Application

The morning classes had flown by in the blink of an eye.

It was now noon, and the bell had just rung.

Satoshi Ritonaka stretched and turned around. "Dongfang, want to go to the cafeteria together?"

He planned to use Dongfang Yi as a shield and enjoy a peaceful lunch break.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned.

"Hm? Dongfang?" He looked around in confusion.

The person who'd been sitting at the desk with the attached personal statement was nowhere to be seen.

But in a dim corner of the classroom he'd overlooked, someone had happened to witness the whole thing.

Dongfang Yi had gone ahead to the teachers' office to apply for a part-time job with Mashima Tomoya.

After filling out the application, he would also accompany Sakura Airi as a witness while she reported the campus stalker to Class D's homeroom teacher, Chabashira Sae.

His schedule was rather tight.

He had reached the guidance office. Looking in from the doorway,

he saw the four first-year guidance teachers sitting opposite one another, two men and two women.

The man across from Mashima was probably Sakamoto Kazuma, Class C's homeroom teacher.

If Dongfang Yi had guessed correctly, the woman behind Mashima, dressed casually and wearing an elaborate makeup look, was Hoshinomiya Chie, Class B's homeroom teacher.

And the woman in a suit opposite Hoshinomiya was Chabashira Sae, Class D's guidance teacher.

It was a strange office layout.

After all, based on Dongfang Yi's experience back home,

most larger schools assigned teachers offices according to their subjects, so they could exchange ideas and improve their teaching, rather than locking homeroom teachers together and letting them study their students.

Still, considering the peculiar nature of this school's almost childish exams, Dongfang Yi felt that the difference was within reason.

Besides, it didn't really affect him.

Dongfang Yi ended his stealth, knocked lightly on the office door, and entered after getting permission.

"Mr. Mashima."

"Ah, it's the Wise One... Ahem... Dongfang. What can I do for you?"

Mashima Tomoya seemed to be in a good mood. He didn't even mind making a little joke.

Aren't you supposed to be the stern, humorless type? Do you actually care about that little thing I wrote? Dongfang Yi wondered.

"The Wise One? Tomoya, what's this about?" The teacher behind Mashima leaned over. "That's unusual. Tomoya actually gave a student a nickname."

Her medium-length, brown, slightly wavy hair fell casually over her shoulders. She wore pink loungewear and looked quite young, a gentle and charming lady.

Class B's homeroom teacher, Hoshinomiya Chie.

But according to the original story, she was basically an adult, fallen, enhanced version of Kushida Kikyo—

in short, a hopeless case.

If she left that gold mine alone, her future would probably be much the same: an alcoholic, a landmine of a woman, and a saintly angel?

Dongfang Yi's thoughts drifted.

"I didn't. You heard wrong," Mashima Tomoya denied without changing expression.

Dongfang Yi suspected Mashima's poker face had been trained by this bigger, older version of Kushida, but he had no proof.

"Aww, honestly, Tomoya. You're lying to me." Hoshinomiya chided him playfully, then leaned toward Dongfang Yi. "What's your name?"

As she spoke, she even tried to poke him in the face.

There's always someone out to get me! Are those absurdly long nails for real?!

Dongfang Yi silently took a step back and easily dodged her claws.

"Ms. Hoshinomiya, I'm just an ordinary student in Class 1-A. Dongfang Yi."

"Huh?"

Hoshinomiya Chie blinked in belated surprise. Chabashira and Sakamoto also turned their eyes toward him, discreetly.

They had been at school for less than a day, and hadn't yet introduced themselves to the other classes.

Yet this student had identified them correctly.

That was unexpected.

"Oh my, little Dongfang knows who I am? I'm so happy~" Hoshinomiya winked and took the opportunity to ask, "Where did you hear my name?"

"Ms. Hoshinomiya from Class B is pretty famous around school. I don't know much about Mr. Sakamoto from Class C or Ms. Chabashira from Class D, though." Dongfang Yi gave a vague answer, then bowed to greet the other two teachers in order of their names.

I can see you know plenty, kid.

Hoshinomiya, who fancied herself a beautiful young woman, had been met with a polite brush-off. She knew the boy was fobbing her off without an ounce of sincerity, but as a teacher, she couldn't badger him like a child.

It was so frustrating!

"You're a naughty boy, Dongfang." She pouted slightly and tried to act cute.

You can act cute all you want, but you're still an older, unmarried woman, Sensei.

Dongfang Yi blinked and pressed his right fist to his head. "Ehehe~"

He decided against sticking out his tongue. It was too embarrassing.

Hoshinomiya was left speechless by him.

Just then, a girl knocked lightly on the office door. Her voice rang out, full of energy like a spring bubbling on a spring day. "Ms. Hoshinomiya, some people in our class have questions about clubs. Could we talk to you about them?"

"Sure. Let's talk over there."

Hoshinomiya answered. She took the opportunity to glare at Dongfang Yi, cheeks puffed up, then walked around him toward the girl at the door.

Mashima Tomoya was still sitting at his desk. He seemed to be enjoying the show, sipping his water in contentment and giving Dongfang Yi an encouraging look.

If you wanted to encourage me, you could've stopped her just now!

Dongfang Yi let out a resigned sigh and got straight to the point. "Mr. Mashima, I'd like to apply for a part-time job, so I came to fill out an application."

"Cough, cough." Mashima Tomoya was taken aback by the sudden announcement. His expression grew visibly serious. "May I ask why?"

"Planning ahead." Dongfang Yi's answer was brief.

"But Dongfang, the school has plenty of clubs to choose from, and there's a club recruitment event in the gym this afternoon. Why not take a look?" Mashima Tomoya tried to persuade him.

After all, part-time jobs were meant for the poor kids who went months without earning any points and didn't join a club.

As an A-class student, there was no reason for him to fight with kids from Classes C and D for a job, was there?

"Sir, I'm not planning to join a club for now. And I'll only be working for a month. It won't be for long."

"If you've thought it through, Dongfang, then I'm satisfied."

Mashima Tomoya was surprised, but still dug through the documents for a stack of dusty job applications and handed one to Dongfang Yi.

While Dongfang Yi sat down and filled it out, Mashima finally couldn't resist asking, "Have you decided where you want to work?"

"At the Palette Cafe. I've already spoken to the person in charge."

Mashima Tomoya knew exactly which place he meant. It was extremely popular with students across the school.

The reason Dongfang Yi wanted to work there was obvious.

He lowered his voice and probed again. "If you want to meet upperclassmen, wouldn't joining a club be better?"

"Sir, I'm only gathering some information." Dongfang Yi handed back the completed form.

"One month is plenty."