Disappointment!

Just before class began.

Natsume Chikage returned to the classroom and quietly sat down at his seat.

Sunlight streamed through the window, casting mottled patches of light and shadow across his desk.

Ring-ring—

The class bell rang right on time, echoing through the somewhat noisy classroom.

But since it had only just rung, the teacher for this class had yet to arrive.

Although everyone was seated at their own desks, small groups of three or five still huddled together, chatting in low voices.

Saionji Nanase gently tapped Natsume Chikage on the shoulder, her movement soft and restrained.

"Um, Natsume-kun..."

"Hmm? Is something wrong?"

Hearing her, Natsume Chikage turned around, a questioning look in his eyes.

"At noon, not long after you left the classroom, a girl came looking for you," Saionji Nanase politely informed him.

"A girl came looking for me?" Natsume Chikage paused slightly, confusion appearing on his face. "What was her name?"

"I don't know. She didn't say." Saionji Nanase blinked her lively eyes as she recalled the girl carefully. "But she had short hair, healthy wheat-colored skin, and she was very pretty."

"Oh, then I know who it was." Upon hearing that description, Natsume Chikage quickly realized it had been Fujiwara Aoi.

Fujiwara Aoi had indeed mentioned before that they attended the same school.

Since she had specifically come to find him at noon, it was probably something important.

"Thanks for letting me know. I'll ask her what it was about later." Natsume Chikage nodded politely in thanks, already planning to find Fujiwara Aoi after class and get to the bottom of it.

Though it was a little embarrassing to admit, he still did not know which class Fujiwara Aoi was in...

But he remembered that Fujiwara Aoi seemed to be scheduled to work at the café today, so he could ask her about it in detail then.

"You're welcome. Even if I hadn't mentioned it, the other students would have told you," Saionji Nanase said with a gentle smile, lightly shaking her hands.

She suddenly seemed to remember something. Leaning forward slightly, she asked curiously, "By the way, Natsume-kun, are you planning to join any clubs?"

"I haven't decided yet." Natsume Chikage shook his head.

"How about... we find some time to check out the school clubs together?" Saionji Nanase suggested, her eyes brightening slightly. "I heard the clubs will be open for visits these next few days."

"Sure." Natsume Chikage had no objections to that.

Since every student had to join a club, checking out club activities was indeed a necessary step.

"Then how about after school today?" Saionji Nanase suggested happily, anticipation in her voice.

"Not today. I have something urgent to take care of after school," Natsume Chikage said apologetically. "How about tomorrow?"

"Mm, of course!" Saionji Nanase replied with a smile, then asked Yukimura Suzune, who sat in front of him, "Suzune, do you want to visit the clubs with us tomorrow?"

Yukimura Suzune had clearly heard their conversation, yet she remained focused on the novel in her hands. Without even turning around, she replied calmly, "No. I'm only interested in the Literature Club. I'm planning to go straight there after school."

"I see..." Saionji Nanase sighed with some regret.

Still, she knew very well that Yukimura Suzune was only interested in literary creation, so wanting to join the school's Literature Club was only natural.

At that moment.

The bald math teacher walked in carrying his lesson plans, his leather shoes making a steady sound against the floor.

The classroom immediately fell silent, and the students all straightened up in their seats.

Saionji Nanase stopped talking as well, took out her math textbook, and began listening attentively.

Natsume Chikage also adjusted his posture and focused his attention on the blackboard.

After all, he had graduated from a top-tier university before.

Looking at the problems in the first-year high school math textbook, he found them genuinely simple, with practically no difficulty at all.

But Natsume Chikage did not slack off because of that.

Reviewing the old led to new understanding—once someone stopped studying for too long, forgetting was inevitable.

Besides, this was Japan now, and the exam questions were vastly different from those back home.

If he let his past grades make him complacent, he could very well fail an exam.

After all, Natsume Chikage's goal was a prestigious school like the University of Tokyo, which was far more difficult to get into than the university he had once attended.

Not to mention that he had already promised his sister they would get into the University of Tokyo together, so he could not afford to be careless with his studies in the slightest!

Time quietly passed amid the scratching of pen against paper.

Before long, the class was nearing its end.

The ringing dismissal bell sounded, breaking the classroom's silence.

Quite a few girls immediately gathered around him again, chirping like little birds, their faces full of nervousness and anticipation.

"Natsume-kun, a short-haired girl with wheat-colored skin came looking for you at noon. Who was she?"

"Could she be your girlfriend?"

"Natsume... is that true?"

Natsume Chikage shook his head and explained calmly, "No, she's just a coworker from my part-time job."

At that, the girls all looked delighted, exchanging relieved glances with one another.

Saionji Nanase's ears twitched slightly. Though she could not see Natsume Chikage surrounded by the girls, she was clearly listening to the conversation.

Natsume Chikage needed time to write, and he thought he could not let the girls in class keep taking up his break time. So he found a tactful excuse and politely sent them away.

The girls were understanding enough. Though somewhat disappointed, they returned to their seats in twos and threes.

With peace finally restored, Natsume Chikage let out a long breath.

Saionji Nanase saw the whole scene and could not help smiling faintly. "That's wonderful, Natsume."

"What?" Natsume Chikage turned to her in confusion.

"Nothing." Saionji Nanase smiled and shook her head.

Natsume Chikage was a little baffled, but he did not press the matter. He simply took out his phone and began typing with focused attention.

Saionji Nanase did not go over to disturb him like the other girls had.

She thought Natsume Chikage was the same as before, still fond of playing mobile games.

But what was wrong with doing something he liked?

With that thought, Saionji Nanase took a copy of World Curios Collection Atlas from her schoolbag and quietly began leafing through it.

At that moment, A pretty blonde girl passed through the hallway, her tall figure flashing past the window.

When the boys in the classroom noticed her, they could not help craning their necks for a better look.

Kondo Miki had noticed that Natsume Chikage was in Class A when she checked the class assignment information that morning.

As she passed by, she subconsciously glanced into the classroom.

There, Natsume Chikage sat at his desk, rapidly tapping on his phone screen. That absorbed expression of his looked exactly like he was playing a game!

Seeing this, she could not help frowning. His family has suffered such a huge upheaval, and he's already fallen to such a state.

Yet during school, he doesn't care about his studies at all and only thinks about playing games?

If she were in his position, she would definitely study twice as hard and never slack off, not even during breaks!

Kondo Miki shook her head repeatedly and left down the hallway with a disappointed expression.

The dismissal bell rang out crisply, echoing throughout the entire school building.

The classroom immediately erupted with excitement as the students cheered and noisily gathered together.

Quite a few students had already made plans with friends to join club activities or head home together.

Unable to restrain themselves any longer, several girls came over to Natsume Chikage.

"Natsume, do you want to take a look around this afternoon and get familiar with the area around the school?"

"I know a karaoke place nearby that's really affordable. How about going there?"

"I think that sounds great. What do you think, Natsume?"

Natsume Chikage shook his head and politely declined. "Sorry, I have something to take care of this afternoon."

The girls' faces immediately filled with regret.

Natsume Chikage picked up the schoolbag he had already packed and left the noisy classroom alone, intending to register for a new shogi tournament!

Walking along the school path beneath drifting cherry blossoms, he took out his phone and carefully searched for registration details and the specific location of the new shogi tournament.

He discovered that registration closed at five in the afternoon.

And it was only a little past three now.

It would take ten minutes to walk from the school to the subway station, then around half an hour by train.

Barring any surprises, he should have more than enough time!