They called him a monster.
Every school has one — the student everyone avoids. The one with a glare sharp enough to cut glass, fists rumored to have sent seniors to the hospital, and a reputation darker than a winter midnight. At Shinsei High, that person was Hayato Kurogane.
People whispered his name in corridors. Teachers pretended not to see him. Even upperclassmen crossed the street to avoid his gaze.
The rumors said he fought a whole gang alone.
That he threatened a teacher once.
That he broke a baseball bat over someone's head just for looking at him wrong.
But none of them knew the truth.
Because behind that cold glare and permanent scowl… was a boy who hated crowds, flinched at sudden attention, and panicked whenever someone tried to make small talk.
Hayato Kurogane wasn't a delinquent. He was an introvert.
A terribly shy, socially awkward kid trapped in a reputation he didn't ask for.
And it all started with one misunderstanding in middle school.
A scuffle he never meant to get into.
A rumor he didn't know how to deny.
And a face he couldn't control — because when he was nervous… he looked terrifying.
Now, at seventeen, Hayato just wanted a quiet life.
A corner seat by the window.
A safe distance from gossip and drama.
But fate wasn't about to make it that easy.
Because in this city, a name like Kurogane carried weight. And soon, people would realize the quiet kid they feared… was someone far more complicated than any rumor could explain.
And it all began today.
The day she transferred into his class.
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