Chapter 3

Returning to school after a while, I felt a slight tension.

After all, I’d caused quite a stir last time. By now, rumors must have spread, and I might even be a bit famous.

When someone like that suddenly reappears, wouldn’t everyone turn to whisper behind my back? Wouldn’t I be met with shouts and cheers? Maybe I’d even get fan letters?

Playing out these imaginary responses in my head, I pedaled my bike up to the front gate. A stream of students flowed toward the school building without sparing a single glance in my direction. To them, I was just another face in the crowd.

There’s some strange rule here about getting off your bike once you’re on school grounds. Normally, I’d ignore such a rule, but considering this is my first day back from suspension, drawing a teacher’s attention might not be the best move. Besides, I’d decided to turn over a new leaf. So, I walked my bike by the handlebars. That’s when I heard a voice from beside me.

“Ara? Arara?”

A female student cocked her head and peered at my face.

“I knew it—it’s you, that guy from yesterday.”

She pointed right at my face. It was the girl from yesterday—the princess of the school. In the morning light, her pale skin stood out even more, her slender figure sharply outlined. Yet, what caught my eye was still the faint bruise near her eye.

“Hey, hey, did you tattle to a teacher?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Wow, good boy, gooood boooy,” she said, reaching out to pat my head.

I instinctively tried to bat her hand away, but both of mine were occupied holding the handlebars, so I shook my head instead, aiming to show her I wasn’t thrilled about it. She didn’t care in the slightest, falling in step with me as if we were walking together on purpose.

“Riding a bike, huh? Do you live far away?”

“Look, seriously, I think you should just stop with this. Really.”

“Stop what?”

“What? … Come on.”

I didn’t actually know what this girl was up to exactly—and frankly, I didn’t want to know. But it was obvious that whatever she was doing, she didn’t want the teachers finding out.

“How did it end up like that, gathering people in a place like that?”

“Oh, that? You saw, right? The chubby guy with glasses. He tried to take a secret photo of me, so I caught him. As I questioned him, it just sort of… turned into that.”

“And how does that make any sense?”

I remembered the thousand-yen bills stuffed into her chest pocket. My eyes drifted down there instinctively, though the money was gone now. So, she was probably squeezing money out of them using that as leverage? It didn’t feel like a regular shakedown either.

“Seems like money is involved somehow… Don’t come crying if this blows up in your face.”

“Listen, it’s not like I asked for it; they offered to pay me all on their own.”

“People offering money on their own? That’s just stupid.”

“It’s like those online donation streams, right? This isn’t any different, if you think about it.”

“Yeah, but it looked pretty shady, honestly.”

“I was just talking. You’re the one who barged in uninvited, weren’t you?”

“Those guys didn’t look like they were there for casual chatting. Weren’t they, you know… trying to peek up your skirt?”

“Hmm? Do guys really want to see panties that much? You too?”

She raised a corner of her lips, giving me a challenging look.

“Don’t just change the subject.”

“It’s not like I wasn’t wearing panties right under my skirt. Besides, aren’t you a little cheeky? You’re a first-year, right? Do you think it’s okay to talk to a senpai like that?”

“Is now really the time to bring up who’s senpai and who’s kouhai?” [senior and junior]

Maybe talking back wasn’t the smartest move, but I’ve always been a bit of a smart mouth. The senpai I’m apparently supposed to respect just smiled and quickly brushed it off.

“Well, whatever. You’ll keep quiet, right?”

“Persistent, aren’t you? Who would I even tell?”

“Or maybe you’d like to join? Usually, new members get introduced, but I could make an exception just for you.”

She took half a step closer, and a sweet, floral scent filled the air between us. Her voice dropped to a whisper right by my ear.

“After school today, we’ll be meeting at the same place… Come if you feel like it.”

She gave a quick wink, waved her fingers in a farewell, and headed towards the school entrance. I’d never seen someone wink in real life before—it was like she thought she was some kind of idol or something.

Still, her methods seemed oddly analog. In a time when everyone’s glued to social media, she’s totally going against the flow. Although, for all I know, she could be connected with them there too. In a way, keeping things off the grid like this might actually be safer.

Either way, wise people keep their distance from trouble.