In a rented apartment in Chiba, Haizaki was using the high-performance computer he had purchased.
All ten fingers struck the keyboard, the sharp clack-clack sounds echoing without pause.
Across three monitors, lines of code flashed by rapidly.
Wearing Bluetooth earphones, Haizaki stared intently at the code on the screens, his fingers continuing to type.
At the moment, he was familiarizing himself with his hacking and intrusion techniques.
"Ding ding ding—"
The alarm rang.
Haizaki glanced at the time.
It was already 6:45 a.m. on April 5th.
It was time for him to go to school.
Yes—he really had to go to school.
Even thinking about it made him feel a little amused.
But… he would go anyway.
School was, after all, a rare opportunity to rest and relax.
The next apocalypse might last another year.
And it would likely be far more dangerous than the Lonely Apocalypse. At that time, there would be no such thing as rest or relaxation.
Pressing the final Enter key, Haizaki removed his Bluetooth earphones and temporarily ended his hacking practice.
"I'll check out some relevant books at school."
Although he already had knowledge related to hacking in his mind, Haizaki still believed he needed to relearn it systematically in order to master it more thoroughly and comprehensively.
Besides hacking, there was also bioengineering.
That was another set of knowledge and skills he needed to spend time mastering.
Half an hour later, after finishing washing up and breakfast, Haizaki was walking toward Sobu High School.
"Senpai, senpai—"
A girl's voice called out from not far away.
Haizaki looked in the direction of the sound and saw a familiar face.
Isshiki Iroha.
What was she doing here?
He glanced around and noticed there were no other students nearby.
"Senpai, what are you looking around for? I was calling you!"
With light steps, Iroha jogged up to Haizaki. She blinked her eyes, reproaching him for not responding immediately.
"Isshiki-san, what do you need?"
"What do you mean, 'what do I need'?"
She tilted her head, wearing a puzzled expression.
"I can't just be waiting here for senpai unless I have business?"
What kind of natural airhead character was this?
"Just say it. What is it?"
If there were nothing, this junior wouldn't bother looking for him.
"Nothing, nothing."
Iroha still looked reproachful, with a trace of sadness on her face, as if Haizaki's attitude had hurt her.
This acting… she already had it from the first day of school?
Women really were born actresses. Utaha was one, and Iroha was another.
"Alright, then I'm heading to school."
The main gate of Sobu High was already in sight, and there were more and more students around.
"Together, then? Honestly, senpai, you won't even walk to school with your cute junior~?"
"Aren't we walking together already? What's the difference?"
"Oh, that's true!"
After that, Haizaki didn't say anything more. Iroha kept about half a body's distance from him as they walked.
That should have been how it went.
But less than ten seconds later, Iroha spoke again.
"Senpai, what did you do yesterday? I waited for such a long time and you never showed up."
"I went to Tokyo."
"A date?"
As soon as it involved men and women, Iroha's voice carried a note of curiosity and gossip.
"Yeah. I went to Tokyo to confess to a beautiful girl."
"Hehe, senpai, at least make your lies believable. You went to Tokyo to confess to a beautiful girl? Are you going to say she accepted your confession too?"
"No. I was rejected."
"You make it sound so real."
Iroha didn't believe him at all.
"Alright then… I'll ask you one last time. You really have nothing to tell me? If not, then next—"
"I do…"
A figurative 囧 flashed over Haizaki.
"Go on."
Since this little devil had set her sights on him, the more he refused, the more she would cling. But Haizaki couldn't understand what had made Iroha interested in him in the first place.
Helping her pick up a student ID?
Impossible. Then what else could it be?
"Well then, senpai, do you know the second-year senior Hayama Hayato?"
After thinking it over, Iroha felt that the best way to establish a connection with Haizaki was to form a "partnership" under the pretense of helping her get closer to Hayama Hayato.
Among all the students at Sobu High, Hayato was the most suitable choice to act as a "tool." Other boys would easily raise Haizaki's suspicions.
By directing Haizaki's attention toward Hayato, she could make him overlook her true objective.
