After Alisa finished her second year of middle school, her father was sent to Japan for work and brought the family with him. Following her parents' advice, she ended up transferring to Seiren Academy, which was known as one of the best schools in all of Japan.
Alisa had vague expectations that she might finally be able to work among her equals and improve alongside them, but she was instantly let down after taking the school's proficiency and placement test. She was at the top of her class now.
It was the first time Alisa had been in Japan in five years, and she was a transfer student from abroad with absolutely no idea what the test was going to be like. And yet even with those disadvantages, she had been placed at the top of her class.
Huh… This is what they consider a high academic level? I'm all alone, even here.
Right as her heart was slowly filling with resignation, she met him. It was on her first day as a transfer student on the morning of April 1.
"Your Japanese is really good, Alisa. Did you use to live in Japan?"
"You're so pretty! I've never seen anyone with silver hair before."
"Hey, did you really pass that stupid-hard entrance exam for transfer students with ease?"
Her new classmates crowded around and made their curiosity no secret. Although she was a bit daunted by the attention, Alisa tried to handle the situation without being overly rude.
Nothing good would come from getting close to someone when she would ultimately look down on them. Alisa would only make them uncomfortable, and it would make her uncomfortable once she realized what she was doing. That was why Alisa was not planning on becoming friends with anyone.
"Oh, the first bell rang."
"Already? That was fast. Talk to you later, Alisa."
"Let's continue getting to know each other during the next break, okay?"
"Okay."
After watching her classmates sadly return to their seats, Alisa glanced at the seat next to hers.
"…"
Sitting there was a male student lying sprawled out over his desk as if he didn't have a care in the world, despite all the noise and excitement that'd been happening right by him.
The boy's free-spirited nature piqued her curiosity, to say the least. Before Alisa realized it, she was lightly shaking his shoulders. It was the first time she was the one trying to start a conversation with one of her classmates.
"Hey, uh… The bell rang, you know?"
"Mmm… Hmm?"
An ordinary, young male student with a blank look on his face slowly lifted his head. It was Masachika Kuze.
Kuze and Kujou. They were assigned desks next to each other simply because their last names were close alphabetically.
Masachika turned his blank stare at Alisa, blinked several times, then tilted his head.
"Ohhh… You're the transfer student who spoke at the opening ceremony, right?"
"Yes. Alisa Mikhailovna Kujou. Nice to meet you."
"Right… I'm Masachika Kuze. Nice to meet you, too."
That was all Masachika said before facing the front once more and stretching his back. A few moments went by before his eyes widened with realization, and he tapped the boy in front of him on the back.
"Yo, Hikaru. I had no idea you were here."
"Seriously? Takeshi is here, too, man."
"Oh, wow. You're right. I fell asleep, so I didn't even notice."
Alisa was somewhat taken by surprise to see him pleasantly chatting with his friend and showing absolutely no interest in her. Alisa knew that she was twice as good-looking as the average person, and she understood that good looks could be used as a weapon when building relationships, so of course she was conscious of improving her appearance.
Although Alisa didn't use any makeup, since it was against school rules, she still understood that she possessed a beauty that rivaled the average TV star. And while she wasn't interested in attracting the opposite sex, she understood that her appearance, especially her silver hair, garnered a lot of attention. That was why Masachika, basically the only person who didn't express any interest in her, made a significant impression. But she soon noticed something while watching him curiously.
It wasn't that Masachika was not interested in girls or other people. He was simply unmotivated about everything. He would forget his textbook. He would sleep in class. He would even panic and rush through his homework during the break only minutes before class started. He would try not to stand out during PE just so he could put forth as little effort as possible. There wasn't even a hint of motivation being emitted from his lifeless demeanor.
Even prestigious schools like this have a student like him, it seems.