Chapter 3
The First Season Begins!
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Araki wiped the tears that streamed endlessly from his beautiful eyes.
"Father, Mother... May you both rest in peace." He whispered, kissing the family photo.
He placed the photo back on his study desk and hurried to bed, wanting to get enough sleep so he wouldn't oversleep the next day. Tomorrow was a very important day for him.
Tomorrow would be Araki's first day at Kuoh Academy. The academy had once been exclusively for girls, but that changed some time ago. Araki chose to attend Kuoh Academy because it was conveniently located near his home that left behind by his parents.
Araki turned off the lights in his room and lay down, staring at the ceiling as he pondered a promise he had made to a girl long ago.
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|•Flashback.•|
"You promise?" The girl asked, extending her little finger.
"I promise." Araki replied, linking his little with hers.
|•Flashback End.•|
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(Current Time)
Araki let out a long sigh before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep, seeking at least a semblance of peace in this cruel world.
(Timeskip)
A sliver of morning light pierced through the darkness of Araki's room, streaming in through the window. The chirping of birds echoed from outside his window. Araki woke up and saw that the clock showing 5:00 AM.
Araki quickly went to the bathroom to clean himself up. Afterward, he prepared breakfast for himself.
He then changed into his Kuoh Academy uniform and gazed at his reflection in the mirror. He was also wearing pitch-black sunglasses that completely covered his eyes, concealing what makes him unique than the others.
In the mirror before him, Araki saw a handsome young man with fair skin and pristine white hair. His face radiated pure happiness, untouched by sorrow, even though fate had dealt him profound pain. Though he had once fallen into a deep abyss of depression, he had miraculously risen again, leaving no trace of stress or sadness on his face.
Araki quickly packed his things and books into his black bag. Once he felt ready, he left the house and locked the door.
Araki's house was neither too big nor too small, and it didn't look luxurious or run-down. It appeared simple, yet it was incredibly comfortable for him to live in alone after losing the family he had loved so dearly.
The distance between Araki's house and Kuoh Academy wasn't particularly far, so he decided to walk. Along the way, he frequently encountered Kuoh Academy students who happened to be heading to school at the same time as him.
They always seemed to be walking with a friend by their side, chatting and laughing together—a truly heartwarming sight for Araki. Some even glanced at him with curious expressions, perhaps due to his unique appearance or the fact that he was walking alone. Who could say?
(Short Timeskip)
Upon arriving, Araki noticed that the gates of Kuoh Academy were wide open. Students, both male and female, were milling about—some strolling along the paths to enter the Academy grounds, others chatting with friends, and others still relaxing before classes began.
Araki walked slowly alone through the crowd of students. With each step, he could clearly hear the students whispering about him, but he didn't mind it at all and paid no serious attention to their comments.
"Hey, I've never seen him before. He looks so mysterious with those sunglasses on." One of the girls said, her face starting to flush.
"Maybe he's the new transfer student. He still looks handsome even with the glasses." Another girl added enthusiastically, gazing at Araki with heart-shaped eyes.
Araki continued walking, ignoring the comments directed at him. He strolled slowly, occasionally glancing around, only to find the reality far different from his expectations. Kuoh Academy turned out to be a vast and sprawling institution, no wonder it was the sole favored Academy in Kuoh City—truly astonishing.
Distracted by his divided attention, Araki completely lost track of where he was going, a mistake he would soon pay for. Unexpectedly, he suddenly collided with something incredibly soft and yielding, sending him sprawling backward in shock.
"Ouch!" Groaned the person he had bumped into.
Araki stumbled backward, landing heavily on his rear after colliding with someone. He quickly got back on his feet and helped the girl he had bumped into stand up.
"I apologize, miss. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." Araki said, bowing deeply to the girl in front of him.
"It's alright." The girl before him replied, her voice soft and gentle.
Araki looked up and saw a beautiful girl with long black hair tied back with an orange hair tie. Seeing her, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity, as if he had known her before, yet he couldn't recall ever meeting her.
"Ara... Ara... I don't think I've seen you around here before." The girl said, smiling gently at Araki.
"My apologies, miss. I'm the new transfer student here. My name is Kazuma Araki." Araki introduced himself with a smile.
