The morning sunlight cut gently through the curtains, scattering golden stripes across the wooden floor.
Kuhaku Hoshizora blinked awake, his eyes squinting at the unfamiliar ceiling above him.
For a few seconds, he didn't move — his mind floating somewhere between confusion and calm.
Right… my room…?
He sat up slowly. The blanket was soft. The air smelled faintly of laundry detergent and sunlight. Everything around him looked normal — the desk by the wall, the uniform hanging neatly from a chair, the framed photo of a smiling family on the shelf.
It was familiar.
And yet… it wasn't.
Memories tugged at him — flashes of bright lights, laughter, anime merchandise, a crowded hall… and then nothing but darkness.
Now here he was. Alive again. In someone else's life.
"So this is reincarnation, huh?"
"…Kind of underwhelming. I didn't even get a tutorial screen."
He let out a quiet laugh at his own bad joke and rubbed his face. Whether this was a dream or not, he still had a school day ahead of him. And judging by the clock on his nightstand — he was very late.
⸻
Morning Chaos
"Kuhaku! Breakfast is ready! Don't make me come up there!"
His mother's gentle yet threatening voice echoed from downstairs.
"Coming! Coming!" Kuhaku called back, hopping out of bed and nearly tripping over his uniform pants. He quickly got dressed, his hair refusing to cooperate no matter how many times he brushed it.
When he finally stumbled downstairs, the smell of miso soup and grilled fish filled the air.
At the table sat his family — the Hoshizoras.
His father, Daichi, sat upright with his newspaper folded neatly, sipping coffee like a soldier on break.
His mother, Aoi, moved gracefully between the kitchen and the table, her long pink hair tied loosely in a ponytail.
And his little sister, Rin, was humming a song while eating rice — her shorter pink hair bouncing with every bite.
"Morning," Kuhaku said, slipping into his chair.
Aoi smiled. "Morning, Ku-kun. Eat before it gets cold."
Rin looked up with a mischievous grin. "You look like a zombie, Onii-chan."
Kuhaku sighed dramatically. "I am a zombie. A reincarnated one."
Daichi lowered his newspaper slightly, raising an eyebrow. "If you have enough energy for jokes, you have enough energy to eat faster."
"Yes, sir, Officer Dad."
That earned him a stern look and a quiet chuckle from Aoi.
Rin giggled. "Onii-chan, you shouldn't make fun of Dad's job! He catches bad guys!"
Daichi hid a small smile behind his cup. "And sometimes bad sons who don't finish breakfast."
Kuhaku pointed his chopsticks like a sword. "Then I'll fight with the power of rice and miso!"
Aoi sighed lovingly. "You two really are hopeless."
The warmth in the room made it easy to forget how strange his situation really was. Whatever this new life was, it didn't feel fake. It felt… right.
⸻
The Ride to School
Ten minutes later, Kuhaku was outside, adjusting his bicycle seat and slinging his bag across his back.
"Be careful on the road!" Aoi called out from the doorway.
"Don't talk to strangers!" Rin added cheerfully.
"And don't be late again," Daichi said, standing behind them with crossed arms.
Kuhaku grinned. "Got it, got it! I'll bring honor to the police force!"
Daichi exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. "One of these days, I'll actually give you a ticket."
"Love you too, Dad!"
He pedaled off down the street before Daichi could respond.
The morning air was crisp, cool against his skin. Houses passed in soft blurs — a blend of trees, mailboxes, and fences. Birds flew above him in neat formation, the sky so blue it almost hurt to look at.
"So this is the world I got reincarnated into," he muttered, a smile creeping across his face.
"Not bad. Ten out of ten scenery. Needs less school, though."
He turned a corner, the bell on his bike ringing lightly as he sped toward the city's middle school district.
⸻
Arrival
By the time he parked his bicycle, students were already heading into the building. Uniforms fluttered, chatter filled the air, and somewhere a teacher was already yelling about tardiness.
"Aah, the sweet sound of education."
He slipped on his indoor shoes and walked down the polished hallway, reading the note from the front desk about his new class.
