After the school bell rang, students poured back into their seats like a tidal wave, filling the classroom with murmurs and rustling notebooks. Akira was already there, sitting stiffly, his fingers drumming against his desk in quiet anticipation—or was it boredom?
Then it happened.
The air in the room shifted, as if the temperature had dropped a few degrees. The door creaked open, slow and deliberate, like the entrance of a legend. Footsteps echoed through the silent room, each one landing with the weight of an impending storm.
And then—there they were.
Standing beside the teacher was the new student. The world seemed to blur for a moment. Whispers erupted, chairs screeched, and someone audibly gasped.
"Class, this is Ryo," the teacher announced, her voice carrying an unusual sense of pride. "He was the top student at his previous school."
Akira's fingers froze mid-tap.
Top student? Top student?!
His mind raced. The words echoed, bouncing off the walls of his brain like an alarm bell. This guy wasn't just some ordinary transfer. He was a contender. A challenger. A threat.
The classroom's collective energy seemed to spike. A few students exchanged excited glances, already sensing the brewing storm between the newcomer and Akira.
Akira exhaled sharply, narrowing his sapphire eyes.
Did I just get a rival?
After the school bell rang, students poured back into their seats like a tidal wave, filling the classroom with murmurs and rustling notebooks. Akira was already there, sitting stiffly, his fingers drumming against his desk in quiet anticipation—or was it boredom?
Then it happened.
The air in the room shifted, as if the temperature had dropped a few degrees. The door creaked open, slow and deliberate, like the entrance of a legend. Footsteps echoed through the silent room, each one landing with the weight of an impending storm.
And then—there they were.
Standing beside the teacher was the new student. The world seemed to blur for a moment. Whispers erupted, chairs screeched, and someone audibly gasped.
"Class, this is Ryo," the teacher announced, her voice carrying an unusual sense of pride. "He was the top student at his previous school."
Akira's fingers froze mid-tap.
Top student? Top student?!
His mind raced. The words echoed, bouncing off the walls of his brain like an alarm bell. This guy wasn't just some ordinary transfer. He was a contender. A challenger. A threat.
The classroom's collective energy seemed to spike. A few students exchanged excited glances, already sensing the brewing storm between the newcomer and Akira.
Then, without warning, Ryo flashed a smirk—slow, deliberate, and dripping with arrogance.
He scanned the room with cold eyes, as though measuring each person in his path. Then, he tilted his head back, voice dripping with disdain.
"Anyone who comes at me... will be crushed."
He made a sudden, exaggerated gesture with his shoulder, like he was shrugging off the weight of the world—or, in his mind, everyone in the room. The motion was sharp, deliberate, a show of dominance.
Akira's gaze narrowed, his fingers curling into a fist on the desk.
Did I just get a rival?
After the school bell rang, students poured back into their seats like a tidal wave, filling the classroom with murmurs and rustling notebooks. Akira was already there, sitting stiffly, his fingers drumming against his desk in quiet anticipation—or was it boredom?
Then it happened.
The air in the room shifted, as if the temperature had dropped a few degrees. The door creaked open, slow and deliberate, like the entrance of a legend. Footsteps echoed through the silent room, each one landing with the weight of an impending storm.
And then—there they were.
Standing beside the teacher was the new student. The world seemed to blur for a moment. Whispers erupted, chairs screeched, and someone audibly gasped.
"Class, this is Ryo," the teacher announced, her voice carrying an unusual sense of pride. "He was the top student at his previous school."
Akira's fingers froze mid-tap.
Top student? Top student?!
His mind raced. The words echoed, bouncing off the walls of his brain like an alarm bell. This guy wasn't just some ordinary transfer. He was a contender. A challenger. A threat.
The classroom's collective energy seemed to spike. A few students exchanged excited glances, already sensing the brewing storm between the newcomer and Akira.
Then, without warning, Ryo flashed a smirk—slow, deliberate, and dripping with arrogance.
He scanned the room with cold eyes, as though measuring each person in his path. Then, he tilted his head back, voice dripping with disdain.
"Anyone who comes at me... will be crushed."
He made a sudden, exaggerated gesture with his shoulder, like he was shrugging off the weight of the world—or, in his mind, everyone in the room. The motion was sharp, deliberate, a show of dominance.
Akira's gaze narrowed, his fingers curling into a fist on the desk.
Did I just get a rival?
The teacher, looking slightly flustered, cleared her throat.
"Ryo, please take a seat."
Without missing a beat, Ryo strode to his assigned seat, every step oozing confidence.
And that's when the chaos broke loose.
The entire class erupted in a frenzy. Some students jumped to their feet, practically screaming in excitement.
"Ryo! Welcome!" they cheered, as if he was some kind of celebrity.
The girls were absolutely losing their minds.
"He's so handsome!" one gasped, clutching her heart like she'd just seen a movie star.
"Oh my god, look at his eyes! He's perfect!" another screamed, practically swooning.
The noise was deafening, a whirlwind of praise and admiration. It was as if a celebrity had just walked into their class, and Akira could feel his stomach twist in irritation.
The teacher, looking slightly flustered, cleared her throat.
"Ryo, please take a seat."
Without missing a beat, Ryo strode to his assigned seat, every step oozing confidence.
And that's when the chaos broke loose.
The entire class erupted in a frenzy. Some students jumped to their feet, practically screaming in excitement.
"Ryo! Welcome!" they cheered, as if he was some kind of celebrity.
The girls were absolutely losing their minds.
"He's so handsome!" one gasped, clutching her heart like she'd just seen a movie star.
"Oh my god, look at his eyes! He's perfect!" another screamed, practically swooning.
