The person who likes me is a yandere.

……hateful.

Faced with Ayase's angelic smile, a genuine killing intent surged up instantly.

What a close call! I almost became a criminal for another crime...

Just as Ayase said, you can see the school building as soon as you turn right in the park.

Prefectural Bee Hill Academy

A line of words was printed on the school gate, and students wearing the same school uniforms walked in one after another. Some yawned as if they hadn't woken up yet, some were chatting enthusiastically with their friends, and some were being scolded by their teachers for looking at their phones while walking. Although their expressions were different, everyone blended harmoniously into the campus scenery.

"Brother, are you alright?"

"Huh?"

Ayase stared at my face with concern. I seemed to instinctively stop in my tracks, my palms sweating as I clenched my fists.

What's going on? Am I really scared...?

I was the only oddball in this school. Even though I wore the same uniform, I didn't recognize the smells, the air, or the soil. I felt like a drop of ink on a finished oil painting called "School." Although no one surrounded me and questioned my identity, my legs felt as heavy as lead.

even so--.

"It's alright, let's go."

I walked ahead of Ayase through the school gate.

Chapter Sixteen: Unpopular

After a week away from school, I think the first thing I should do is greet the teacher.

I followed Ayase's lead to the office. Although Ayase said she had already given the teacher a general overview of the situation over the phone, given the special circumstances, I still wanted to explain it properly in person. Doing so would also allow me to confirm which classroom and location I was in before the incident, and perhaps something could help me recall my memories.

"Oh, isn't this Qianyu! You've finally arrived. Come, come, this way!"

My homeroom teacher's name is Hachiyo, and she's a female teacher. She's probably around 24 or 5 years old. She has a very attractive figure, and her body, tucked into a neatly tailored suit, is quite eye-catching, but her personality doesn't seem to reflect that. As soon as I stepped into the office, she started shouting at me in a Kansai dialect as if she wanted to shake the whole of Asia.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry to have troubled you. I'm so glad you could come. Did something really happen? Are you alright now?"

Before I even got to my desk, Mr. Hachiyo started talking loudly.

"Uh, ah, um... yes. Physically, there are absolutely no problems anymore, but..."

"Yeah, I heard. You were unconscious first, then you lost your memory. Is this some kind of spy thriller? That's hilarious."

"Is it... funny?"

"Sigh, it's one thing to see amnesia in movies, but I never thought it actually existed in real life. You must be feeling really bad, right? It's really hilarious."

"...What exactly is it?"

What's wrong with this teacher? I always feel like it's hard to communicate with her.

"However, it's not all bad. These kinds of things are generally part of youth, so it's basically fine. Once you enter the workforce, it will become an experience, and it will probably be a good memory. I just don't know how it will actually turn out."

They made it sound so convincing, but ended up being so irresponsible.

"Anyway, good luck. I've already told everyone in the class about your situation. Feel free to come to me anytime you encounter trouble. Just remember to do something stupid before you do anything foolish."

……fudge?

"Teacher, you mean—"

"Okay. You go ahead, I have important things to take care of."

Teacher Hachiyo started the conversation unilaterally and then unilaterally ended it, taking out top-secret documents used in faculty meetings from her drawer... or rather, cigarettes and a lighter.

"What's with that look? Half of my body is made of nicotine; I'd die if I didn't smoke. And you're not allowed to tell anyone about this. Smoking is prohibited in my house."

"Who cares about your family's affairs?"

"Alright, just don't tell anyone. Got it, bald guy! If you dare tell, don't blame me..."

"I know, I won't tell anyone."

"Very good, you're a good child."

After giving me a very kind pat on the head with a smile, Ms. Hachiyo quickly ran towards the smoking area. Before I could even ask my question, someone had stopped me, and I could only leave the office puzzled.

"Brother, welcome back. Hachiyo-sensei is a good teacher, isn't she?"

"A good teacher? That guy?"

I was genuinely surprised when Ayase, who was waiting for me in the hallway, said that as soon as she saw me.

Everyone says she's beautiful, funny, and very kind-hearted.

Well, if I didn't talk to her, I'd think she was quite pretty and seemed funny. But even so, I still can't accept her final assessment.

