"The hardest person to introduce is the one you pretend not to be."
— Unknown
"Man is not what he thinks he is, he is what he hides."
— André Malraux
~ ~ ~
After Advanced Mathematics class and the explanation of the Advancement Score System, it was time for Strategic Literature. But Ishikawa walked out of the room without explaining the upcoming tests, saying the school had issued a meeting for teachers of every year. Now, everyone was minding their own business. Most were on their phones, some were glancing around, and a few were just chilling, including Kurosawa, who seemed to be resting or meditating too, arms crossed and feet on the desk as usual.
My eyes were closed, arms crossed. I was in that part of inner silence where I could only hear my thoughts. I'm still wondering if I should take things seriously… maybe try to advance to Class A? I wonder if it'll be that easy. Who knows? After those years I spent in the facility, I think I can do it… but I'm still wondering – what would be my motivation? Maybe my promise to Mimi, to become rich? That's what we talked about when she was on her deathbed…
Mimi… oh, I miss Mimi. Her cooking, her affection, her hugs and kisses, treating me like I was more than anything. Like I was her whole world. Mimi… if only a genie existed to grant me one wish, I'd choose you.
"I don't like your face."
A familiar sharp voice sliced through my peaceful spiral of existential thoughts.
I opened my eyes. And there she was – Shirogane, standing over me like a thundercloud with legs, arms crossed and a firm scowl.
Of course. That classic, unprovoked Shirogane irritation. It was basically her signature scent to me.
"Hmm?" I muttered, barely lifting my head.
"I said I don't like your face," she repeated, slower this time, like I was hard of hearing or emotionally dense
(which, to be fair, I might be).
I blinked at her. My face? Seriously? Was it too symmetrical today? Did my cheekbones offend her ancestors? I wasn't even doing anything. Just barely breathing.
"Yeah… yeah… I heard you…" I muttered, leaning back and closing my eyes again like a man who's given up on world peace. "What do you want, the face gone or turned slightly to the left? I can do a 30-degree tilt, but anything more requires payment."
"You're doing it again!" she barked, her expression sharpening even more.
"What, existing?"
"That face! The annoying, aloof, blank one!"
"Blank? This is just my default setting. You should see 'mildly annoyed.' It's a masterpiece."
I opened one eye and looked at her. "Maybe I should wear a different face every day. Monday: Tragic hero. Tuesday: Anime side character. Wednesday: Full-on gremlin." i joked, though my expression didn't change.
Her eye twitched. I'm pretty sure she considered launching a desk at me. Or me at a desk.
I sighed. "Okay, fine. What do you actually want?" I asked, bracing myself for something dumb.
She looked like she was calculating if murdering me was worth the jail time, then finally exhaled, her posture relaxing half a pixel. "I finished reading The 48 Laws of Power. Recommend me a new book."
I stared at her. Really? All that rage just to ask for book recs?
This devil doesn't ask. She threatens, judges your soul, then casually slips in a request like it's normal.
I shut my eyes, inhaled deeply, summoned my last brain cell, and said, "For someone like you... No Longer Human, by Osamu Dazai."
The corner of her eye twitched again, but this time, less violently. She raised an eyebrow. "Are you mocking me with that title?"
Honestly? Yes. But also no. But mostly yes.
"Depends," I said. "Did you feel insulted?"
She squinted. "I'm not sure yet."
"Then give it a read. You'll know by chapter two."
I expected a slap. Or a shoe. Or her entire soul leaving her body to scream at me. But instead, she just stared.
Then, calmly, she said, "If I hate it, I'm blaming you."
"Of course. I'll be here. Existing. Offensively, apparently."
Suddenly, a boy stood up on his seat. Even though my eyes were closed, I could already tell who it was just from the direction of the chair's screech and that subtle shift in energy. Reo Hayashi.
He had sharp facial features, pale yellow hair that fell loosely to the sides of his head, and soft green eyes that scanned the room thoughtfully for a while before calling out.
"Hey, everyone!"
Everyone turned to him, including Shirogane.
"Why don't we all introduce ourselves, one by one?" he said, his voice calm and inviting, like he was offering something fun rather than asking for it.
Introduce myself, huh...? How exactly do I even want to present myself? What kind of image am I supposed to give off? i had no clue. The silence in the room lingered, probably because everyone else was thinking the same thing.
Honestly, though? I kind of liked the idea. I did want to get to know people. I don't want to spend the next three years rotting away in my dorm, wasting weekends and breaks doing absolutely nothing. Making a few friends wouldn't be so bad.
I opened my eyes as the silence stretched on. Hayashi just stood there patiently, unbothered.
Few seconds passed when another student stood up. A girl with short yellow hair, sharply cut with sharp bangs to match her beautiful sharp eyes that is green with a hint of yellow. She looked taller than most of the girls here, with a curvy and athletic build that made her look strong.
Her name was Tsumugi Tachibana. I remembered hearing it during attendance this morning. Her expression was neutral, almost blank.
"I agree. I want to know everyone," she said, scanning the room. Her voice was dry and flat, giving off a serious, tough-girl vibe.
Still, no one else spoke. The two stood there for a while. Most of my classmates looked like they were still thinking about it. Some were visibly shy. A few were just chilling, almost uninterested, including Kurosawa, who was still in his earlier position. I glanced at Shirogane who's still standing beside me. Her hands we're on her waist and her earlier devil expression was gone, replaced with something unreadable.
"Seems like no one wants to go first... I'll go then." Hayashi smiled and cleared his throat. "Hello everyone, my name is Hayashi, Reo. I'm interested in almost anything, but mostly hangouts and sports like soccer. I'm hoping to make friends, so feel free to talk to me anytime."
Reo Hayashi… he gives off a vibe of someone reliable and approachable, just from his introduction. "Hangouts" and "interested in making friends" – I'm pretty sure, with his looks, he's going to be popular with other classes. And girls.
Tachibana cleared her throat next. "I'm Tachibana, Tsumugi. I'm not really into anything in particular besides sports, but I'm willing to grow with you and share experiences. That's all." She sat down right after.
Tsumugi Tachibana. She seems confident. I have a feeling this girl might become the leader when it comes to sports or even group discipline.
The silence broke into murmurs and chatter as more of my classmates stood up. The once quiet room now felt more alive, encouraged by the mood shift.
Then, a girl stood up with long pink hair that flowed down her back and icy blue eyes – soft rather than cold. Her facial features were so refined, she instantly gave off the "most beautiful girl in class," or maybe even the school, kind of vibe.
"I'm Komori, Yukiha. I'm not really interested in anything besides clubs and cliques. If you want to be friends, just approach me." Her tone was soft, almost sweet.
Yukiha Komori… she'll definitely be popular with the boys, especially upperclassmen. But I wonder – does she have more to offer than just her looks?