The noise was deafening, a whirlwind of praise and admiration. It was as if a celebrity had just walked into their class, and Akira could feel his stomach twist in irritation.
But then—something unexpected happened.
Akira's heart raced, but it wasn't the usual excitement. He felt… uncomfortable.
What is this? he thought, his mind swirling with confusion and disbelief. I've never felt this before.
For the first time in his life, he could feel eyes on him—not in admiration, but in comparison. He had always been the quiet student, the one who stayed under the radar, focused on his own future, but now?
Now, it felt like the entire world had turned its gaze on this new guy, Ryo.
In my entire school years, I've never had a rival. The thought echoed in his mind, almost alien to him. Is this real? Am I really going to be challenged now?
He clenched his fists under the desk, the frustration growing.
Maybe it's all a bluff. He could feel the heat rising in his chest, a surge of defiance. Maybe he's just trying to intimidate me.
But deep down, something gnawed at him. What if he isn't? What if this is real?
He quickly shook the thought away, focusing back on the front of the class. No. I won't let anyone get in my way.
Here's an even more exaggerated version to highlight Akira's shock and disbelief:
The teacher, looking slightly flustered, cleared her throat.
"Ryo, please take a seat."
Without missing a beat, Ryo strode to his assigned seat, every step oozing confidence.
And that's when the chaos broke loose.
The entire class erupted in a frenzy. Some students jumped to their feet, practically screaming in excitement.
"Ryo! Welcome!" they cheered, as if he was some kind of celebrity.
The girls were absolutely losing their minds.
"He's so handsome!" one gasped, clutching her heart like she'd just seen a movie star.
"Oh my god, look at his eyes! He's perfect!" another screamed, practically swooning.
The noise was deafening, a whirlwind of praise and admiration. It was as if a celebrity had just walked into their class, and Akira could feel his stomach twist in irritation.
But then—something unexpected happened.
Akira's heart raced, but it wasn't the usual excitement. He felt… uncomfortable.
What is this? he thought, his mind swirling with confusion and disbelief. I've never felt this before.
For the first time in his life, he could feel eyes on him—not in admiration, but in comparison. He had always been the quiet student, the one who stayed under the radar, focused on his own future, but now?
Now, it felt like the entire world had turned its gaze on this new guy, Ryo.
In my entire school years, I've never had a rival. The thought echoed in his mind, almost alien to him. Is this real? Am I really going to be challenged now?
He clenched his fists under the desk, the frustration growing.
Maybe it's all a bluff. He could feel the heat rising in his chest, a surge of defiance. Maybe he's just trying to intimidate me.
But deep down, something gnawed at him. What if he isn't? What if this is real?
And then, a new thought struck him like a bolt of lightning.
But how could he know that I was a top student?
His head snapped to attention. The room seemed to blur around him. How? How could Ryo, a transfer student, know anything about him? He had always been the one to remain in the shadows, the invisible student, the one who wasn't seen, the one who was always background noise.
I thought I was invisible!
His stomach twisted as that realization slammed into him with the force of a freight train. How did this guy know anything about him? Was this all planned? Was he always meant to be a rival?
Ryo's smirk from earlier echoed in his mind, that arrogant expression of someone who already knew he was the best.
Is he really my rival?
The teacher, looking slightly flustered, cleared her throat.
"Ryo, please take a seat."
Without missing a beat, Ryo strode to his assigned seat, every step oozing confidence.
And that's when the chaos broke loose.
The entire class erupted in a frenzy. Some students jumped to their feet, practically screaming in excitement.
"Ryo! Welcome!" they cheered, as if he was some kind of celebrity.
The girls were absolutely losing their minds.
"He's so handsome!" one gasped, clutching her heart like she'd just seen a movie star.
"Oh my god, look at his eyes! He's perfect!" another screamed, practically swooning.
The noise was deafening, a whirlwind of praise and admiration. It was as if a celebrity had just walked into their class, and Akira could feel his stomach twist in irritation.
But then—something unexpected happened.
Akira's heart raced, but it wasn't the usual excitement. He felt… uncomfortable.
What is this? he thought, his mind swirling with confusion and disbelief. I've never felt this before.
For the first time in his life, he could feel eyes on him—not in admiration, but in comparison. He had always been the quiet student, the one who stayed under the radar, focused on his own future, but now?
Now, it felt like the entire world had turned its gaze on this new guy, Ryo.
In my entire school years, I've never had a rival. The thought echoed in his mind, almost alien to him. Is this real? Am I really going to be challenged now?
He clenched his fists under the desk, the frustration growing.
Maybe it's all a bluff. He could feel the heat rising in his chest, a surge of defiance. Maybe he's just trying to intimidate me.
But deep down, something gnawed at him. What if he isn't? What if this is real?
And then, a new thought struck him like a bolt of lightning.
But how could he know that I was a top student?
His head snapped to attention. The room seemed to blur around him. How? How could Ryo, a transfer student, know anything about him? He had always been the one to remain in the shadows, the invisible student, the one who wasn't seen, the one who was always background noise.
I thought I was invisible!
His stomach twisted as that realization slammed into him with the force of a freight train. How did this guy know anything about him? Was this all planned? Was he always meant to be a rival?
And then, the feeling hit him. Why could I feel all these stares on me?
It was as if the weight of a thousand eyes were fixed on him, each one piercing through him, measuring him, studying him. The sensation crawled under his skin like an electric current.
What is this? Why am I suddenly the center of attention?
It was suffocating. The whispers, the glances, the murmurs—it was like being on display in a glass box for the whole world to see. He could feel his cheeks burning, his palms sweating. Was this how it felt to be under the microscope?
No! Akira thought, his jaw tightening. I refuse to let this get to me. I won't back down .