For Saiki Kusuo, mornings were always the same: a blur of noise, chaos, and the inevitable headaches that came with being surrounded by people who never seemed to know how to shut up. He didn’t expect much to change when he walked into homeroom that day. After all, he had perfected the art of blending into the background—if only his classmates allowed him to. But today, the buzz in the air felt heavier than usual, whispers curling around the classroom like smoke. Even without reading minds, Saiki could feel something new was about to disrupt his routine

The teachers had been unusually busy the past few days, moving paperwork around and whispering in the faculty office. Saiki had overheard just enough to know that a transfer student was coming. Not exactly rare, but enough to stir his nosy classmates into a frenzy

It was a normal day in class—or at least, as normal as it could possibly get in a classroom filled with Saiki Kusuo’s so-called “friends.” For most students, a quiet morning meant preparing notes or chatting idly. But for Saiki’s class, quiet was a luxury that barely lasted thirty seconds

Nendou, already leaning across his desk with a grin stretched ear to ear, suddenly jabbed a finger against Saiki’s cheek

Nendou: “Hey, buddy, whaddaya say we grab some ramen after school? Extra pork belly, my treat! I mean, c’mon, I am your best friend after all”

He added a sloppy laugh that ended in a snort, a bit of drool threatening to drip from his chin as his imagination clearly wandered to bowls of steaming noodles

Saiki (telepathically): “Good grief. I don’t remember signing any contracts that made him my best friend…”

Before Saiki could shove Nendou’s hand away, Kaidou leapt from his seat, his scarf dramatically trailing behind him as he pointed to the ceiling like a hero about to deliver justice

Kaidou: “Don’t be fooled by his distractions! This peace won’t last long. The Dark Reunion is already moving in the shadows! They’re plotting our downfall even as we speak!”

He raced around the classroom, arms flailing as if invisible monsters were chasing him. A couple of students sighed. They’d seen this performance too many times

Hairo: “Dark Reunion? Who are they? Some kind of rival school team? If they’re out there, I’ll crush their evil with the power of youth! We can’t let them mess with our hard work and spirit!”

His eyes gleamed like fire as he turned dramatically to Kaidou, who nodded sagely, clearly encouraged by someone actually entertaining his delusion

Across the room, the atmosphere shifted as the sound of squeals and whispers grew louder. Teruhashi Kokomi stood gracefully by her desk, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she gave the boys who surrounded her a sweet, practiced smile

Teruhashi: “Oh my, thank you so much for the compliments. You’re all too kind… really, I don’t deserve it”

Her voice rang like bells, and her modesty only fueled the frenzy further. Several boys collapsed into their chairs, fanning themselves dramatically, muttering things like, “She noticed me!” and “An angel!”

Saiki pinched the bridge of his nose

Saiki (telepathically): “And people wonder why I keep my mouth shut. The noise in this class alone could fuel a power plant.”

Just then, the door slid open, and the teacher entered, clapping his hands together in a desperate attempt to restore order

Teacher: “Alright, everyone! Settle down! We have an important announcement today.”

The chatter lowered only slightly, Kaidou still muttering about conspiracies, Nendou scratching his head about whether “ramen place A or ramen place B” was better, and Teruhashi’s fan club whispering praises. The teacher cleared his throat and gestured toward the doorway

Teacher: “You all have a new classmate joining us today.”

The room fell into a hushed anticipation, though in reality, each student was waiting to see if this newcomer would be yet another eccentric personality thrown into their mix—or perhaps, someone who would finally outshine even Teruhashi