I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

Before the morning assembly, the two started chatting and began talking about their daily lives next to Tenkuji Yu's seat.

When the topic turned to the upcoming school entrance exams, Totsuka Saika suddenly seemed to remember something and changed the subject:

"Yu, do you know what happened at the international boarding school?"

“Class J? I don’t know, what’s wrong?” Tenkuji Yu frowned, puzzled.

When it comes to things related to Class J, the only one he can think of is Yukino Yukinoshita's younger sister, who probably doesn't know him now.

"She's a transfer student!"

With her hand raised to her mouth as if whispering, Totsuka Ayaka said mysteriously, "Not only did she just come back from abroad, but she's also a beautiful mixed-race girl with half foreign blood. Her silver hair and blue eyes are so striking! Now a lot of people are crowding around the office just to catch a glimpse of her."

"Isn't it a bit too much?"

Tenkuji Yu leaned back, creating some distance to avoid his breath on her nose, and said helplessly, "Also, Totsuka, you seem to have misunderstood something."

"You can't become a man just by talking about pretty girls."

"Huh? Is that so?"

Putting away her overly gossipy expression, Totsuka Ayaka scratched her slightly flushed cheek and smiled somewhat awkwardly: "Thanks for reminding me, I understand... But I wasn't lying, okay? There really are a lot of people gathered in the office, waiting for that transfer student to come out."

Tenkuji Yuu frowned slightly: "Is she as pretty as Yukino Yukinoshita?"

From the perspective of ordinary people's aesthetic standards, Yukino Yukinoshita is already beautiful enough - with long flowing hair, delicate features, and an unparalleled beauty with both temperament and appearance.

She couldn't even cause this much of a commotion, that mixed-race transfer student... could she be the reincarnation of Mary Sue?

"Yukinoshita-san?" Totsuka Ayaka was taken aback, tilting her head cutely, her tone a little embarrassed. "I don't know, after all, I've never seen what a transfer student looks like... but they must all be pretty, right?"

"Oh, really?" he replied casually, as if he had suddenly lost interest.

Blinking her large, clear, and moist eyes like a deer, Totsuka Saika wisely refrained from continuing, suppressing the rising doubt in her heart, and changed the subject again.

Not long after, the preparation bell rang.

As Totsuka Saika saw her off, Tenkuji Yuu suddenly turned around, and Yuigahama Yui, who looked unwell, stepped into the classroom at that moment.

The bun tied on her head was loose, completely lacking its usual vitality and elasticity.

As she sat down, her friends gathered around her and started to show concern for her. She forced a smile and dealt with them, occasionally casting complicated glances at Yuu Tenkuji in the distance through the crowd, as if she really wanted to strike up a conversation with him.

Yuu Tenkuji originally intended to pretend she hadn't seen it.

But the look in her eyes was like that of a drowning puppy whimpering towards him on the shore. He understood both animal language and human nature, so he couldn't harden his heart in the end. He could only make a very obvious move by taking out his phone and sending a message.

Not long after the teacher entered the classroom and the crowd dispersed, Yui Yuigahama lowered her head like a thief, quietly took out her phone, and opened the message he had sent her.

"Hey everyone, it's been a whole summer break! You all seem to have grown quite a bit."

"I won't ask you whether you're having a good time or not, just pay attention in class! Anyone who dares to bring laziness from home to school, hehe..."

The female teacher on the stage suddenly snapped the chalk in half and issued a threat with a grim expression.

The pink-haired girl in the audience, however, saw her lingering anxiety vanish completely after reading the message, and her expression returned to normal.

With surprise and satisfaction, she held her phone to her chest, her eyes shining like the rising sun breaking through the darkness, gazing at him in the distance.

It was as if the entire classroom consisted of only the two of them, as if the long distance could be shortened instantly, with such focused and eager gazes.

She turned her head away awkwardly, and then sent her another message.

Filled with anticipation and joy, Yui Hihama eagerly looked down to see—

"What are you looking at? If you look again, I'll tell Mr. Hiratsuka that you're playing on your phone during class."

"..."

That's right, that's how he treated himself back in his third year of junior high, and nothing has changed.

Yui Yuigahama put her phone away in the drawer, slumped dejectedly onto the table, and groaned inwardly.

Ah, my youth has returned, but I feel no joy whatsoever...

It seems that's not quite like that.

"Hehehe~"

She buried her face in her arms and, for some reason, started laughing like a fool.

My heart is beating a little fast, and my cheeks and chest are burning.

It was as if the entire classroom had fallen silent, and all you could hear was your own heartbeat—

"..."

Huh? Why has it really quieted down?

The thought had barely crossed my mind when a chilling voice slowly echoed in the deathly silent classroom.

"Yuihama, you're really bold... I just said that and you just lay down and went to sleep?"

The female teacher, draped in a white overcoat, grinned bloodthirstyly, clenched her right fist and slammed it against her left palm twice, like a boxer eager for a fight, before asking her in a friendly tone:

"So, is it because you're not feeling well, or are you planning a magnificent rebellion against me, your teacher?"

"No, no!"

Quickly suppressing her smile, Yui Yuigahama stood up, her face flushed, amidst friendly laughter from those around her, to explain.

