver hair—Yuu decides not to take what someone else likes. Besides, nothing in the cafeteria tastes as good as his own cooking.
"Want this? Order me a Fried Pork Curry Rice, and we'll swap."
To avoid any misunderstanding that he's hitting on her, Yuu speaks briefly and bluntly, his expression flat.
The girl looks down, meeting his eyes. Her pale golden eyes show no emotion.
"Is that okay?"
Her voice is soft but clear amidst the bustling cafeteria.
Yuu nods: "Sure, I'm not that into mapo tofu anyway."
"Thank you." The girl bows slightly, very politely, then swiftly buys a Fried Pork Curry Rice ticket and swaps with him.
Taking the new ticket, as Yuu prepares to turn and leave, the girl speaks again, her voice like a gentle breeze floating on clouds, soft and melodious:
"Mapo tofu is really delicious."
"Hmm?"
Turning, Yuu looks at her, puzzled: "I know, I can make it too."
"Can… make it?"
At those words, her eyes widen slightly, her small mouth opens, her youthful face seeming to glow.
But before she can say more, Yuu slips into the crowd, heading to the fried pork curry rice counter to queue.
"…"
Silently, as if trying to memorize his back, the silver-haired girl finally looks away after a long moment, staring at the Mapo Tofu Rice ticket in her hand.
"If only I could make it myself…"
No need to bother coming to the cafeteria, and I could eat it every day.
Thinking this, the girl can't help but purse her lips, letting out a soft sigh.
"Tachibana-san, got your food ticket yet? Why aren't you queuing?"
A classmate's voice snaps her out of her thoughts.
"…It's fine, I'm going now."
Answering briefly as usual, Tachibana Kanade smoothly walks toward the fragrant mapo tofu pickup counter, casually asking the flaxen-haired girl beside her:
"Isshiki-san, what did you get?"
"Me? Hehe, you'll never guess~" She laughs proudly, her eyes spinning with playful cunning.
"I got a macaron set!"
"That's not exactly lunch…" Kanade blinks, confused.
Isshiki Iroha puffs out her chest confidently: "This is the modern girl's lunch! A girl like you who loves mapo tofu? You might find another one in a few hundred years—total special case!"
Kanade tilts her head, puzzled: "Really…"
Because of this cute gesture, Iroha can't resist hugging her head, rubbing her cheeks a few times.
"Ugh, Tachibana-san, you're too cute! No wonder you're the mascot goddess of the first-year class~~"
"I'm having a bit of trouble…"