The morning sunlight streamed through the wooden-framed windows, illuminating the tiny dust particles in the air, making them shimmer like delicate crystals. The classroom appeared peaceful, yet beneath the surface, a subtle undercurrent of excitement lingered. Open textbooks and toppled notebooks lay scattered across desks, while students huddled in small groups, whispering and exchanging occasional giggles.


    A gentle tap on the desk from the teacher’s knuckles silenced the murmurs. Though soft, the sound rang clear in the slightly lazy morning atmosphere, instantly restoring order to the room.


    "Good morning, everyone." The teacher’s voice was as warm as always, but today, there was a hint of mystery in his tone. "Before we begin our lesson, I’d like to introduce a new student."


    With a creak, the classroom door swung open, revealing a girl with neatly tied hair and delicate, thin-framed glasses. Her hair swayed slightly as she moved, each step light yet brimming with quiet confidence.


    Sunlight poured in from the doorway, casting a soft glow around her figure. For a moment, silence engulfed the classroom before hushed whispers spread like ripples on water.


    "Wow… she''s gorgeous!" "Those glasses make her look like a noble lady." "She’s so cute it’s almost unfair!"


    The girl lowered her lashes slightly, seemingly uncomfortable with the sudden flood of attention. Her lips twitched as if attempting a smile, yet nervousness made it appear a bit stiff. She bit her lower lip gently, sneaking a quick glance around the room. Even in her shyness, a natural elegance radiated from her, making her all the more captivating.


    At the back of the classroom, Tetsuya was casually chatting with Hirohito about trivial matters, paying little mind to the arrival of the new student. However, in that moment, a strange sensation swept through the air, sending a chill down his spine. A fleeting unease tightened in his chest.


    He couldn''t help but look up toward the door—and then, he froze.


    "Hina…no?"


    Sure enough, standing in the doorway was Hinano. She looked slightly disheveled, her hair a little messy, her expression taut with unspoken tension. But what struck him the most was her gaze—cold and piercing, as if she were staring at something utterly worthless.


    She glanced at him briefly before turning away, bowing politely to the teacher. "Good morning, Sensei. Sorry, I had something urgent at home, so I was late."


    The teacher nodded without questioning further. "That’s alright. Take your seat."


    Hinano walked past Tetsuya and sat down beside him. As soon as she settled in, Tetsuya flashed his usual gentle smile and greeted her in a low voice. "Morning, Hinano."


    But she didn’t even look at him.


    Expressionless, she quietly pulled out her textbook, treating him as though he were invisible.


    "Huh? Did she just ignore me?" Tetsuya blinked in surprise, his brows knitting slightly as confusion filled his mind. "What happened?"


    "Hey, Tetsuya."


    Hirohito leaned in, nudging him with his elbow and smirking mischievously. "The new girl is really pretty, huh? And I think she might be hiding a pair of ‘big’ secrets."


    Tetsuya felt his face heat up at Hirohito’s teasing. "What are you even talking about? A pair of ‘big’ secrets?"


    Hirohito grinned, elbowing him again. "Oh, you know exactly what I mean."


    Realization dawned on Tetsuya, and his ears turned red. He immediately looked away from Hinano, flipping through his notebook in a desperate attempt to appear unfazed. "Quit saying weird stuff!"


    Despite his protest, he couldn''t resist sneaking another glance at Hinano.


    The teacher''s clear voice rang out with an air of authority. "Students in the back, quiet down! Now, our new student, please introduce yourself."


    The murmurs in the classroom immediately died down, and all eyes turned toward the girl standing at the front.


    The girl, wearing thin-framed glasses, took a small breath before stepping forward and bowing slightly. Her voice was soft yet clear, each word carrying throughout the room. "Hello, everyone. My name is Mizuno Mone. You can call me Mone. I’m happy to be your classmate. Please take care of me."Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    Her humble yet natural demeanor elicited a quiet ripple of admiration, especially among the boys. Her voice, like a gentle morning breeze, brushed through the hearts of everyone, making them unconsciously perk up their ears to listen.


    Hinano sat quietly in her seat, her gaze fixed on Mone before shifting toward Tetsuya beside her. She subtly extended her foot and tapped the leg of his desk, lowering her voice with a hint of curiosity—and perhaps a little jealousy. "Hey, Tetsuya, do you like girls like Mizuno-san?"


    Tetsuya blinked in surprise, as if he hadn’t expected that question from Hinano. He paused for a moment before smiling, the same gentle smile he always had. "Hmm... Of course, looks are important, but I think personality matters the most. Like you, Hinano—I like you a lot."


    "Eh—!?"


    Hinano froze in place, her face instantly turning as red as a ripe apple. Her eyes darted around in panic, and she quickly flipped through the book on her desk, her voice flustered. "W-What are you even saying?!"


    The teacher, standing at the front, noticed Hinano’s distracted state and frowned slightly, though her voice remained gentle. "Hinano, is something wrong? You seem rather distracted today."


    At the sound of her name, Hinano jolted, as if caught in the middle of something she shouldn''t be doing. She hurriedly straightened up. "Ah—! No, it''s nothing! Sorry, Sensei!"


