"Why don't you take a seat? This might take a while," the principal said, gesturing toward the chair across from him.
"No, it's okay. I think I'll stand," I replied without sparing the chair a glance.
It's not that I have anything against him. Honestly, I'd love to sit down right now more than anything—I did just wake up after all. But if I remain standing, he'll feel obligated to hurry things up. At the end of the day, he loves and cares about his students—probably.
"Well, if you insist."
The principal let out a displeased sigh and leaned back in his chair, his attention drifting to the graduation photos on the wall. I knew which one he was looking at without tracking his gaze.
"You really are just like her."
I took a few steps back until I was only inches away from the wall behind me. I leaned against it, crossed my arms, and kept my gaze levelled.
"Yes, yes, I know," I said flatly. "You've told me this plenty of times already."
He let out an old, raspy chuckle. "It may be annoying to you—but for me, it's one of my fondest memories."
"Is that so? I'd expect dealing with someone like her would be more of a hindrance if anything."
The principal gently shook his head and then turned back to me. "Well, it certainly was at the time. In all my years of teaching, no one has come close to being as big a problem as Julie was."
Without looking at him, I forced a scoff. "It kind of hurts my feelings that you're comparing me to her. I don't think I'm anywhere near as chaotic as she was—or still is."
A soft smile spread on his face. He brought his hand up and rubbed the back of his neck, a sense of tenderness flickering behind his eyes. "That's good. It may be weird for me to say this, but I'm happy that she hasn't changed. That was part of her charm."
"She would probably get the ego boost of a lifetime if you told her that."
"Hah! That's impossible. Her ego was at its limits by the time she graduated."
I couldn't help but let a small, genuine chuckle. It couldn't have been any truer.
The principal's shoulders relaxed when he heard it. "Well, enough about Julie. Let's start talking about you now."
"Sure."
I finally lifted my gaze and met his eyes, carefully controlling my expression into something neutral, as if I were talking to my parents.
"This is the second time you have been sent to my office this month, Hoshino," he said. "The first time was when you skipped class with your sister, and now, today."
"Well, technically, that skipping incident happened on May first. And today is May thirtieth. So if you look at it that way, it's basically been one each month."
"Oh, don't start playing smart with me." He tried sounding authoritative, but an amused smirk tugged at the corners of his lips.
"Hoshino, you know that this school is more lenient compared to others. That's one of its defining traits, after all. We put value on the trust and freedom of our students. We allow girls to wear some makeup, we allow students to wear anything over their uniforms—as long as they wear the pants. Despite that, our school remains one of the most prestigious schools in the country."
The principal paused, allowing the words to sink in, but I've heard this speech so many times that it fell flat.
"The point is, it should be nearly impossible to actually get in trouble, and yet—your family seems to do it all the time. Julie, her Brother, and you are all anomalies somehow." He hesitated. "The only exception to this rule is your sister. Is there–"
"For the hundredth time, everything is fine," I cut in coldly. "My parents, my friends, nothing is wrong. I just want to do my own thing, and that coincidentally happens to go against the rules."
His smile tightened, gradually sinking into a frown. He swallowed hard, clearly choosing his next words carefully.
"Yes, I know. I just want you to know that if anything's wrong, you can talk to me," he shook his head. "No, not just me. Your teachers, your friends, anyone. All I ask is that you open up to someone."
I let out a deep, quiet breath. I get where he's coming from. It is his job to watch over his students and his community. And honestly, I do respect him for trying so hard.
But that's the thing—at the end of the day, it's just his job. Nothing more.
I relaxed my body and put on a small, sincere smile. The principal's eyes widened; he leaned forward, sitting on the edge of his seat.
"Thank you, truly. But really, everything is fine. I just don't care much about rules—or anything. That's all it is."
I spoke with deliberate clarity, leaving no room for misunderstandings. The principal slumped back, disappointment leaking out in a sigh.
"If that's all it is, then as your principal, I will respect your judgment. You may now leave. Thank you for your time."
I shook my head.
"No—thank you for your support. This talk was very nice, sir."
I gave him a deep bow and walked toward the exit, my steps relaxed and steady. I kept it up until I could no longer feel his gaze on my back. Once I was outside, I could finally relax. I let out a breath of relief, but maintained my posture.
"That took you a while," Yu said. "I was getting bored here."
"Well, it's just the usual," I replied casually. "What can you do about it?"
"Dunno, maybe try being a better student? Just a thought."
I chuckled. "There's no better student than me. I'm a perfect human being!"
Yu rolled his eyes. "If you say so."
We began making our way back to the classroom. I think we were in the middle of math class. That reminded me, "Oh, right. When are we supposed to get our math test back again?"
Yu's body tensed. He stiffly turned his head, staring at me, eyes wide, and mouthed silently: 'Don't. Talk. About. It.'
Soooo, we're getting them today.
A mischievous smirk crept onto my face. "Do you wanna make a bet?"
"What bet?" he asked through clenched teeth.
"About who's getting the highest mark this time."
"Sure. What's the prize?"
"How about ramen?"
His face turned serious instantly. "I'm in. I'll bet on Mei then."
My smile shattered. Where the hell is the faith?! What happened to supporting your friends?!
"...Traitor," I muttered under my breath.
Yu panicked, scrambling to explain himself, but his words just jumbled together, making it impossible to understand him. Eventually, he gave up with a sigh.
"Listen, judging by the match history so far, she's up on you."
"Uh, Okay? What happened to loyalty?"
"That has nothing to do with math."
My eyes narrowed. "Alright, I see how it is. We're done!"
I put my hand in front of his face, whipping my head to the side with an overdramatic sniffle.
His massive shadow loomed over me, his exasperation clear even in the silhouette. "Dude, why are you treating me like your girlfriend? We aren't even dating! Get over it."
He lightly slapped my shoulder—the force almost pushing me forward. I sighed and dropped the act.
"Fine, if you're betting on Mei, then I have to bet on me," I said casually. It's not like I wasn't going to bet on myself, anyway.
"Okay then. Loser treats the winner to ramen today after school, then?" he asked.
"Sure."
I stretched my arm out and stuck out my pinky. Yu stared at it, confused.
"Do we really need to put this on a pinky swear? We can keep a promise without it, right?"
I shrugged. "Yeah, but it feels more comforting. Someone once told me you can't break it once you do it."
A wide grin crossed Yu's face. "Aww, that's cute! Did that person end up keeping their promise?"
"..."
What a stupid question. Do you really think the words 'promise' or the simple act of interlocking our pinkies is enough to make someone keep their word? There is no such thing as guarantees.
I looked at Yu with an innocent smile.
"Yeah."
Of course not.