"Tsushima-san, please keep quiet and wait for Shirakawa-sensei to start the lesson."
"Ha! Why should I listen to you? Typical of an honor student to be a nuisance."
"I'm just reminding Tsushima-san according to school rules; please be quiet"
Shirakawa Miwa interjected, her usually gentle demeanor holding a commanding presence among the students.
"Shiina-san, Tsushima-san, come to the guidance room after class," Miwa said sternly, her gaze fixed on the two troublemakers.
After silencing the argument, Miwa continued, "Everyone, please sit down. We have a new student who will be joining us today due to certain circumstances. Let's make him feel welcome. Ito-kun, please come in."
Hearing his name, Ito Yoshito walked to the front of the classroom and wrote his name on the blackboard.
Under the curious gaze of his classmates, he introduced himself briefly.
"Hello, everyone, I'm Ito Yoshito. I look forward to your support."
Scanning the room, Yoshito noticed there were no familiar faces from his middle school, aside from the ever-smiling Natsuha Shinomiya, who was beaming at him.
"Ito-kun, your seat is behind Haruno-kun, at that window-side spot," Miwa pointed out, guiding him to his place. "Alright, everyone, let's settle down; we're starting class now."
Though Miwa's instructions kept the classroom mostly quiet, Yoshito still caught snippets of whispers as he walked through the aisle to his seat.
"Wow, he's so handsome and muscular!"
"Yeah, but I wonder if his… assets are as impressive as his physique, hehe."
"Ha! You're such a little perv, already eyeing someone else."
Most of the girls were discussing Yoshito's looks...
"Good grief, he's so built; I wonder if one punch from him could take me out."
"He's so strong; his presence seems to warp space. This new rival is pretty tough, but I, the Dark Hero, won't give up easily!"
Classmates, could you tone it down a bit…?
As Yoshito settled into his seat, a gentle breeze filtered through the open window, alleviating some of his weariness.
The scent of cherry blossoms wafted through the classroom, refreshing and invigorating.
In front of him sat a petite boy with a fair complexion who seemed distracted as he subtly observed Yoshito from the corner of his eye.
"Hello, I'm Ito Yoshito. May I ask your name...?" he started.
"...I'm Haruno Ayato," came the surprised reply.
It seemed Yoshito's approach had startled him.
He sneaked a glance at Miwa, finding she wasn't paying attention, and then leaned back slightly, quietly conversing with Yoshito.
Having missed part of the class, Yoshito found it challenging to follow Miwa's teachings, so he and Ayato engaged in casual chatter instead.
...
Time passed swiftly amid their conversation.
The school bell chimed, relief washing over the students who had endured a grueling lesson.
As soon as the class ended, several girls crowded around Yoshito, peppering him with mundane questions.
Most of which he had no desire to answer.
The interactions fizzled out quickly, which was fine by him, he was eager to chat with Natsuha instead.
"Shirakawa-sensei's class was tough, Natsuha," Yoshito complained.
"Don't even start! I saw you chatting with Haruno-kun the whole time instead of paying attention," Natsuha shot back, eyeing Yoshito skeptically.
Her wine-red eyes sparkled in the sunlight, and the fleeting moment made Yoshito's heart race.
"Not true~"
Yoshito pouted, but Natsuha produced evidence from her phone.
There on the screen was a candid photo of him at the window, the clear blue sky and fluffy white clouds framing his silhouette.
He leaned against the wall with his left hand on his cheek, cherry blossom petals caught in his disheveled hair.
His striking eyelashes fluttered slightly as he squinted into the sunlight, a lazy smile gracing his lips that radiated under the warm sun.
"Wow, Natsuha, you dared to take a sneak photo of me," Yoshito feigned a playful attempt to snatch the phone away, trying to scare her.
Natsuha wasn't irked by the teasing.
Instead, she playfully dodged side to side, her playful demeanor making the moment even more dizzying.
Time ticked away as they laughed, but then Yoshito remembered.
This particular class was taught by Kyouko Tsukishima.
Initially unsure of her teaching style, Yoshito turned back to Haruno Ayato for conversation, but found him sitting up straight, silent and tense.
Just as he pondered Ayato's sudden change in demeanor, Yoshito realized Kyouko Tsukishima was staring directly at him.
Her cold, expressionless face masked the slight furrow in her brow that revealed her displeasure.
"Ito-kun, please solve this problem," her flat and frigid voice felt like a winter wind, sending chills down Yoshito's spine.
"Um—I can't," Yoshito replied, glancing at the problem.
After pondering for a moment, he determined it wasn't a type he was familiar with.
"Ha, you don't know, and yet you dare to zone out? After class, report to the guidance room."
Tsushima Rina, seated nearby, pouted in dissatisfaction.
She was an aesthetician, collecting many handsome boys' photos on her phone.
Her evaluations of boys relied heavily on their looks.
The moment she laid eyes on Yoshito, she was captivated by his attractiveness.
However, after the first class ended, Miwa summoned her and Shiina Chizuru to the guidance room, preventing her from approaching Ito Yoshito.
Since her friend Kurashiki Reina had sought her attention during the next two periods, she realized her chances were slipping away.
Yoshito would soon be taken away by Tsukishima Kyouko.
This made her quite upset.
Never mind, there will always be opportunities to get closer to handsome boys later.
'I'll go find Reina and gather some intel. Knowing stuff gives an advantage in battle!'
As soon as class ended, Yoshito followed Kyouko Tsukishima to the guidance room.
Upon entering, she forcefully placed her books on the desk and raised a specially-made teaching stick triumphantly.
"Ito-kun, you've already missed so many lessons and even daydreamed during class! Are you planning to let yourself decline?"
Kyouko Tsukishima seethed, sitting with her long, black stockings accentuating her shapely legs, revealing the frustration simmering within.
Feeling guilty, Yoshito lowered his head, listening to Kyouko's lecture while his eyes inadvertently wandered to her stunning legs.
The black stockings clung tightly to her voluptuous thighs, emphasizing their shape and making them look even more alluring.
The legs formed a perfect curve as the fabric transitioned from thigh to calf.
Glimmering in the surrounding light, the black stockings radiated a mysterious, ink-like luster, consuming the light around them.
"You can't end up like that, you know…"
Enchanted by the allure of her dark stockings, Yoshito's ears dulled to the world outside, his gaze solely fixated on her beautiful legs.
"Ito-kun! Ito-kun!"
Kyouko raised her voice and glared at Yoshito, getting visibly frustrated.
"Fine, from now on, you'll come to my house on Saturday evenings for extra lessons, understood?"
'I can't believe he's ignoring me!'
'Hmph, I need to think of a way to prevent him from letting himself go… '
'Just now, he was looking at my legs. If that's the case... '
"Uh? Ah! Understood," Yoshito realized he had pushed Kyouko Tsukishima far enough to ignite her anger, so he decided to use his ring to read her thoughts, hoping for clues to apologize and soothe her feelings.
But he instead overheard something alarming.
"Huh? Just go back; remember to come over Saturday evening," Kyouko gestured impatiently, waving her hand dismissively.