    The teacher smiled lightly and let it slide. "Alright, then. Mone, you can take the seat next to Hinano."


    Mone nodded gently. "Understood. Thank you, Sensei."


    She walked gracefully to the empty seat beside Hinano, set down her bag, and sat down smoothly.


    Hinano couldn''t shake her sense of discomfort. She picked up her book, put it down, picked it up again—no matter how she sat, she felt restless. In the end, she forced herself to act natural and mustered an awkward smile. "Hey, I''m Suzuki Hinano. Just call me Hinano. Sorry about earlier."


    Mone turned to her with a soft smile, adjusting her glasses slightly. Her voice was still as gentle as before. "It’s alright, don’t worry about it. I just transferred here, so I don’t know many people yet, but this class seems really warm and welcoming."


    Hearing Mone say that, Hinano relaxed a little and smiled back. "Yeah... Our class is always kind of lively."


    Mone’s eyes swept over the classroom before stopping at two boys—one waving enthusiastically and the other holding a calligraphy brush. Tilting her head slightly, she pointed at them. "Those two, do you know them?"


    Hinano followed her gaze and nodded, trying to sound casual. "Yeah, the one with the brush is my childhood friend—Makino Tetsuya. The loud one next to him is his best friend, Matsumoto Hirohito. He’s kind of annoying, but... he’s not a bad guy."


    Mone chuckled softly but didn’t comment further. Hinano, however, felt her heart grow restless again. She stole a glance at Tetsuya, then at Mone, her emotions growing more complicated by the second.


    Just then, Mone leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a whisper as a soft breeze seemed to brush against Hinano’s ear. "Hinano, are you two dating?"


    "What?!"


    Hinano froze as if struck by lightning, her hands gripping the edge of her desk in a panic, nearly knocking over her books. "N-No way! That''s impossible!"


    Mone watched her, a teasing smile playing at her lips. "Oh… so that means you haven''t confessed yet?"


    "It''s not like that!" Hinano frantically waved her hands, her voice hurried. "We''re just normal friends!"


    Mone ignored her flustered denial and instead smiled even more gently. "Normal friends, huh? But I can tell—you feel something special for him."


    Hinano stiffened, her gaze flickering before she widened her eyes. "Why would you say that?"


    Mone rested her chin on her hand, her tone lighthearted, yet carrying an undeniable warmth. "Call it a girl''s intuition. The way you looked at him earlier… was that really just the gaze of a normal friend?"


    Hinano lowered her head, biting her lip. Her hands pressed tightly against her knees, and she couldn''t even muster the courage to meet Mone''s eyes.


    Mone observed her with a gaze as gentle as melting spring snow, her voice carrying a note of encouragement. "Hinano, if you have feelings for him, I can help you."


    Hinano stared at her, completely stunned. "H-Help me?"


    Before she could process those words, a sudden voice shattered the delicate atmosphere.


    "Mone-san!"


    Hirohito dropped to one knee beside Mone, his eyes sparkling as if witnessing a divine miracle. "For us to be classmates—this must be fate! !"


    As soon as he finished speaking, he even reached out, seemingly intending to take Mone’s hand and kiss it.


    "What do you think you''re doing?!"


    Hinano shot up from her seat, her chair screeching against the floor. Without hesitation, she delivered a powerful kick straight to Hirohito''s head.


    Bam!


    Hirohito was sent flying, crashing onto the ground with his eyes rolling back. "I… I think I just saw a bright holy light…"


    Hinano, her cheeks burning with fury, suddenly bit down on her finger. Crimson droplets welled up instantly, dripping onto the floor and forming a faintly glowing magic circle.


    "Gravity Magic—Bind!"


    With a quiet incantation, an invisible force erupted from the center of the magic circle. Hirohito was instantly pinned to the floor, the sheer pressure causing even the wooden planks beneath him to sink slightly.


    Tetsuya watched the scene unfold and instinctively took a step back, cold sweat forming on his forehead. "Hinano… calm down! Don''t get so worked up!"


    However, Hinano slowly turned to face him, her eyes dark and unreadable. A chilling light gleamed within them, sending a shiver down Tetsuya''s spine. He swallowed hard.


    "Just now… did you see anything?" Hinano’s voice was cold, each syllable laced with a bone-chilling pressure.


    "N-No! I didn''t see anything at all!" Tetsuya frantically waved his hands, but the weight of Hinano''s gaze remained as oppressive as ever. A second later, he found himself flat on the ground, seemingly crushed by an overwhelming force.


    The entire classroom watched in stunned silence as the situation escalated. It was only then that Hinano realized how out of control she had become. Her legs gave out, and with a thud, she collapsed onto the floor, clutching her head in despair.


    "Aaaah! Now I’ll never get married! No one will ever want me!"


    The teacher rushed forward, trying to restore order. "Hinano, take a deep breath and calm down! Everyone, step back and give her some space!"


    Chaos erupted in the classroom. Some whispered among themselves, some stifled laughter, while others were too shocked to say a word.