The morning air waas still chilly.
A view so different from what I used to wake up to, filled my heart with something I couldn't actually describe.
The very story, I used to read in my adoloscent years, was all alive before me.
And the character I am in is Yamuchi Haruki.
Someone who is going to be expelled from the class in a few weeks.
A real joke.....that to on me.
Instead of brooding over thoughts, I cleared up my mind, and went with the flow, on my way to the very same class 1C.
Yamauchi's memory had integrated with mine, so it wasn't difficult finding the class.
I stood in front of it, a surreal amount of emotions, flashing through.
Yet, it was refreshing.
I got inside the class, to witness the very characters, I read about so many times.
"Morning, Haruki."
A push on my back, as I quickly realized whose voice it was.
"Morning."
I turned and returned the gretting, trying not to be as awkward as possible.
Ken Sudo, the red haired, young boy, and a member of the 3 idiots of the class .
"What is it man, you look down?", Sudo expressed his cocern over my lack of enthusiasm.
"Nothing, just been gaming all night. I feel sleepy.", I replied, as if the answers coming all naturally to me.
"Oh...alright. Don't fall asleep in the class, man. You know why right?", he told, subtly implying the nature of this school.
Yeah. This is the ANHS, a school built on a merit system, to push students to their absolute best, to produce valuable personalities for the society.
"Don't worry, Ken. I won't. Where is Kanji?", I asked in a casual manner, about Ike Kanji, the other member of the 3 idiots.
"He caught cold yesterday, might take leave today, I think."
"Oh....okay."
Then, he went and sat on his seat, and so did I, just in front of the seat next to the back door.
I was able to talk with him casually, thanks to the memory of Yamauchi, but this is too absurd.
This feels too real to be a dream.
Honestly, I was hoping it not to be a draam too, but now that I am slowly realizing that this place might not be a dream, I have no idea what to do.
There was Hirata, Horikita, Kushida, Shinohara, Hondou, Sakura, Koenji, all sitting in their seats.
There was Chabashira sensei, teaching some chapter of Japanese history.
And, there was the protagonist of this story, Ayanokoji, with the detached look on his face.
It was truly surreal, but it was the reality, as it was now truly sinking down in my bones.
The class went on and on. I listened to it all, the lesson, the usual chatter of students between classes.
Bliss.
That's what I would name the emotion I felt at that moment.
A strange desire welled up inside me.
"I want to spend a little more time here."
A simple longing to look at the characters I admired for so long.
The Yamauchi in the story had just a few days to be expelled from the school.
But, not this time.
I know how the story goes, how Yamauchi gets manipulated by Sakayanagi, and gets trapped set up by herself.
Yeah, that's not happening.
May be this is God's compensation to me for all the hardships I had to live through.
The bell rang, signaling the end of the period. Chabashira-sensei gathered her materials, her sharp eyes scanning the room with that usual look of cold indifference.
"Haruki! Lunch?" Sudo called out, slamming his notebook shut.
"Go on ahead," I said, giving him a small smile that felt slightly foreign on Yamauchi's face.
"I have something to do."
Sudo shrugged and walked off, leaving me alone in the bustling classroom. I took a deep breath.
The current event going on is the Ichinose rumor campaign.
I need to use this event fully to my own benefit, in order to establish connections outside this class.
Yamacuhi only got expelled cause he formed alliance with an enemy class, that to with Sakayanagi.
If I simply avoid making any contact or plan with her, I would be on relatively safer side, for now.
So, this event was like a bonus for me, if I use this correctly.
And one memory, in particular, of Yamauchi's memory came to mind.
At first, at the starting of first year, Yamauchi confessed to a number of girls from different classes, among whom, there was someone from class 1B, Ichinose's class.
After reaching the cafeteria, I looked around scanning the entire area, for that one girl, and after a few minutes, I found her.
Chihiro Shiranami.
A somewhat aloof girl, of the usually close-knit group of Ichinose's friends circle.
Normally, they would be all sitting together, chatting and laughing as they enjoy their launch, but due to Ichinose's condition, probably, she is eating alone, with none of her friends in sight.
I knew she was the perfect target.
Why?
Because, even among that close-knit, goody-two-shoes group of Ichinose, she is someone who sees the reality.
How do I know?
Well, again its thanks to Yamauchi's memory, of stalking this girl, for days.
She was casually fiddling with her phone, eating her lunch, not showing a shred of concern over the current situation of her class.
I took a plate of lunch myself, and sat across her on the same table.
She looked up, and as soon as she realized it was me, a hint of disgust filled her expression.
"Hello Shiranami san, may I have a word with you?"
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A/N :
Next - Shiranami Chihiro
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