She had to extract the secret of the student ID from Haizaki.
Approaching him without reason or asking directly would only provoke his wariness and dislike.
But helping with a romantic pursuit—that was different.
"Sorry…"
"You definitely know him, right…?"
At this moment, Iroha tightly grabbed Haizaki's arm. Her slender hand exerted an unexpectedly strong grip. Her beautiful eyes blinked as she put on an innocent expression.
"I know of him. That's all—just heard of him."
"That's great!"
What was so great about that? Haizaki felt trouble coming.
"Well, senpai, there's something I need your help with. After all, you're the only second-year male senior I know."
"Can I refuse?"
Haizaki asked cautiously.
"A cute junior like me is asking you for help, senpai. Are you really willing to abandon me? I really, really need your help. And I'll definitely repay you—for example, by introducing you to cute girls from my class?"
To emphasize her point, she stressed the word "really."
"You're not cute. I'm not interested in the cute girls in your class either. So I refuse."
"Eh, eh, that's so hurtful. Is senpai abandoning me?"
Students nearby turned their gazes toward Haizaki and Iroha.
"Are you really not worried about your reputation?"
Compared to him, shouldn't Iroha, as a girl, care more? If rumors spread that she had a boyfriend, wouldn't she lose the chance to pursue the boy she liked?
"Uh, I'm perfectly innocent with senpai. What is there to worry about? Or… does senpai care about me?"
Iroha twirled her slender finger and pointed at herself.
"Could it be that senpai wants to confess to me after being rejected? Sorry, that's impossible. You're not my type, senpai. I prefer someone like Hayama-senpai—bright and cheerful."
"Then please hurry up and go find Hayama."
"Isn't that why I need your help? You're the only second-year senior I know. If it's you, senpai, you can definitely help me, right? Blink, blink…"
Her bright orange eyes released a hopeful gaze.
This isn't right!
Based on what he knew of Iroha, there was no way she would act this close to a boy she had known for less than a day in public.
Unless she had an ulterior motive.
Could it be that he had really been targeted by Iroha to help her get in touch with that guy, Hayato?
That was a true winner in life.
Yet in his previous life, during two years at Sobu High, the total number of sentences he had exchanged with Hayama did not exceed a hundred.
"I'll confirm one last time. You're serious, right? You really want to get close to Hayama."
"Yes, senpai. I'm very serious, and I also hope you can help me."
"If that's what you want… I can offer whatever assistance is within my ability."
However, Haizaki vaguely remembered that Hayama already had someone in his heart, and that the blonde girl, Miura Yumiko, was merely being used by him as a shield.
At the very least, Hayato had not become a playboy who flitted among women. For that, Haizaki still respected him.
After all, if Hayama were willing, he could easily change girlfriends every two weeks.
"Really?"
So she was really planning to treat him as free labor.
"Senpai, you really are a good person."
"First," Haizaki raised his right index finger. "A friendly reminder: he's the ace of the soccer club. You could consider becoming a club manager."
"And then?"
"That's it."
"That's it?"
She widened her eyes, her slightly parted lips filled with astonishment.
"Yes, that's it. I haven't found a second friendly reminder yet. I'll tell you when I do."
"Senpai, that's really mean! You're deliberately keeping me in suspense. I'm not happy."
Every word, every expression of Iroha's was perfectly controlled, never crossing his limit of tolerance.
So this was Iroha's power of observation.
With less than two interactions, she had already gained a certain understanding of his personality.
Only… he was no longer the same person he had been in his previous life.
Now he wore a layer called "disguise."
"I'm just stating the facts. And my help is limited to what I'm able and willing to do."
"So sad. I was hoping senpai would go all out, even unleash one hundred and twenty percent of his fighting power for me."
"You overestimate me. I'm the type who finds things troublesome. Honestly, I have no interest in spending time helping you chase after Hayama."
"I'm unhappy. With that attitude, senpai won't be able to win any girls over."
"Too tiring. I'm not planning to pursue anyone."
"Then why did senpai… confess to me?"
