Unable to accept the reality of the situation, I checked my name on the chalkboard at the front of the room again and again.
But no matter how many times I looked, there was no mistake. My name was boxed in by the class's "Beautiful Girl Trio."
(This has to be... no matter how you look at it, isn't this the worst possible seat?)
Those three possessed the kind of presence and beauty that naturally commanded everyone’s attention even when they weren't doing a thing. They were the undisputed center of the class. To be stuck in the middle seat, surrounded by the three pillars of that center... it was nothing short of hell.
My ideal school life involved sitting quietly in the corner of the room, grinning to myself while reading light novels. In a seat like this, I wouldn't even be able to read in peace.
Don't force the sun so close to an introvert like me.
"Look at Izumiya’s seat. He’s surrounded by Kuroki-san and the others."
"That’s a god-tier seat, man."
"I'm seriously jealous..."
My male classmates directed gazes of pure envy and jealousy toward me. Feeling utterly gloomy, I clutched my bag and sat down in that hellish spot.
When I did, I found Airi Miyama already sitting in the seat directly in front of me.
Miyama was a beauty so popular she was practically the incarnation of "cute." Her light-colored hair was styled in low twin tails that hung over her shoulders in lovely, soft waves. Her wide, round eyes and her calculated duck-face expression were clearly intended to be adorable.
While she was naturally pretty, she also applied "buffs" through her makeup and nail art, giving her an overwhelming sense of sophistication compared to the other girls. Furthermore, the reason the boys in class watched Miyama so intently wasn't just because she was cute; her massive chest was surely a factor.
Her two large fruits were so ripe and bountiful that they made her uniform look like it was at its bursting point. They were impressive enough to make any man do a double or triple take; even I, who felt uncomfortable around her, was floored when I first saw them. With her thin waist contrasted against her thick, supple chest and thighs, she had a "foul" physique on par with a gravure idol.
"Airi, morning."
"Ah, Yuria! Morning-morning~"
While I was lost in thought about Miyama, the second member of the trio, Yuria Ichinose, arrived. She placed her bag on the desk to my left and sat down.
"Our seats are pretty close, huh?"
"Right? I wonder if Rui-chan made it so we'd be near each other?"
"Maybe."
(What do you mean "maybe"? As far as I’m concerned, this is nothing but a nuisance!)
"Yuria, your nails look so good today. Did you change your top coat? Or is that oil?"
"I didn't really do anything special," Ichinose replied coolly, her eyes dropping to her smartphone.
Yuria Ichinose was a "downer gal," known for her sharp eyes and prickly personality. Her long chestnut hair, which was obviously dyed, always flowed beautifully, and her glossy pink nails gave off a distinct gal vibe. She had a sharp, small face and features that were more "beautiful" than "cute." While her chest wasn't as large as Miyama’s, it was still decently sized, and her slender waist highlighted her excellent style.
I liked 2D gals well enough, but I had a major weakness when it came to the real-life variety.
(Otaku-friendly gals don't exist in this world. They're purely imaginary creatures.)
"Anyway, Rui-chan is late, isn't she? Maybe she’s in the restroom?"
"Who knows. Ah, Yamada’s here, Airi. Turn around."
The moment Ichinose spoke, our homeroom teacher, Yamada, appeared from the hallway, followed by the Class Representative, Kuroki.
"Everyone, get to your seats."
Demon Yamada spoke while clutching a kendo stick in one hand. Intimidated, the students quietly took their places. Kuroki, who had entered with Yamada, sat down in her seat to my right.
(Kuroki... because of you, I've ended up in this nightmare.)
"It looks like the seat shuffle is over. Don't go getting too carried away."
Yamada scanned the room with a sharp glint in his eyes. As expected, his intimidating presence was no joke.
"I gave special permission for this shuffle because the Class Representative, Kuroki, insisted it was 'absolutely necessary.' But don't expect something as useless as a seat shuffle to ever happen again. That is all for morning HR."
Yamada slammed his kendo stick against the floor with a loud crack before walking out.
(Phew... Yamada's HR is finally over... wait, what?)
Hold on a second.
Did that guy just say... "don't expect it to ever happen again"?
(Does that mean I'm stuck in this seat until the end of my second year!?)
"N-No... way."
I fell into a pit of despair. My peaceful high school life was collapsing. If I had to be surrounded by these three for a whole year, I’d be better off just dropping out.
"—Izumiya-kun, it’s been a long time."
As the color drained from my face, a clear, beautiful voice reached me from my right. That voice belonged to...
"We're neighbors starting today. Let's get along."
Rui Kuroki.
She was the root of all evil in this situation, and the Class Representative of our class. Her glossy, straight black hair was the very image of a traditional Japanese beauty. She had gentle, drooping eyes and well-defined features, with a slender build that looked more like a professional model’s.
To be honest, I was startled that the beautiful Class Representative, who was more "elegant" than "cute," had suddenly spoken to me. For the record, Kuroki and I hadn't spoken a single word to each other in five years.
"Rui-chaaan, what are you guys talking about?"
"...Rui, do you know that guy?"
The other two members of the trio wandered over to Kuroki’s desk. Ichinose even pointed a finger at me while calling me "that guy."
"Hmm. We haven't talked recently, but Izumiya-kun and I actually went to the same middle school."
That was the truth—Kuroki and I were from the same middle school. Even back then, every move she made drew the attention of everyone around her. She had been the Student Council President, the captain of the Track and Field Club, and had even ranked first in the national mock exams. She had all the popularity and public trust anyone could ever want.
It was surprising that someone like Rui Kuroki even remembered the name of a bottom-tier introvert like me.
Why had she approached me? Was it just because we happened to be sitting next to each other?
Whatever the case, I was never going to forgive her.
When I glared at her, Kuroki merely responded with a fearless, knowing smile.