---
The sun slipped through the window, landing on a cluttered floor filled with scattered books and dusty DVDs. A boy lay fast asleep in the middle of it all, sprawled across his bed as if the world outside didn't exist.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
The alarm clock screamed. The boy groaned, his eyelids fluttering open halfway before shutting again. A moment later, he forced them open fully and stared blankly at the ceiling.
"…Ugh. Already?" he muttered.
Turning his head, he slapped the alarm off. The red digits glared back at him: 07:09.
"Too early to deal with school," he sighed, letting his head fall back onto the pillow.
Just then, his phone began to ring. He groaned again, picked it up, and squinted at the caller ID.
"…What now?" he whispered.
The screen lit up with a familiar name—his older sister.
"Don't you dare go back to sleep!" her sharp voice rang the moment he answered.
His eyes went wide. "H-How did you know I was—"
"Because I know you, Yashiro," she cut him off. "Now get up and go to school. If you don't, I'll drag you out of that bed myself."
Yashiro pulled the phone away from his ear, wincing as her voice nearly burst the speaker.
"And before I forget," she continued, "there's a club I want you to join."
"…A club?" he muttered.
"Yes! Don't think I'll let you sleep your life away. You need friends, little brother. One day, you'll thank me." Her voice softened briefly before rising again. "Anyway, I have to go. But if I find out you skipped school, you're cleaning the entire house!"
Click.
The call ended. Yashiro stared at the screen for a long second, then dropped the phone onto his nightstand.
"…What a drag," he muttered.
Still, he pushed himself up, stretched with another long yawn, and stumbled to his closet. A black uniform hung waiting for him. He tugged it on with no enthusiasm, grabbed his bag, and shuffled out the door, locking it behind him.
---
By the time he reached the school gates, traffic and crowds had already drained his patience. He looked up at the large sign above the main building.
"Fuyuzakuka High…" he sighed. "Guess this is it."
"Hey! You must be the new student—Yashiro Laze, right?"
The cheerful voice made him turn. A girl with short brown hair and a bright smile was waving at him.
"…Yeah," he said.
"I'm Ayame Kazename!" she said, patting his shoulder as if they'd known each other for years. "Don't worry, you'll have a good time here. Trust me."
Yashiro blinked at her blunt friendliness. "…Right."
"You should hurry to class though, or you'll be late!" she added.
He sighed again. "Figures."
---
When he reached the door marked Class D, his brow furrowed. The door looked so old he half-expected it to fall apart.
And it did.
The moment he touched the handle, the entire thing collapsed onto the floor with a loud crash. Every student inside turned to stare.
"…Seriously?" Yashiro muttered.
The teacher frowned. "Late on your very first day, Laze. Take a seat."
Yashiro stepped in, only to be met with whispers.
"Man, I thought the transfer student would at least be handsome…" one girl sighed.
Another boy cracked his knuckles. "Look at him. No muscles at all."
Yashiro ignored them, trudged to a desk, and sat down.
CRACK.
The desk broke under his weight, dumping him onto the floor. Laughter filled the room.
"…Perfect," he muttered, picking himself up.
Only one girl didn't laugh. She sat near the window, long black hair framing her pale face, and her crimson eyes watched him silently.
The teacher shook his head. "This is Class D, the lowest of the low. Your points determine everything—desks, supplies, even privileges. Remember, only good grades will buy you something better."
Yashiro set up another desk and finally sat, resting his head on his arms. What a pain.
---
When the bell rang, students rushed out. Yashiro remained slumped in his seat, yawning.
"You're Yashiro, right?"
The voice came from the black-haired girl beside him. She stood, her crimson eyes sharp.
"…Yeah," he said.
"You're in the Seek Club, aren't you?"
Yashiro blinked. Seek Club? A flash of memory hit him—his sister's voice on the phone. "Oh, and you're joining a club."
"…Guess so," he sighed.
"Follow me," the girl said simply.
"…And you are?" he asked.
No answer. She just walked away.
Yashiro groaned but slung his bag over his shoulder and followed. Eventually, she stopped in front of an empty room and opened the door. Inside, there was nothing but a few chairs and shelves. She sat down and opened a book.
"…So how long have you been in this club?" Yashiro asked.
She didn't answer.
"…Right. Figures."
Just then, the door burst open. Ayame stepped in with her usual smile.
"It's been five months," she said brightly.
Yashiro turned to her. "Five months? And it's still empty?"
Ayame grinned. "Nobody wants to join because they think it's boring. Anyway—oh! Her name's Suzumi Aokawa."
The black-haired girl, Suzumi, lowered her book slightly and gave Yashiro a faint glance before looking back down.
Ayame clapped her hands. "Perfect timing! I have a job for you two. The library needs cleaning."
"…Really?" Yashiro muttered.
"Yes, really," Ayame said.
Suzumi stood. "Let's go."
Yashiro groaned. "…What a drag."
---
The library was as dusty as a forgotten attic. Yashiro stacked books while Suzumi swept the floor. Hours passed before the room finally looked clean again.
"Thank you," the old librarian said. "I was supposed to have help, but… my assistant never came. I'm worried."
Suzumi paused. "Do you want us to check on her?"
"What?!" Yashiro exclaimed.
But the old woman nodded quickly. "That would ease my heart. Her name is Sakura Midorikawa. She lives nearby."
And so, the three of them found themselves standing in front of an old building. Suzumi knocked on the door, and a woman answered.
"You're here for Sakura? Please, come in. She's upstairs."
They climbed the stairs, only to hear a soft voice from the other side of the door.
"Don't come in…"
Suzumi frowned and pushed the door open. The room was empty.
"…Huh?"
Then the voice spoke again. "Over here."
Yashiro froze. "…Are you… invisible?"
"Yes," the voice said. "I don't know how it happened. But… you're the first people who can hear me."
Suzumi's crimson eyes widened. "…So the rumors are true."
"What rumors?" Yashiro asked.
She looked at him seriously. "This is called… Puberty Syndrome."
Yashiro's jaw dropped. "…You've got to be kidding me."
To be continued…