Hoshinomiya stood at the front of the classroom, purple eyes scanning over us with an intensity that contradicted her cheerful demeanor. She wore a professional outfit, but there was something distinctly unprofessional about the way she tilted her head and tapped her finger against her lips.
"Hmm, this won't do at all," she declared suddenly.
The twintails girl raised her hand immediately. "Excuse me, sensei, but what won't do?"
"This!" Hoshinomiya gestured dramatically at the entire classroom. "The seating arrangement, the stiff postures, the awkward silence. You're all going to spend three years together. Three years! That's longer than most marriages last these days."
A few nervous laughs rippled through the room.
"I'm Chie Hoshinomiya, but please call me Chie-chan! 'Ms. Hoshinomiya' makes me sound like someone's strict aunt, and that's definitely not the vibe I'm cultivating."
I leaned back in my chair, rolling the lollipop against my teeth. Interesting approach for a teacher.
"Before we get to the boring stuff—syllabi, rules, blah blah blah—we're going to play a game!" She clapped her hands together, her light brown hair bouncing with the movement. "Everyone out of your seats! Push the desks against the walls!"
For a moment, nobody moved. Then Shibata stood up, his chair scraping against the floor. Others followed reluctantly.
I took my time standing, observing the reactions around me. The blue-haired girl from earlier bounced up excitedly. The serious twintails girl looked personally offended by the request. Hamaguchi moved with exaggerated sluggishness, while Andō practically stomped her desk to the wall.
"What kind of game requires moving furniture?" a boy with spiky urchin-like hair asked.
"The best kind," Hoshinomiya replied with a wink. "Now, everyone form a circle in the middle of the room."
We shuffled into position. I found myself between Shibata and a short girl with amber-colored hair styled in two buns.
"Perfect!" Hoshinomiya joined the circle. "We're going to play 'Two Truths and a Lie.' When it's your turn, share three statements about yourself—two true, one false. The rest of us will vote on which we think is the lie. Whoever guesses correctly gets a point."
The girl with the twin buns raised her hand. "What do we get if we win?"
"The satisfaction of being the most perceptive student in Class 1-B," Hoshinomiya answered.
She scanned the circle. "I'll start as an example. One: I speak four languages fluently. Two: I once dated a famous rock star. Three: I've never been outside Japan."
Murmurs circulated as students considered her statements. I studied her face—the confident set of her jaw, the slight crinkle around her eyes on the second statement.
"Let's vote," she said after giving us time to think. "Raise your hand if you think number one is the lie."
A few hands went up.
"Number two?"
More hands, including mine.
"Number three?"
The most hands by far.
Hoshinomiya grinned. "The lie is... number two! I've never dated a rock star, though not for lack of trying."
Interesting that she chose a lie that elevated her social status rather than diminishing it.
"Now," she continued, "let's go around the circle. You first." She pointed to a girl with strawberry-blonde hair.
The girl straightened her already perfect posture. "I'm Honami Ichinose. One: I was student council president in middle school. Two: I have a dog named Mochi. Three: I've broken my arm twice."
Votes were split between the second and third statements.
"The lie is number three," Ichinose revealed. "I've never broken any bones."
Hoshinomiya pointed to the next student, a boy with violet-bluish hair who sat with perfect stillness.
"Ryūji Kanzaki," he introduced himself quietly. "One: I have a photographic memory. Two: I've never failed an exam. Three: I play three musical instruments."
I studied him carefully. His eyes tracked the room methodically, his fingers cupped together momentarily as he spoke.
Most people voted for the third statement.
"The lie is number two," he revealed, surprising most of the class. "I failed several exams in middle school."
The game continued around the circle. A tall, muscular boy named Yonezu tearfully declared his admiration for courage and manliness. A small boy with dramatic spiky hair named Beppo claimed to be the reincarnation of an ancient cosmic guardian. Hamaguchi declared with a perfectly straight face that the girl sitting next to him was his first love, earning a punch in the arm from Andō.
When it reached Andō, she crossed her arms. "One: I've won every arm-wrestling match I've ever been in. Two: I wear this choker because it's fashionable. Three: I can cook better than anyone in my family."
Most voted for the second statement, which proved correct.
"I wear it because it reminds me of something else," she explained, touching the black band around her neck.
Next came the small, blue-haired girl who'd been sitting with Ichinose earlier.
"I'm Yume Kobashi! One: I can identify every constellation in the sky. Two: I once tried to contact aliens using a homemade radio. Three: I can hold my breath for over three minutes."
Her bright magenta eyes darted around as she spoke, not from nervousness but as if tracking invisible patterns only she could see.
The votes were evenly split across all three statements.
"The lie is number three," she revealed. "I can only hold my breath for about ten seconds because my thoughts need lots of oxygen."
The girl with twin buns beside me bounced on her toes. "I'm Kozue Minamikata, but everyone calls me Mina! One: I've memorized every student's name in our class already. Two: I have a collection of over fifty hair clips. Three: I was almost kidnapped when I was seven."