The girl standing before Araki cupped her cheeks, gazing at him with undisguised fascination. Araki maintained his gentle smile, even as the male students nearby glared at him with murderous intent.
Who wouldn't feel envy and jealousy when the second most beautiful girl in Kuoh Academy was chatting with a random dude? The fact that she seemed so familiar with him only intensified the envy and jealousy among all the male students who witnessed it.
The same held true for the female students who noticed Akeno's closeness with a white-haired young man they had never seen before. They even felt a twinge of envy toward Akeno, who always seemed to effortlessly attract handsome guy, thanks to her angelic beauty and captivating figure.
"Ara, ara. You look quite amusing, especially with those sunglasses on. My name is Himejima Akeno." Akeno said with a soft giggle, her cheeks flushing slightly as she cupped them with her hands.
Araki smiled faintly as he gazed at the girl before him. Not only was she beautiful, but this black-haired girl also seemed incredibly intriguing. However, he had no time to linger and chat with Akeno; there was still something important he needed to resolve immediately. Not wanting to waste any more time, he decided to finish his business first.
"Akeno-san, I'm sorry, but I need to go find my class." Araki said, bowing slightly to Akeno.
"Would you like me to show you the way?" Akeno asked kindly, her gentle smile still gracing her beautiful face.
"There's no need to trouble yourself, Akeno-san. I can find it on my own." Araki replied politely, gently declining her offer.
"Alright." Akeno replied softly, a hint of disappointment flickering across her face.
Araki, however, remained completely oblivious to Akeno's feelings. He didn't want to trouble her, especially since class was about to start. It would be a problem if she were late because she had escorted him to the Student Council building.
Akeno stood frozen, her expression downcast, leaving Araki puzzled about what was troubling her. He slowly waved his right hand in front of her face to snap her out of her reverie.
"Akeno-san, are you alright?" Araki asked, his voice filled with concern as he stared intently at her face.
"I-I'm fine." Akeno stammered, feeling flustered under Araki's intense gaze.
Even though he wore a black sunglasses that concealed his eyes, she still blushed whenever Araki looked at him, especially when the gaze lingered at her, it making her heart pound.
"Alright, Akeno-san. I'm off now." Araki waved goodbye to Akeno before continuing his journey toward the Kuoh Academy Student Council building.
Akeno watched Araki's retreating back, her eyes filled with fascination and her cheeks beginning to flush. In her heart, she felt as though she had seen him before, perhaps even been close to him, but for some reason, she couldn't recall any specific memories. It was truly strange...
"Such a handsome and amusing young man. Truly captivating..." Akeno murmured, licking her lips as a blush crept across her cheeks.
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Araki continued walking around Kuoh Academy, searching for the location of the Building, until he finally encountered two black-haired girls standing not far ahead.
"I've never seen you here before. What business brings you here? You look strange." The girl with long black hair asked, her voice flat and cold.
The girl with long black hair was staring at him with such a sharp gaze that Araki felt a twinge of fear. She had a beautiful face, framed by blue-tinted glasses. Though her expression was intimidating, it couldn't conceal her striking beauty.
Araki glanced back and forth between the two girls before bowing deeply to them. He quickly introduced himself to avoid any misunderstandings.
"I apologize for any inconvenience I may have caused. My name is Kazuma Araki, and I'm a new student at this academy." Araki said, introducing himself with utmost politeness.
"Ohh... So you're the transfer student we've been expecting." One of the girls replied warmly, though her voice remained somewhat flat.
The girl who had just responded to Araki was a short-haired beauty with jet-black hair. Unlike the other girl, she wore a friendly expression, a faint smile playing on her lips. Her red-rimmed glasses further accentuated her striking features.
Araki looked up again and smiled at the two black-haired girls standing before him. Meanwhile, the girls raised their eyebrows slightly, realizing that the white-haired young man before them was no ordinary human.
"That was me." Araki replied warmly, flashing a wide smile at the two girls before him.
"My apologies, we haven't introduced ourselves yet. I'm Souna Shitori, the Student Council President. And this is Tsubaki Shinra, the Student Council Vice President." Souna said politely, introducing herself and the girl beside her to Araki.
"Ohh, so you're Miss Shitori and Miss Shinra. What a coincidence, I was just looking for you to submit my Academy admission documents and pick up my student ID." Araki replied, handing the documents he had brought to Souna and Tsubaki.