"Class 2-B… seat near the back window."
Perfect. Window seats were sacred territory for every protagonist ever.
He slid open the classroom door just as homeroom was starting.
A few heads turned. Whispered murmurs passed between students.
The teacher, a gentle-looking woman with glasses, smiled. "Ah, you must be our new transfer student. Please, introduce yourself."
Kuhaku stepped forward, palms slightly sweaty.
"Uh, I'm Hoshizora Kuhaku. I just moved here. Nice to meet you all."
Polite applause followed. Someone in the front row whispered, "He's kinda plain, huh?"
Exactly as planned, Kuhaku thought.
"Alright," the teacher continued, "you can sit in the back row, by the window. Next to Raiden Mei."
A quiet girl near the window looked up. Her dark purple hair shimmered faintly under the light. She gave him a small nod — polite but distant.
"Thanks," Kuhaku said, bowing slightly before making his way there.
⸻
First Class
The classroom smelled faintly of chalk and sunlight. Kuhaku settled into his new seat, unpacking his bag.
From here, he could see everything — rows of students, a clear sky through the window, and a few interesting faces:
• In front of Mei sat a silver-haired girl with striking blue eyes — Kiana — who was already tapping her pencil restlessly.
• A few seats behind, near the window, was a small, quiet girl with silver-gray hair — Bronya — reading a tablet instead of a textbook.
• Between them sat the rest of the class, chattering softly.
Kuhaku glanced at Mei beside him. "Hey. I'm Hoshizora Kuhaku. Thanks for letting me sit here."
She looked at him briefly. "It's not like I had a choice," she said politely. Her voice was soft but confident.
He chuckled. "You sound like you take homeroom politics seriously."
That earned him the faintest hint of a smile — or maybe he imagined it.
⸻
Lunch Break
When the lunch bell rang, the teacher called out, "Raiden-san, could you show our new student around the school during break?"
Mei blinked, a little surprised but nodded. "Yes, sensei."
"Wait, you're doing a tour?" a bright voice said — Kiana had already stood up, grinning wide.
"Then I'm coming too! Mei gives the most boring tours."
"Hey—" Mei began, but Kiana was already dragging her up by the arm.
A small figure walked over quietly — Bronya, carrying her tablet. "If the group intends to move, Bronya will follow to ensure stability."
Kuhaku raised a brow. "Uh… sure. The more the merrier?"
The four of them wandered the halls together. Mei explained where the classrooms, library, and gym were. Kiana added random commentary about how "this is where the vending machines eat your money."
Bronya occasionally muttered things like, "Probability of vending failure: 12%."
Kuhaku found himself smiling the whole time.
"So," Kiana asked suddenly, "where are you from, Hoshizora?"
"Uh, a place far away."
"Wow, mysterious answer. Are you secretly an alien?"
"Can't confirm or deny. My planet's classified."
"He is weird," Bronya observed.
"Thank you, I take that as a compliment."
Even Mei, trying to act composed, let out a small laugh.
It was simple, normal, and oddly perfect.
⸻
After School
The final bell rang, and the room began to empty.
Kuhaku packed his things, stretching his arms with a satisfied sigh. "First day of school in another world — complete success."
Mei glanced at him. "You're taking this pretty well."
"Well, no one's tried to summon a demon yet, so I'd say it's a good start."
Kiana leaned on her desk, grinning. "You're funny, new guy. We'll get along."
Bronya simply nodded. "Acceptable."
Kuhaku smiled. "Guess I'll take that as friendship, then."
They said their brief goodbyes and went their separate ways.
Outside, the air was cooler, the sky painted orange by sunset.
Kuhaku unlocked his bicycle and looked up, the clouds stretching endlessly above him.
"Another day, another start," he murmured. "Let's see where this life goes.
He pedaled off, the wheels humming softly against the pavement, the setting sun painting the world gold.
And for the first time since he'd woken up in this strange, familiar world…
he felt at peace.
⸻
End of Chapter 1 – Part 1