The classes went smoothly.
As in the novel, the teachers focused solely on their lessons, paying little attention to the class.
Luckily, Sudō didn't act out or doze off.
The class stayed calm, maintaining a slight air of focus.
To solidify this, I took the liberty of asking the teachers occasional, semi-relevant questions, which they happily answered. As if I'd opened a door, in the following classes, I wasn't the only one asking questions.
This led our class to take the lessons seriously, at least for now. It's clear that without effort, the weaker students will fall into the school's trap of complacency.
Soon, it's lunchtime.
Students start getting up and leaving. Friend groups haven't fully formed yet, so some students are still alone or gather in small clusters of two or three.
I glance at the desks in front.
I can see Hirata, who, like me, seems to grasp the class's vibe. As if sensing my gaze, he turns briefly, meeting my eyes. Then, as if reading something in my look, he stands and addresses the class.
"Hey, I'm heading to the cafeteria. Anyone want to come with me?"
His voice carries loud enough for everyone to hear.
He's acting exactly as he did in the novel.
'When's she going to make her move?'
Meanwhile, what catches my attention is a certain person near him staring at me. I say it's intriguing, but truthfully, it's what I expected.
"Me!"
"Me too!"
Without a moment's delay, responses ring out—mostly, no, entirely from girls.
Feeling awkward that no guys answered, Hirata scans the room again.
In the novel, he noticed the main character's solitude and invited him, but was interrupted by the girls following him, forcing him to leave.
That scene, though, will stay in the novel.
"Since Hirata-kun's got all the girls, any guys want to hit the cafeteria with me?"
A soft, feminine voice chimes in.
Like an angel, Kushida stands and makes the same offer as Hirata. As expected, the opposite happens—a swarm of guys flocks to her like dogs to their master.
Seeing someone else step up, Hirata's face shows relief, and he's ready to head out with his group. But…
"Kōenji-san, you're not coming with us?"
One of the girls in Hirata's group calls out to me, drawing everyone's attention.
Not to brag, but I'm the most popular guy here. Hirata wasn't lying this morning when he said my speech at the start got more eyes on me than him. Plus, I'm the class representative, so every move I make is under a microscope.
As for why I've just been observing…
"Well, I'm leaning toward Kushida-chan's group."
I say this with a warm expression.
"I don't want to crash our dear Hirata-san's harem."
I add, clearly teasing a certain someone.
My words spark muffled giggles around the class.
Hirata, meanwhile, looks pretty embarrassed.
"No, Kōenji-san, I'd be happy if you joined us too."
Hirata backs the invitation, almost defensively.
Before giving a serious answer, I shoot a quick glance to my right.
"To answer more seriously, I'm not heading to the cafeteria. I'm planning to grab something from the convenience store and come back to class."
My response seems to disappoint some in Hirata's group.
I stand and look out at the class.
"So, I'll make an offer like Hirata-san and Kushida-chan. If anyone's got the same plan as me, I invite you to come along."
As I wait for my group to form, I turn to my right, where Hasebe's pretending to pack her things.
Classes ended five minutes ago.
"Hasebe-chan, I think your stuff's been packed for a while. What're you up to?"
At my voice, she jumps slightly and, without turning, tries to explain. "I, uh, well… I…"
"I'm heading to the convenience store. Wanna come with us?"
I offer.
"Uh, I'm staying in class."
Her answer doesn't surprise me.
I know she's not really rejecting my invitation. She's been lingering here, probably waiting for me. But now that I've invited a group, an introvert like her must feel hesitant.
"You didn't bring a lunch. What're you gonna eat if you stay here?"
"I'm not hungry."
Fine, let's nudge her a bit.
I sigh lightly.
"Alright, let's go just the two of us then."
"Huh?"
"You're the first person I connected with here, so you get priority. If the group's too much, we'll go alone."
"I…"
She starts to say something, but I cut her off.
Those who seem interested in my offer are approaching. I need to wrap this up.
"But rumors might start that we're dating. And you, who hates attention, would be at the center of gossip. So, what's your call?"
She finally turns to face me, her expression troubled. I can tell my words swayed her.
"I-I'm in."
"If you're okay with me."
Those interested in my invitation gather around.
Unlike Hirata and Kushida, whose groups are all girls or all guys, mine's mixed.
"Alright, let's go."
I flash a cheerful smile, and we all leave the classroom together. Hasebe's part of the "all."
The convenience store, unlike the cafeteria, is a grab-and-go setup. After everyone picks out what they want, we head back to class.
My group isn't as big as Hirata's or Kushida's.
Besides Hasebe and me, there are three guys and five girls.
Among the guys, two are named characters from the novel, and two girls are too. The rest are extras who never appeared in the volumes I read. Even if they're annoying variables, ignoring them would only make things worse. It's better to get to know them and their backgrounds ASAP.
On the short walk, I toss out casual topics, careful not to be too chatty or crude. It works—everyone joins in their own way.
Back in class, some students push desks together to eat as a group, while others, more solitary, eat alone quietly.
My group and I decide to return to our own seats. It might look like we're splitting up, but I'm sure bonds have already started forming, even if it's just basic friendship.
Hasebe and I go to our seats and start eating our snacks. I went light with a salad and natural fruit juice; she got a sugary drink and some donuts.
A bit later, as we're still eating, a voice comes through the classroom's wall-mounted speakers. "Announcement. Today at 5 p.m., club activities will begin. Curious or interested students, please head to Gymnasium 1. I repeat…"
The female voice continues the announcement for a bit before signing off.
"You going?"
I ask Hasebe, who's lovingly sipping her drink.
"Hmm, I'm not really into that stuff, but I'm kinda curious."
True to the novel, she was one of the students who didn't join any club.
"And you? I think you said you're into swimming."
'Yeah, that's true. But that's this body's hobby, not mine. In my old life, I was more into basketball.'
"True, but I'm not joining a club. I've got other things to handle today, so I won't be there."
"Oh, got it."
I catch a hint of disappointment in Hasebe's voice. Normally, I'd go with her, but some things need my attention. Like I said, it's all about priorities.
"By the way, you could go with Sudō-kun. I'm sure he'll be there since he wants to join the basketball club."
I offer Hasebe another option.
Sudō's not in class right now. He went with a different group—not Hirata's, Kushida's, or mine—slipping out before we formed our groups.
"Uh, okay."
She hesitates at first but agrees.
Still, I know she won't go with Sudō. She'll probably head back to the dorms after class. It's not that she dislikes him; their personalities just don't mesh well. That said, among the temporary group I formed for the convenience store run, there are people who might click with her.
After this brief exchange, we keep eating. Later, students who ate elsewhere start trickling back into class.
A few minutes after, the bell rings, marking the end of the break and the start of afternoon classes.
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