Chihiro led Jun into what would be his new room.
It wasn't very big—small, simple, and cozy—but compared to what he'd expected from a mixed dorm, it was a pleasant surprise. No roommates. Just him. Perhaps it had been remodeled, or maybe the world had shifted slightly from the anime version he remembered. Either way, Jun was grateful. Privacy mattered.
He set his luggage down, ready to collapse onto the futon, but Chihiro had other plans.
"Come on. I'll show you around. There are rules you need to know," she said firmly, leaving no room for refusal.
Jun sighed inwardly but followed after her obediently.
The tour began with the infamous gallery—a hallway lined with an assortment of weapons hanging neatly on the walls. Wooden swords, kendo gear, and even a few suspiciously sharp items that looked far from "practice tools."
Jun already knew their purpose, having seen the anime before. They were deterrents. Warnings. The "ladies-only arsenal." Still, Chihiro went into painstaking detail explaining each one and why he should never, ever cross the invisible line of the girls' boundaries.
Jun nodded politely the whole time, smiling wryly. Got it, message received. No touching flags without consent.
Next was the common area. A wide hall that connected to the kitchen, with a dining space just beyond it. At one corner, however, stood something unusual—a simple room marked with banners reading "Silence Only."
Chihiro explained, "This space was designed by Sumiko-san for those who value quiet. If you disturb the peace here, the fine is one thousand Sakura points."
Jun froze at that, the corners of his mouth twitching. "One thousand Sakura? … Right. No shouting. Understood."
Chihiro smirked at his instant compliance.
Then, as if on cue, a soft tok… klonk… echoed nearby.
The sound startled Jun, and he slid open a side panel to find a small garden tucked against the dorm wall. At its corner stood a bamboo shishi-odoshi, its rhythmic knock adding a tranquil charm to the space. The room beyond was spare yet inviting—tatami mats, a low table with cushions, and nothing else. A refreshing emptiness that calmed the senses.
"I heard from Mina that you liked silence," Chihiro said, her tone softer now. "So I thought you'd appreciate a place like this."
Jun didn't answer right away. He simply let the moment wash over him, breathing in the serene atmosphere. Finally, he gave a small nod.
"…This is good."
Chihiro smiled faintly, satisfied. After a while, she excused herself, leaving Jun alone in the quiet.
He sat cross-legged, instinctively slipping into meditation. It was an old habit from his first life in India—yoga and breathing exercises that had carried him through decades of stress. Even now, after reincarnation, that discipline remained his anchor.
Slow breaths. Steady focus. The rhythm of life itself.
Most people never noticed how unevenly they breathed in daily life—how shallow habits accumulated into fatigue. But through meditation, by starting with rapid breaths and then slowing into deep inhalations, one could reset that rhythm. Blood circulated sharper, the brain cleared, and stress melted away.
Haaaah…
Jun exhaled. His body felt lighter.
And that's when he noticed it.
Someone else was in the room.
His eyes flickered open slightly, and he caught sight of a girl slipping in quietly, book in hand. She gave him a startled glance, but instead of saying anything, she simply sat down and opened her book, respecting the silence.
Jun's lips curved into a faint smile. So this must be one of the residents…
Fifteen minutes later, another person joined. Then another. One by one, people trickled into the quiet room, each pausing in mild surprise at the sight of a boy sitting in meditation. Yet none disturbed him.
By the time Jun finally shifted, more than an hour had passed. His legs ached, unused to long sittings in this younger body, but his mind felt refreshed.
As he opened his eyes fully, his gaze met that of the girl seated closest to him.
She looked about his age, with light brown hair falling softly around her face and warm eyes of a similar shade. She studied him with a calm, silent glint—neither shy nor overly curious, but as if quietly acknowledging him.
Jun blinked, slightly caught off guard. For a brief moment, neither spoke. The silence between them wasn't awkward—it was almost… natural.
"Hello…" Jun smiled softly, breaking the long stretch of silence.
The girl across from him blinked, then tilted her head in curiosity.
"Ohh… hello!" she replied brightly. "I was just wondering if you'd been asleep this whole time."
Her expression carried a childlike curiosity, though her words were far from ordinary.
"Were you training under some monk mentorship or something?" she asked, eyes sparkling with genuine interest.
Jun chuckled, shaking his head. "Not at all. I just… like meditating, that's all."
Now that he looked at her closely, recognition clicked instantly. The cheerful, wide-eyed face. The boundless energy even in her voice. This was unmistakably Misaki Kamiigusa.
And in person—she was even more dazzling than the anime had ever portrayed.
Just then—
[Target in Contact.]
[Name: Misaki Kamiigusa.]
[Favorability: 2.] [Status: Curious.]
The familiar translucent blue text flickered before his eyes.
There it is… the system.
His gaze flicked through the other notifications.
[Targets List.]
— Chihiro Sengoku. [Favorability: 22.]
[Targets in Vicinity.]
— Ritsu Kawai.
— Mayumi Nishikino.
— Ouka Shiunji.
