Advanced Nurturing

(It is common knowledge that Advanced Nurturing is a university)

(All characters in this book are adults)

(All characters in this book are adults)

(All characters in this book are adults)

(New author, new book)

(This book contains some original settings)

April.

A gentle breeze swept across Tokyo Bay, carrying away the last traces of lingering chill.

Kitagawa Kai leaned listlessly against the bench on the station platform.

As a bona fide transmigrator, he still found it all somewhat surreal.

In his past life, he'd been scrolling through Douyin while walking, about to save the latest forged blade competition video, when a Dayun Truck brought him to this world.

After all, we're all living with all our might~

This life's start wasn't too bad: parents deceased, alone in the world, but they'd left behind a generous inheritance that let him lie flat and enjoy life.

The first few weeks, he'd immersed himself in a "simple yet boring" salted fish lifestyle.

Until he received the admission letter from Advanced Nurturing University, and realized this was the world of Classroom of the Elite.

He followed the crowd onto the bus heading to Advanced Nurturing.

Inside, quite a few new students in matching red uniforms were already seated, a wave of youthful vitality washing over him.

Kitagawa Kai glanced around—no familiar characters.

No blond guy on the priority seat, just some random passerby.

No expressionless guy silently observing either.

This wasn't the bus where an old lady was waiting for someone to give up their seat.

So everything seemed perfectly normal.

He was just curious which class he'd be assigned to.

Class A, Sakayanagi Arisu's casually managed "back garden."

Class B, Ichinose Honami's warm and inclusive "harem" (lol).

Class C, Ryuen Kakeru's violent organization.

Class D, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's exclusive "toolbox."

He found a seat in the back, sat down, and closed his eyes.

[Ding!]

[Detected a conquerable character near the host: Yamamura Miki]

[Affection System activated successfully!]

[Character information unlocked!]

[Newbie gift pack being distributed...]

[Character conquest support pack being distributed...]

An icy notification sound rang out in his mind without warning, but to Kitagawa Kai, it sounded like heavenly music.

As a transmigrator, how could he get by without a system.

A simple, semi-transparent interface appeared before him: Character Info, Beautiful Girl Encyclopedia.

When affection reached 50, 70, and 90, he could claim system rewards.

[Personal Info]

[Name: Kitagawa Kai]

[Stamina: 6 (Above Average)]

[Intelligence: 6 (Above Average)]

[Charm: 8 (Eye-Catching)]

[Items: Universal Video Recorder]

[Abilities: Affinity (Increases initial affection, easier to gain trust)]

The newbie gift pack was the Universal Video Recorder, huh? Haki-tou, you bastard.

In Classroom of the Elite, you couldn't move an inch without a video recorder or voice recorder—you never knew when someone might screw you over.

As for the initial Affinity...

Guess that's a cheat code they gave me.

[Beautiful Girl Encyclopedia]

[Conquestable Character: Miki Yamamura]

[Locked Characters: Arisu Sakayanagi, Masumi Kamuro, Honami Ichinose...]

What's with this Pokémon déjà vu?

Where's Yamamura Miki? Why didn't I notice her before?

Following the system's guidance, Kitagawa Kai slowly turned his head.

In the seat next to him, a girl with blue-and-white hair sat quietly. She was tall, with a cute and refined face, but a faint melancholy lingered between her brows.

She was staring down at her phone, completely absorbed, as if the noise around her had nothing to do with her.

[Character Info]

[Name: Miki Yamamura]

[Affection: 20 (Stranger)]

So this was Yamamura Miki, the Class A student from the original story. The invisible girl.

Famous for her low presence.

No wonder she was sitting right next to Kitagawa Kai and he still hadn't noticed her—it was like his brain subconsciously skipped over her.

With that talent, she'd be an unstoppable assassin.

Kitagawa Kai silently roasted her in his head, then put on a warm smile and spoke up to greet her. "Hello, classmate. I'm Kitagawa Kai."

"Eh—me?"

Yamamura Miki flinched noticeably at the sound of his voice, then slowly turned to look at him, a trace of disbelief in her eyes. Her voice was as light as a feather landing on water.

Kitagawa softened his tone even more, lacing it with genuine friendliness. "I saw you sitting here alone, and I wanted to get to know you. Be friends."

Was this... a pickup line?

Could someone really notice me?

Yamamura Miki's heart skipped a beat.

He looked clean and handsome—nothing like those popular guys who always carried an air of strong purpose or pressure.

"I—I'm Yamamura Miki." She instinctively lowered her head, her voice carrying a faint, barely noticeable flutter of joy. "P-please take care of me..."

[Ding!]

[Miki Yamamura Affection +10, Current Affection 30 (Friend)]

Hearing the system prompt, Kitagawa Kai's smile grew even more sincere. "Yamamura-san, please take care of me too. So... are we friends now?"

"Eh? I guess so~" Yamamura Miki let out another small gasp.

Looks like coming to Advanced Nurturing was the right choice after all.

I'm about to make a friend before school even starts.

Yamamura Miki silently cheered herself on inside.

"Great." Kitagawa Kai's smile was bright and easygoing, and he started chatting with Yamamura Miki.

They talked about the good times of childhood.

The pain of their original families.

Their dreams for life.

Yamamura Miki, who rarely had friends, was experiencing something extraordinary for the first time.

So I really can talk to others like this?

After that, the bus drove smoothly until they arrived at the school.

"Alright, we're here." Kitagawa Kai stood up and casually grabbed his backpack.

Yamamura Miki hurried to follow, but in her rush, she nearly tripped getting off the bus. Kitagawa Kai reacted quickly, reaching out to steady her with a smooth, natural motion.

"Careful."

"Th-thank you!" Yamamura Miki's face flushed bright red in an instant. Luckily, she managed to steady herself before making a fool of herself.

She kept her head down, not daring to look at Kitagawa Kai.

That feeling of being firmly caught—it was unfamiliar, yet warm.

"I wonder which class I'll be assigned to. It'd be great if I end up in the same class as you, Yamamura-san." Kitagawa's words carried hope as he stared straight at her.

The girl felt his gaze and gave a small nod. "...Yeah, I hope so too, Kitagawa-kun."

[Ding!]

[Miki Yamamura Affection +10, Current Affection 40 (Close Friend)]

My name is Yamamura Miki. I've been alone my whole life—ignored, invisible.

In kindergarten, in elementary and middle school, I drifted like a cloud in the sky, quietly flowing along.

I couldn't even develop my social skills. I didn't even have the ability to make people dislike me. I forced myself to believe that was my strength.

But I also want others' eyes to linger on me.

Even now, I've managed to make a friend, haven't I?

"What a shame, Yamamura-san, we're not in the same class."

"But it's fine—we can just exchange contact info later~"

"We can still chat like this anytime, just like now."

Kitagawa Kai stood in front of the electronic bulletin board, pointing at the class assignment list on the screen, his tone carrying a hint of regret.

Yamamura Miki followed his finger and saw her own name on the Class A list.

But Kitagawa Kai's name was in the Class B list, right below Ichinose Honami's name.

A faint sense of disappointment welled up inside her.

The first friend she'd made here was already being separated from her.

Now, she had to go to Class A... and keep being her invisible self.