At the entrance, the many sakura trees stood tall, their countless pale pink petals pirouetting on the gentle breeze, painting a breathtakingly soft and welcoming scene, like a dream woven in pastel hues.
After a thorough, almost unnervingly efficient examination of his belongings – each item scrutinized for any hint of forbidden electronics or anything that might whisper to the outside world – Toji was finally waved through.
Thoughtfully, the school had arranged for both female and male inspectors, a consideration that did little to ease the subtle, yet palpable, pressure in their gazes urging him onward, faster.
He could hear the murmur of a man's voice drifted through the air, likely the principal's. His speech was drawing to a close, punctuated by the rising crescendo of students' applause.
"Now, we'll have a few words from the Student Council President." Then, a softer yet composed voice, belonging to a female student – the Student Council Secretary, no doubt – announced.
This was the expected routine, the entrance ceremony intended to welcome all the incoming freshmen to the school.
"I am the Student Council President, Hori…"
He made his way towards the Auditorium where this supposed ceremony was taking place. There was no one guarding the entrance, so he easily stepped inside.
Toji seems to be listless, his gaze drifting around the interior where students stood in neat rows. A palpable dislike for the entrance ceremony hung in the air.
They were feeling boredom and irritation, it could be seen all over their face, just barely trying to hide. Incredibly, he noticed a few students nodding off, while one had managed the truly impressive feat of falling completely asleep while standing upright.
A student standing near the gate, likely a member of the student council, quickly scanned the files in his hands before gesturing him towards one of the waiting lines formed by the other students.
This entire entrance ceremony was being managed solely by the student council, with no teachers present.
It seemed this was his class. About 40 students stood in the line now, including him, and within moments, the speech of the glasses-kun will be end, his words echoes in the auditorium.
"As you are likely aware, our school excels in all areas, boasting impressive employment and college acceptance rates." The speaker was a young man, nearing adulthood. He stood tall and well-built, with short black hair swept to the left and striking square-rimmed glasses with a subtle color gradient.
"This is the pride of our school, accomplished through the hard work of both our graduating students and those still attending it." His manner of speaking was captivating; he appeared completely composed, someone who held his position with pride and firmly believed in what he said.
"We expect the same with the new students…" His eyes flickered briefly towards the gate before returning to face the students.
"I hope you carry on this tradition. This school operates under the meritocratic philosophy. You are expected to demonstrate your capabilities and make the most of this rare opportunity."
'What a complete waste of time,' Toji thought, his gaze sweeping over his future classmates.
Nothing particularly noteworthy caught his eye, just two or three individuals who held his attention for a fleeting moment before he dismissed them. But his arrival hadn't gone unnoticed by everyone. Heads turned in his direction, some students staring with open mouths, others with puzzled expressions.
"Hey, hey, doesn't he look familiar to you?"
"I don't know, but he's so handsome!"
"No, I mean he looks really familiar." The hushed exchange between the two girls began to draw the attention of students nearby. Curious glances turned into open stares, a ripple of confusion and a strange sense of nostalgia spreading through the small crowd, as if they were catching a glimpse of a childhood icon.
"Idiot, you seriously don't recognize him?" one of them exclaimed, her eyes widening as recognition dawned. "That's Fushiguro Toji, you know, the model? Sakanoue Toji!"
'This is going to be noisy,' he thought with a sigh, casting one last glance at the stage where the Student Council President still stood. He turned on his heel, slinging his bag over his shoulder, and slipped out of the Auditorium.
Those students who recognised him seem to want to rush, but.
"He doesn't look friendly," his expression was that of indifference, he gave off a very unfriendly aura that seemed like he didn't want to get close to anyone.
…
The entrance ceremony, whether for elementary, junior high, or high school, invariably signifies the same thing: the dawn of a new chapter, the potential for a brighter future. It is the commencement of a path.
For students to truly flourish within the school environment, the forging of friendships is paramount, and the initial days following the entrance ceremony offer a crucial window for such connections.
This is the period when social structures begin to solidify. Students with shared interests naturally gravitate towards one another, forming initial bonds that may later branch into smaller, more specialized groups based on evolving interests or simply the deepening of camaraderie.
These weren't naive individuals driven by impulsive action. This marked the genesis of their new school lives, and the prospect of an early rebuff or outright rejection from someone like Toji carried the potential to stifle their social prospects from the outset. They don't want to make their social life dead?
Even beyond that concern, the thought of embarrassing themselves before the entire student body was a significant deterrent. All they could do is glance at each other and smile hopelessly. Given his late arrival something might have happened, worsening his mood.
So, while direct interaction with him felt impossible, conversation amongst themselves was not. A wave of excitement bubbled through them, fueled by anticipation for future romances and the overall school experience.
Toji might have physically left, but the buzz his presence created lingered in the air.
…
He strode towards one of the classrooms.
At the far end, a silver nameplate displayed "[Class-B]". Upon entering, he found 40 desks for the 40 students, neatly arranged.
Each student had a specifically assigned seat, making it easy for him to locate his own.
Indeed, it was at the back, near the window – the legendary protagonist seat.
'Again?' A frown creased his brow, though it wasn't visible outwardly. He scanned the students entering the class, noticing some were staring at him and the corner. There, another camera recorded every moment spent within the classroom.
He felt a prickly sensation, constantly under surveillance.
'Surprisingly, there are even more cameras in this school.' On his way to class, he'd noticed them in almost every corner and near each classroom, diligently recording everything.
It wasn't long before the other students filled the classroom. They seemed to be quickly getting acquainted, smiling and chatting about their plans for after class.
Trailing behind them was a group of girls, with a striking teenage girl at its center, seemingly the one drawing them together.
