Yoichi closed his literature textbook with a quiet thud, his shoulders sagging with relief. The lesson on classical Japanese literature had dragged on with excruciating slowness, the teacher's monotonous voice nearly lulling him to sleep twice.
He packed his notebook and pencil—Nino's ugly, chewed-up pencil—into his bag. His plan was simple: locate the most isolated spot on campus and enjoy forty-five blessed minutes without human contact. The rooftop seemed promising, assuming he could find access.
Nino had already transformed. Gone was the girl who'd spent the entire morning lesson shooting irritated glances over her shoulder whenever Yoichi's desk creaked. In her place sat a social butterfly, laughing and tossing her long pink hair as she held court among a circle of fashionable girls who fluttered around her desk like tropical birds around a feeder.
"Did you see that new Chanel bag?" one girl asked, leaning forward conspiratorially.
"Of course," Nino replied, her voice light and musical when not directed at him. "I already ordered one. The waiting list is ridiculous, but Father knows someone at corporate."
Yoichi stood, slinging his bag over his shoulder. Nino's eyes flickered briefly toward him before she pointedly returned her attention to her friends, laughing at something with a deliberate brightness that didn't reach her eyes.
Almost there, he thought as he neared the door. Freedom was just steps away.
"Hey, Tanigawa-san!" A male voice broke through his escape plan. "You're from Osaka, right? Is it true the takoyaki there is way better than Tokyo's?"
Yoichi turned slowly to find two guys from class standing nearby, curious grins on their faces. One was tall and lanky with glasses, the other shorter with an athlete's build.
"Yes," he answered simply, his hand still on the door.
"I heard Osaka people are really funny," the shorter one continued, undeterred by Yoichi's brevity. "Can you do some Kansai dialect for us?"
Before Yoichi could respond with a firm negative, the floodgates opened. A group of girls, who had been watching and whispering since he stood up, surged forward in a coordinated attack.
"Wow, Tanigawa-kun, you're so tall! Do you play basketball?" asked a girl with a bouncy ponytail.
"Your eyes are so intense! Are they gray or blue?" another girl with glasses murmured, leaning uncomfortably close.
"Did you leave a girlfriend behind in Osaka?" A third girl appeared at his side, batting her eyelashes. "You must have, right? Someone as handsome as you couldn't be single."
Yoichi's expression didn't change. He leaned back slightly, creating distance without being obvious about it.
"No," he answered the first question.
"Gray," to the second.
A pause.
"None of your business," to the third.
Rather than being offended, the girls exchanged excited glances. His disinterest only seemed to intrigue them more.
"What club are you joining? The kendo team could use someone with your height," offered the athletic boy from earlier.
"You should totally join the music club! Can you play anything?" The ponytail girl touched his arm lightly.
"Do you want to have lunch with us?" Another girl pushed forward, clutching a pink bento box. "We saved a spot at our table in the cafeteria!"
Yoichi's expression remained unchanged, but his posture shifted subtly. He leaned back against the doorframe, arms crossing over his chest.
"Maybe another time," he said, his voice flat.
From her throne across the room, Nino watched the scene unfold with growing irritation. Her perfectly manicured nails tapped against her desk in an impatient rhythm. Her entourage had gone suspiciously quiet, their attention drawn to the commotion around the new guy.
"What's his deal anyway?" one of her friends whispered, eyes fixed on Yoichi. "He's kinda scary, but in a hot way."
"Did you really walk to school with him this morning, Nino-chan?" another asked.
"He's staying with us temporarily," Nino muttered, her voice tight with annoyance. "Father's orders."
"Wait, he's living with you?" The girl's eyes widened. "Like, in your house?"
"It's not a big deal," Nino snapped, louder than she intended. A few heads turned her way, including Yoichi's.
Something shifted in the classroom atmosphere. The chatter died suddenly, replaced by a strange, anticipatory silence. Students who had been lounging casually against desks straightened their postures. The girls surrounding Yoichi took small steps backward, creating a pathway to the door.
She appeared in the doorway like an apparition—tall, elegant, with long dark purple hair that cascaded down her back in a perfect waterfall. Her uniform was immaculate, each pleat of her skirt sharp enough to cut paper. The thigh-high stockings with their visible, elegant garter belts completed the picture of controlled rebellion.
Takane Takamine had arrived.
Yoichi's gaze sharpened immediately, his boredom vanishing. He straightened almost imperceptibly, his muscles tensing as if preparing for combat.
Ah. So this is the real queen of the castle.