"Oh, Ayase also wants someone like that as her homeroom teacher. Ah, but Ayase isn't saying the current homeroom teachers are no good."

"What's your excuse for? Let's not talk about that. The teacher just said I did something stupid..."

Ding—, Dong—, Dang—, Dong—.

"Oh no, the preparation bell has rung! Brother, hurry, hurry!"

"Huh? It'll only be a little while, what's the big deal? What was I like before—"

"No, no! We absolutely can't be late! Let's go!"

"Hey, don't push me!"

Urged on by Ayase, who was terrified of being late, I swallowed my question and started running at full speed down the corridor where students were coming and going.

The school building has three floors, each seemingly corresponding to a different grade. Ayase, a first-year student, said goodbye to me at the bottom of the stairs.

"Goodbye, brother! Good luck! You're in Class 2-1."

Ayase gestured to me by making a "2" with her right hand and a "1" with her left.

"Okay, I got it. See you later."

"Oh, there's one more thing."

"Ok?"

"...You absolutely must eat the bento box!"

"what?"

After leaving behind a mysterious instruction, Ayase hurriedly ran to the other end of the corridor.

Good morning, Ayase.

"Ah, Ayase's here. She looks so cute today."

"Ayase, you don't have to do chores today..."

"Ayase, look! Isn't this hair tie cute?"

She was then surrounded by her classmates who were on high alert.

So that girl is that popular. Well, she's so cute, no one, boy or girl, could ignore her. According to Ayase, I must be just as popular…

"…………"

Currently, I'm stuck in the stairwell, but unlike Ayase, I'm not surrounded by people. The classmates going upstairs don't even glance at me; they just walk right past.

Sigh, never mind. I put my bag back on my shoulder and went upstairs. Class 2-1's classroom was on the left side of the second-floor stairwell. After separating from Ayase and becoming all alone, my sense of alienation skyrocketed. I thought to myself, stagnation isn't a solution, so I decisively opened the classroom door while going up the stairs.

—Gala gala gala.

What it presents is a refreshing and dazzling morning scene.

Laughter filled the bright classroom, bathed in morning light. Boys were playing and frolicking, while girls chatted and laughed. It was a scene commonplace, yet one I had no recollection of. Such a peaceful atmosphere…

"Wow, you're here!"

The moment I stepped inside, it caused a huge uproar.

The first person to notice me come in was a girl near the door. Then, a silence radiated outwards. The girl patted her friend on the shoulder and pointed at me. Then, seeing this, the group of boys stopped fooling around. Next, another group, sensing something was wrong, suddenly stopped talking, and a pervasive silence enveloped the entire classroom, and then…

"—That guy really came."

Whispers began.

"—Didn't he stop going to school?"

"The teacher said he has amnesia."

"What? Is it really necessary to be so stupid?"

"Really? Oh no, he's looking this way."

Whispers echoed throughout the classroom, reaching my ears clearly.

...What's going on here? It's like a suspicious person has broken into the classroom. All the students in the classroom are paying close attention to my presence, but no one wants to make eye contact with me.

Chapter Seventeen: Extremely Excluded

...What's going on here? It's like a suspicious person has broken into the classroom. All the students in the classroom are paying close attention to my presence, but no one wants to make eye contact with me.

Huh? This is Class 2-1, right? Did I go to the wrong classroom? I have a really bad feeling about this. I want to run back to my seat as soon as possible, but I don't even know where my seat is. Helpless, I asked the boy with the wavy hair nearby.

"Um, do you know where my seat is?"

"Huh? You're asking me?! How could I possibly know?"

For some reason, his attitude towards me was rather irritable. And that wasn't all…

"Hey! This is terrible! I got talked to by Qianyu!"

"Hahaha. It's because you're close to Asahi, Kurobe."

"Hey, Qianyu's best friend!"

"How enviable!"

"You bunch of bastards, watch out or I'll beat you to a pulp!"

The man returned to his companions and was teased.

...Qianyu, she must be talking about me. What's with those guys...? Looking closer, including the wavy-haired boy I just talked to, all four of them have very proper hair color and wear their uniforms properly. Oh, I see, those guys are the top group in this class. Damn it, I chose the wrong person to talk to. Who else in the classroom can I talk to...? Ah, I found them.