"Alright, everyone, I'll be starting the lesson shortly. But before we begin..."
Hayami-sensei took a deep breath.
"...the student council president would like to have a word with all of you."
"Good morning, everyone."
Hitomi stepped into the classroom.
Several boys immediately blushed.
She's so cute...
She straightened her posture and let her gaze sweep across the room.
"I am here today not only to speak about the welfare of the students of Toshigawa Academy... but also to inform you that the positions of vice president and secretary are now open."
A soft gasp spread through the classroom, followed by a wave of whispers.
"My goal today is to recruit a few first-year students..."
"...and assess who may qualify to join the student council. If you're interested, please come forward and write your name here."
"A chance to become a student council member? I'm definitely signing up!" a boy said eagerly as his chair screeched across the floor. He hurried to his feet, nearly stumbling in his excitement.
Naomi leaned toward Sachiko.
"Sachi, why don't you sign up too? You've got the brains and the dedication."
"Huh? Hey, Sachi?"
She waved a hand infront of her.
"Earth to Sachiko..."
Sachiko blinked and turned to her.
"Oh...sorry. I zoned out. What were you saying?"
Naomi narrowed her eyes.
"Are you okay? You've been spacing out ever since we started at this school."
A teasing smile spread across her face.
"That only happens when you're crushing on someone."
"What? No, I don't! Who would I even have a crush on?" Sachiko asked quickly, her voice cracking.
Naomi leaned in until her lips were near Sachiko's ear.
"You've been staring at Kawaguchi since yesterday. Come on, just admit it. He's cute, smart... and don't even get me started on his basketball skills. I admit, even my heart skipped a beat when he nailed that three-pointer."
Heat rushed to Sachiko's cheeks.
"Cut it out, Naomi! It's not like that."
"You're blushing!" Naomi squealed as she wrapped her arms around her. "You're so cute when you get flustered."
"Naomi! Please stop!" Sachiko said, squirming as her words came out muffled against Naomi's shoulder.
"I'm just messing with you," Naomi said with a laugh as she let go. "The look on your face was priceless."
She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.
"So... are you going to sign up?"
Sachiko hesitated.
Her eyes drifted toward the front of the classroom.
Kawaguchi sat by the window, quietly staring outside.
She suddenly pushed herself to her feet.
"I mean... I'm not in any club or sports team like you, so... why not?"
As Sachiko walked to the front of the classroom and wrote down her name—
"Your name is Sachiko Takahashi, right?" Yoshida asked. "The girl who ranked second in the entrance exam?"
"Yes, I am."
"I'd like to speak with you after school."
Hitomi's smile softened.
"Please meet me in the student council room."
Sachiko gave a quiet nod.
Okay...
"Thank you all for your time," Yoshida said. She gave the class a polite bow.
"Goodbye."
Once she left, Hayami-sensei clapped her hands.
"Alright, let's get back to today's lesson."
Before the chalk could touch the board, the school bell rang sharply.
The classroom burst into motion. Chairs scraped across the floor, bags unzipped, and snack wrappers crinkled as conversations quickly filled the room.
On the rooftop, a light breeze drifted across the open space, carrying the faint scent of freshly cut grass from the school grounds below.
"The breeze up here is... nice," Tetsuo murmured as he closed his eyes. His dark hair stirred gently in the wind, brushing against his forehead. He drew in a slow breath.
It had been a year since I last played basketball.
It felt strange, but...
It had also been a long time since I had completely lost myself in a game.
He lowered his gaze to his hand.
"Back then..." he whispered, resting both hands on the railing. "It wasn't fun. It was all I had. The only thing that kept me sane... other than my sister."
A memory forced its way into his mind.
"Well done, Assassin Number Nine. You have potential. I look forward to our dealings with you in the future."
Tetsuo's eyes flew open.
His chest tightened.
His breath caught.
He looked down at his hands.
Blood streaked across them.
He gasped.
That's right...
I don't deserve this life.
Not after what I've done.
"I see someone's found my rooftop spot."
A girl's voice broke the silence.
Tetsuo turned.
The metal door groaned shut behind her as she stepped onto the rooftop.
"Huh?" he asked. "What do you mean?"
