A large bus emerged from the end of the road and slowly pulled into the bus stop.
Whoosh—
The front doors slid open.
It was the signal for the incoming freshmen to board.
Yet…
No one moved.
Not a single student stepped forward.
“…”
Seeing that no one else intended to board, Kaoru Hanayama calmly took the first step.
In one hand, he carried an enormous custom-made suitcase—far larger than anything an ordinary high school student would bring.
Inside were the items he considered essential for high school life.
Judging from the way the reinforced handle strained under its weight, it easily weighed several dozen kilograms.
Creak—!
The bus’s suspension groaned.
The entire vehicle leaned noticeably to the right.
It was hardly surprising.
Hanayama alone weighed 166 kilograms (366 pounds).
Combined with the massive suitcase, an immense amount of weight had suddenly shifted onto the bus’s front-right side.
Without hesitation, Hanayama walked past the fare box and took a seat in the very first row.
From the driver’s perspective…
He had just boarded without paying.
Technically, it was fare evasion.
In reality, Hanayama simply had no idea that passengers were supposed to pay before boarding.
Unfortunately…
The driver had no way of knowing that.
Through the rearview mirror, he silently watched the giant sitting directly behind him.
(…Fare evasion? Forget the fare…)
(Don’t look at him.)
(Don’t say anything.)
(Absolutely don’t make eye contact…!)
The scar-covered face reflected in the mirror.
The overwhelming pressure that resembled a wild beast.
Cold sweat instantly soaked the driver’s back as he gripped the steering wheel with trembling hands.
“W-What’s with that guy…?”
“Shh! Keep your voice down!”
The remaining freshmen hurried aboard one after another.
None of them dared approach the front of the bus.
Despite the fact that more than half the seats remained empty, every student crowded into the rear section, desperately trying to put as much distance as possible between themselves and Hanayama.
Some even chose to stand rather than sit anywhere near him.
Sitting near the back, Suzune Horikita frowned slightly.
There were plenty of empty seats near the front.
So why was everyone packed together back here?
She looked up from her book.
The first thing she saw was Hanayama’s impossibly broad back.
She remained silent.
Nor did she close her novel.
Even so…
Almost unconsciously, she shifted a little closer to the window.
Wrapped in an oppressive silence, the bus continued on its route until it reached the next stop.
Hiss—
The doors opened once again.
An elderly woman supporting herself with a cane slowly stepped onto the first stair.
Then…
Her cloudy eyes met the scarred giant sitting in the front seat.
She froze.
“…Oh dear.”
“I believe I’ve boarded the wrong bus.”
“I’ll just wait for the next one.”
Muttering to herself, the old woman hurried back onto the sidewalk as though escaping for her life.
The doors closed.
The bus pulled away.
At the back of the bus, Rokusuke Kōenji, lounging across the priority seats while admiring himself in a hand mirror, finally seemed unable to tolerate the atmosphere any longer.
“Heh.”
“It seems an exceptionally unattractive specimen has somehow wandered onto this bus.”
His voice remained as elegant and theatrical as ever.
At that exact moment—
Hanayama casually rolled his neck.
Crack.
Without even turning fully around, he glanced backward over his shoulder.
Their eyes met.
For an instant…
Every instinct in Kōenji’s body screamed at him.
His pride.
His confidence.
His absolute belief in his own perfection.
Under that single indifferent glance…
It all cracked like thin ice.
“…Ahahahaha!”
A bead of cold sweat slowly rolled down his temple.
“What wonderful weather today!”
“Allow me to appreciate the scenery in silence.”
Without another word, Kōenji immediately turned back toward the window.
He never looked behind him again.
No one noticed that the hand holding his mirror was trembling ever so slightly.
The suffocating silence returned.
“Next stop—Advanced Nurturing High School.”
The announcement echoed throughout the bus.
The doors opened.
For the freshmen crowded in the back, it felt like a prison gate swinging open.
They poured off the bus like refugees escaping a disaster.
Hanayama was the last to leave.
Dragging his massive suitcase behind him, he walked toward the school gates at his own unhurried pace.
Several long inspection tables had been set up in front of the academy’s imposing main gate.
Security personnel were verifying students’ identities while inspecting luggage for prohibited items.
As a fully residential school isolated from the outside world, strict inspections were routine.
Everything proceeded smoothly.
“Next.”
A middle-aged security officer looked up.
Then he froze.
Standing before him was a giant well over 190 centimeters tall.
His custom-tailored burgundy school uniform was stretched to its limits by his massive physique.
His face was covered in deep, intimidating scars.
The guard instinctively wanted to look away.
Everything inside him screamed:
Don’t make eye contact.
But this was his job.
Avoiding the student wasn’t an option.
Advanced Nurturing High School admitted students from every walk of life, and the guard had dealt with his fair share of delinquents.
But…
This man clearly belonged to an entirely different category.
Without saying a word, Hanayama reached into the inside pocket of his blazer and placed his admission letter on the inspection table.
The guard picked it up.
Then looked at Hanayama.
Then back at the letter.
Then at Hanayama again.
No matter how many times he checked…
He simply couldn’t reconcile the photograph with the enormous man standing before him.
“…Kaoru Hanayama.”
“Your admission has been… verified.”
He swallowed nervously.
“N-Next, we’ll inspect your luggage.”
“Please place your suitcase on the table.”
“…Mm.”
Hanayama responded with a low grunt.
With one hand, he effortlessly lifted the enormous metal suitcase—something that would normally require two people to carry—and set it on the inspection table with a heavy thud.
Click.
Click.
He released the reinforced steel locks himself.
The suitcase slowly opened.
Inside…
Were dozens of unopened bottles of Wild Turkey bourbon.
Several neatly arranged boxes of premium Cuban cigars.
And filling nearly every remaining inch of space…
Cartons upon cartons of cigarettes.
The inspection area fell completely silent.