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Staring at the messages on his phone—those intensely determined "papaya declarations" from Kasugano Sora—Lucian couldn't help the twitch at the corner of his lips.
Seriously… she's only in sixth grade. What kind of nonsense is she getting into?
He sighed inwardly, then quickly typed a reply:You're still growing. Just drink more milk. Papaya is way too early for you. I'll deal with you when I get home tonight.
He had barely hit send when a faint, cool fragrance drifted over from beside him.
"Teacher Lucian…"
His hand paused. He turned his head.
Yukino Yukinoshita was sitting next to him, slightly angled his way. Her stunning face was calm, almost expressionless.
"During class, the homeroom teacher is openly playing with his phone in the back row," she said in a low voice. "Do you think that sets a good example for your students, Teacher?"
Huh?
He blinked, then gave a small cough, raising his phone slightly. "Sorry, sorry. Message from my little sister. Just calming her down."
"Don't worry, I'll pay attention now. You're doing a great job supervising me, Yukinoshita."
At the word sister, an image flashed through Yukino's mind—the little girl from this morning with the elementary school backpack, glaring at her with open hostility.
Ah… that brother-obsessed one.
She gave a soft "hmph," turned her gaze away, and looked back toward the front.
Just then, the teacher at the podium, Yamanaka Sawako, finished her explanation.
"Alright, everyone. The beauty of music isn't just in listening—it's in experiencing and creating it yourselves."
She stood gracefully and gestured toward the row of pianos at the back of the tiered classroom.
"Our school has excellent facilities. Now it's practice time. Pair up—two people per piano—and get familiar with the keys and the basic chords I just taught."
The quiet classroom instantly came alive.
Students got up, calling out to friends, chatting as they moved toward the pianos in groups.
But for Yukino, this kind of "social grouping" situation was… awkward.
As the well-known "ice queen" of Class 1-B, her cold aura and overwhelming excellence had left her with virtually no friends. The girls kept their distance, forming circles she was never part of.
While everyone else found partners, Yukino remained seated alone.
Her slender fingers absently traced the barrel of her pen. Her long lashes lowered, hiding the faintest trace of loneliness in her eyes.
Still, she was used to it. Practicing alone was quieter anyway.
Just as she was about to stand and head for the last piano in the corner—
A tall figure stepped in front of her, completely naturally.
"Looks like we're the two left behind," Lucian said lightly, waving the evaluation sheet in his hand. "If you don't mind, want to team up? I'd like to hear you play up close."
Yukino paused, slightly startled.
She looked up and met his eyes—deep, calm, and oddly reassuring.
"Well, since you insist…" she said, turning her gaze aside, her tone stiff as she hid the small flicker of satisfaction inside. "I suppose I can reluctantly guide you, Teacher."
They walked together to a piano in the corner and were just about to sit—
"Hey, hold on."
A voice abruptly cut in.
Hiratsuka Shizuka looked at Yukino and offered, what she clearly thought was, a thoughtful suggestion.
"Yukinoshita, you don't really have many friends, right? How about I call Natsumi over to pair with you? She's a bit energetic, but she's nice. It'd be good for you to interact more. As for Lucian, he can go work on evaluations."
Hearing her name, a girl not far away—standing beside Mouri Ran—immediately raised her hand excitedly.
"Sure, sure! Teacher Shizuka, I'd love to play piano with the beautiful Yukinoshita!"
Yukino's brows knit almost imperceptibly.
Putting aside the fact that this transfer student had already "stolen" her class representative position this morning…
More importantly—if that girl came over, Lucian would have to leave.
And compared to that noisy, unpredictable newcomer…
Deep down, Yukino realized something.
She'd rather stay with him.
"Thank you for your concern, Teacher Hiratsuka, but that won't be necessary."
She shook her head decisively, her reasoning perfectly proper.
"I'm not used to being around overly noisy people. It interferes with my perception of music. Since Teacher Lucian is the homeroom teacher, pairing with him while he supervises my practice is quite appropriate."
Shizuka blinked, caught off guard, then scratched her head helplessly. "Alright, alright. I really don't get you top students. Do whatever you want."
In the distance, Natsumi clutched her chest in mock heartbreak.
With that little interruption gone, Lucian and Yukino finally sat side by side on the piano bench.
It wasn't large to begin with, so the distance between them was… very close.
Yukino could clearly feel the warmth from his arm.
The closeness instantly brought back memories of last night. The embarrassment she had barely suppressed surged up again, and even her breathing became slightly uneven.
"Go ahead, Yukinoshita. Let me see your level."
"Watch carefully."
She took a deep breath, forcing those distracting thoughts away.
As the second daughter of the Yukinoshita family, raised with elite education, piano was practically second nature to her.
She raised her hands—slender, pale, almost like works of art—and gently placed them on the keys.
The next second, fluid, lively notes flowed from her fingertips like a mountain spring.
She wasn't playing the simple chords from class.
Instead, it was a demanding, emotionally rich classical piece—
Moonlight Sonata.
Her back was straight, eyes lightly closed, as if she had become one with the piano.
Her long black hair swayed softly with her movement, giving off an air of cold elegance and distant beauty that was almost intoxicating.
When the piece ended—
A few nearby students couldn't help but murmur in admiration.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Lucian applauded gently.
Not out of politeness—her performance had been flawless. Technique, emotion, control… all impeccable.
"Outstanding. That's not something you master overnight."
He turned slightly, looking at the girl beside him, whose eyes still shimmered faintly from the performance. A teasing smile tugged at his lips as he lowered his voice.
"Top of the class, beautiful, and a perfect pianist too. Yukinoshita, you're basically a maxed-out heroine."
A flicker of pride flashed in Yukino's eyes—
But then he sighed deliberately.
"Honestly, as a new teacher, having to deal with a genius like you right away… feels like I'm at a disadvantage."
"…You're not at a disadvantage," Yukino said.
She lifted her pale chin slightly. Her voice trembled just a bit, but her tone was firm.
"Besides everything you just listed…"
"I'm also very cute."
"…."
That flawless, utterly Yukino-style self-praise left Lucian completely frozen.
"…Pfft."
He finally broke, laughing out loud.
Seeing the embarrassment and irritation rising in her eyes, he nodded seriously.
"Yeah. You're right. Yukinoshita isn't just perfect…"
"…you're illegally cute."
"....."