School Opening

April, the new school term begins.

Hoshino Kanade sits on the bus heading to school, swaying with the motion of the vehicle.

In the seat beside him is a girl; a fleeting glance when she boarded revealed a profile like cold jade and eyelashes like butterfly wings, making one dare not look a second time.

The scent of her brown hair drifts over. She wears the same uniform as him, but in Hoshino Kanade's memories, there is no character who matches her image.

In his previous life, due to his mother's high-pressure parenting and his father's guilt-tripping style, Hoshino Kanade died suddenly on the night before his college entrance exams.

Living a second life, though he started in an orphanage, his childhood was happier than the last.

Poverty led Hoshino Kanade to apply to this Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School.

Hoshino Kanade considers himself to have worked hard enough, but the money he earned in middle school was barely enough after tuition, living expenses, and temporarily improving life at the orphanage.

What his rebirth brought, besides memories of his past life, was a body that grew strong despite childhood malnutrition, and a memory capacity bordering on photographic.

"Don't you think you should give up your seat?" An office lady interrupts Hoshino Kanade's recollections.

At some point, the bus had become packed with passengers.

Not far ahead of Hoshino Kanade, an elderly woman stands, her footing unsteady; she might fall at any moment.

"You sitting there, didn't you see that the elderly lady is feeling very uncomfortable?" the office lady speaks again.

"What a Crazy question, Lady." The blond-haired man sitting in the priority seat crosses his legs.

"Why should I give my seat to this old woman? There is simply no reason to."

This must be Koenji Rokusuke; as expected, he is a man who goes his own way. Even his loose uniform cannot hide his well-developed muscles.

The conversation draws the eyes of everyone on the bus, Hoshino Kanade included.

"You are currently sitting in a priority seat; of course you should give it up to the elderly!"

"Even if it is a priority seat, there is no legal obligation to give it up. Young people should give up their seats? What a Nonsense idea."

"You..." The office lady's chest heaves; she is clearly quite angry.

"I am a healthy person. While standing isn't uncomfortable, it clearly consumes more energy than sitting. I don't intend to do something that offers me no benefit. Or perhaps, are you going to tip me?"

"This... is this the attitude you take when speaking to your elders?"

After all, Japan is a country that values seniority; most people would likely be angry at being offended by a junior, presumably.

"Elder? You have naturally lived a longer life than I have, that is beyond doubt. But the term 'elder' refers to someone who has walked further in experience and ability. Besides, don't you have a problem yourself? Putting on such an arrogant attitude."

"What did you say? You should listen quietly when an adult is speaking!" The office lady's volume increases by several degrees.

"A-alright..." In the end, the elderly woman gestures to stop the angry office lady.

"My, it seems the elderly lady is more sensible than you." Koenji delivers one final blow, then puts on his headphones and begins listening to music on his own.

A high schooler's arrogant attitude only fuels the office lady's anger, but she can only seethe in frustration.

Although Koenji is sophistical, she has to admit that, setting aside moral issues, he has no obligation to give up his seat to the old woman.

Only the sound of the moving bus remains in the cabin.

Just as everyone thinks this dispute will end with the blond man's victory, someone steps forward.

"Um, I think the big sister is right."

A sweet-looking, kind-hearted girl with short hair reaches out to help.

"From a moment ago, the grandma has been very uncomfortable. Maybe I'm meddling, but could you please give up your seat? Consider it a contribution to society."

"Contribution to society? An interesting opinion, but unfortunately, I'm not interested in contributing to society. I only need to satisfy myself."

With a "snap," the blond youth flicks his fingernail.

"Although I've become the target of public criticism for sitting in the priority seat, is it really okay for the others lingering in their seats to stay silent? If you have compassion, I think you could give up your seat even if it isn't a priority one."

The AoE (Area of Effect) eventually spreads to him as well. Of course, Hoshino Kanade has no intention of giving up his seat.

"Hm?" Scanning with his peripheral vision, the girl beside him is actually staring at his face.

Hoshino Kanade knows his looks are indeed slightly above average, but not enough to warrant being stared at like this.

Considering that making a sound would make him a "target of public criticism," Hoshino Kanade can only turn his head, his gaze meeting the girl's.

The girl's indifferent eyes are like a calm water surface, her pupils appearing to have a faint gold rim.

After one second of eye contact, she blinks playfully, then turns her head away as if nothing happened.

Observing the reactions of others in the carriage, but I got caught. He doesn't seem affected, his expression hasn't changed at all. He must also think that one shouldn't have to give up their seat. Should I feel shy? Would it be more normal for my cheeks to flush or my earlobes to turn red?

The girl's exquisite face remains expressionless, her gaze returning to the front.

Should one say that as long as you aren't embarrassed, the person who is embarrassed is the other? Hoshino Kanade has a habit of feeling embarrassed for others, especially now that he is still watching the girl.

"Everyone, please listen to me for a moment. I beg someone to be willing to give up their seat to this grandma, please!"