Her energy was infectious, her teal eyes sparkling with enthusiasm that seemed impossible to fake.
Most people voted for the first statement.
"The lie is actually number three," she said, grinning. "I've never been almost kidnapped. But I do know all your names already! Want me to prove it?"
Before anyone could respond, she pointed around the circle, rattling off names with perfect accuracy. I raised an eyebrow, genuinely impressed.
Then it was my turn.
"Minoru Shirō," I said, removing my lollipop. "One: I've never lost a chess match. Two: I have a photographic memory. Three: My hair color is natural."
I kept my expression deliberately neutral, watching the calculations play across my classmates' faces.
The vote was close between the first and second statements, with the third receiving only a few votes.
"The lie is number two," I revealed. "My memory is terrible—except for things that matter."
Next came Shibata, who spoke with genuine warmth. "One: I grew up in a small village in the countryside. Two: I can identify dozens of bird species by their calls. Three: I've never been to Tokyo before coming to this school."
His large purple eyes reflected sincerity that made it difficult to detect deception.
Most people, including myself, voted for the second statement.
"The lie is actually number three," he admitted.
The game continued around the circle. A girl with a serious expression and purple hair named Ninō Asako claimed royal lineage. A boy called Moriyama with sea-urchin hair spoke in dramatically different tones between statements. A boy with an athletic build named Watanabe enthusiastically described his failed attempts to ask girls out.
Finally, we reached the blue-haired girl from the bus stop—Mako Asakura. She stood with perfect posture, her striking blue-green eyes scanning the room before she spoke.
"One: I've won a national debate competition. Two: I can name every luxury fashion brand by sight. Three: I've never lost a game of monopoly."
Her midnight blue hair framed her face perfectly, not a strand out of place. Even her uniform seemed more tailored than everyone else's.
Votes were split between the first and third statements.
"The lie is number three," she revealed with a confident smile. "I've lost plenty of games."
After everyone had taken a turn, Hoshinomiya clapped her hands. "Excellent! Now for the second phase—find the person whose answers intrigued you most and ask them three follow-up questions. You have five minutes to learn something interesting!"
The room erupted into movement and conversation. I stayed put, knowing someone would approach me.
Sure enough, Asakura walked directly toward me.
"Your hair," she said, stopping in front of me. "Is it really natural?"
"That's your first question?"
"It is. Most people assumed it was dyed, but I've seen natural white hair before. It's rare, but not impossible."
"It's natural," I confirmed. "Has been since birth. Doctors called it a genetic anomaly."
She nodded as if confirming a theory. "Second question: How good are you at chess, really?"
"Good enough that I don't lose."
"Everyone loses eventually."
I shrugged. "I haven't found 'eventually' yet."
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Final question: What kinds of things matter enough for you to remember them?"
"Promises," I answered honestly. "Threats. Opportunities. Things that could help or hurt people I care about."
Something shifted in her expression—a reassessment. She extended her hand. "Mako Asakura."
I shook it. "Minoru Shiro."
Hoshinomiya called for attention. "Time's up! Back to the circle, everyone!"
As we reformed the circle, I noticed Asakura watching me with renewed interest.
"Now, who can tell me something interesting they learned about a classmate?" Hoshinomiya asked.
Hands shot up around the circle. Minamikata practically bounced with excitement until called upon.
"Ichinose-cchi turned down three other prestigious schools to come to ANHS!" she exclaimed.
Ichinose blushed slightly. "It wasn't that impressive—"
"It absolutely was!" Minamikata insisted. "Tokyo University's prep program wanted you!"
Other revelations followed. Kanzaki apparently spoke five languages. Moriyama maintained his chaotic hairstyle through forty-five minutes of styling each morning despite claiming it was "just bedhead." Andō could bench press more than any boy in the class (cap). Kobashi believed blue wasn't actually a color but "more of a feeling that decided to be visible."
"Excellent!" Hoshinomiya declared when everyone had settled down. "Now you're not just strangers in assigned seats. You're classmates with stories. Remember that during the next three years."
She moved to retrieve her tablet from the desk. "Now, unfortunately, we must move on to the boring stuff. Please return the desks to their original positions."
As we rearranged the furniture, I noticed people gravitating toward others they'd connected with during the game. Shibata was chatting animatedly with Kobashi. Hamaguchi and Andō had resumed their bickering, though with a more comfortable rhythm. Asakura had joined a conversation with Ichinose and a serious-looking girl named Himeno.
I returned to my seat, considering what I'd learned. Twenty-four classmates, each with their own strengths, weaknesses, and potential uses. Three years was a long time to build alliances.
Hoshinomiya tapped her tablet, projecting the class syllabus onto the board. "Now then, let's talk about what makes Advanced Nurturing High School unique that will determine your futures."
I leaned forward slightly. This was the information that mattered.