Iroha lowered her voice, as if considering Haizaki's feelings.
"Am I being specially treated by you, senpai? I really am lucky."
[A/N: Refer to Chapter 3, Iroha's scene.]
But what she did not expect was that Haizaki's expression suddenly changed upon hearing this.
Astonishment, surprise, and a trace of longing.
Iroha blinked. Haizaki's expression had already returned to normal, as if what she had just seen had been an illusion.
"You're thinking too much. We just met at a coincidental time, in a coincidental place. As for you, my personal advice is to avoid having too much to do with me."
"But our meeting was arranged by fate. And why can't we have more to do with each other?"
Iroha's mind was filled with that fleetingly complex expression she had seen on Haizaki's face. She was puzzled, unable to understand why he had reacted that way. Was there something wrong with what she had just said?
Could it be that the word "confession" had stimulated him? After all, she had rejected his confession.
And now she was even asking him to help her pursue Hayama. The fact that Haizaki had not exploded was already proof of his good self-cultivation.
That must be it.
Iroha arrived at what she believed was a reliable conclusion.
"It wouldn't be good if you accidentally fell in love with me."
"Huh???"
Iroha showed a shocked expression again, but immediately switched to a little-devil smile. "Isn't that great? If I accidentally fell in love with senpai, wouldn't I be able to become your girlfriend?"
"Not good! I don't want a girl who has another man in her heart and has already rejected me once."
"So petty."
She puffed out her cheeks, clearly dissatisfied. "Then what's the real reason?"
"I'll be returning to my country in the future. I'll devote my life to the Eastern Union, to the whole world and all humanity, so…" Haizaki spread his hands and said casually.
"That's really a pity. I thought if senpai just tried a little harder, there might have been a chance. What a shame…"
Today's conversation had gone smoothly. She had established an initial connection with Haizaki and also gained a reason to stay in contact with him in the future. Her preliminary goal had been achieved.
Iroha felt that the day she could dig out secrets from Haizaki that interested her was getting closer.
"There's nothing to regret. What's missed is missed. You should be looking forward to your fate with Hayama now."
In truth, he did not know that much about Hayama. If he were really going to do something for Iroha, he would at least need to spend some time.
That was fine. He could treat it as a way to adjust his life and relax.
One still needed rest when it was time to rest.
If he stayed tense all the time, something would go wrong sooner or later.
"Then I'll have to rely on you, senpai! Hehe…"
"Only this once."
Although Haizaki knew that the Iroha before him was not the same Iroha he had known, still…
"Senpai, you're really too good to me."
With a friendly gesture, she lightly shook Haizaki's arm, her smile brilliant.
"And isn't there a saying? Once there's a first time, there'll be a second time, and countless more!"
She clearly had no intention of letting him go.
"At that time, I'll kick you away without mercy."
"That's so mean."
The chill that rose in her heart made Iroha realize that Haizaki was not joking. Still, she could not retreat. If she backed down here, everything would be over.
"You're being mean right now too."
"Waaah, being able to say something like 'I'm being mean' so matter-of-factly—only you can do that, senpai."
She deliberately exaggerated the sobbing "waaah," perfectly drawing the attention of the Sobu High students walking not far ahead. All along, Iroha had been observing the changes in her surroundings.
As the two of them got closer and closer to Sobu High, there were more and more students.
Quite a few had already turned their attention to this pair of a boy and a girl.
Curiosity and gossip were human instincts, let alone for high school students in the prime of their youth.
"Alright, you can go now. Your classmates seem to be up ahead…"
Following Haizaki's line of sight, Iroha looked over and indeed saw her classmates—the same ones she had run into the first time she went to school with Haizaki.
Such a good memory, to remember even that.
"Then, senpai, goodbye! I'm going to join my classmates."
As Iroha turned around, she suddenly sensed an icy gaze and immediately looked in that direction.
That was… Sobu High's ice queen—Yukinoshita Yukino.
Why was she looking at her with such a cold stare? For a moment, Iroha was confused.
…