Following his self-introduction, the atmosphere in Class 3-B softened considerably. The tension gave way to curiosity, and soon, the students began firing off silly questions, which he answered with equal parts sarcasm and patience. It didn't take long before the homeroom period ended with the chime echoing through the building.
A few classes later, lunchtime rolled around, bringing with it a relaxed, cheerful air that spread across the school.
Benjamin sat alone at his desk, idly tapping his table. A heavy sigh escaped him as he leaned back in his chair and muttered under his breath.
"...Seriously?"
This was beyond disappointing. He hadn't expected to make best friends on day one, but complete isolation was not within his expectations either. To make matters worse, he'd somehow managed to offend nearly every guy in the class without even trying. Most of them were glaring at him from across the room.
All because of the girls.
Right after his self-introduction, he'd been swarmed. Dozens of curious, smiling girls had surrounded his desk, asking him question after question with surprising enthusiasm. Apparently, being a foreign transfer student was enough to trigger a mini-celebrity reaction.
Unfortunately, the boys didn't see it that way.
From their perspective, he was the flashy newcomer who had stolen the spotlight, and their crushes' attention, without lifting a finger. And, of course, it didn't help that he was freakishly handsome. One of the boys had even muttered a curse under his breath, grumbling something about "another damn pretty boy."
Apparently, there was already someone on campus who held that title. A guy who had effortlessly charmed nearly every girl who crossed his path — Yuuto Kiba, a second-year from Class 2-C.
He remembered that name well.
Kiba had that princely aura: polite, graceful, always smiling. Upperclassmen adored him. Underclassmen practically worshipped him. Even the girls in the Student Council weren't immune to his charm.
Someone from there definitely had a thing for him… but who was it again?
Needless to say, his classmates did not appreciate another pretty boy, especially one that was in their class.
Benjamin scratched his cheek awkwardly.
Man... talk about getting debuffed by social aggro. I'm totally feeling the mood. Seriously, how could they just abandon a guy like that?
Grumbling inwardly, he let out a weary sigh.
After bombarding him with question after question, relentlessly and without pause, the girls had apparently gotten all the information they wanted. Satisfied, they'd simply walked off… and hadn't spoken to him since.
Which led to his current predicament: a painful, soul-crushing solitude. He was bored as heck.
"Guess I should get going."
There was no point in staying idle any longer. Since he didn't bring a lunch box, his choices were limited to either the cafeteria or the school store.
But just as he stood up and stepped out of the classroom, Benjamin was suddenly called out.
"Yo. Making most of the boys hate your guts on your first day? That's a serious accomplishment, Mr. Transfer Student."
He turned around and found a tall, young man standing there with a casual, friendly smile. One of his classmates.
Black hair, dark eyes, chiseled features, and a lean build. Beneath his academy blazer, he wore a plain white button-down shirt just like Benjamin, paired with black pants and white sneakers. From his laid-back posture and effortless style, you could tell the kind of guy he was.
"Uhm... Your name is Hiro, was it?"
Hiro made a puzzled face.
"Eh? You know my name? Have we met somewhere before? No, that can't be right. If we had, I'd definitely remember a strange guy like you."
Only Benjamin had introduced himself in front of the class. The rest hadn't even shared their names. So logically, there was no way he should know anyone's name, let alone Hiro's.
"Well, it's thanks to this," Benjamin said as he pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and held it up.
It was a printed copy of the seating chart the president, Souna, had given him, so he could memorize his classmates' names as quickly as possible.
"Heh. Souna's as perceptive as ever."
Hiro chuckled in understanding before placing a hand on Benjamin's shoulder in an overly familiar manner.
"For that reason, let's grab a bite together, Mr. Transfer Student. You haven't eaten yet, right?"
"Yeah… but how exactly did you get to 'For that reason' from our conversation?"
"Because the poor transfer student, who managed to piss off every guy in class on his first day, was hanging his head looking all depressed. It was just too pitiful, so I had to say something. Besides, I transferred here just last year, so I get it. The loneliness, the awkwardness. Been there and unlike you, I didn't have anyone to help me sort things out. So you're welcome."
I appreciate the concern… but couldn't he have phrased it a little better?
Still, he didn't seem like a bad guy. And besides, wasn't I just complaining about not having anyone to talk to a few moments ago?
Benjamin smiled a little then said:
"Just call me Ben, then… and I'll call you Hiro."
"Kay, I can live with that. So Ben, cafeteria or school store?"
"Hmm… Let's go with the school store today."
He didn't know any Japanese food or snacks, so he planned on buying something at random and eating at an isolated location.
Ah... As a random thought entered his mind, Benjamin's eyes lit up as he added:
"Oh, and while on the way, do you mind being my tour guide?"
Hiro smirked and gave a theatrical bow, one hand across his chest.
"Your humble guide is at your service, dear foreign prince."
Benjamin raised a brow. "Foreign prince, huh?"
"Hey, if you're going to piss off all the guys in class just by breathing and smiling, you might as well lean into it. Own the role," Hiro replied with a grin, hands casually in his pockets as they started walking down the hallway.
