After school, in the teachers’ office.
“I’ll say, Xia Chuan…”
“Present!
The beautiful, generous, mature, and adorable Shizuka-sensei!”
“…Flattery won’t work on me.
And who exactly are you calling Shizuka-sensei?
Show some respect for your teacher!”
Shizuka Hiratsuka swung her hand toward Xia Chuan’s forehead.
Naturally, Xia Chuan easily dodged it.
“You…
Forget it!”
Hiratsuka Shizuka seemed to have grown accustomed to this by now.
She sighed.
The methods she normally used to discipline her students were surprisingly ineffective against this particular troublemaker.
Putting aside the whole “Shizuka-sensei” business, Hiratsuka sat back down and looked at Xia Chuan.
Now that she was actually paying attention to him, she had to admit that the kid really was exceptionally handsome.
He was athletic as well.
It was no wonder that he had caused such a stir among the girls at school.
“Sensei?”
Hearing Xia Chuan address her, Hiratsuka suddenly snapped back to reality.
A faint blush that was almost impossible to notice appeared on her face.
She quickly coughed a few times and spoke as though trying to cover it up.
“It’s been at least two months since the school year started, hasn’t it?
Tell me, how many times have teachers reported you for sleeping in class?”
Xia Chuan blinked.
He thought about it for a moment.
“Probably not that many.
My seat is pretty well hidden, after all.”
“…”
Hiratsuka rubbed her temples.
“When I ask you a question like that, you’re supposed to reflect on your behavior!”
“The knowledge you’re learning in high school is all for your future.
University is where a new chapter of your life begins.
Are you seriously planning to stop after graduating from high school?”
“Sensei, you know I’m not interested in any of that.”
Xia Chuan spoke seriously.
“Then what are you interested in?”
“…If I had to pick something, I’d say ghosts.”
Xia Chuan’s expression didn’t change in the slightest.
Hiratsuka stared at him speechlessly.
“Give me a serious answer!
Besides, there are no such things as ghosts!
This is a modern scientific society!”
“You wouldn’t understand, Sensei.”
Xia Chuan shook his head.
“The things in this world can actually be divided into two simple categories: things that can be seen and things that cannot be seen.
Once you can truly see the things that ordinary people can’t, this so-called scientific society becomes nothing more than a joke.”
“Besides, isn’t going to university ultimately about finding a job and making money?
I actually have some ideas when it comes to making money.”
Xia Chuan spoke with such conviction that even Hiratsuka almost believed him.
“What ideas?”
“Spirit extermination.”
Xia Chuan answered seriously.
“Rich people are terrified of this sort of thing.
If you can successfully handle a case, the profit can be pretty substantial.”
Isn’t that basically the same as those scam artists pretending to be priests?!
A vein bulged on Hiratsuka’s forehead.
She regretted wasting her time listening to this kid’s nonsense.
Still, she didn’t say anything more.
He was only a first-year high school student.
Having a few childish fantasies was perfectly normal, and as a teacher, she shouldn’t be too harsh or crush those fantasies.
“Enough.”
Hiratsuka sighed.
“I don’t care about whatever you’re planning.
But if I hear another teacher call your name because you’re sleeping in class, I won’t let you off so easily next time.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Xia Chuan answered indifferently.
Then he continued,
“If that’s all, Shizuka-sensei, I’ll be going.”
“Get out!”
Hiratsuka impatiently waved him away.
He was a handsome high school boy with a good personality who was well-liked by everyone.
But behind the scenes, he was still something of a problem student.
And he actually believed in ghosts?
Come to think of it…
It was kind of cute.
Maybe this really was what youth was supposed to be like.
Hiratsuka quietly sighed to herself inside the office.
Outside in the hallway.
“Ah, Xia Chuan’s coming out.”
Seeing Xia Chuan leave the office, Tobe and the others immediately walked over.
“How many times has this happened now?”
Yumiko Miura complained.
“Even if you don’t like listening to this stuff, Xia Chuan, at least pretend to pay attention.”
Hina Ebina, standing beside her, couldn’t help thinking:
Shouldn’t you normally be encouraging him to study instead?
“No…”
Xia Chuan shook his head.
“I think my seat is normally right at the edge of the teacher’s field of vision.
There’s also a stack of books blocking me.
How could they possibly notice me?”
“Maybe that’s exactly why you stand out.”
Hayama gave a teasing reply.
Then he waved to the others.
“Anyway, now that Xia Chuan’s out, let’s head home together.”
No one had any objections to Hayama’s suggestion.
The group began walking away together.
Tobe soon moved closer to Xia Chuan with his usual grin.
“You were really laying down some deep philosophy in there just now.
I saw Hiratsuka-sensei through the door.
It looked like you almost managed to talk her into believing you.”
Clearly, the people waiting outside had heard at least part of the conversation.
Hearing this, Yui Yuigahama shrank slightly.
“Ghosts are seriously awful.
There definitely aren’t any ghosts in this world, right, Xia Chuan?”
Xia Chuan shrugged meaningfully.
“Who knows?”
“Eh?!
That’s not a good answer!”
“Come on, Yui.”
“…”
Meanwhile, inside the neighboring Class 1-E…
A black-haired girl with long, straight hair quietly poked her head out.
She had golden eyes and fair skin.
Yet unlike the lively atmosphere of youth surrounding the high school, her expression was filled with exhaustion.
Despite that fatigue, however, her eyes were now shining as she stared at Xia Chuan and the others.
Miko Yotsuya.
A first-year student at High Sobu Academy.
About a month and a half ago, she had suddenly gained the ability to see things that shouldn’t exist in this world.
Since then, she had been tormented by the evil spirits and supernatural entities that appeared around her from time to time.
Today happened to be her turn to stay behind for classroom cleaning.
Originally, she had planned to finish as quickly as possible and hurry home.
But just now, she had accidentally heard a group of people outside talking about ghosts.
Because she was extremely sensitive to anything related to the supernatural, Miko immediately poked her head out and looked toward them.
As a group consisting of Xia Chuan, Hayama, and the others, they were hardly unfamiliar faces to Miko.
After all, they were some of the most prominent first-year students in the school.
She had heard about the students from the neighboring class before, but she had never spoken to them or even properly encountered them.
Ever since something had gone wrong with her eyes, Miko had spent almost all of her time at school inside the classroom unless she had a specific reason to leave.
The moment classes ended, she would immediately go home.
This was therefore the first time she had secretly observed one of the most prominent groups in the academy.
But compared with all those social circles and relationships, Miko’s attention was focused on the person surrounded by everyone else.
Xia Chuan.
Through her spiritual vision, Miko could see an extraordinarily terrifying energy radiating from his body.
As she watched, several weak evil spirits were drawn toward that energy.
They flew toward its source like moths rushing toward a flame.
The moment they touched the energy surrounding Xia Chuan, however, they instantly disintegrated into dust.
Miko couldn’t help but gasp.
“That’s amazing…!”
She continued listening carefully to the laughter and conversation coming from the group ahead.
Then she murmured to herself,
“So that’s Xia Chuan…?”