"This school's got some character. They confiscated every little thing on us as soon as we arrived." Uesugi Hara glanced at Ayanokoji beside him and couldn't resist complaining.
Remembering the way the staff had looked at him during the inspection, Uesugi Hara felt his face heat up. They'd searched him from head to toe, only to find a few coins. Was there really any need to look so awkward about it?
Ayanokoji's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly as he listened. He'd known Uesugi Hara hadn't been doing well these past few years, but he hadn't realized things had gotten this bad.
Still, he calmly played along. "Yeah, the rules are pretty strict."
"Man, I wonder if I'll have better luck at this school." Uesugi Hara sighed, his voice full of resignation.
Suddenly, he patted Ayanokoji on the shoulder and leaned closer. "Hey, Ayanokoji, if you make it big someday, don't forget your good buddy, okay?"
Ayanokoji casually shifted to the side, putting some distance between them. "We'll see if the opportunity comes up."
"Fine, let's go check our class assignments." Uesugi Hara raised an eyebrow when he saw Ayanokoji avoiding him, but then grinned and edged closer again.
As if! He'd just embarrassed himself by pulling out coins in front of a crowd. Was he supposed to face all those curious stares alone, instead of making Ayanokoji share some of the attention?
Ayanokoji didn't know what to do with this old "friend" of his. The guy was great in every way except that he had absolutely no shame and never stood on ceremony. Despite his exasperation, he said, "Let's go. It'll be harder once more people show up."
They went over to the noticeboard. Uesugi Hara scanned the Class A list but couldn't find Ayanokoji's name. He couldn't help feeling a little disappointed. "Looks like we're not in the same class."
Ayanokoji was secretly relieved. Good thing we weren't assigned to the same class. Who knows how much trouble this guy would cause if we were. But his face remained impassive as he replied, "Looks like it wasn't meant to be."
He soon found his name on the Class D list.
Uesugi Hara spotted it too. His gaze swept over the list, then caught on the name "Kushida Kikyo." A knowing smile suddenly tugged at his lips. "Class D, huh... Looks like things might get interesting, Ayanokoji."
Ayanokoji nodded thoughtfully. He knew Uesugi Hara wouldn't say something like that without a reason.
But he didn't ask. As long as it didn't interfere with his peaceful school life, that was all that mattered.
"See you next time, Ayanokoji." Uesugi Hara waved and turned toward his own classroom.
Ayanokoji watched Uesugi Hara's figure recede into the distance without a word, his thoughts unreadable.
In the Class A classroom, Uesugi Hara found his seat—the familiar spot at the back by the window.
He'd barely sat down and had no time to look around when someone came over to him.
"Uesugi, it's been a long time."
Uesugi Hara looked up at the white-haired little girl standing before him, leaning on a cane. She wore a confident smile, as if they'd known each other for years.
He racked his brain, but couldn't remember ever meeting a limping girl like her.
"Sorry," he said, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "Do we know each other?"
Sakayanagi Arisu's smile froze.
She'd learned from her father, Sakayanagi Narimori, that Ayanokoji would be coming to Advanced Nurturing High School. That news alone had thrilled her, and then she'd unexpectedly spotted the name "Uesugi Hara" on the class assignment list.
At first, she'd thought it was just someone with the same name. When she'd caught sight of him earlier, she'd nearly lost control of her excitement.
Suppressing the unusual flush on her face, she'd walked over to Uesugi Hara's desk, eagerly anticipating their reunion. Instead, he'd asked her that.
What do I do? This is so awkward.
While Sakayanagi Arisu stood frozen, a few hushed whispers nearby came to her rescue.
"Who's that white-haired girl? She looks really distinctive."
"I think she's the chairman's daughter. Sakayanagi Arisu, I think her name is."
"The chairman's daughter? Then why would she go out of her way to talk to that guy...?"
"Okay, that guy's maybe a tiny bit better-looking than me, but why didn't she come talk to me?"
"You should look in the mirror in the bathroom first. How can you say 'a tiny bit better-looking' with a straight face?"
The whispers weren't loud, but they carried perfectly to Uesugi Hara's ears. The moment he caught the key words, a lightbulb went off in his head: the chairman's daughter = rich girl = money!
The confusion in his eyes vanished in an instant. A familiar smile spread across his face, and he greeted her with such warmth that his earlier uncertainty seemed like a figment of the imagination. "So you're Classmate Sakayanagi! It really has been a long time. I didn't recognize you at first—please don't hold it against me."
As he spoke, he even leaned in a little. His enthusiasm made him look like he'd just run into an old friend in a faraway place, and the students who'd been whispering nearby stared at him in surprise. With a change of face that fast, he could've made a living in Sichuan opera.
Sakayanagi Arisu was taken aback by his sudden friendliness, a hint of confusion passing through her eyes. Could he really remember me after all?
A moment later, she raised her lips in another graceful, composed smile and asked softly, "That's all right. I was just wondering if Uesugi still remembered when we last met."
At that, Uesugi Hara's heart skipped a beat.
That question stumped him. I don't even know you. How am I supposed to know when we met?
But outwardly, he remained as steady as a rock. She was a rich girl, after all. If he got on her good side, he could save himself decades of hard work! He had to treat her well. He couldn't afford to lose his nerve now.
He cleared his throat, still sounding as familiar as an old friend. "Of course I remember. The last time we met... well, it was last time, wasn't it? How could I forget something like that?"
His answer was vague, but his gaze was utterly sincere, as if she'd believe him as long as he sounded confident enough.
Sakayanagi Arisu watched him try to keep a straight face, and her own calm, elegant expression finally cracked. Who did he think he was fooling? Did he take her for someone easy to fob off?
Seeing how Uesugi Hara clearly didn't know who she was, yet insisted on pretending he remembered her, she couldn't help letting out a soft laugh. "It seems Uesugi really does have a bad memory. But that's all right. It doesn't matter if you've forgotten. We have plenty of time to get to know each other again."
With that, Sakayanagi Arisu turned and returned to her seat, leaning on her cane.
Uesugi Hara was left baffled, wondering to himself, Could I really know her?
He racked his brain, searching through everyone he could remember by name, but couldn't find any trace of a white-haired little girl like her.
Could she have been some minor character I glanced at once and promptly forgot?
But someone had just said she was the chairman's daughter. That was no ordinary status. If he'd ever met a rich girl like her, how could he have no memory of it?
Uesugi Hara frowned, growing more puzzled by the moment. His fingertips tapped unconsciously against the desk, and he lost all interest in looking around at the other students.
Back at her seat, Sakayanagi Arisu's elegant smile faded, and a trace of anger flickered in her eyes.
He really didn't remember her?
Back at the White Room, she'd faced him across the board, certain she would win. In the end, he'd crushed her so thoroughly that she'd nearly burst into tears. Even now, remembering that humiliating moment made her burn with embarrassment. How could she possibly bring it up herself?
And yet he genuinely didn't seem to remember her at all.
She tightened her grip on her cane, her knuckles paling slightly, and her lips curved in a faintly self-mocking smile. It seemed this exciting reunion had been a one-woman show after all.
Before you continue