Chapter 4: The first day of school is always like this

I left home early, my steps cautious as I made my way to school. While skipping school entirely was an option, it felt too extreme. If I walked at a moderate pace, not too fast, not too slow, I might be able to avoid them.

‘Right, at this pace, like a proper background character, blending in…’

I muttered to myself, acutely aware of my every step.

‘Yesterday was probably just because it was the first time they saw me… They won’t pay me much attention today.’

Head down, focusing solely on my feet, I walked, oblivious to my surroundings.

‘Please, let today be uneventful…’

And just like that, my hopes were dashed. I tripped, my foot catching on something, and the world tilted.

“Whoa!”

I stumbled forward, losing my balance and dropping my bag. Notebooks and pens scattered across the ground.

“Ugh…”

As I scrambled to pick up my belongings, I noticed a pair of shoes stop beside my scattered notes. And then… I looked up to see shimmering silver hair.

“Are you alright? You must be startled. Let me help.”

A clear, gentle voice descended from above. I looked up to see a silver-haired, blue-eyed goddess standing before me.

Yukikawa Aya.

She was holding one of my notebooks, her gaze fixed on me.

“Are you hurt?”

How could such blue eyes hold so much warmth? My voice caught in my throat, I could only manage a clumsy nod. Aya smiled softly at my reaction and began gathering my scattered notes and pens, handing them to me one by one.

“Here you go.”

“Th… thank you…” I mumbled, my voice barely a whisper.

“You’re Kurosawa Rina, from the seat next to me, right?”

Hearing her say my name made my heart skip a beat.

“We agreed to be friends yesterday, didn’t we? Or was that just me…?”

Her voice was gentle, but tinged with a subtle sadness. Yesterday’s exchange hadn’t been just casual pleasantries.

“Well, that’s…”

My mind went blank. I stammered, searching for an excuse, but Aya shook her head slightly.

“If it’s too much, you don’t have to rush. It would be nice to be friends… but…”

Hearing the disappointment in her voice, I couldn’t bring myself to hurt her further.

“No, it’s not that! We’re friends, hehe…”

As soon as the words left my mouth, the sadness in her eyes vanished, replaced by a radiant smile. In that moment, I was struck anew by how beautifully Aya was described in the novel. My limited vocabulary couldn’t do her justice. She was simply… breathtaking.

“So, shall we walk to school together?”

“Oh, right! Let’s go,” I replied, stuffing the returned notebook and pens back into my bag. Inside, I screamed.

‘My hopes for a normal day are shattered.’

I had no choice but to walk alongside Aya, her silver hair shimmering in the morning sun. This wasn’t just awkward; it was excruciating, like walking on a bed of nails.

Every time I glanced at her, our eyes met, and I quickly averted my gaze. She was watching me, her gaze intense, almost like she was observing an exotic animal at the zoo.

I could feel my face burning under her scrutiny. Mustering my courage, I turned to meet her eyes, and she smiled softly.

“Rina, are you alright? What are you thinking about?”

“N-Nothing! I wasn’t thinking about anything!” I blurted out, waving my hands frantically.

Aya chuckled softly, a melodic sound, like the laughter of a princess, or a goddess.

“You’re so cute, Rina. It’s rare to see such reactions.”

My face, already burning, felt like it was about to explode. I quickly turned away, but Aya, unfazed by my reaction, continued gently.

“So, Rina, you said your hobbies were reading and cycling, right?”

“Y-Yes! That’s right…!”

“What kind of books do you like? Novels, perhaps?”

I couldn’t possibly tell her that I’d ended up in this world because of a novel. So, after a moment’s hesitation, I could only shake my head awkwardly.

“Oh! I see. Would you like me to recommend some books I enjoy?”

‘Aya’s recommending books…?’

My eyes widened reflexively, and I nodded without thinking. This was an event that even the male protagonist hadn’t experienced! Not that I was thinking of it as some prize… I was genuinely curious about what Aya would recommend. Perhaps my half-resigned state made me more receptive.

“Yes! Of course!”

Aya tilted her head slightly. “I’ll bring some next time. I love reading.”

Her bright smile sparkled in the sunlight. I stared at her, speechless. We walked in silence for a few steps, our eyes locked.

Then, another familiar, yet unwelcome, voice broke the spell.

“Whoa~ Aya-ring, you’re already walking with Rina?”

Across the street, a girl with long brown hair approached. Another striking beauty, second only to Aya in the novel’s descriptions.

Asakura Mizuki.

“Mizuki,” Aya greeted, waving lightly.

Mizuki joined us, naturally positioning herself beside me. I already felt small, being the shortest of the three, but now I felt even smaller.

“Rina, you’re already this close with our Aya-ring? I’m jealous!” she teased, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

“N-No, it’s not like that…”

“Just kidding~ Don’t be so flustered.”

“Oh… right… yeah.”

Aya smiled at me reassuringly. “Mizuki’s a bit of a tease. You’ll get used to her.”

Her kind words made me blush again. I’d barely calmed down… what was wrong with me?

“By the way, Rina, do you always come this early? We could meet up and walk to school together.”

“N-No, not really! I just…” I stammered, waving my hands dismissively, my mind a blank.

Mizuki chuckled, amused by my reaction. “You’re so cute, Rina.”

We were nearing the school gates, which meant a higher chance of encountering other students. And many of them were staring at us, some subtly, others openly.

“Hey, isn’t that Yukikawa-san and Asakura-san?”

“Who’s the girl with them? I haven’t seen her before…”

“She’s really cute. Is she a transfer student?”

The protagonist in the novel was also referred to as a “transfer student.” Most students transitioned from Takamari Middle School, and it was extremely difficult for outsiders to gain admission. So, both newcomers and transfer students were usually lumped together under the same label. But that wasn’t the point.

‘They think… I’m cute?’

Flanked by two of the four most beautiful girls in Takamari Academy, they thought I, in all my ordinariness, was cute? It had to be a mistake. Compared to them, I was just a background character.

But the murmurs grew louder as we approached the gates, making me feel increasingly insignificant. Sensing the atmosphere, Aya spoke softly.

“Rina, don’t mind them. The students here are just… excitable.”

Mizuki added with a smile, “Yeah, don’t worry about it. They’re always curious about new faces. But they have good taste, don’t they?”

Standing between them, I felt like a tiny ant. Their presence alone commanded attention. This was the world of the novel, after all, a world that revolved around them.

And their gazes were fixed on me.

‘Goodbye, normal school life.’

Resigned, I made a mental note to check my notebook during break, just in case there were any relevant events scheduled around the entrance ceremony. Focusing on something else helped me endure the agonizing walk to the classroom.

The stares continued as the three of us entered Class 1-3 and settled into our seats by the window.

To avoid the gazes of my classmates, I turned towards the window, hoping to find some solace in the blue sky and the few remaining cherry blossom petals fluttering in the breeze.

But my seating arrangement was the problem. Aya was by the window, and I was right next to her. Turning towards the window meant turning towards her. As I snuck a glance, our eyes met.

Aya tilted her head slightly and smiled, a clear, gentle smile that seemed to say, “It’s okay.” But her smile no longer brought me comfort.

That smile… it was meant for the protagonist. That pure, innocent smile filled me with dread.

‘I’ll have to endure this every day, every week, every month, every year… won’t I?’

The constant stares, Aya’s presence beside me… It felt like there would be no escape.