The first period began.
Well, more precisely, it was morning self-study.
Kirisu Mafuyu had the students preview on their own and mentioned there'd be a quiz today before leaving the classroom.
As a teacher, she had lessons to prepare too.
"Hey, Lin Mu-san, what's it like getting hit by a car?"
Lin Mu was sizing up the girls in the class—he'd even spotted a few familiar faces.
Suddenly, a guy with shoulder-length hair and a headband, looking a bit flashy, grinned and struck up a conversation.
The question was pretty rude.
"Haha, Kakeru-kun, don't ask such impolite stuff! Lin Mu-san didn't exactly want to get hit by a car!"
The blond pretty boy in front of the flashy guy turned around with a smile and said as much, giving Lin Mu an apologetic look.
"Sorry, Lin Mu. Kakeru doesn't mean any harm; he's just curious."
"I'm Hayama Hayato. Nice to meet you."
The blond guy extended a friendly hand as he spoke.
Lin Mu smiled and shook it politely.
"No worries, Hayama. It's not like there's anything I can't say. Getting hit on the first day was pretty unlucky for me."
"As for what it felt like... I think I passed out right away. Just a bang in my head, and I don't remember the rest."
Hayama Hayato sighed at that.
"You're actually pretty lucky. Someone else got hit in the same accident, and they're still in the hospital."
His mood grew complicated as he mentioned that person.
"Oh... someone even unluckier than me? Who was it?"
Lin Mu couldn't help asking curiously.
He figured the unluckiest had to be An Yilun Ye—choking to death on a sip of water, gone before the doctors could even try to save him.
Who could you even complain to about that?
Hayama Hayato sighed, looking a bit down.
"Not sure if you know her—it's Yukinoshita."
"Huh? Yukinoshita?" Lin Mu was stunned.
Seeing Hayama Hayato and the flashy Tobe Kakeru behind him, Lin Mu had already recognized them as characters from the anime "My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected."
And Yukino Yukinoshita was one of his favorite female leads.
But now Hayama was saying Yukino Yukinoshita had been hit by a car the same day as him and was in the hospital?
Was this for real?
"Yeah, she's still in a coma there. No idea when she'll wake up."
Hayama didn't want to dwell on it.
He introduced the chatty flashy guy to Lin Mu.
"This is Tobe Kakeru. He's a great guy. Take care of each other from now on, Lin-san."
"Sure thing. Nice to meet you, Tobe."
Lin Mu had no intention of getting mad; he'd even joked about himself being unlucky, so what was there to hide?
Still, better to keep his distance from guys like Tobe Kakeru—might lower his IQ.
After chatting a bit more with Hayama Hayato, Lin Mu pulled out his textbook to preview.
His eyes, though, kept quietly scanning the class.
He wanted to confirm which familiar faces were here.
Soon, he spotted some very recognizable people.
A girl with pink twin tails sitting in front of Shiina Mahiru had deliberately folded her uniform skirt a centimeter shorter, showing off a pair of long, fair legs that drew plenty of eyes.
Her butterfly bow collar at the chest was slightly open and messy, highlighting the full, rounded curves that propped up her uniform—standing out even in this class.
She had an amazing figure, the flashy and lively type.
No surprise there; she had to be Yuigahama Yui, one of the female leads from "My Youth Romantic Comedy."
In front of Hayama Hayato sat a proud-looking girl with queenly vibes and golden wavy hair: Miura Yumiko.
Next to Miura Yumiko was a black-haired girl with glasses: Ebina Hina.
All prime candidates for familiar contracts.
Lin Mu's gaze circled the room, searching for targets, when it suddenly fixed on the girl right in front of him.
A girl with ear-length short hair, her face calm and composed.
"Kato Megumi?"
Lin Mu muttered under his breath.
The girl had sharp ears and turned around instinctively, raising an eyebrow at him.
"This is unexpected. Lin finally remembers me, huh."
"Uh... what do you mean 'finally'? Have we met before? You really are Kato Megumi?"
The saintly Megumi?
In response to his question, Kato Megumi looked helpless—but her face showed no real expression, staying perfectly calm.
"We've been desk mates since elementary school, front and back. And now that you've said my name, you're asking me that?"
"Is my name that hard to remember?"
Her flat voice rang out. Not sure if it was his imagination, but Lin Mu caught a hint of resentment in it.
"Haha, of course not. From now on, I'll definitely remember you, Kato Megumi."
Lin Mu gave an awkward smile and replied earnestly.
By the setting, Kato Megumi had this ability that made people subconsciously overlook her.
That was why she was the "mob heroine."
He probably hadn't remembered her before because his memories hadn't awakened yet, and her special aura had influenced him during their interactions.
But now? He was a man who'd awakened his transmigrator memories and inherited demon powers.
Kato Megumi was a top-tier familiar candidate too.
At his promise, Kato Megumi gave a noncommittal nod and muttered softly.
"Hope you can keep that up."
Truth be told, she was used to being ignored.
Can you believe it?
More than once, she'd come home to parents who'd forgotten they even had a daughter like her, locking her out.
And once, at the zoo, her parents just left her behind and went home as a couple.
In the end, a police officer had brought her back.
The frustration of her low presence, of being overlooked—that was something only Kato Megumi could truly understand.