The corridors of Kuoh Academy bustled with energy. Students laughed, chatted, or sprinted past in a frenzy to claim the best items before the school store sold out. Benjamin glanced around. It was strange. This world looked almost exactly like the anime had portrayed it, but now that he was inside it, everything had a much more grounded, tangible feel.
Everything looked real and everything was real.
Too real.
Hiro glanced sideways at him as they walked.
"You look like a guy who just got hit with existential whiplash."
Benjamin laughed softly. "Something like that."
"First time in Japan?"
"You could say that."
They descended the stairs and entered the ground floor, weaving past students in small cliques. Hiro led them confidently through the bustling crowd.
"Over there's the cafeteria. Decent stuff, if you don't mind standing in line. The yakisoba bread runs out fast though, so if you're ever hungry and it's past 12:30, just abandon hope."
"Got it," Benjamin nodded, noting that down in his mental survival guide.
They made a turn and arrived at the school store. It was a small convenience space tucked into the corner of the campus building, already surrounded by hungry students. Shelves lined with breads, chips, rice balls, drinks, and sweets ran along the narrow aisles.
Benjamin scanned the goods.
"...So many choices. I don't even know what half of these are."
"That's part of the fun. Just pick at random and pray you didn't just buy fermented fish paste by mistake."
Hiro said while already grabbing a melon bread and a can of iced coffee like he knew exactly what he wanted.
Benjamin took a breath, spun on his heel, and blindly grabbed a couple of wrapped items off the shelf. One looked like a sandwich, at least. The other… he had no idea, but it had a cartoon octopus on the packaging.
Risky.
They paid and made their way outside to a bench under a large cherry blossom tree in the courtyard.
"Not a bad spot, huh?" Hiro said, flopping onto the bench and unwrapping his melon bread.
"I suppose."
Benjamin sat beside him and inspected his mystery snack.
Let's hope it's not too spicy.
He took a bite. Seconds later, his eyes widened.
"Huh. This is actually good."
Hiro gave him a smug look.
"See? Japan's convenience food never fails. But nothing beats a freshly cooked home meal if you catch my drift."
Benjamin scowled.
"Don't even think about it."
Hiro chuckled and leaned back against the bench, gazing up at the drifting cherry blossoms.
"Well, I did try. One of these days though, I'm totally dragging you into the kitchen. It's a crime not to pass down my legendary omelet rice skills."
Benjamin rolled his eyes but couldn't suppress a smile.
"Legendary, huh? You're that confident?"
"Absolutely. It brought tears to my last roommate's eyes."
"Was that because of the taste… or the food poisoning?"
Hiro gasped then clutched his chest as if offended.
"You wound me, Ben! Truly, I pour my heart and soul into every dish!"
Benjamin ignored Hiro's theatrics, then his gaze drifted downward as a sudden thought took hold. His appetite faded, and he set the half-eaten snack aside.
After a brief pause, he spoke hesitantly:
"Sorry if this sounds weird, but… is there anything strange going on around here? Or maybe… something I should know in advance?"
Hiro blinked, caught off guard by the shift in tone.
The lighthearted air between them dimmed slightly. With a puzzled expression, he tilted his head to one side, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"Strange, huh?" His expression changed as he considered the question more seriously than expected. "Well, if you have to know… then I guess it wouldn't hurt to share a little rumor. Lately, there have been… incidents of mysterious disappearances. More than once."
Benjamin blinked.
"W-What? Mysterious disappearances?"
Hiro nodded grimly.
"That's right. People just vanish without a trace. Students, teachers, even a delivery guy once. All in the dead of night. The police have no clue what's going on. Some say it's a string of kidnappings… but I think it's something else."
Benjamin's expression stiffened.
What the hell does that mean? Could the Fallen Angels be getting more aggressive? No, that doesn't make sense. They wouldn't waste their time abducting random civilians.
Then… could it be someone else?
But that didn't add up either. I scouted the entire town, and there wasn't anything particularly strange going on. Not even a hint of a disturbance.
…Unless it's magic.
Tch. If that's the case, then I would be completely blind to it. What is going on? Is something else really at play here?
Lost in thought, Benjamin didn't notice Hiro quietly studying his face, as if trying to read the gears turning behind his eyes. When he finally realized what was happening, it was already too late.
"Pfft—! Oh man, you should have seen your face! 'Mysterious disappearances?' Hahahaha!"
Benjamin snapped out of his thoughts, blinking rapidly.
"...Wait. You're joking?"
Hiro was doubled over, wheezing with laughter, nearly dropping his half-eaten melon bread. Realizing he'd been thoroughly pranked, Benjamin furrowed his brows in clear displeasure.
"Dude, that's so not cool."
Hiro held up both hands with a wide smile on his face.
"Hah! I know, I know. I'm sorry, but you looked so damn serious, I couldn't help myself!" He wiped a tear from his eye, struggling to calm down. "Relax, man. There's nothing going on. As far as I know, Kuoh Town is totally safe. There are no boogeymen, kidnappers, and definitely no one out here trying to snatch your lunch… or your ass."
Ben didn't laugh. He just gave Hiro a knowing look filled with quiet pity.
If only he knew.
Perhaps this was what people meant when they said ignorance is bliss. That what you don't know can't hurt you.
But Ben had already learned the truth quite recently: That was the biggest lie of all damn time.