Amanori Reinako—
Haruka Kazama recognized her the moment he stepped into the classroom.
Even though she currently appeared as a radiant and lively beauty, confidently chatting with several gyarus the moment she entered the room, Haruka knew the truth better than anyone else. Her current brightness, her active communication, her socially adept façade—none of it came naturally to her.
He was the only one who understood her real circumstances.
Throughout her middle school years, she had lived alone in the shadows. While her former friends one by one blossomed socially and enjoyed rosy, vibrant school lives, she spent her days quietly holed up at home with her PS5. Watching everyone else move forward while she remained stuck had planted a deep longing inside her—an intense desire for a genki, energetic life.
Then, during the summer break before entering high school, guided by her ever-cheerful younger sister—Amahiki Haruna—Reinako had undergone a dramatic makeover. Appearance, mannerisms, even her phone—the transformation had been thorough. And now, by confidently initiating conversations and being praised as "cute" by her new classmates, she radiated the energy of someone who truly belonged in a lively, outgoing world.
But… would everything really go that smoothly?
Haruka subtly scanned the classroom again. Ohtsuka Mai wasn't here. Kotoshizuki wasn't here either. Many key figures who would have become Reinako's natural support group were nowhere to be seen.
It seemed the timeline had shifted.
Without them, her already fragile social foundation would be dangerously unstable. Reinako's innate introversion and her difficulties with communication remained unchanged beneath her crafted exterior. Without a reliable safety net, her school life would quickly become suffocating, and the flawless image she had worked so hard to build could collapse at any moment.
From where he stood, Haruka could already see signs—tiny tremors beneath her cheerful mask. The gyarus' rapid-fire chatter was probably overwhelming her. Reinako was used to silence and solitude; this kind of social pace could easily make her dizzy.
"Ah, what's your name, classmate?"
The moment Haruka entered the classroom, he naturally drew countless gazes. Most belonged to girls, brimming with curiosity, while the boys sighed quietly in resignation.
Having a guy this handsome in their class instantly reduced their chances at romance to nearly zero.
The gyarus who had been chatting with Reinako were bold by nature. They immediately rushed toward him.
"My name is Kazama Haruka," he said with an easy smile, nodding politely. Scenes like this were routine for him by now.
"Hey, Kazama-san, since we're classmates now, can we exchange LINE IDs?"
"Of course."
He took out his phone and opened his QR code.
"Lucky!"
The gyarus squealed and eagerly scanned it.
And to keep up with them—to avoid sticking out like a sore thumb—Reinako hurriedly pulled out her brand-new phone and also sent a friend request with a soft "ding."
Being socially eliminated for failing to conform might sound exaggerated, but such things genuinely happen in Japan's suffocating school social dynamics. Reinako knew this painfully well.
In middle school, she had refused a single invitation from a small clique. That one moment of hesitation had spiraled into three long years of isolation and emotional bullying.
So even though she wasn't good with boys, she forced herself to follow the flow.
When she lifted her head after scanning, her eyes met Haruka's.
Unlike the gentle, overly-polished smiles she expected from handsome, popular boys, Haruka simply nodded—calm, natural, without a hint of ulterior motive.
No excessive friendliness.
No forced charm.
Wow… he really is a genuine, high-level popular person.
She doubted she would ever interact deeply with someone like him, but having an ultra-popular classmate's contact saved in her phone felt like a meaningful step toward building her own "genki girl" persona.
Reinako secretly pumped a fist in her heart.
Her attempt to blend in saved Haruka the trouble of finding a natural excuse to get her contact information. He wasn't planning to approach her too directly yet. A sudden show of special attention from a boy could easily overwhelm her and disrupt the delicate relationships she was trying to form with the gyarus.
Haste would only cause harm.
Even though the system hadn't issued a mission involving Reinako yet, Haruka could predict what would soon happen. With Ohtsuka Mai and his childhood friend, Sena Ajisai, absent from this class, no one would be there to support Reinako when her social mask inevitably began to crack.
And an artificial persona—no matter how perfect—would eventually shatter.
When the day came, Reinako would once again find herself drifting back into the lonely abyss she once lived in throughout middle school.
Haruka's job was simple yet crucial: he needed to notice the moment she began breaking, step forward, encourage her, and reaffirm her value. He had to help her strengthen her standing within her social circle, develop real friendships, and escape the constant anxiety of maintaining a persona.
And for that, having her contact information early was essential.
When she eventually fled the classroom to hide and cry alone, he needed to be able to find her quickly—to begin the first real "interview."
After exchanging short pleasantries with the gyarus, Haruka raised his head to look for a seat.
The window-side back row.
Unfortunately, someone had beaten him to it. Still, he didn't mind. He had already chosen a location the moment he walked in.
Sitting right in front of the spot he wanted was a timid girl with M-shaped short hair, quietly fiddling with a small stone on her desk—her delicate aura resembling that of a tiny woodland creature.
Takamatsu Tomori.
A sensitive, emotionally fragile girl with a uniquely rich inner world.
She was also in this class.
Haruka walked to the seat behind her and took it.
The soft sound of his bag hitting the desk startled her. Tomori slowly turned her head, staring up at him with wide, gentle eyes. When Haruka returned her look, she hesitated for a moment, then said in a small voice:
"Hello… my name is Takamatsu Tomori."
"Ah, hello, Takamatsu-san. I'm Kazama Haruka. Nice to meet you."
Haruka hadn't expected her to initiate a conversation. Unlike Reinako, Tomori was a quiet girl with few social defenses. She was the type one needed to befriend early—before misunderstandings or anxieties could lock her heart shut.
He continued the conversation naturally:
"By the way, the kanji for your name—'Akari'—is read as Tomori, right? I saw the roster earlier and assumed it was pronounced Akari."
"Mm… the reading is pretty unusual, so people misread it often…"
Her voice grew even softer, perhaps embarrassed to hear her own name spoken aloud by a boy she had just met.
"Takamatsu-san, do you have any hobbies?" Haruka asked, using the current mingling atmosphere to smoothly guide the conversation forward.
At the mention of hobbies, a spark lit up in her eyes. She softly began, "Hobbies, well…"
CLANG!
The classroom door slid open loudly, cutting her off.
"Alright, alright! Save the chatting for later!"
A young and beautiful homeroom teacher strode in, clapping her hands to settle the noisy, hormone-charged classroom. Neither Haruka nor Tomori wanted to look like troublemakers on their first day, so they reluctantly ended their conversation.
Class proceeded quickly.
With the system's "Focus" ability active, Haruka's learning efficiency doubled. Each lesson he heard felt like it formed a vast knowledge network in his mind with minimal effort.
Ding.
Skill Acquired: Basic Academics LV1 (Beginner).
Even at just LV1, the effectiveness was impressive. Judging by how quickly he had leveled his Bartending skill, he estimated that within three months he could raise his Academic skill to LV4.
At that point, his foundational knowledge would likely surpass even the teacher's.
"Um…"
A gentle poke on his shoulder snapped him out of his thoughts.
It was Tomori. She timidly pointed toward the hallway outside the classroom.
"Hobbies… there's a place I want to show you."