8:15 AM - Shinwa High School, Class 1-B
The morning sun streamed through the classroom windows as Kenji Tachibana stood at the front, hands stuffed in his pockets. Twenty-five pairs of eyes sized him up - some curious, others already losing interest. His tailored uniform and sharp features stood out among the rumpled blazers and sleep-deprived faces.
"Class, this is Kenji Tachibana," Ms. Furuya announced, pushing her glasses up her nose. "He's transferring from Tokyo Metropolitan High. Please make him feel welcome."
A chorus of half-hearted greetings echoed through the room. Kenji's gaze swept across the classroom, immediately identifying two notable figures:
In the back row, a spiky-haired boy with his jacket draped over his head like a hood -Jiro Kobayashi, already fast asleep despite the morning hour. His long legs stretched into the aisle, scuffed basketball shoes tapping an absent rhythm.
And right beside him, a rail-thin boy with glasses thick enough to stop bullets -Haru Fujisawa, whose eyes widened comically behind his lenses as he stared at Kenji. His fingers flew across a tablet, then froze.
Kenji took the empty seat near the window, third row. He could feel Haru's stare burning into the back of his skull.
---
8:30 AM - Math Class
As the teacher droned on about quadratic equations, a folded note landed on Kenji's desk. He ignored it.
Another note followed. Then another.
With a sigh, Kenji unfolded the latest one:
"Your sitting posture suggests 12% less efficient oxygen intake than optimal for athletic performance. -HF"
Kenji crumpled the note without looking back.
---
9:45 AM - English Class
Kenji felt a persistent tapping on his shoulder. He turned to find Haru leaning across the aisle, eyes gleaming behind his glasses.
"Your father's vertical leap was 42 inches at age 16," Haru whispered urgently. "Have you been tested? I have a spreadsheet comparing teenage athletic development patterns—"
"Not interested," Kenji cut him off, turning back to his book.
Undeterred, Haru slid a printed graph across the desk. "This shows the correlation between calf muscle circumference and—"
The teacher cleared her throat. "Mr. Fujisawa? Is there something more interesting than present perfect tense you'd like to share?"
Haru shrank back, but Kenji could see him typing furiously into his tablet from the corner of his eye.
---
10:50 AM - Science Class
Kenji's phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at the message:
Ami 🖤: "How's peasant school, superstar? Don't be late for the shoot. Prada waits for no one."
He was about to reply when a shadow fell over his desk. Haru stood there, vibrating with barely contained excitement.
"I knew it!" Haru blurted, loud enough that several students turned. "You're Sora Tachibana's son! The greatest streetball prodigy of the 2000s! His crossover success rate was 89.7% against professional—"
The entire class went silent. Even Jiro lifted his head from his arms, blinking sleep from his eyes.
Kenji's grip tightened on his phone. The familiar mix of resentment and unwanted attention churned in his gut.
"Tachibana... sama?" Haru added reverently, his voice suddenly small.
Jiro let out a loud, barking laugh. "Oh, this year's gonna be fun."
Kenji stood abruptly, chair scraping against the floor. "I have to go."
Ms. Furuya sighed. "You haven't even—"
But Kenji was already at the door, the weight of stares following him out. Behind him, Haru's voice chased him down the hall:
"WAIT! Your father's resting heart rate was—"
The classroom door swung shut, cutting off the rest.
---