Beside him, like a heartless scumbag who flirts and then doesn't marry, Tenkuji Yu turned his gaze away indifferently, propping his head up with one hand and looking at the unchanging scenery of the corridor.

Chapter 15 Xia Chuan, Mapo, Isshiki (5/27)

It is said that...

It's just hearsay; the source is completely unreliable, and we don't even know how it spread. It's as if it was a convention from the very beginning.

It is said that every year, a beautiful girl who far surpasses the average level appears in Soubu High School. Her various qualities are unmatched by her peers, making her the queen of all flowers and the lord of all beauties.

This year will be no exception.

As early as the second week of school in April, some busybodies conducted a survey to compile a list of the most popular girls in their grade and published it.

The third-grade "Literary Witch" - Kasumigaoka Utaha.

The second-year student, the "Ice Queen"—Yukino Yukinoshita.

The first-year student, the "silver-haired angel"—Tachibana Kanade.

Don't ask why they have these ridiculously cheesy titles; just look into their national character.

Since it was a survey, most boys could naturally accept the results; while the girls, even if they had some complaints, could only swallow their grievances and turn their anger towards the boring boys who made such a list after objectively comparing themselves with the three girls.

After all, those three people, regardless of their physique, appearance, temperament, or knowledge, truly and undeniably stood at the top of the pyramid.

—And in the second semester, in this season of late summer and early autumn.

The arrival of a transfer student has raised questions about the fairness of the list, with some even preparing to protest, arguing that the transfer student is no less capable than the student in the same grade and demanding a recount.

The source of all the controversy: Class 2-J.

"I am Natsukawa Masuzu... I'm new here, so please take care of me."

After a brief self-introduction, the girl on the stage gave a slight bow, her smooth, lustrous silver hair cascading down with the movement.

Amidst enthusiastic applause, she straightened up, blinked her blue eyes twice, and smiled gently and kindly.

Her features were three-dimensional and deep, and her appearance was as delicate as an elf; her skin was translucent and snow-white, and her lips were as moist as cherries.

A beauty that no doll, however meticulously crafted, can match; it is more aptly described as a "jewel" than a human being.

"Natsukawa-san, would you please sit next to Yukinoshita-san?"

"I understand, thank you, teacher."

Nodding politely to the homeroom teacher, Natsukawa Masaki walked down from the podium, creating a refreshing and pleasant fragrance in the classroom.

She smiled kindly at every classmate she passed along the way, and many hostile female gazes gradually disappeared, as if they were considering whether to recruit her as an ally; while the males mostly put on what they considered the most handsome expressions, vying to make eye contact with her or attract her attention.

Navigating the atmosphere of being the center of attention with ease, Natsukawa Masuzu placed her schoolbag next to an empty seat, pulled out a chair, sat down, and nodded and smiled at the black-haired girl next to her:

"Starting today, I'll be sitting next to you. I might have a lot to ask you. May I ask your name?"

"Yukino Yukinoshita, nice to meet you." The black-haired girl, whose beauty was in no way inferior to hers, looked over, her gaze calm and clear, as she looked away from the book and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You can ask me questions, but I can't guarantee I can answer all of them, Natsukawa-kun."

His voice sounded cold, but his attitude and tone were very serious; he must be a kind-hearted person despite his cold exterior.

Having made such a judgment on his own, Natsukawa Masaki smiled and withdrew his gaze, secretly relieved.

'There are so many beautiful girls at this school, Yukinoshita alone is popular enough... Having someone nearby to share the burden should prevent me from being driven crazy by those love-struck girls.'

But she soon realized that her idea was far too naive.

△

During lunch break.

Standing in front of the automatic meal voucher machine, Yuu Tenkuji looked at the dazzling array of dishes on it, hesitated for a moment, and then pressed her finger on the Mapo Tofu Rice Bowl.

It's all Yukinoshita Haruno's fault that he's gotten used to eating spicy food and his taste has gradually become stronger—otherwise, in the past, he actually preferred to eat something light for lunch, so he wouldn't dare to talk to anyone all afternoon for fear of smelling bad.

After paying, the meal voucher automatically dropped down. Just as Yuu Tenkuji was about to queue up to pick up her meal, she suddenly heard a soft sigh behind her.

"Mapo is gone..."

Turning my head, I saw a petite girl with long, straight silver hair standing in front of the meal ticket machine, her small face slightly tilted up.

Despite his expressionless face, his eyes revealed obvious regret as he stared blankly at the Mapo Tofu Rice bowl button that lit up with "Sold Out".

Tenkuji Yu glanced at her, then looked at the meal ticket in his hand.

He really didn't expect that the Mapo Tofu rice bowl he ordered on a whim would be the last one for the day...

So everyone likes strong flavors?

After thinking it over, considering that she and her younger sister were similar, both being petite silver-haired girls, Tenkuji Yu decided not to take what was hers for granted.

No matter what you eat in the cafeteria, nothing tastes as good as what you cook yourself.

"Do you want some? Order me a curry pork chop rice bowl, and we'll trade in kind."

To avoid being mistaken for hitting on someone, Yuu Tenkuji spoke concisely and with a calm expression.