It's been a week since I transferred to this Hel-…I mean, School.
But the words my mom said that night still lingered in my head.
"At least find someone you can call a true friend. Even if it's just one… I'll be happy"
A true friend, huh?
I mean, if I really tried, finding friends, even a girlfriend, wouldn't be hard.
Not to brag, but with my looks, posture, and academic track record, getting people to notice me is as easy as breathing.
Fitting in? Piece of cake.
But calling someone a real friend?
Or falling in love with someone for real?
That's… something else entirely.
Just look at this classroom.
This school is a gathering place for the nation's elite, athletes, scholars, child prodigies, and heirs to conglomerates.
And me?
A transfer student who managed to get in on merit alone.
If that doesn't say something about my academic level, I don't know what does.
But despite the prestige, this place isn't good.
In fact, it's worse. Troublesome.Tiring.
Everyone wears masks like it's part of the uniform.
Smiles laced with lies.
Conversations filled with hidden motives.
This isn't just school-
This is Hell, in a different form.
Well… maybe calling this place completely bad isn't fair.
After all, in this class, there are two people who remain true to themselves.
One is Tiara, the silent bodyguard of the so-called class princess.
The other is Akia, the Ice Woman who sits beside me.
If Akia is the type who couldn't care less about the world and chooses to vanish into her own thoughts, then Tiara is the kind who refuses to be swept away by the tides of youth.
She's always composed, and distant but not cold. Just... detached.
Then there's Raisa, the princess.
She sits on top of the social hierarchy, untouchable and adored.
From what I've gathered, she's not just the vice president of the student council... She's also ranked first in every exam, and is the daughter of a powerful conglomerate.
That explains why she moves like the world bends to her will.
Second in the chain is Leo.
Captain of the school's soccer team, multiple championship wins under his belt.
Good-looking, popular, confident.
He's got the crowd, but no crown.
Because this class doesn't revolve around him.
It revolves around Raisa.
And Leo?
Well…
He's been orbiting Raisa for a while now.
Not rejected, not accepted.
... Classic.
But in just this one week... Something's changed.
Me.
The "new player" in a game that's clearly been running long before I ever set foot on the field.
For some reason, Raisa, the princess herself has been hanging around me more often than not.
And that?
That's provoked quite the reaction from our charming "Prince" Leo.
He doesn't show it openly, but I can see the cracks forming in that carefully sculpted smile.
This... is getting interesting.
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"Rey..."
There it is.
The princess herself, addressing me with that trademark smile... The one that could make half the boys in class wonder, "Wait… does she like me?"
But me?
I don't see a smile.
I see poison.
A deadly toxin wrapped in the finest vintage, aged to perfection.
It's sweet, alluring, intoxicating, and by the time you realize you've been poisoned, it's already too late.
"…Yes? What can I help you with?"
"Ahaha~ You're so stiff, Rey! We're friends, right? So just talk to me normally. Just like friends do"
Friends, huh?
"If that's how you see it… then let's cut to the chase. What do you want from me, Raisa?"
Am I being too rude?… Well, I don't care.
"Hmm… well, whatever. After school, we all planned to hang out a bit. Are you interested in joining us?" She pauses, then adds with a smile that doesn't reach her eyes, "Leo also said it'd be fun if you could come"
Really? That Leo?
"This is a good opportunity for you to get to know the others. So… how about it? Interested?"
I shift my gaze toward Leo.
He's smiling.
That kind of fake, I've-already-won smile.
Ah… so this is what you're aiming for? You think dragging me into your little circle will humiliate me? Set me up?
Dumbass.
I smile back at him.
A slow, amused grin.
He looks away almost immediately, his jaw clenched in frustration.
"…Ahaha~ Are you finding this interesting, Raisa?"
"Hmm?~" Raisa hummed, tilting her head with mock innocence.
"No, nothing... But sure, I accept your invitation. So, after school, right?"
"Really? Yay~! This'll be fun~!"
Sure… This will be fun. For you and me.
Let's see what kind of play you've prepared for me, Princess.
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After Raisa's invitation, nothing much happened. The next period was Arts and Culture, so we moved to a different room.
A room that made me think, "Wow~ As expected from a cultural arts space"
Here, you can find all kinds of tools, musical instruments, painting supplies, and even stage equipment. The smell of wood, paint, and polish hung in the air. It was chaotic, but in a comforting way.
"Wow~ as expected from an elite school. You guys have everything in here, huh?"
I couldn't help but mutter.
"Ahaha~ Your old school didn't have anything like this, Rey?"
Tiara asked with a rare smile. Genuine, I think.
"We had something similar, but nothing this complete. You've got a full set here"
"Our school gives us freedom to explore our talents. That's why they provide almost all the necessary facilities. Actually, not all of this came from the school, some of it was left behind by graduates"
"…I see"
*Plak!*
"Alright, kids! For today's lesson, let's do something fun, shall we?"
The teacher clapped his hands. Eccentric, that's the word. His shirt? A bright aloha print. Hair? Long and messy, like he just rolled out of bed. No teacher charisma at all… And yet, I couldn't look away.
"Teach…" One of the students raised their hand, clearly puzzled. "What do you mean by fun?"
He grinned and spread his arms dramatically.
"…For this semester, there's no lesson"
Huh?
"…But I'm giving you all a task"
More confusion buzzed through the room. Yeah, I was confused too. Is that even allowed?
"I get it, I get it. Sounds insane, right? But don't worry, I've cleared this with the principal"
He paused for effect. Everyone leaned in.
"Your assignment… is to form a band"
Murmurs exploded around the room.
"Or go solo, I don't care. What I want is for you to create music, your music. Upload it to social media. How popular does it get? That will be your final grade. You can get outside help, use everything in your hands, and do whatever it takes, I don't care. What matters is the result. So go wild. Surprise me"
Then, without another word, he stood up and walked out like some wandering rock star.
For a heartbeat, there was no sound in the classroom. Silence blanketed the room like a thick fog. No one moved. No one even breathed.
Probably because no one could quite believe what they just heard.
I glanced at Raisa.
Wow. Even she looked confused. Her usual poised expression was cracked, eyes slightly wide, lips parted.
Guess even princesses get thrown off sometimes.
"Ah!"
The door slid open again, and the teacher popped his head back in.
Maybe he was going to say it was all just a joke.
"I forgot, if you've got any questions, come find me in my room, alright? Have fun forming your band! Bye-bye~!"
He waved with that same ridiculous grin, then disappeared again, leaving behind only silence and...
Chaos.
Voices exploded at once.
"Is this real?"
"What kind of grading system is that!?"
"I can't sing!"
"Do we get to use autotune!?"
Some students were already forming circles, trying to scout the best instrumentalists, vocalists, and maybe even influencers.
Meanwhile, I glanced at Raisa again.
Now… what will you do, Princess?
....
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