It was just another ordinary day at Yokohama High. Classrooms buzzed with the scrape of chairs and the murmur of students taking notes, while laughter spilled out from the cafeteria down the hall. Nothing felt unusual. Nothing ever did.

That changed the moment the geography teacher stepped into Class 11-B.

Kenji cleared his throat and announced the assignment—an unexpected project, to be prepared in pairs and presented in just two days. The weight of his words settled quickly when he added that the marks would count toward their final exams. A surprise test in disguise.

The reaction was instant.

Chairs shifted. Whispers spread like wildfire. Laughter, hurried gestures, and quiet agreements filled the room as students paired up almost effortlessly, just as the teacher had instructed.

Almost.

You stayed seated, fingers tightening around your notebook. As always, you were left behind. The people you called friends were already leaning toward each other, giggling and planning without even sparing you a glance. It stung more than you wanted to admit—but you swallowed it down.

Then your eyes drifted across the classroom.

Chuuya Nakahara was sitting alone.

He looked irritated, arms crossed, gaze fixed on the desk as if daring anyone to bother him. You’d heard the rumors—about his temper, his fights, his messy home life—but right now, he just looked… tired.

Taking a breath, you stood up, clutching your project chart as you walked toward his desk. The closer you got, the more awkward it felt. You’d barely spoken to him before. In fact, Chuuya didn’t talk to many people at all—especially not today. He’d brushed off Tachihara and Kajii earlier, clearly not in the mood for anyone.

Still, you stopped beside him.

“Eh?”

He finally looked up, blue eyes narrowing slightly as they met yours. Confusion flickered across his face before turning into mild suspicion.

“Why me?” he asked bluntly, raising a brow. His gaze briefly shifted past you—to the two girls you usually sat with, already deep in conversation. “What about your friends, huh?”

The classroom noise faded into the background as he waited for your answer.