The sweet girl fails to achieve her goal with the blond man and can only turn her eyes to others on the bus. After speaking, she bows slightly to the other passengers.

Perhaps this is what an angel is. To perform such an act, one wonders how much courage it takes, at least on the surface.

"Um... please, come and sit here."

A few seconds later, a lady finally couldn't stand the atmosphere and chose to give up her seat.

"Thank you!" The little angel and the elderly woman expressed their gratitude, carefully guiding the grandmother through the crowded bus to create a path and helping her sit down.

Afterward, the atmosphere on the bus slowly returned to normal, and the journey proceeded safely until they arrived at the school.

Students dressed in uniforms disembarked one by one, passing through a gate made of natural stone, arriving at the place where they would spend the next three years—Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School.

Hoshino Kanade had some guesses he wanted to verify, so he adjusted his pace and followed the girl who had been sitting next to him on the bus.

Hoshino Kanade had no intention of hiding his actions.

She discovered Hoshino Kanade's movements quite easily, slowing her pace as if she were waiting for him to strike up a conversation.

If it's what I think it is... Hoshino Kanade found her interesting and was in no hurry to speak.

He must have something he wants to say to me, right? Why isn't he saying anything? Do I have to be the one to initiate? If I just strike up a conversation, there's a risk of being countered, isn't there...

The girl, not knowing how to react, finally stopped. With a look of expectation on her small face, she gazed at Hoshino Kanade, seemingly waiting for him to speak.

If I pretended I wasn't looking for her at a time like this, it would probably make her very awkward. Hoshino Kanade thought back to what happened on the bus, No, it seems like only I would be the one feeling awkward.

"You were looking at me on the bus earlier; was there something you wanted?"

Hoshino Kanade stopped teasing her.

"Sorry, I was just a bit curious. It seemed like you had no intention of giving up your seat on the bus." The boy wasn't here to make friends, which left the girl a little disappointed, though she had anticipated this question.

"I just didn't want to draw attention to myself." It seemed she had noticed that his expression hadn't changed much while on the bus.

"It looks like we're the same. I didn't want to get involved and draw attention to myself either." This gave the girl the feeling that she had found a kindred spirit.

Making friends is such a hassle, but to avoid being isolated over the next three years, I need to maintain a certain number of friends. I must consider if this might be the only opportunity I get in this life.

Although the thought process seemed long, it actually only took an instant.

"My name is Ayanokoji Kiyona. Nice to meet you."

April, new students enroll.

Hoshino Kanade sat on the bus heading to school, swaying with the motion of the vehicle.

In the seat next to him was a girl. A fleeting glance upon boarding revealed a profile like cold jade and eyelashes like butterfly wings, making one afraid to look a second time.

The scent of her brown hair drifted over. She was wearing the same school uniform as him, but in Hoshino Kanade's memory, there was no character that matched her appearance.

In his past life, due to his mother's pressure-based education and his father's guilt-based education, Hoshino Kanade eventually died suddenly on the night before the college entrance exam.

Living a second life, although he started in an orphanage, his childhood was happier than the previous one.

Poverty led Hoshino Kanade to choose to apply for this Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School.

Hoshino Kanade considered himself to have worked hard enough, but the money he earned in middle school was scarce after accounting for tuition, living expenses, and improving life at the orphanage for a time.

What rebirth brought him, besides the memories of his past life, was a body that could grow strong despite childhood malnutrition, and a memory that was close to photographic.

"Don't you think you should give up your seat?" A woman dressed in an office-lady style interrupted Hoshino Kanade's memories.

Without him noticing, the bus had become packed with passengers.

Not far in front of Hoshino Kanade stood an elderly woman, her footing unsteady; she might fall at any moment.

"You sitting over there, didn't you see that the grandmother is very uncomfortable?" the office lady spoke up again.

"What a crazy question, Lady." The blonde man sitting in the priority seat crossed his legs.

"Why should I give up my seat to this elderly woman? There is simply no reason for it."

This must be Koenji Rokusuke. As expected, he was a man who did things his own way; even his loose-fitting uniform couldn't hide his well-developed muscles.

The conversation had attracted the attention of everyone on the bus, and Hoshino Kanade was no exception.

"You are sitting in a priority seat, so of course you should give it up to the elderly!"

"Even if it is a priority seat, there is no legal obligation to give it up. Young people should give up their seats? What a nonsense idea."

"You..." The office lady's chest heaved; she was clearly quite angry.

"I am a healthy person. While standing isn't uncomfortable, it's obviously more physically taxing than sitting. I don't intend to do something that has no benefit for me. Or are you going to tip me?"

"This... is this the attitude you take when speaking to your elders?"

After all, Japan is a country that values seniority; most people would probably be angry at being offended by a junior, presumably.

"Elders? You have naturally lived a longer life than I have, that is indisputable. But 'elders' refers to those who have gone further in terms of experience and ability. And don't you have issues yourself? Putting on such an arrogant attitude."

