Chapter 32: Transfer student?

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Translator: Soafp

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She washed her face and put on her glasses. When she checked the mirror, her eyes were, as expected, a little puffy.

“I hope he didn’t notice my red eyes…”

Suppressing the pounding of her heart, she stepped out of the bathroom—only to find a tall girl standing right in front of her. She was about the same height as Ginji, but had a slimmer frame. Her white skin peeked out from her shirt, and her short hair was neatly cut, giving her a clean look. Her eyebrows were thick, and her eyes were filled with determination.

Even though Sora had gotten a bit more used to speaking with people thanks to the morning greetings, she still wasn’t comfortable enough to talk to a complete stranger. She turned her head to walk silently toward her classroom.

“Hey.”

“Whah!? W-What is it?”

A voice called out from behind, making her jump.

“Are you Sora Takagi?”

She was surprised her name was known. Maybe, like that boy Yoshida earlier, it was about the test results?

Thinking that, Sora gathered some courage and turned to face her.

“Y-Yeah, that’s me.”

“…I don’t accept it.”

The girl frowned, and Sora immediately regretted turning around. She recognized that kind of look—it was the same gaze that came from people who saw her as an enemy. It was close to scorn, or perhaps contempt.

“Um… is this about the test?”

“About being compared to you. Well, thanks to that, I got to come here, so I'll let it slide.”

Sora didn't understand what she meant, and a question mark floated in her mind. But she was too afraid to keep the conversation going. More importantly, she needed to get to Ginji.

“Uh… it's almost time for homeroom, so I'm going to class.”

Just being able to say that felt like a big step forward. She turned her back and trotted away, fleeing the scene… all while feeling the girl’s eyes on her back.

When Sora entered the classroom, the air felt tense. Even though homeroom was about to start, a few boys from another class were standing in front of Ginji. Sora froze when she saw their faces—they were the same ones who had tried to hit her the first day she spoke to Ginji.

“It’s simple. Because of you, Shiki-san is troubled. She's absent again today.”

“Not my problem. So what?”

Ginji yawned and gave them a lazy, skeptical look. The boys didn't seem brave enough to push further. The rest of the class wasn't sure how to react. Some were waiting for a teacher to show up, given the tense atmosphere. But a few were egging things on—those were Aika's entourage, who usually made sure Ginji could hear their whispers behind his back but were always ignored.

“Just because you did well once on a test, don't get cocky.”

A boy with glasses looked down at Ginji, arms clasped behind his back—making it clear he wasn't using violence.

“Just so you know, that test was really tough. But whatever you say, I'm not gonna stop hanging out with Sora.”

They stared each other down for a few seconds before the bell rang.

“That was your warning.”

The boys turned to leave—but stopped at the door.

Sora was standing there.

She spread her feet shoulder-width apart and glared at them, blocking their path. But her shoulders were trembling, and the boys noticed her weakness. They tried to push her aside. Ginji stood up, but Sora reached out and grabbed his hand first.

“A warning? What the hell do you mean by that!?”

“A warning is a warning.”

“If you lay a hand on Ginji, I won't forgive you!”

Her voice cracked and trembled, lacking any real intimidation—but her tearful eyes burned with fierce determination. The whole class was stunned. A student who usually hid behind Aika was now standing up to multiple boys.

The bespectacled boy's rage flared at the idea that someone he used to intimidate was now defying him. He tried to forcefully shake her hand off—but then, another large hand grabbed his upper arm.

“I agree with Takagi.”

It was Saito, standing next to them. His towering figure glared down at the boy. The strength difference was obvious from the grip on his arm. The glasses-wearing boy recoiled, and his companions shrank back. At that moment, Ginji stepped in behind them.

“Thanks, Saito.”

Ginji had been ready to protect Sora, but he sighed with relief.

“I was just coming back from the bathroom. I didn't do anything. I'm going back to class. The teacher's here.”

A teacher appeared in the hallway, and the crowd quickly dispersed.

Before heading back to his seat, Ginji leaned in toward Sora.

“Thanks. You really helped me out.”

“I didn't do anything…”

“That's not true.”

He gave her a pat on the back. When Sora looked up, Ginji was smiling.

“You really saved me.”

Sora adjusted her black-rimmed glasses to hide her expression.

“I-It was no big deal…”

She couldn't look at him straight. His smile was just too precious to her.

Since their seats were apart, they separated and sat down. Soon, the teacher entered the classroom—followed by the girl Sora had met earlier in front of the student council room. The room buzzed with curiosity.

“Alright, quiet down. We have a new classmate joining us today. Please introduce yourself.”

“Yes, Sensei.”

The girl stepped forward with a calm smile, looked around the room, and gave a polite bow.

“My name is Mio Hazuki. I've transferred here as of today. Nice to meet you all.”

When she lifted her head, her gaze went straight to Sora.