“Sigh… I could stare at her all day. She is legit eyegasm material. And her sister? Put those two together, and I’m gonna need an extra pair of underwear.”
“Takeshi, that was seriously gross.”
“Yeah, I legit threw up a little in my mouth.”
Even Takeshi’s two friends were disgusted by his euphoric expression as he gawked at the Kujou sisters, but Takeshi himself looked back at Masachika and Hikaru as if they were the ones with the problem.
“What? Don’t tell me you guys disagree. I’ve never seen anyone as pretty as them in my life.”
“I mean, I admit they’re good-looking, but you shouldn’t worship them. Alya’s actually kind of funny once you get to know her…in more ways than one.”
“‘Ooh, look at me. I’m Masachika. I know the real Alya.’ Humblebrag much?”
“I wasn’t bragging.”
“So she’s ‘kind of funny,’ huh? I’m impressed you of all people can say something like that with a straight face.”
“Do I detect a hint of sarcasm, Hikaru? Trying to tell me to know my place?”
“That’s not what I meant. I was just saying how I admire that you could say something like that about someone who gets after you every single day.”
“Oh…”
Masachika looked away and gave a slight nod. One of the reasons he was fine with Alisa scolding him every day was because she was right. But even more than that, it was because what she whispered to herself in Russian occasionally was always extremely sweet. Plus, Alisa wouldn’t be scolding him all the time if she actually hated him to begin with. She would just ignore him…which meant that deep down inside, she probably enjoyed their exchanges. That was why Masachika didn’t let her complaints bother him. He would never be able to tell anyone that, though.
“Anyway, how about trying to talk to her? Nothing big. You might be surprised to find you two have a lot in common.”
“Yeah… But after what happened last year? I don’t know.”
Masachika nodded back at Takeshi with understanding. A young, beautiful transfer student had suddenly appeared last year like a comet. She, Alisa, instantly became the center of attention. Transfer students in general were extremely rare at Seiren Academy. The reason for this was simple: The entrance exam for transfer students was extremely difficult. Although the highly selective school was tough to get into already, the exam for transfer students was so hard that only a tenth of the current students, at most, could pass it. Nevertheless, not only did Alisa pass the entrance exam for transfer students, but she also got the highest scores on her midterms in her grade. Plus, she was beautiful. It would be more surprising if she wasn’t the center of attention. But while countless guys and girls tried to befriend her, she always kept her distance and never tried to get close to anyone. In no time flat, people started calling her the solitary princess.
“If I’m going to try to make a move on one of them, it’s going to be Yuki. By process of elimination, of course,” claimed Takeshi while looking at one of the girls lined up to order food. She had long, black, shiny hair that went down to her waist, and while she was small in stature, she had a well-proportioned feminine body. It didn’t appear to be as sensual as Alisa’s or Maria’s at first glance. However, despite her dainty looks, she displayed elegance through her firm posture and graceful gestures as if to hint at a proper noble upbringing. She, Yuki Suou, was a first-year student and the student council publicist. She was the eldest daughter from a family of former nobility who had worked as diplomats for generations. She was genuinely one of the elites. Just like how students called Alisa the solitary princess, Yuki’s peers referred to her as the noble princess due to her high social skills and refined behavior, making her the other “beautiful princess” on campus.
“Like, I know she’s out of my league, but she’s easy to talk to, so at least I still have a chance, unlike with Princess Alya.”
As Takeshi continuously nodded to himself, Hikaru skeptically tilted his head.
“Do you really have a chance, though? Yuki is known for having turned down more guys than even Alisa.”
“Mmm… Yeah… Maybe she’s not looking for a boyfriend? Or maybe she has a fiancé already, just like real nobility? So, Masachika? What’s the deal with her?”
“Why are you asking me?”
“Who else would I ask? You two grew up together,” argued Takeshi, emphasizing each word as his eyes smoldered with jealousy. Masachika sighed.
“She doesn’t have a fiancé as far as I know. I don’t know if she’s interested in dating, though.”
“Then go ask her.”
“No.”
“Why?! Come on! Be a friend!”
“Real friends don’t use their friendship to pressure others into doing something.”
“Oh. Yes, I agree with Masachika on that.”
“Ack!”
Takeshi was immediately silenced by the verbal cross fire hitting him from every direction. When Masachika just happened to glance over at the food line, he saw that the three girls had begun looking for empty seats with their trays in hand. It looked like there was nowhere left to sit until all of a sudden, a student in the corner of the cafeteria waved someone over. After Maria said something to the other two, she began walking over to the girl waving, most likely her friend or classmate. The other two kept looking around the cafeteria until Yuki’s and Masachika’s eyes met. She recognized him right away and her gaze slid to his side where there were two empty seats at the end of the table.
Guess I know where they’re sitting now.
Right as Masachika’s gut told him that, Yuki said something to Alisa and started walking straight toward them, which flustered Takeshi and made him immediately straighten his posture.
“Masachika, are these seats taken?”
All eyes were on Yuki, so the sharp crease that appeared in Alisa’s brow the moment those words left Yuki’s lips went unnoticed.
“Oh, uh. No, they’re all yours. You guys don’t mind, right?”
“O-of course not.”
“Be my guest.”
“Thanks,” she replied with a gorgeous smile before walking around to the other side of the table and sitting next to Masachika. Alisa then sat next to Takeshi, diagonally to the right of Masachika.
“I knew we’d order the same thing, Masachika.”
Yuki also had a bowl of mapo-tofu ramen, which belied her upper-class vibe.
“Wow, uh… I didn’t know you ate stuff like that, too, Ms. Suou,” stammered Takeshi nervously. Yuki took a hair tie out of her pocket and put her hair up into a ponytail with an awkward smile.
“You don’t have to be so formal. It’s not like we just met. We’re classmates.”
“B-but, like… Yeah, you’re right.”
“And of course I eat ramen. We don’t eat it at home, but I often go out on the weekends for ramen.”
“R-really? I guess I misjudged you.”
Both Takeshi’s and Hikaru’s eyes were wide in astonishment after hearing how down-to-earth Yuki was, a departure from her ladylike image at school. She smiled even wider before elegantly beginning to slurp her noodles. Masachika waited until she was eating and shot Takeshi a look.