Spring, April 13th 2016, Wednesday. The second week of school.
Morning sun shines, students have arrived at the campus one after another before the school bell rings. They lay around the campus having fun with their friends, their cheerful faces and giggles bring a bunch of vitality back to the school after a long break.
There, in the classroom of Class 3-1, the boys gather around the desk seated at the corner, they lower their voice and whisper quietly, it seems like they are having a discussion secretly.
"Damn it boys! Finally we are senpai!" Chujo Kaito, a boy in golden hair cheers, "We are now the eldest in the campus!"
"So? What are you trying to do?" Izaki Shinji, the owner of the desk says, "Trying to bully the kouhai?" he chuckles.
"No! Of course not! Why do you say so?" with an exaggerated wave on the hands, Kaito denies, "Do I look like such a bad guy to you?"
"Yeah." without doubting Kaito's own saying, Shinji nods, "Not just a bad guy..."
"You look like a hentai too." the boy standing next to Shinji, Rinsaki Irie said.
By the end of Irie's words, Shinji gives him a big high five.
"Hey, rude!" while Kaito pouts his lips and speaks in a whiny voice, "I mean, being called 'Senpai~ Senpai~' by the kouhai, doesn't it feel great!?"
"I know right!?" suddenly, the boy standing next to Kaito, Kobori Genshiro edges in, he gives Kaito a loud high five, "It sounds hentai, but can't deny that! Imagine! Surrounded by a group of kawaii kouhai, sweet voices calling 'Senpai~ Senpai~'!"
"You mean, surrounded and confessed by the girls?" with a scoff in disdain, Shinji puts up a dry smile and shakes his head, "Stop pipe dreaming."
There Irie squeezes his face in disgust, "Yikes."
"Advice well given, Shinji." a boy wrapping his arm around Irie's shoulders, Wakasugi Tetsu gives a thumbs up at Shinji's words, he says to Kaito and Genshiro, "Look into the mirror, boys, so obscene, no kawaii kouhai will be willing to approach you."
As Tetsu said, the boys giggle, some slapping onto the desk.
"Oi, Tetsu!" in a sad face, Kaito slaps on the table and rebukes, "Don't ruin my middle school dream!"
While suddenly, just by Kaito's voice falls, an adorable boy dashes into the classroom from the one and only door, he squeezes into the crowd as he pants heavily.
"Oi, Momo." there, Tetsu pats on the boy's back and asked, "What happened?"
"Boys! Boys!" the boy, Ehara Momo mentions, "I saw the list! The class arrangement of the first year students!"
"And then...?" curiously, Shinji asked.
"The three classes are Class 1-2, Class 1-3, and Class 1-4!" in an astonished expression, Momo exclaims, "There's still no Class 1-1!"
But after a second, the boys start to laugh at him.
"Momo, have you been sleeping?" Irie asked in a wicked smile.
"We know that, a lot earlier." Kaito nods, "Like, on the first day of school?" he mentioned, claiming a series of chuckle from the boys.
"I mean...!" whereas Momo never gives up, he tries to defend himself, "Look, think about it! It has been three years since we entered this school, when did we ever see a Class 1-1?"
As Momo mentioned, Genshiro nods, "Come to think about it, there's no Class 1-1 when we were enrolled, totally did not expect the phenomena to last for three years." he said.
"Didn't we ask before?" Tetsu then mentions, "Even the teachers themselves don't have an idea."
"No." there, Shinji suddenly shakes his head, "I don't think the phenomena only lasted for three years." he states, "Maybe it's a tradition they've started way earlier before we were enrolled?"
As Shinji said, Kaito suddenly sighs, "Zannen desu." he said, "We won't be staying long in this school, or else we might dig up some shady secrets of Eitsuma."
Eitsuma, the name of their middle school.
"Yo yo yo. What are you boys talking about? Wanna play a detective game?"
While suddenly, a deep voice came in from their back, a young man squeezes himself into the crowd and pats onto the Shinji's and Irie's shoulder, claiming a sharp gasp from each of them.
"Ishiya-sensei!" in shock, the boys called.
Ishiya Yota, the class teacher of Class 3-1.
"HAHAHA!" unexpectedly, Ishiya-sensei laughs wickedly, "Timid boys!"
"Ishiya-sensei!" with an upset face, Irie reproaches, "We're not timid! You're sly!"
"Yeah!" Momo agrees, patting rapidly on his chest, "I'm almost scared to death!"
"Well, sensei is not sly." reluctantly, Ishiya-sensei debates, "I'm just observing my students." then, he squints his eyes and stares at the boys, "Guess what? Sensei is pretty curious about the case too."
"The case?" with a sharp stare, Shinji tilts his head and stares back at Ishiya-sensei.
"Yeah." Ishiya-sensei nods, "The phenomena. The disappearing Class 1-1."
"Oh, is it?" with a sly smile, Tetsu gives everyone a glance and proposes, "How about... we investigate it together, with Ishiya-sensei?"
With exciting faces, the boys put up their smiles and turn to their teacher. Ishiya-sensei gives them a smile too.
"If you're so interested..." he said, "We'll meet at my office after class today."
Ishiya-sensei, he might be older than his students, but he is young, he is adventurous, he is no difference from the curious boys. But...
"Ishiya-sensei." Shinji frowns, showing his hesitation on his face, "Are you sure?"
Whereas, Kaito gives Shinji a light slap on the back, "Stop being so sissy, Shinji, are you scared?" he mocks, "Moreover, we have Ishiya-sensei, nothing could go wrong."
Ishiya-sensei nods, "Yeah." he says, "We're just going to flip some books and papers, at most, we visit some classrooms. Nothing so dangerous, right?"
With the guarantee from Ishiya-sensei, Shinji thought he feels more at ease. He was right, it is not so risky after all. Hence, Shinji finally nods and agrees to the proposal.
"Yes!" excitedly, the boys cheer.
There, the boys make a promise with their teacher. Faintly they sing, "Yubikiri genman, uso tsuitara hari senbon nomasu, yubi kitta."
"It's a secret between us, tell no one." cautiously, Ishiya-sensei whispered. Then, he pats on Shinji's and Irie's back again and orders, "Now sit tight, the class is starting."
"Hai, sensei!" with a smile in glee, the boys quickly return to their seat and prepare for the first bell to be rung.