Chapter 352: Shirayanagi Ayaha |
September 3rd, Thursday.
Over the past two days, the students in First-Year Class A had been discussing the recent exam, but their most frequent topic of conversation was the two remaining transfer students.
After all, it was already the third day of the school year and no one had caught even a glimpse of them, which naturally sparked intense curiosity.
However, this curiosity did not have time to ferment into wild rumors. Right at the start of the morning homeroom period before the first class, homeroom teacher Fujiwara Risa walked into the classroom leading two girls already dressed in the Segawa Private Academy school uniform.
The previously noisy classroom fell into complete silence in an instant.
Fujiwara Risa stood at the podium with a smile and looked at the two transfer students. "Shirayanagi, Chiyo, everyone has been looking forward to meeting you since the first day of school. Go ahead and introduce yourselves to the class."
From the moment she stepped through the door and her gaze found Hoshino Gen sitting in the front row by the window, Shirayanagi Ayaha had not looked away.
It had been over a year since they last saw each other, and he had changed so much. His hair was slightly longer than before, he had grown quite a bit taller, and his facial features seemed sharper and more defined. The most obvious trait, however, was his pair of heterochromic eyes, which still flickered with that same irresistible, mysterious luster.
—The intense, freezing indifference he used to carry had faded considerably.
He spotted her as well, and a flicker of surprise broke through his usual emotionless, cold expression.
Shirayanagi Ayaha clasped her hands behind her back and held his gaze. Then, the corners of her lips curled up into a radiant smile, and she silently mouthed the words to him, "I'm back."
Inside the high school classroom in late summer and early autumn, there was not a hint of the approaching dreary autumn gloom. The moment the pretty girl standing there smiled, it almost made people feel as if time had flowed backward, returning to a spring day with a cherry blossom rain.
In terms of physical attractiveness, Chiyo Uzuki, with her flashy dyed pink hair, did not lose out much to Shirayanagi Ayaha. Yet at this moment, the vast majority of the eyes in the classroom were entirely captivated by Shirayanagi Ayaha.
Shirayanagi Ayaha and Chiyo Uzuki were two completely different types of girls. Although both were beautiful, Chiyo Uzuki carried a certain rebellious air, giving off the impression of a tough, unapproachable social beauty who would be hard to deal with.
Shirayanagi Ayaha, on the other hand, was the kind of girl who looked incredibly pure and was bursting with maidenly charm. Just looking at her naturally made people think of a bustling schoolyard, skies filled with cherry blossoms, and the pure and ardent first love of one's youth.
This aura was an absolute lethal weapon against men of all ages.
This was especially true right now, as she flashed a bright, radiant smile, making no attempt to hide her feelings while gazing at a certain someone.
Quite a few boys were already staring at Shirayanagi Ayaha in a complete daze. Perhaps they were already lost in fantasy, imagining a future where they got to know this transfer student and fell deeply in love with her...
Scratch, scratch—
The sound of chalk scraping against the blackboard snapped everyone out of their daze. It was then that they noticed the pink-haired transfer student—who was also beautiful but looked like a tough delinquent—writing something on the board.
"Chiyo Uzuki"
Having written down her name, Chiyo Uzuki tossed the chalk back into the box. Without uttering a single syllable, she acted as if no one else was in the room and headed straight for the back seats of the classroom, finding an empty desk to sit down at.
She completely ignored everyone's reactions. Actually, she had wanted to wave and say hello to Hoshino Gen, but when she glanced over, she found that the guy was no different from the other boys, staring blankly at that frail-looking girl.
Noticing that Chiyo Uzuki had already gone down and found an empty seat, Shirayanagi Ayaha finally withdrew her gaze. She picked up a piece of chalk from the podium and neatly wrote her own name on the blackboard.
"My name is Shirayanagi Ayaha." Her voice was beautiful, possessing a refreshing quality akin to a feather gently brushing against a cheek or a light breeze rustling through leaves.
She spoke with a warm smile. Even though it lacked the devastating power of her earlier, luminous expression that had tugged at everyone's heartstrings, it still made her incredibly likable. "I was born in New York, America, and grew up in Tokyo. Because of an illness, I spent a year and a half recovering in Italy, starting in December of the year before last."
"Due to my health issues, I cannot participate in any strenuous physical activities, so I hope to rely on everyone's care and support going forward."
"As I just mentioned, my constitution isn't the best, making me poorly suited for physical exertion. However, because of this, I have been able to focus quite a bit on my studies. You are all more than welcome to come discuss academic problems with me."
With that, she looked at Fujiwara Risa, signaling that she had finished her introduction.
Applause broke out from the desks. Fujiwara Risa looked at Shirayanagi Ayaha with immense relief and gratification. Three transfer students had joined the class this new semester; one had merely stated her name for an introduction, and another had simply written it on the board and called it a day.
Now she finally had a well-behaved, good student!
Fujiwara Risa gestured for her to find an empty seat as well, then addressed the class. "You all heard what Shirayanagi just said about her fragile health, so please be extra mindful of her from now on."
"Alright, let us begin today's morning homeroom."
...
"This is bad, Yu-chan. I'm afraid that transfer student came here specifically for Hoshino!"
During the break time after morning homeroom, the classroom was as noisy as ever. Shirayanagi Ayaha's desk was tightly surrounded by several girls, while a few boys goofed off and shouted nearby, likely trying to attract her attention.
Suzuki Sawami rushed over to Shimizu Yu's desk, and her very first sentence made Shimizu Yu's mouth twitch uncontrollably.
But Suzuki Sawami did not care and kept talking. "Did you see the way she looked at Hoshino when she walked in? Her eyes were practically glued to him!"
"Of course, it's not like there are only one or two girls in the school who covet that guy, but that's exactly the problem! When have you ever seen Hoshino space out and stare at another girl like that?"
"I bet this transfer student fits perfectly into Hoshino's strike zone!"
"This is really bad, Yu-chan. You were already at a disadvantage competing against Sasaki. If you add a transfer student to the mix, you really won't have a chance! Sigh—you really should just give up, Yu-chan. There's no need to hang yourself on one tree. As it happens, there are a few handsome men in our school's Outdoor Adventure Club. Who knows, tomorrow's expedition might just turn into a mixer—"
"What in the world are you talking about!" Shimizu Yu interrupted her increasingly ridiculous rambling. She rolled her eyes and muttered, "I have no idea what you're saying..."
Before she could even finish her sentence, the atmosphere in the classroom suddenly became restless. She turned her head, only to see the transfer student—the one her best friend claimed came specifically for Hoshino—actually leaving her seat and walking straight toward Hoshino Gen...