The moment Akashi and Kamishiro Ruri stepped through the school gate, they became the undeniable focal point of Ryonan High School.
For an instant, the bustling campus seemed to fall into an unnatural stillness.
Conversations faltered.
Steps slowed.
Countless gazes converged on the two figures walking calmly forward.
Akashi's short crimson hair gleamed like fire under the sunlight. His heterochromatic eyes were indifferent yet commanding, and his tall, straight posture carried a pressure that made people instinctively straighten their backs.
He didn't do anything special.
Yet he naturally exuded the presence of someone accustomed to standing above others.
Beside him, Kamishiro Ruri looked like she had stepped straight out of a painting.
Her long black hair swayed gently in the breeze, her amber eyes clear and warm. There was confidence in her elegance, and approachability within her grace.
Her presence alone seemed to soften the air around her.
Walking side by side, the two felt like figures from another world.
Without anyone realizing it, the crowd parted for them, forming a silent path.
Even club members who had been shouting at the top of their lungs moments ago subconsciously lowered their flyers and stepped aside.
Yet Akashi and Kamishiro Ruri paid no attention to the stares.
Their expressions remained calm.
Their pace unhurried.
They were already used to this.
At Seiyo Middle School, they had long been figures everyone looked up to.
This was merely a change of scenery.
Only after they disappeared into the flow of students did the campus slowly regain its noise.
"Damn it… why didn't I say anything just now?"
"I wanted to invite them, but my legs wouldn't move!"
"That red-haired guy—he's a freshman?!"
"Who is that girl? From today on, she's my ideal type."
The two arrived at the freshman registration area.
Sunlight poured in through the glass windows, casting a bright glow over them, as if the world itself had placed a spotlight upon their arrival.
They completed the procedures efficiently and received their class assignments.
By coincidence—or perhaps because of their outstanding academic records—
Both were assigned to Class 1, Grade 1.
"That's great," Kamishiro Ruri said happily, her eyes lighting up.
"We're in the same class, Akashi-kun."
Akashi paused briefly, then nodded. "That's good. We can look out for each other."
Together, they headed toward their classroom.
The moment they opened the door—
Silence.
The lively chatter inside the classroom died instantly.
Every head turned toward the entrance.
Someone froze mid-sentence.
Someone dropped their pen with a sharp clack.
Others unconsciously straightened their posture.
Akashi and Kamishiro Ruri stood quietly at the doorway.
Their presence alone seemed to lower the noise level of the entire room.
"Handsome…"
"She's beautiful…"
"So cute…"
Soft murmurs rippled through the classroom.
In that instant, it felt as though an invisible spark had ignited.
The boys' gazes gravitated toward Kamishiro Ruri.
Her gentle smile, her calm demeanor, and her natural grace struck straight at their hearts.
Meanwhile, the girls couldn't help but stare at Akashi.
His crimson hair, composed expression, and calm confidence made their heartbeats quicken.
He stood there like a solitary peak—
Distant, composed, and impossibly eye-catching.
But when they realized the two had entered together—
Something changed.
Envy surfaced.
Jealousy followed.
And in some corners of the classroom, a faint bitterness quietly took root.
"Why isn't someone like her sitting next to me…"
"Why is she walking in with him…"
Akashi and Kamishiro Ruri, naturally, noticed none of this.
Even if they had, they wouldn't have cared.
They had experienced such reactions countless times before.
The excitement of a new school year was always the same.
That day, there were no formal lessons—only brief self-introductions and free activity.
The classroom gradually grew lively again, with students forming small groups.
Only the corner where Akashi and Kamishiro Ruri sat retained an unspoken sense of distance.
"Akashi-kun…" Kamishiro Ruri spoke softly, a hint of anticipation in her tone.
"Do you want to walk around the school together later?"
Akashi shook his head lightly. "I'm going to sign up for the Basketball Club."
"Eh?" Her eyes widened slightly. "You're playing basketball again?"
When Akashi had left the Basketball Club a year ago, she had been deeply confused and regretful.
After all, it was on the court that she had first been drawn to him.
Akashi met her gaze calmly. "I never gave up. I just took a break."
Then he asked, "What about you? Have you decided on a club yet? Or will you continue with kendo?"
Kamishiro Ruri froze for a moment, then frowned slightly.
"I haven't decided…" she admitted quietly.
"I was in the Kendo Club all through middle school, but honestly, I'm tired of it."
She looked conflicted. "I want to try something new… but I don't know what."
Akashi watched her for a moment, then smiled faintly.
"Then take your time," he said gently. "There's no need to rush."
He turned toward the corridor, his gaze fixed ahead.
"I'm heading to the Basketball Club. Want to come?"
Kamishiro Ruri blinked, then let out a soft hum, her cheeks faintly warm.
"I don't have anything else planned anyway," she said, pretending to sound reluctant.
"Since you asked so sincerely, I'll go with you."
Side by side, they left the classroom.
Behind them, the room buzzed with conversation—
Yet nearly every pair of eyes followed them until they disappeared from sight.
Envy.
Jealousy.
Resentment.
A sour, lemon-like atmosphere quietly spread through Class 1, Grade 1.