Little Sae: I Drew an SSR?

As class time approached, the hallway appeared somewhat empty.

Perhaps for this reason, there was no cliché rooftop scene; they had simply moved away from the classroom.

Xu Nuo did not resist.

He merely allowed the other party to pull him along, looking down at the small hand tightly gripping his wrist.

The nails were meticulously manicured and coated in a layer of shimmering pink polish, and a bracelet adorned her wrist, giving her a very fashionable appearance.

Compared to the one in his memory.

The timid little girl who always followed behind him, wearing two braided pigtails and a simple dress.

They were like two completely different people!

Yes.

Xu Nuo remembered.

Or rather, it would be strange if he had forgotten, considering she was his childhood neighbor, his legendary childhood sweetheart.

Childhood playmates are always unforgettable.

But that was all there was to it.

When Xu Nuo first heard the name, he assumed it was just a coincidence and didn't associate it with Classroom of the Elite.

Therefore.

He hadn't paid much attention, only occasionally looking out for her.

It wasn't until Xu Nuo began to display his talents that his name echoed throughout Tokyo within a few short years, and having earned a staggering amount of wealth, he naturally moved away.

Since then.

The two had never met again.

He had thought she was just a fleeting passerby in his life, never expecting to reunite here...

Xu Nuo's thoughts drifted.

The Karuizawa Kei before him was undoubtedly dazzling.

Her fluffy, soft golden hair was tied into a high ponytail that fell to her waist, shimmering with a honey-like luster under the sunlight.

Her violet-blue eyes were rippling like water, her long, slender eyebrows trembled slightly, and her features were incredibly cute and delicate.

Yet, her temperament was deliberately flamboyant.

The hem of her skirt, which originally reached her knees, had been secretly rolled up a bit, barely covering the middle of her thighs and revealing a pair of slender calves encased in black over-the-knee socks.

This outfit.

Perfectly outlined the image of a fashionable gal in the midst of a rebellious adolescence.

Hmm...

Just like a fully armed little hedgehog, ready to protect itself with sharp spikes at any moment.

How cute.

At the same time.

Karuizawa Kei was also looking at this former neighbor, his perfect face making her gaze dazed, and a pleasant scent slowly wafted into her nostrils.

"Gulp..."

Heat spread to the tips of her ears; the girl's gaze lingered on his thin lips, and her throat moved slightly.

A god-like face at such close range.

Karuizawa Kei was dazzled and mesmerized, unable to resist.

He...

Was still exactly the same as when he was little, both in terms of that face and that pleasant scent.

"Ugh..."

After a long while.

Karuizawa Kei blinked her eyes, seemingly snapping back to reality, and her face instantly flushed a deep red.

Ahhhhhhh...

Kei—

How could you be like this!

Staring at someone in a daze like that, you'll be mistaken for a pervert, won't you? It's all because this face is too unfair...

She stole a glance upward and, seeing that there was no strange expression on Xu Nuo's face, she breathed a sigh of relief before nervously scanning her surroundings.

Thank goodness, no one saw.

Then, Karuizawa Kei gathered her courage and looked up.

She was going to ask him.

Do you still remember?

Remember that dowdy, unremarkable crybaby.

If it were possible... perhaps... I could still date him... He would protect me, right?

Yes... that's right!

However.

Fate always loves to play jokes at times like these.

Ring-ring!

The harsh, urgent school bell rang out, pouring down like a bucket of cold water, instantly dousing the courage that had just welled up in Karuizawa.

"Oh no! I'm going to be late!"

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!"

Students appeared in twos and threes, rushing down the other end of the hallway.

This sudden turn of events.

Left Karuizawa Kei's mind completely blank.

She let go of Xu Nuo's hand as if she had been burned, her heart filled with anxiety.

What now?

What should she do? Should she continue?

But...

Just as she was caught in an internal struggle, so anxious she was about to bite her own tongue, Xu Nuo said nothing, merely looking at her with calm eyes.

Strangely enough.

It smoothed over her anxious and conflicted state of mind.

"Tch...!"

In the end.

Karuizawa Kei squeezed a fierce, quiet syllable from her throat, pretending as if nothing had happened, hands on her hips as she tilted her head up to glare at him.

"Y-you, don't you dare leave after school!"

After dropping this threat that lacked any real intimidation.

Karuizawa Kei turned like a startled rabbit, her small leather shoes clicking against the floor as she bolted into Class D without looking back, leaving only a faint scent in the air.

The hallway returned to silence.

Watching her retreating figure, Xu Nuo lowered his eyes slightly.

"What are you doing here?"

Suddenly.

A cold voice rang out behind him.

He turned around to see the Class D homeroom teacher—Sae Chabashira. The aloof teacher stood there expressionless, clutching a stack of lesson plans.

Clearly.

She had seen what just happened, yet she remained indifferent.

That was fine, too.

It saved him the trouble.

Xu Nuo shrugged, having no intention of answering.

Seeing this.

Sae Chabashira couldn't be bothered to press him; she cast a subtle glance at the security camera before preparing to head straight back to the classroom.

At that moment.

As if remembering something, the corners of Xu Nuo's mouth curled slightly. "I need an Anonymous Account, Chabashira-sensei. How many points would that cost?"

His voice was not loud.

But the content of his words was like a depth charge, stirring up massive waves in someone's heart.

"?!"

Sae Chabashira's footsteps came to an abrupt halt.

Those brown-gold eyes, usually filled with a hint of weariness and indifference, contracted violently.

She stared fixedly at Xu Nuo.

Her gaze was as sharp as if she intended to dissect him entirely.

An Anonymous Account?

That term.

For a first-year student who had just enrolled and hadn't even fully grasped the point system, this was an absolutely, positively unreachable realm.

How... did he know?

In an instant.

Countless possibilities and conjectures flashed wildly through Sae Chabashira's mind, thick with suspicion.

Was it a coincidence? Had he heard it from some upperclassman? Or could it be... that this guy wasn't as simple as he appeared on the surface?

Could it be...

Was that clumsy self-introduction yesterday just a disguise?

Did I pull an SSR?!

Once this thought emerged, it could no longer be contained, growing like wild weeds in her heart.

"Haa..."

Sae Chabashira took a deep breath, suppressing the turbulent emotions within. She scrutinized the boy before her once more; his impeccable face still wore a calm expression, showing no traces of lies or nervousness.

This guy...

He wasn't joking.

Sae Chabashira's brain raced, taking a full three seconds to digest the shock and quickly make the judgment that best served her own interests.

This was the hallway, not a place for conversation.

"After class."

"Come to my office."

She squeezed these words out from between her teeth, her voice kept extremely low as if she feared being overheard, laced with an urgent desire to uncover the truth.

Having said that.

Sae Chabashira didn't spare him another glance, composed herself, and walked into the classroom with a cold face.

"Whoa—"

Xu Nuo shrugged and followed her back to the classroom at a leisurely pace.