"Why are you so surprised?" she asked as she walked past him. "The roof belongs to everyone, doesn't it?"
She sat near the ledge, her skirt fluttering in the breeze as her legs swung gently.
"I guess you're right," Tetsuo said. "I only came up here because it was quiet. I'll leave."
"Wait."
She reached out her hand.
Tetsuo stopped.
"You're a first-year, right? Tetsuo Kawaguchi?"
"...Yeah."
"I was really impressed with how you played earlier today."
She smiled.
Tetsuo let out a quiet breath.
"Just get to the point."
The girl laughed softly.
"You got me."
She rubbed the back of her neck.
"I'm here to ask you to join the basketball team. We need someone like you if we're going to make it to the Inter-High. It's been our captain's dream ever since his first year."
"Sorry," Tetsuo said. "I have responsibilities at home."
"Oh..."
Her shoulders dipped slightly.
"I see."
She gave a small, embarrassed smile.
"How rude of me. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Nanaho Fukazawa, a second-year. I'm the coach and manager of the basketball team."
She pulled out her phone and held it toward him.
"Here. Let's exchange numbers... just in case you change your mind."
Tetsuo looked at the screen for a moment.
Then he took out his own phone and entered his contact information without looking at her.
"Thanks!" Nanaho said with a wave. "See you later, Kawaguchi!"
She turned and headed back inside.
After the door closed, Tetsuo let out a long sigh.
He looked down at the newly saved number.
Well...
That was awkward.
The bell rang again, echoing through the stairwell as Tetsuo made his way downstairs.
Just as he reached the exit, someone stepped into his path.
"Your name is Tetsuo Kawaguchi, right?" the boy asked. "Can I speak with you for a moment?"
Tetsuo raised an eyebrow.
"Who are you?"
He muttered in a low tone.
"I'm Yukio Hamaguchi, captain of the basketball team."
"If this is about joining the team," Tetsuo said, "I already told your manager I can't. I have responsibilities at home."
He stepped past Yukio.
"Wait... just answer me one thing."
Tetsuo stopped but didn't turn around.
"What is it?"
"Which junior high school did you play for?"
His eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
"I didn't."
Without another word, he walked away.
Yukio watched him disappear down the hallway.
He rubbed his chin.
No school ties...
He's a complete unknown.
That could be dangerous... for the other teams.
If I can get him on ours, nobody will see him coming.
Back in the classroom, the afternoon sun filtered through the windows, spreading warm light across the desks.
"Good afternoon, class."
A cheerful voice greeted the students as they settled into their seats.
A man in his early thirties walked in, adjusting his slightly crooked tie.
"My name is Shunpei Hamada, and I'll be teaching math this year."
He flashed the class a grin.
"Since it's only the second day... and because I'm feeling generous, I won't be teaching anything today."
The classroom erupted into cheers.
A few students pumped their fists into the air while others slumped back in relief.
"Let's go!"
"Thanks, teach!"
"But," Hamada-sensei said, raising a finger, "I'd like to get to know all of you a little better. Since you already introduced yourselves yesterday, let's keep it simple. When I call on you, just stand up and say your name so I can put a face to it."
He pointed toward the far side of the room.
"My name is Makoto Kurai."
"Naomi Nakamura."
"Shi... Shino Katsuragi."
"The name's Noboru Takemoto."
"Kiyoe Ikegami."
"Ri... Rie Morioka."
"Ayumi Nishioka. I hope we have a spectacular semester."
"Sachiko Takahashi."
Her voice remained steady, though her fingers stayed clasped tightly in her lap.
Tetsuo glanced at her for a brief moment before looking away, his expression unchanged.
"Tetsuo Kawaguchi."
"Asato Kajiwara."
"Naohiro Aoki."
"Miyu Sugiyama."
"Great. That's everyone," Hamada-sensei said as he jotted a few notes onto his clipboard.
"Now then, any suggestions on how we should spend this free period?"
Sachiko raised her hand.
"We could go over how you plan to teach the syllabus and how we should organize our studies."
Hamada-sensei smiled.
"Ah, a structured mind. I like that."
He looked around the room.
"Shall we begin?"
"Yes, Sensei!" the class answered in unison.