"Senpaku, I am Sakamoto. What brings you here?"

Her gaze fell upon the busy figure in the center of the coffee shop.

"The most attractive one is probably that waiter, isn't he?"

"Sakamoto-san?"

Kikyo Kushida immediately chimed in.

"Yes, he's really special. His movements are so elegant, like he's performing!"

Honami Ichinose nodded:

"Yes, I heard that he also performed exceptionally well in Class A, with top grades and outstanding abilities. And he always seems to do something unexpected."

She paused, then added, as if casually,

"For example, being able to work here even though school rules prohibit part-time work."

Ayanokoji's gaze swept over Ichinose Honami.

The leader of Class B seems to pay special attention to Sakamoto.

Although Horikita Suzune kept her head down, her rubbing fingers paused slightly.

"Yeah yeah!"

Kikyo Kushida chimed in, but her interest was clearly elsewhere.

"Sakamoto-san is indeed very amazing! But..."

She changed the subject, trying to steer the conversation back to the theme of "making friends."

"Ichinose-san, does your Class B often organize activities? Your class seems to have a really great atmosphere!"

However, Ichinose Honami did not seem to immediately respond to Kushida's words.

Her gaze remained fixed on Sakamoto.

Her presence here today is no accident.

Her homeroom teacher, Hoshinomiya Chie, specifically mentioned Sakamoto to her this morning.

The implication was that this student in Class A might possess important information about the school's core rules, and that she should try to access and understand it.

Seeing Sakamoto's unusual demeanor and temperament again, Honami Ichinose's curiosity grew even stronger.

"really,"

Honami Ichinose withdrew her gaze and brought the topic back to normal.

"Sakamoto is really outstanding. I heard that he also performed exceptionally well in the student council interview, with unique insights, and even President Horikita was impressed by him. Someone like that must be a key figure in Class A."

Ayanokouji remained silent and did not participate in the discussion.

When Horikita Suzune heard "Chairman Horikita", she was stunned.

That indifferent expression vanished, replaced by a hint of surprise.

Her own brother, "Horikitaki Manabu," was an invincible figure in her heart, and she also had a deep impression of Sakamoto.

This suggests that Sakamoto and her brother may have already met or even communicated.

She wanted to ask Ichinose how she knew.

Kikyo Kushida's smile froze. She looked at Honami Ichinose and Ayanokouji, then at Suzune Horikita, who remained silent but seemed less resistant, and a strong sense of loss welled up inside her.

This was completely different from the "making friends" scenario she had envisioned!

Why did the conversation suddenly start revolving around Sakamoto?

Her carefully planned "chance encounter" and ordering of food seemed to have become mere background noise.

Just then, a tall figure carrying a tray, like a silent breeze, came to their table.

It's Sakamoto.

He wore a neat black apron, stood ramrod straight, and his gaze behind his black-rimmed glasses was calm and unwavering.

Four drinks were placed steadily on the tray.

Sakamoto placed the drinks in front of the respective people with fluid and elegant movements.

When he placed the black coffee in front of Ayanokouji, Ayanokouji calmly looked up, and their gazes met in mid-air behind Sakamoto's glasses.

Their gazes were like deep pools, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, as if it were merely the most ordinary eye contact.

"Everyone, please enjoy your meal."

Sakamoto's voice was clear and peaceful.

"Sakamoto-san!"

Kikyo Kushida seemed to have found an opportunity to break the deadlock.

"Do you remember me? We met on the bus on the first day of school!"

Sakamoto's gaze shifted to Kikyo Kushida, calmly observing her brightly smiling face:

"Kikyo Kushida. Nice to meet you."

He called out her name without a doubt!

"That's great! You still remember me!"

She seemed quite satisfied with the result.

Sakamoto's gaze then shifted to Ichinose Honami, and he nodded calmly in return.

"Honami Ichinose".

Honami Ichinose's eyes lit up slightly.

"Hello, Sakamoto-san. I didn't expect you to still remember me."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both."

Sakamoto's gaze swept over Ayanokouji and Horikita Suzune, who was still looking down, before he put away the tray.

Honami Ichinose looked at Sakamoto, a thought flashing through her mind. This was the perfect opportunity to make contact with him!

She picked up her coffee, a friendly smile on her face, and invited her in a gentle voice:

"Sakamoto-san, you look like you're working really hard. Would you like to sit down and rest for a bit? This coffee is on me."

