The classroom was loud.
Too loud.
Laughter, chatter, chairs scraping against the floor—it all blended into a noise that I had long learned to ignore.
I rested my chin on my hand, staring out the window.
Another normal day.
Another invisible day.
That was how I liked it.
No attention. No trouble. No unnecessary connections.
Just… quiet.
The bell rang, signaling lunch break.
As expected, everyone quickly grouped up.
Friends called out to each other, chairs moved, footsteps echoed as they left the classroom.
I stayed.
Of course I did.
I always stayed.
Eating alone wasn't sad—it was peaceful.
At least, that's what I told myself.
I slowly opened my lunchbox.
Just as I picked up my chopsticks—
The classroom door slid open.
I didn't look up.
At first.
But then…
The noise disappeared.
Completely.
That was strange.
I frowned slightly and glanced toward the door.
And froze.
Standing there was a girl.
Long, smooth black hair. Clear, calm eyes. A gentle expression that somehow felt distant.
She was… beautiful.
No.
Not just beautiful.
She was the girl everyone talked about.
Aizawa Reina.
The second prettiest girl in the class.
Not the most popular.
Not the most untouchable.
But somehow… the most approachable.
Or at least—that's what people said.
So why…
Why was she walking toward me?
Step.
Step.
Step.
Each footstep felt louder than the last.
My heart started beating faster.
Don't come here.
Don't come here.
Don't come here—
She stopped.
Right next to my desk.
I looked up at her, completely confused.
"…Do you mind if I sit here?"
My brain stopped working.
"Huh?"
Out of all the things I expected today—
This wasn't even on the list.
She tilted her head slightly, her expression calm.
"I asked if I could sit here."
The classroom was dead silent.
I could feel it.
Everyone was watching.
Every single person.
"…I mean… you can sit anywhere you want," I muttered.
Smooth. Real smooth.
She gave a small nod.
Then—
She pulled the chair next to mine…
…and sat down.
Just like that.
Next to me.
I could practically hear the shock spreading across the room.
Whispers started.
"Wait… what?"
"Why is she sitting there?"
"With him?"
I tightened my grip on my chopsticks.
This is bad.
This is really bad.
I glanced at her.
She calmly opened her lunchbox, as if nothing strange was happening.
"…Why?" I asked quietly.
She paused for a moment.
Then, without looking at me, she said:
"…Because you don't look at me like the others do."
My heart skipped.
What does that even mean?
Before I could ask anything else—
A sharp sound echoed.
Someone slammed their desk.
I looked up.
And instantly felt the atmosphere turn cold.
At the front of the classroom…
She was staring at us.
The girl everyone feared.
The one no one dared to approach.
Kurosaki Yuna.
The number one girl.
And right now—
Her eyes were locked on me.
Not with curiosity.
Not with interest.
But something much worse.
"…So that's how it is."
Her voice was quiet.
But it cut through the entire room.
A chill ran down my spine.
I had a bad feeling.
A very bad feeling.
I looked at the girl sitting beside me.
Then back at the entire class.
Yeah.
My peaceful life?
It was over.