The word "pretty" fell far short of capturing her stunning appearance. She was simply beautiful. Her strawberry-blonde hair cascaded down her back, nearly reaching her waist, and her blue eyes sparkled.
Her chest seemed more developed than that of the other girls in their class, perhaps beyond what they had yet to achieve or ever would. She possessed an aura that naturally drew people in, a captivating presence that made anyone want to approach and befriend her.
Her gentle and alluring looks made it impossible for any boy to tear their gaze away. She appeared to be the kind of person who could effortlessly converse with anyone without the slightest hesitation, like an angel in everyone's eyes.
Except for Toji. Their eyes met, their gazes locked, and for a fleeting moment, the world seemed to stand still. Her attention was clearly fixed on him.
But the first to break eye contact was Toji. He turned his attention to the window, watching the students stream out of the auditorium, all buzzing with excitement.
"Ichinose-san? Is something the matter?" One of the girls asked, noticing Ichinose suddenly stop just inside the classroom.
Her eyes followed Ichinose's line of sight and landed on Toji, who was looking out the window.
The other girls also exchanged curious glances at Ichinose's unusual pause. Known for her cheerful demeanor just a moment ago, her sudden stillness was noticeable.
This was noticed by other classmates, as they looked at the beautiful girl before them with puzzled expression.
"Do you know him, Ichinose-san?" the girl asked a bit louder, by which time Ichinose seemed to have collected herself.
"No… nothing, Chihiro-chan," Ichinose replied, shaking her head slightly, a hint of fluster quickly masked. "Just surprised to see him. My little sister is a big fan." She explained quickly, her voice a touch a little weaker than usual, though not noticeably so.
"I know, right! I'm also a huge fan! I wonder if he'll give me his autograph," one of the other girls chimed in with a playful grin, glancing at Toji's silhouette by the window.
"Anyways, after the classes should we check around the campus?" Chihiro interrupted their conversation, as the topic diverted from their upcoming plan to the sudden appearance of an idol in their class.
The other girls seemed to catch Chihiro's subtle shift in topic. Having observed her before, they sensed a slight embarrassment at the thought of talking about him.
Sharing knowing smiles, the girls readily followed Chihiro's lead, shifting the conversation.
After a few moments of light chatter, Ichinose excused herself from the group with a warm nod and stepped confidently towards the front of the classroom.
Her presence naturally drew the attention of her classmates. While she appeared focused, the unmistakable gentleness in her eyes made her seem both earnest and inviting.
She easily pulled everyone's focus solely towards herself. Her expression was thoughtful, yet radiated a warmth and kindness that immediately put others at ease.
"Hi everyone!" she greeted, clapping her hands together lightly. Her voice, though soft, carried with surprising clarity, silencing the remaining conversations as all eyes turned to her.
"Now that we're all gathered as Class B, wouldn't it be great if we introduced ourselves? It's the perfect way to start becoming familiar faces and, hopefully, good friends!"
"I'll start!" she offered cheerfully, with a small, graceful bow "My name is Honami Ichinose. I truly hope we can all become great friends and enjoy our next three years here together!" Her smile widened. "Let's support each other and make it a memorable time!"
She made eye contact around the room, offering encouraging nods. "And truly, if anyone ever feels stuck, worried, or just needs a hand with something – anything at all – please feel comfortable coming to me."
"I genuinely want to help, and I'll always try my hardest for any classmate. No matter what it is, I promise I'll always do my very best to listen and help however I can."
Her words, delivered with such open-hearted enthusiasm, resonated deeply. It was clear her offer sprang from genuine kindness and a desire to build a supportive community within the class. She looked warmly at each student, and they, in turn, listened intently, a sense of welcome beginning to fill the classroom.
Almost immediately, taking the cue, one of the girls who had been talking with Ichinose earlier stood up. A bright, supportive smile was directed straight at Ichinose before she turned to address the class.
"My name is Mako Amikura! It's great to meet you all." Her energy was palpable; she seemed earnest and eager.
Her dark hair was pulled back neatly into a practical ponytail, framing a face that, while perhaps not as stunning as Ichinose's, was undeniably attractive and radiated cheerfulness. Yet, beneath the smile, her focused gaze hinted at a serious, determined nature.
She gave a crisp, courteous bow to her classmates before taking her seat again. A small ripple of applause came from Ichinose and the friends around her, which Mako acknowledged with another quick, bright smile.
"Um... I'm Chihiro Shiranami. Nice to meet you," she began, fidgeting slightly with the hem of her skirt. Her voice was initially soft, almost soothing, but as she looked around and saw warm, encouraging smiles directed her way, a visible wave of confidence settled over her.
Her own smile blossomed, bright and genuinely sweet, instantly endearing her to many. It was easy to see why her classmates seemed naturally drawn to her gentle presence. She gave a final, more assured nod before sitting down.
And so, one by one, the introductions continued, each offered with genuine eagerness.
With everyone having shared a little about themselves, a sense of camaraderie began to fill the room, setting a positive tone for whatever came next. They are good kids, While no one was obligated, the desire to connect was evident. All of them were more enthusiastic about this.
With these initial introductions out of the way, they could now move on to the main purpose of their gathering.
…
A/N: Hmm... Yeah, Anime and Novel/Managa has slight alterations, in Anime there are only 25 students in each class instead of 40, that's why the VIP Game is different name and less group in anime.
Also this novel is inspired by a lot of other works, you may find some similarities, I'll try to get creative but I have doubt it would be something crazy plot twists. It's isn't. I don't have such a talent. That's why I used Toji.
I'll try to have the original personality of all the cast members, that will slowly develop as the time goes but, there might be different development from the source material.
Cya, all of you... (≧▽≦)
Please Support this book, and give me power stones.