Her invitation was perfectly reasonable.

Sakamoto paused slightly.

He glanced at Honami Ichinose, then swept his gaze over the other three people at the table.

"Thank you for your kindness, Ichinose-san, but I still have work to do..."

Before he could finish speaking, he did something that surprised everyone.

He did not leave immediately, but instead bowed slightly to the crowd:

"Just a moment please."

After saying that, he picked up the tray, turned around, and walked steadily toward the back kitchen of the coffee shop.

Honami Ichinose's smile froze slightly, and a hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes.

Rejected?

Kikyo Kushida was also somewhat surprised, but mostly relieved.

She didn't want to talk about Sakamoto anymore!

Ayanokoji expressionlessly picked up her black coffee, took a sip, and calmly stared in the direction Sakamoto had left.

However, less than a minute later—

The curtain at the back of the kitchen was lifted.

Sakamoto's figure reappeared.

But this time, his black waiter's apron was gone.

He changed into the iconic burgundy school uniform of Advanced Education High School.

She walked back to the table with a leisurely gait, gracefully pulled out the empty chair next to Ichinose Honami, and sat down.

"I've kept you waiting for a long time."

Sakamoto's voice was calm and even, his gaze meeting Ichinose Honami's slightly surprised eyes.

"Ichinose-san's invitation is too kind of me to refuse. Thank you for your hospitality."

PS: Regarding the slow progress.

I wanted to go through the important characters in the story first, but the first month of the semester in Classroom of the First Year didn't have much description, so I could only choose the coffee shop as the main setting. Therefore, there will be a lot of description of this place, and the progress will be relatively slow.

It got better after the first month.

I will also update a few more chapters every day to get through the first major chapter as soon as possible.

Thank you for your support and feedback. I will actively correct the issues within acceptable limits.

First Year Enrollment: Chapter 040: Ayanokouji and Sakamoto

Sakamoto changed back into his burgundy school uniform, calmly sat down, picked up the cup of coffee that Ichinose Honami had "invited" him to drink, and took a graceful sip.

His calm gaze swept over the four people at the table, each with a different expression.

It was as if his actions of changing clothes, leaving his seat, and then returning were nothing more than a routine tidying up of his appearance.

The brief silence was broken by Kikyo Kushida.

Her eyes widened, her face showing surprise and a hint of hurt at being ignored. She was the first to ask Sakamoto:

"Sakamoto-san? You...were you just working? How come you're sitting down all of a sudden? Won't the manager scold you?"

Kushida's question was straightforward and simple, revealing a naivety and confusion in his tone.

However, it also subtly reveals dissatisfaction with Sakamoto once again dominating the discussion.

Sakamoto put down his coffee cup, his gaze behind his black-rimmed glasses calmly shifting to Kikyo Kushida, his voice completely devoid of emotion:

"Kushida-san, my work hours are over."

"it's over?"

Kushida didn't seem satisfied with the answer.

"But you were just serving coffee, wasn't you? Does that count as...overworking?"

Sakamoto nodded slightly:

"I just want to achieve today's expected goals."

His answer was concise and vague, and he said no more. He picked up his coffee cup again, took a sip with elegant movements, and his composed demeanor effectively silenced Kikyo Kushida's urge to ask further questions.

Just then, another waiter came over with a tray and gently placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of Ichinose Honami.

"Ichinose-san,"

Sakamoto spoke calmly, his gaze shifting to Ichinose Honami.

"This is a thank you gift. Thank you for the coffee."

His voice was gentle and polite, and he had a refined demeanor.

Honami Ichinose's long pink hair swayed slightly, and a hint of shyness flashed in her eyes.

She quickly thanked him, a gentle smile on her face:

"Sakamoto-san, you're too kind, thank you."

However, this slightly warm atmosphere was quickly broken by Ichinose Honami's next words.

Her smile faded slightly as she looked directly at Sakamoto, her voice gentle, but her words went straight to the heart of the matter:

"Sakamoto-san, forgive my intrusion, but the school rules... I believe explicitly prohibit students from working. I'd like to know how you got this job?"

As soon as she finished speaking, the air around the small round table seemed to freeze instantly.

Ayanokouji's hand, holding the coffee cup, froze in mid-air as her gaze locked onto Sakamoto's face.