Souna and Tsubaki smiled faintly at him as Araki handed them the white document. Souna accepted it and glanced briefly at the paper she now held in both hands.
"Please follow me." Souna said politely, gesturing for Araki to follow her.
Araki followed Souna and Tsubaki, walking behind them and began to observe his surroundings with awe. Everything was meticulously organized, with not a single speck of dust or trash on the floor—truly astonishing.
He also noticed female students bowing deeply whenever they passed Souna and Tsubaki, indicating their significant status within the Academy.
Araki was led to a room inside a fairly large building. The interior was decorated in a classic European style, with a wooden table and chairs positioned in one corner.
Souna sat at the wooden table in the corner, appearing to retrieve a document from the drawer before handing it to Araki.
"This contains all the data for you and your class." Souna said, handing Araki a brownish-white document.
Araki accepted the document with a wide smile, bowing again to thank Souna and Tsubaki for their assistance.
"Thank you, Miss Shitori and Miss Shinra." Araki said warmly, his gentle smile never wavering as he looked at both of them.
Souna and Tsubaki nodded slowly. Meanwhile, Araki lowered his gaze to read the documents he was holding.
A gentle smile spread across Souna and Tsubaki's faces as they realized Araki seemed remarkably different from the male students at the Academy, who were notorious for their perverted behavior.
Even Souna found herself slightly curious about the sunglasses Araki wore. Why did he wear them, and what was he hiding behind them? She was intensely curious, but she couldn't bring herself to ask him directly.
Araki quickly opened the document to read it. Unexpectedly, he suddenly turned his back to Souna and Tsubaki, immediately intensifying the two girls' curiosity.
It didn't take long for Araki to turn back again and looking at both of them.
"Thank you for everything. I'll be going now." Araki waved goodbye to Souna and Tsubaki as he prepared to leave the room.
"Alright." They replied in unison, each raising their right hand to wave back.
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Araki left the Student Council room and walked down the corridor to find his class, stopping when he saw the sign that read "2-B."
He stood outside the classroom, waiting for sensei to invite him in. As a new student, he knew he would have to introduce himself first and hoped everything would go smoothly.
"Come in!" A voice called from inside the classroom, beckoning him to enter.
Hearing this, Araki took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. He then opened the classroom door and stepped inside with measured steps.
As he stepped in front of the classroom, he overheard some students talking about him. Some hurled insults, while others praised him.
"Guys, my name is Kazuma Araki. I'm new to this Academy. I hope we can all get along well!" Araki announced loudly, flashing a wide smile on his handsome face.
"Hey, buddy! Why are you wearing sunglasses? Can you even see through it?" One of the male students asked.
Hearing the young man's question, Araki turned to him with a wide smile still plastered on his face.
It was indeed an excellent question. Araki was well aware that his appearance was both striking and puzzling, but he couldn't answer it. There was a secret he couldn't reveal to anyone.
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't ask about that." Araki replied amiably, immediately irritating him. However, the young man decided not to press the matter further.
"Alright, everyone. Araki, you can sit next to Issei." Sensei said warmly, smiling at Araki.
"Understood, Sensei." Araki bowed respectfully to sensei before slowly walking toward a seat next to a brown-haired young man.
Araki flashed a friendly smile at the brown-haired young man beside him before settling into the empty seat conveniently located right next to him.
"Hey, buddy. My name is Hyodou Issei." He said warmly, extending his right hand to Araki.
"Oh, hello, Issei. I'm Kazuma Araki. I hope we can be good friends." Araki replied just as warmly, shaking Issei's hand.
"No! He's going to brainwash Araki!" A girl shouted from the crowd watching them shake hands.
"Damn you, Issei!" Another girl cursed, her voice dripping with annoyance, convinced he was trying to corrupt his mind.
"Yeah, Araki!" Issei replied enthusiastically, a wide grin spreading across his face.
Araki nodded slightly at Issei before turning his attention forward to sensei, who was explaining the lesson. Although he had noticed a strange grin on Issei's face earlier, he didn't harbor any suspicion toward him.
His first day at Kuoh Academy had gone smoothly, and he hoped everything would continue to go well until he graduated with pride and happiness.
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