Takane glided into the classroom,. The students parted before her without being asked, a sea dividing before its rightful ruler. She moved directly toward Yoichi, ignoring the cluster of students around him as if they were invisible.
She stopped precisely three feet from him, ruby-red eyes assessing him.
"Tanigawa Yoichi-kun, correct? I am the Student Council President, Takamine Takane."
She didn't offer her hand to shake.
"As it is my duty to ensure all new students feel welcome at our prestigious academy, I would be absolutely delighted to give you a personal tour of the campus during the lunch period."
Her smile widened a fraction. "If you would be so kind as to join me?"
Yoichi uncrossed his arms slowly, pushing himself away from the doorframe. Standing at his full height, he towered over even Takane, who was unusually tall for a Japanese girl. His face revealed nothing as he gave a small, almost imperceptible nod.
"Sure. Lead the way, President."
As they walked out together, the whispers erupted behind them like a dam breaking. Nino's face was frozen in a mixture of shock and outrage, her butterfly ribbons quivering with indignation.
The hallway outside was flooded with sunlight from the large windows. Takane walked slightly ahead. Other students pressed themselves against the walls as they passed, bowing their heads respectfully to the President.
"Our academy is divided into distinct areas," Takane began. "We are currently in the Old Guard Quad, which houses the humanities classrooms and administration offices."
They passed the Grand Library, its massive wooden doors standing open to reveal stained glass windows and rows of bookshelves.
"A mid-year transfer to Kosei is quite rare," Takane remarked as they walked. "Your family must be very influential to have arranged such a thing."
Who are you and where does your money come from?
"My father is... in the medical field," Yoichi replied, deliberately vague. "He felt this school offered the best opportunities."
I'm giving you nothing.
They reached the Bridge, an elevated glass walkway connecting the old building to the sleek, modern tower of the Innovation Hub. Sunlight streamed through the transparent walls and ceiling, casting rainbow patterns across the marble floor.
"Our STEM facilities are second to none in Japan," Takane continued, gesturing toward the glass and steel structure ahead. "Many of our graduates go on to Tokyo University."
She paused, turning to face Yoichi. "You seem to have already made quite an impression on Nakano-san. She can be... territorial. You must be special to have earned her attention so quickly."
I saw you with Nino. What's your relationship there?
"She's just being a good roommate," Yoichi replied, his tone neutral. "Making sure the new guy doesn't get lost."
I'm deliberately downplaying it because I know it will annoy both of you.
Takane's eye twitched. "Roommate? How fascinating. I wasn't aware the Nakano family had opened their home to... guests."
They continued across the Bridge. Below them, students milled about in the Central Courtyard, many looking up as they passed. Yoichi noticed how they pointed and whispered.
"Damn, the new guy gets a private tour with President Takamine? On his first day?" A boy's voice drifted up from below.
"She's one of the 'Four Great Beauties'... first he's walking to school with Nino Nakano, now he's with Takamine... Who IS this guy?!"
Takane led him through the Innovation Hub, pointing out state-of-the-art laboratories and computer rooms. Her commentary remained professional and informative, but her questions grew increasingly pointed.
"What are your academic strengths, Tanigawa-kun? Our school values excellence above all else."
"Whatever interests me at the moment," he replied.
"And what clubs do you plan to join? Participation is mandatory, of course."
"Haven't decided."
"Perhaps the Student Council could use someone with your... unique background."
Yoichi almost smiled at that. "I'm not much for politics."
They made their way across campus, past the dojo where students in white uniforms practiced kendo strikes, past the Arts Annex with its paint-splattered windows. Takane maintained her tour guide persona flawlessly, but Yoichi caught the calculation in her eyes each time she glanced at him.
As they completed their circuit, returning to the main building just as the warning bell chimed, Takane stopped and turned to face him fully.
"I believe in knowing every aspect of my school, Tanigawa-kun."
She stepped closer, her voice dropping to ensure only he could hear her next words.
"You are an unknown variable in my carefully balanced equation. I don't like variables I cannot control."
Yoichi met her gaze without flinching. "Not everything can be controlled, President."
"We'll see about that." Her perfect smile returned as she raised her voice to normal levels again. "I'll be watching you, Tanigawa-kun. I expect great things from you."
She turned and walked away, her long purple hair swaying with each step. Students parted for her automatically, many bowing their heads as she passed.
Yoichi stood still for a moment, watching her retreat. His face revealed nothing, but his mind was racing, re-evaluating the battlefield he'd found himself on.
Nino might be a pain, but she was ultimately just a spoiled girl playing at power. Takane Takamine was something else entirely.
What a fucking drag.