(All appearing characters are adults)
The April wind swept through Tokyo, bringing with it a lingering chill and the faint, sweet scent of newly blossomed cherry trees.
For most people, this was just one of countless ordinary spring days.
But for Kaedehara Tōru, who was currently sitting on the swaying bus, the streetscape flowing past the window heralded a grand opening.
His gaze casually swept over the vibrant “peers” outside the bus window.
Memories of his previous life as a corporate slave—the gray days spent wasting life in cubicles, suffocated by KPIs—felt like a black-and-white film from the last century.
It had been a long time since he was reborn into the world of Classroom of the Elite, but it wasn’t until he received the acceptance letter from Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School that he truly felt the reality of it.
The bus was packed with new students wearing the same uniform as he was, their faces filled with both anticipation and anxiety about the future.
However, it seemed he wasn’t on the same bus as Ayanokōji; he looked around but didn’t see him.
After that, the bus arrived at the school without incident.
Kaedehara Tōru stood up and followed the flow of people off the bus.
Passing through the main gate, he arrived at the place where he would live for the next three years.
“Ding!
Congratulations on successfully becoming a student at the Advanced Nurturing High School.
The System specially rewards you with 100 points.”
Accompanied by the crisp chime, the System’s voice echoed in Kaedehara Tōru’s mind.
That’s right, Kaedehara Tōru had not only been reborn but also came equipped with a System.
The System interface was simple and clear, primarily displaying information such as his abilities, quests, points, and the shop.
『Abilities: Basic Fighting Techniques, Culinary Mastery, Comprehensive Language Proficiency.』
『Items: None』
『Quests: None』
『Points: 333』
『Shop:…』
Kaedehara Tōru secretly sighed, lamenting how few points the System could provide before enrollment.
He had painstakingly completed side quests for over ten years just to accumulate this small amount of points, only to receive half of his total savings immediately upon enrollment, which was truly exasperating.
However, aside from the beginner reward abilities, he had mainly relied on the resume and experience accumulated in his previous life to overcome various difficulties over the years.
As for the points he was given, he wasn’t in a hurry to buy anything.
After all, having been reborn, he already had a certain understanding of this world, and his own abilities and efforts were enough for him to enter the Advanced Nurturing High School.
This way, he could save points to purchase abilities or items needed urgently at critical moments.
Kaedehara Tōru not only completely accepted the System but could even say he liked it very much.
Because with the help of this System, he could better adapt to this world and improve his strength.
After all, in the context of Classroom of the Elite, while the early stages involve elements of intellectual battle, the later stages devolve into a massive high school brawl.
In this situation, relying solely on his own abilities was not enough; he needed the System to continuously enhance his overall capabilities.
Just as he was pondering what his next goals should be, a rush of footsteps came from behind and to the side.
He didn’t even need to turn around; the instincts honed in crowded subway cars in his past life allowed him to roughly determine the direction and speed of the approaching person.
Kaedehara Tōru turned around, wanting to see who it was, but the person showed no intention of stopping.
The next second, a soft, resilient female body solidly collided with him from behind.
“Ah—!”
Accompanied by a cute gasp, a clean fragrance mixed with shampoo instantly enveloped his senses.
Kaedehara Tōru instinctively reached out his arms, steadily supporting the girl in his embrace, saving her from an intimate encounter with the ground.
The sensation was astonishing.
Through their clothes, he could clearly feel two mounds of plump softness pressing tightly against his chest.
“I-I’m sorry!
I’m so sorry!
Are you alright?”
The girl in his arms hurriedly looked up, and a pretty face filled with anxiety and apology met Kaedehara Tōru’s eyes.
Her long pink hair was slightly curled, giving her a lively and playful look.
Ichinose Honami.
The angel of Class B, and the future leader of Class B.
A subtle gleam flashed in Kaedehara Tōru’s eyes, but his face perfectly displayed a hint of shock, which quickly turned into a gentle smile.
“I’m fine…”
His voice carried a deliberately lowered, magnetic quality, and his gaze openly moved from her panicked face.
“However, you seem a bit ‘dangerous.’ Luckily, I’m quite sturdy; otherwise, being hit by a ‘weapon’ like you, a normal person might actually need to visit the infirmary.”
His words were frivolous and direct, carrying an undisguised hint of teasing.
“Eh?
A weapon?
A weapon?”
Ichinose Honami’s face instantly flushed “thump,” the redness spreading from her cheeks all the way down to her collarbone.
She subconsciously followed Kaedehara Tōru’s gaze and looked down at her own ample chest; the surprising fullness made her feel a wave of embarrassment.
Only then did she realize that they were still in a tight embrace, her ample curves pressing against his pectoral muscles.
“Ah!
I-I’m sorry!
I didn’t mean to!”
Like a startled rabbit, she abruptly jumped backward, widening the distance between them, and nervously clutched her hands over her chest, as if that could minimize its presence.
“See?
I told you it was dangerous.”
“I-I truly apologize!
I overslept a bit this morning, so I was rushing…” Ichinose quickly explained.
“Well, it’s really not a problem…” Kaedehara Tōru extended his hand to her.
“My name is Kaedehara Tōru, a student in Class A.
As the victim of your ‘attack,’ the least you can do is tell me the attacker’s name, right?”
Ichinose paused, amused by his words, and then couldn’t help but let out a burst of laughter, immediately easing the previous tense and awkward atmosphere.
She took Kaedehara Tōru’s hand; his palm was broad and warm, giving off a reassuring feeling.
“My name is Ichinose Honami, and I’m a student in Class B.
I apologize again for my earlier recklessness, Kaedehara-san.”
Her smile was like the April sunlight—bright, warm, and full of approachability.
She truly was the core figure capable of uniting all of Class B.
“Ichinose Honami…
that’s a very pleasant name.”
Kaedehara Tōru released her hand, but the soft sensation seemed to linger in his palm.
He fixed his gaze on her beautiful eyes, which still held a hint of apology.
“Well then, Honami-san, how about buying me a cup of coffee after school starts to compensate for the emotional distress and physical impact of nearly causing me ‘internal bleeding’?
Consider it the terms for settling this ‘accident.'”
He called her by her first name and smoothly proposed an invitation that wasn’t excessive but carried a clear objective.
This was the first step of his plan: create an accident, leave an impression, and establish a connection.
Faced with such a direct invitation, Ichinose Honami was clearly caught off guard.
She blinked, looking at the boy before her who was smiling like a fox who had successfully gotten away with mischief, and the blush returned to her cheeks.
Refusing seemed too cold, especially since the mistake was hers, but agreeing so quickly to an invitation from a boy she had just met…
“Well…
it’s only right as compensation.”
She hesitated slightly, but finally nodded, giving him a helpless yet cute smile.
“Then it’s a deal, Kaedehara-san.”
“Alright, Honami, see you at school.”
Having said that, Kaedehara Tōru didn’t linger.
He waved casually and turned toward the school gate.
Ichinose Honami stood rooted to the spot, watching his receding figure.
She subconsciously touched her still-burning cheek, looked down, and mumbled softly:
“…Was it really that exaggerated?
What a strange person.”