"What did you say? You should listen obediently when an adult is speaking!" The office lady's volume increased by several decibels.

"All... all right..." In the end, it was the elderly woman who gestured to stop the angry office lady.

"My, it seems the elderly woman is more sensible than you." Koenji added one last jab, then put on his headphones and started listening to music on his own.

A high school student having such an arrogant attitude made the office lady even angrier, but her rage only lasted for a moment.

Although Koenji was using sophistry, she had to admit that, setting aside moral issues, Koenji had no obligation to give up his seat to the elderly woman.

Only the sound of the moving vehicle remained on the bus.

Just when everyone thought this dispute would end with the blonde man's victory, someone stood up.

"Um, I think that big sister is right."

A girl with short hair, a sweet face, and a broad mind reached out to help.

"The elderly woman has been struggling for a while now. Maybe I'm meddling, but could you please give up your seat? Consider it a contribution to society."

"A contribution to society? An interesting opinion. It's a pity I have no interest in contributing to society; I only need to satisfy myself."

With a "snap," the blonde-haired boy flicked his fingernail.

"I may have become the target of everyone's ire for sitting in the priority seat, but is it really okay for the others to just stay glued to their seats without saying a word? If you have a heart, I think you could give up your seat even if it isn't a priority one."

The area-of-effect attack had ended up hitting everyone, though Hoshino Kanade certainly had no intention of giving up his seat.

"Hmm?" A glance from the corner of his eye revealed that the girl beside him was actually staring at his face.

Hoshino Kanade knew his looks were indeed a cut above the rest, but surely not enough to warrant being stared at like this.

Considering that making a sound would make him the "target of everyone's ire," Hoshino Kanade could only turn his head, his gaze meeting the girl's.

The girl's indifferent eyes were like a calm surface of water, her pupils faintly gleaming as if rimmed with gold.

After a second of eye contact, she winked playfully, then turned her head away as if nothing had happened.

Observing the reactions of others in the carriage, yet I was discovered. He hasn't changed his expression at all, as if he wasn't affected; he must also think that one shouldn't have to give up their seat. Should I feel shy? Would my cheeks turning red or my earlobes flushing be more normal?

The girl's delicate face remained expressionless as her gaze returned to the front.

If one isn't embarrassed, then the one who is embarrassed is someone else—Hoshino Kanade had a habit of feeling vicarious embarrassment for others, especially now that he was still watching the girl.

"Everyone, please listen to me for a moment. Could someone please give up their seat for this elderly woman? Please!"

The sweet girl hadn't achieved her goal with the blonde boy, so she had to turn her eyes toward the others on the train, bowing slightly to the other passengers after she finished speaking.

This must be what a little angel is like. One can only imagine how much courage it took to perform such an action, at least on the surface.

"Um... please, come sit here."

After a few more seconds, a lady finally couldn't stand the atmosphere anymore and chose to give up her seat.

"Thank you so much!" The little angel and the elderly woman expressed their gratitude, carefully guiding the old woman through the crowded carriage along a passable path, and helping her sit down.

Afterward, the atmosphere on the train slowly returned to normal, and the journey continued peacefully until they arrived at the school.

The students in their uniforms disembarked one by one, passing through a gate made of natural stone to reach the place where they would live for the next three years—Advanced Nurturing High School in Tokyo.

Hoshino Kanade had some guesses he wanted to verify, so he adjusted his pace and followed behind the girl who had been sitting next to him on the train.

Hoshino Kanade had no intention of hiding.

She discovered Hoshino Kanade's movements very easily and slowed her pace, presumably wanting to wait for him to strike up a conversation.

If it's what I think it is... Hoshino Kanade found her quite interesting and was in no rush to speak.

He must have something he wants to say to me, right? Why isn't he speaking? Does he want me to initiate? If I just strike up a conversation, there's a risk of being countered, isn't there...

Not knowing how to react, the girl finally stopped, her small face filled with expectation as she looked at Hoshino Kanade, seemingly waiting for him to speak.

If I pretend I wasn't looking for her at a time like this, it would probably make her very embarrassed. Hoshino Kanade thought back to what happened on the train. No, it seems only I would be the one feeling embarrassed.

"You were looking at me on the train earlier—was there something you needed?"

Hoshino Kanade decided to stop teasing her.

"Sorry, I was just a little curious. You didn't seem to have any intention of giving up your seat on the train earlier." The boy wasn't here to make friends, which left the girl feeling a bit disappointed, though she had anticipated this question.

"I just didn't want to draw attention to myself," she said, likely having noticed that his expression hadn't changed much while on the train.

"It seems we're the same. I didn't want to get involved and draw attention to myself either." This made the girl feel as though she had found a kindred spirit.

Making friends is such a nuisance, but to avoid being isolated over the next three years, I need to maintain a certain number of friends. I must consider if this might be the only opportunity I'll have in this life.

Although the time spent thinking seemed long, it was actually only an instant.

"My name is Ayanokoji Kiyona. Pleased to meet you."