"Ruri hasn't said why she's wearing color contacts to school today, has she?"
Shiina Mahiru, holding her schoolbag with both hands, looked over curiously.
"Umm..."
Gokou Ruri guiltily averted her gaze. After hesitating for two seconds, she lowered her voice and quickly told the truth:
"I suffered from insomnia last night and went to sleep too late. When I woke up to do my makeup this morning, I was still very sleepy, so I put them on in a daze..."
When chatting with Izumi Sora, Kuroneko could freely unleash her chunibyo sharp tongue without any scruples. But when facing Angel-sama, she inexplicably felt constrained.
If one had to point out a reason, it was probably the massive inherent gap between an introverted chunibyo girl with few friends and a flawless, top-tier normie.
"No wonder you have dark circles..."
Izumi Sora looked at Kuroneko, having already guessed the truth.
The insomnia was a lie; it was highly likely she got too engrossed in reading manga or light novels and lost track of time.
And that was exactly the case.
Kuroneko had read manga late into the night yesterday, so naturally, she lacked sleep when she woke up this morning. She started doing her makeup while still in a groggy state.
Japanese girls all wear makeup, especially working women, who consider it super rude to go out bare-faced. Nowadays, almost all high school girls wear makeup to school.
When Kuroneko was doing her makeup early in the morning, she happened to see the color contacts in her makeup box. By the time she snapped back to reality, she had already groggily put them on.
After hesitating for a while, Kuroneko ultimately didn't take off the color contacts.
She didn't have any friends in her class. Even if she wore color contacts all day, no teacher or classmate would notice, right?
However, before she even stepped through the school gate, Izumi Sora spotted them...
Idiot Sora! Stop observing so closely, ahhhhh!
While they were chatting in low voices, the commotion at the school gate quietly came to an end.
A school official in a suit hurriedly appeared. After a brief conversation with the middle-aged man, he led the man into the school grounds.
Seeing there was no more spectacle to watch, the students gathered at the school gate dispersed, preparing to enter the school.
"Everyone line up for inspection!"
A girl blocked the school entrance, shouting to maintain order.
She wore a red armband, indicating her identity as a disciplinary committee member.
There were too many students gathered at the gate, and the two disciplinary committee members couldn't handle it all at once, so they drafted Tiara and the gyaru senpai from the student council to help.
Izumi Sora lined up and reached the gate. The person responsible for checking his uniform happened to be the gyaru senpai.
"Izumi... good morning..."
Shikiya Yumeko spoke intermittently, as weak and feeble as always, looking like a frail girl who could be blown over by a gust of wind.
"Good morning."
Izumi Sora looked at the gyaru senpai, raising an eyebrow in praise:
"You didn't collapse today, and you're even helping out with the disciplinary checks. That's commendable."
After saying that, Izumi Sora prepared to walk into the school.
"Wait a minute..."
Shikiya Yumeko suddenly reached out and stopped him.
"What is it?"
"Clothes... not neat..."
Shikiya Yumeko answered intermittently while moving closer.
As the distance between them narrowed, a faint, musky, orchid-like fragrance wafted into Izumi Sora's nose.
Their eyes met.
The gyaru senpai's face was completely expressionless, her eyelashes not even fluttering. She simply raised her arms, reached for Izumi Sora's collar, and began buttoning his shirt.
With other students, Shikiya Yumeko would just give a verbal reminder. But actively helping Izumi Sora button his shirt—this special treatment quickly drew curious glances from the gossiping classmates.
The corner of Izumi Sora's mouth twitched slightly, and he discreetly took a half-step back:
"I can do it myself..."
Just as he finished speaking.
A gust of cool wind blew by.
The gyaru senpai suddenly closed her eyes, her body tottered, and then she fell forward right towards him.
I just praised you, and your stamina gauge depleted in the blink of an eye?
You are way too weak!
Izumi Sora helplessly opened his arms and caught the falling gyaru senpai.
There was no other way. If he dodged out of the way, the gyaru senpai would likely face-plant onto the ground, which would definitely be miserable.
Thump.
Shikiya Yumeko fell limply into Izumi Sora's embrace in an intimate posture, as if the two were hugging.
"Ooh-hoo—"
"Shikiya-senpai from the student council actually threw herself into the arms of a first-year boy!"
"That guy is really handsome."
"Damn it, this superficial world needs to be destroyed right now!"
"..."
With the gyaru senpai actively "throwing herself into his arms," the school gate became lively again, the gossiping classmates' desire for rumors burning brightly.
"Yumeko-senpai, don't suddenly shut down!"
A familiar voice sounded nearby. Basori Tiarara hurried over and supported Shikiya Yumeko:
"You're going to cause trouble for Izumi-kun!"
"I'm... sorry..."
Shikiya Yumeko leaned limply against Tiarara. Her voice was intermittent, like a wind-up girl toy about to break down:
"Stamina... depleted..."
If it's depleted, then hurry up and go rest, don't push yourself!
After helping Tiara assist the gyaru senpai to the side to rest, Izumi Sora decisively took his leave.
After entering the school, Izumi Sora originally planned to go straight to his classroom, as he had cleaning duty today. But as he turned around, he was drafted by Elf.
"Sora, come with me to the Literature Club room."
Yamada Elf reached out her small hand and grabbed Izumi Sora's sleeve.
"Ask Anna to go with you."
"It's exactly because I didn't see Anna that I'm asking you to go with me."
"..."
Helpless, Izumi Sora could only accompany Elf to the Literature Club.
The journey was silent.
The two quickly arrived outside the Literature Club room.
Knock knock knock.
Yamada Elf stepped forward and raised her hand to knock.
"No sound..." Yamada Elf crossed her arms over her chest, muttering to herself.
"Could it be that Komari-san hasn't arrived yet?"
"Not necessarily. It's also possible that Komari-san doesn't dare to respond."
Izumi Sora reached out his right hand and gently pushed the door open.
For someone with severe social anxiety, they wouldn't even dare to say the words "Please come in." If Komari Chika was inside, she was probably hiding in a corner, silently praying for the people outside to leave quickly.
Thump.
The door opened.
A girl with short red hair quietly came into view, hiding in a corner, looking very small. It was exactly Komari Chika.
"Ah~ Komari-san, good morning."
Yamada Elf walked happily into the club room.
"G-Good morning..."
Komari Chika gathered her courage to respond, but unfortunately, her voice was very small, like a buzzing mosquito.
"Good morning."
Izumi Sora also chimed in with a greeting.
"Good..."
Komari Chika secretly looked up, glancing at Izumi Sora. Just that single glance caused the temperature of the socially anxious girl's face to rise rapidly, and soon even the tips of her ears turned red.
"Komari-san, here are your clothes." Yamada Elf opened her schoolbag and took out a brand-new girls' uniform.
"Eh... Why did Komari's face suddenly turn super red?"
Komari Chika: "..."
Because the image of Izumi-kun's giant monster popped into my head again, and now I just want to hide in a cardboard box!
After compensating Komari with the clothes, there was naturally nothing else to do. Since Komari wouldn't chat with people anyway, after a few simple words, Izumi Sora and Elf said their goodbyes and left.
The second class in the afternoon was P.E.
After class, Izumi Sora headed to his classroom alone, preparing for his cleaning duties.
As he passed by the adjacent classroom, he suddenly saw a girl with long straight black hair slumped over her desk by the window, continuously rubbing her eyes...