Morning
The sound of the school bell rang through the classroom, signaling the start of class.
All the students quickly returned to their seats, but there were still several empty spots throughout the room.
Shindai Hakuka's seatmate hadn't shown up yet, and just as he thought they might be late, the door slowly creaked open.
In walked their homeroom teacher, Matsue Aimi, standing at around 150 cm tall, her arms full of new textbooks, which she dropped to the floor as she caught her breath, leaning on her waist for support.
Once she caught her breath, Aimi stood at the front of the class, hands on her hips. Though she was petite, her voice was loud enough to echo through the room:
"Phew! That was exhausting!"
"Alright! I need a few of you to go downstairs and help me carry up the rest of these books. Some students are already bringing them up, but they won't be enough!"
"Hurry up! There are a lot of books, and we need more hands!"
Matsue Aimi was 27 years old, and her short height of 150 cm added to her cute and approachable demeanor. She wore a women's suit with a skirt, her sleeves slightly covering her slender wrists. The fitted cut of her blazer highlighted her small frame, while the slightly open collar gave her a touch of feminine grace.
Her short skirt paired with black stockings accentuated her slim legs, giving her a delicate and graceful figure.
The students couldn't help but comment on how adorable their homeroom teacher looked.
"Aimi-sensei is so cute!"
"She's so tiny! Kawaii!"
"Is she really a teacher? She looks like she's around our age!"
Hearing the playful remarks, Aimi puffed up her cheeks in annoyance and shouted:
"Stop teasing your teacher!"
"Call me Aimi-sensei, not Aimi-chan!"
"And why are none of you moving?! I asked for help with the books!"
Her sharp reprimand silenced the class. Despite her small size, her voice had a commanding presence, even causing Shindai Hakuka, sitting at the back, to feel a slight ringing in his ears.
After Aimi's scolding, a few students reluctantly stood up to help. The classroom was on the third floor, and most of them weren't eager to volunteer for such a tedious task.
Used to this kind of response, Aimi pointed at random students.
"That's not enough!"
"You, you, and you! Stop hiding back there and go help!"
"And you, the handsome one in the back, don't think I didn't notice you trying to act like you were just looking at the scenery!"
Laughter rippled through the classroom as many students turned to look at Hakuka.
With a sigh, Shindai Hakuka stood up. Even though I'm sitting in the last row, she still picked me?
Chitanda Mirai, watching from her wheelchair, stifled a giggle, while Ubahara Junko, sitting in front of her, shifted slightly as if she was considering standing up but ultimately stayed put, merely observing Hakuka and the others leave.
Before long, Hakuka made his way downstairs.
There, he saw a few of his classmates already carrying books.
His good looks naturally drew some attention.
One girl, in particular, a cold-looking beauty, froze in place when she saw him, her expression filled with confusion and surprise.
Hakuka didn't notice her gaze, casually picking up a stack of books before heading back upstairs.
As the students slowly returned to the classroom, the books were distributed, with the task taking up about a quarter of the lesson time.
Finally, after finishing with the last stack of books, Shindai Hakuka made his way back to his seat.
Without realizing it, he passed the cold-looking girl, who had already taken her seat in front of him, her brow furrowed as she stared at him.
Hakuka's attention, however, was drawn to Ubahara Junko and Chitanda Mirai.
Junko still had her usual fierce look, her sharp eyes fixated on him, while Mirai gave Hakuka a soft smile before doing something that completely contrasted with her delicate appearance.
Puffing her cheeks, she mimicked a bodybuilder's pose, flexing her small biceps in a playful way.
Hakuka couldn't help but smile at the sight.
With the three of them sitting so close together, Hakuka's smile seemed directed at all three girls, leading to different reactions.
Chitanda Mirai smiled sweetly in return.
Ubahara Junko's fierce gaze wavered for a moment before she quickly lowered her head.
Meanwhile, the cold girl sitting in front of Hakuka furrowed her brow even further and turned her head away.
Once everyone had returned to their seats, Matsue Aimi suddenly appeared with a small stool in hand, climbing on top of it to address the class.
"Today is your first day as high schoolers, so to help you all get along better, we're going to do introductions!"
A collective groan echoed through the classroom as the students clearly weren't eager to introduce themselves.
Unfazed, Aimi continued, looking at the student list and calling out names.
"Alright, let's start with the student on the far left."
One by one, the students introduced themselves, filling the room with the energy of youth. Some introductions were awkward, while others caught the attention of the class with their uniqueness.
Eventually, it was Ubahara Junko's turn, and the atmosphere in the classroom instantly changed.
Even Matsue Aimi felt nervous under Junko's intimidating gaze and aura. The petite teacher's legs trembled in her black stockings, realizing they might have a difficult student on their hands.
"U-ubahara Junko, it's your turn. Please stand and introduce yourself."
Junko slowly stood up, her gaze sweeping across the classroom. She didn't say a word.
Her presence alone was terrifying, like a lioness surveying her territory. Most of the students lowered their heads immediately, not daring to make eye contact.
After a full minute of silence, Junko still hadn't spoken. Meanwhile, Aimi, trying to maintain some semblance of order, trembled but managed to speak with a high level of tact.
"W-well, Ubahara Junko's introduction is... very unique."
"Great job! I like it a lot."
"Y-you may sit down."
Junko silently took her seat.
Behind her, Chitanda Mirai sighed softly, clearly used to her friend's behavior.