— Seiha Shiunji.
— Kotono Shiunji.
Jun's breath caught for a moment. That list was far bigger than expected. Some of the names shouldn't even be living here. Which meant… the Favorability Gacha System wasn't just detecting this building—it was scanning the surrounding area.
That explained a lot.
"Oh, right!" Misaki suddenly clapped her hands together. "I'm Misaki, your senpai! You can call me Misaki-senpai!"
Her introduction came with her usual booming voice—one that instantly earned her a deadly glare from Sumiko-san across the room.
"…!" Misaki froze, slapped a hand over her mouth, and gave a sheepish laugh.
Jun covered his own grin with a polite bow. "Hello… Misaki-senpai." He intentionally spoke in a low voice, which made her grin from ear to ear.
In the next moment, she was already bouncing over, leaning on his shoulder. "So~ tell me, tell me! What's that strange sitting style of yours? You looked so cool!"
Before Jun could answer, another voice interjected smoothly.
"Alright, Misaki. Don't trouble the newcomer just yet."
Jun turned to see him—glasses, tall, composed. Jin Mitaka. Just as he remembered.
Misaki puffed her cheeks. "I wasn't bothering him! Right, Jun-kun?"
Jun only smiled faintly. He didn't mind Misaki's enthusiasm. In fact, her natural, carefree energy was refreshing.
Still, before she could get clingier, another voice cut in.
"Misaki. Don't disturb Jun."
Chihiro had returned, now in casual clothes instead of her usual work attire. For Jun, it was a strange but natural reminder—unlike the static anime versions he once knew, people here changed with the day.
"Chihiro-nee," Jun greeted her, still slightly surprised at her different look.
Chihiro gave a small nod, then her eyes shifted toward the corner. "Hmm? Ritsu, you were here all along. You really are quiet."
Jun followed her gaze.
There she was—the silent girl from before. Short brown hair that brushed her cheeks, violet-colored eyes that peeked just over the rim of her open book. She gave them a brief glance, nodded almost imperceptibly, then buried her face back into her reading.
Jun chuckled softly. Haha… that's unique. But cute.
The room settled again, filled with a blend of Misaki's bubbling energy, Jin's easy composure, Chihiro's calm presence, and Ritsu's quiet stillness.
"It's alright, right? Jun-kōhai…" Misaki leaned toward him stubbornly, refusing to let go.
It took a surprising amount of effort—and Jin's gentle persuasion—to finally calm her down. Only then did the introductions continue, and one by one, Jun noticed the subtle flicker of new entries being added to his Target List.
Along with that, his eyes naturally drifted to Chihiro-nee's favorability score. With hers already over twenty, a small icon lit up in his system menu, indicating that he now had the chance to draw two gacha spins. According to the system's description, saving up draws to use in bulk would increase the chance of higher rewards.
Still… two rolls aren't bad. With my luck, I should be able to get something decent even now. Maybe I'll try it tonight, Jun thought, the temptation gnawing at him.
For the moment, however, there were still people to get along with.
"Senpai," Jun turned to Misaki with a polite smile, "we can talk more later. For now, let's save it for another time."
Misaki pouted for a second, then brightened again. "Alright! But I'll take you as my model—you just need to sit still, okay?"
Jun chuckled. "Maybe the day after tomorrow. I'm honestly tired today."
"Okay!! But if you're still tired tomorrow, I'll massage you!" Misaki beamed, making Jun scratch his cheek with a wry smile.
"You sure know how to handle her, huh." Chihiro spoke from the side, watching their exchange with amusement.
"She's really carefree," Jun admitted. His gaze flicked toward Misaki, who had already bounded off to talk with Jin. "Maybe that's the secret behind her genius."
Chihiro laughed softly, agreeing.
Then she nudged him forward. "Come on. You should greet her too. That's your senior at school—Ritsu Kawai."
The silent girl finally set her book on her lap, her violet eyes glancing toward him briefly.
"Hello," she greeted softly.
"Hello, Kawai-senpai. My name is Jun Takihira. It's nice to meet you." Jun gave a polite bow. He deliberately kept his words formal; he knew from the anime that someone like Ritsu would likely shrink away if he acted too familiar right away.
Ritsu gave the faintest nod.
Jun searched for a topic, and then his gaze landed on the book she was holding.
"…Is that a Hirota-sensei novel?" he asked.
Her eyes widened a little.
"I really liked the first volume," Jun continued quickly. "But I didn't even realize the second was already out. Probably because of my exams…"
Ritsu blinked, then leaned forward slightly, her expression shifting for the first time since their meeting. "You… also like this?"
Her voice was soft, but there was a spark of genuine interest in it. For a brief moment, the distance between them closed—but then, realizing her own reaction, she quickly sat back, her face tinged red.
Jun smiled faintly. That surprised me…
"Yeah," he said easily. "I've always been an avid reader—novels, light novels, anything that catches my interest."
Ritsu's lips curved almost imperceptibly, and she returned to her book, though her posture wasn't quite as distant as before.