TLNOTE : like previous volume, the prologue is in the middle of the book
Prologue / The Girl Who Can Say “I Love You” Properly… Returns!?
That morning was peaceful.
At least on the surface, Izumi’s school life was peaceful.
…But the one who always shakes things up is usually this guy.
“Hey, Izumi! Did you hear!? There’s a new girl coming to our class!”
The one causing a ruckus the moment school started was Satou.
“…………”
An overwhelming feeling of “Wait… hasn’t this happened before?” washed over him.
Izumi instantly scanned the classroom with maximum caution.But all he saw was Nanao, staring at him with a puzzled look—no other suspicious figures around.
“Whew… Don’t scare me like tha—wait, whoa! Nanao, when did you get here!?”
“I was trying to sneak up behind you, but you turned around so suddenly you scared me.”
“Oh, is that so? Sorry about that…”
He had no idea what he was apologizing for, but at least he confirmed that his danger radar was still working.
“So, what are you guys talking about?”
“Oh, uh… this guy—this heat-crazed maniac over here—dug up info about another transfer student.”
“Izumi, you bastard! Why’d you reword it like that!?”
Satou was clearly determined to protest.
“I admit I get excited, but you didn’t have to put it like that!”
“I really wish you hadn’t admitted to the excitement part…!”
He was a guy who went all-in on the bit.
Nanao sighed and spoke to Satou like a teacher scolding a kid.
“Satou-kun. That kind of humor might be fun between guys, but if you do it in front of girls, they’ll think you’re gross, you know?”
“Even Nanase-san’s being harsh with me lately!”
And indeed, most of the girls were giving Satou frosty looks as he made a scene in class.
“But seriously, Satou—another transfer student? Is that for real?”
Because, well… it had only been about a month since Nanao transferred in herself.
Normally, getting a new student in high school is like a once-in-a-lifetime event. But this frequency?
Just to be sure, Izumi asked the obvious.
“Hey, Nanao… You didn’t, like, transfer in again, did you?”
“Haha, no, I don’t think so,”
she answered with an awkward smile.
Still, Izumi couldn’t shake the feeling that she was exactly the type to pull a stunt like that.
Satou wagged his finger dramatically.
“This time, it’s not a transfer student.”
“Then what is it?”
Other classmates started perking up, clearly curious. After giving the room a theatrical sweep with his eyes, Satou grinned.
“A returnee.”
“A re… returnee student…?”
Everyone gulped.
Satou, clearly pleased with the reaction, began explaining how he got the info.
“Yesterday, I saw her talking to a teacher in the staff room. Apparently, she’s been enrolled here since last year, but she’s been studying abroad at a university overseas.”
“A university? So she skipped grades?”
The class let out impressed murmurs.
“Never heard of anyone like that.”
“Wait, is our school even that high-level?”
While everyone chatted, Izumi asked with genuine curiosity,
“If that’s true, that’s crazy. What kind of person is she?”
“Ohh, glad you asked!”
“She’s a girl, got it.”
“Izumi, you bastard~!?”
Honestly, the moment Satou got that excited, this outcome was practically guaranteed.
Still, having his “big reveal” spoiled didn’t make Satou sulk. Because he had… even juicier info.
“Don’t think we’re done yet!”
“What…?”
A second surprise twist.
Even Izumi had to admit—maybe Satou wasn’t just a party-loving flirt after all.
Then, as if whispering a top-secret mission, Satou leaned in and said—
“…She’s an H.”
The worst.
The only saving grace was that Nanao tilted her head, not getting the reference.Why did Izumi understand it? Don’t make him say it, damn it…
With a half-pitying gaze, Izumi patted Satou on the shoulder.
“Well, I mean… uh, good luck this time?”
“Don’t look at me with those pity eyes! You think you’re hot stuff just ‘cause you’re winning in life now!”
“Wait, who’s winning…?”
Nanao giggled.
“I want to help make sure Izumi-kun always wins, you know?”
“Stop saying that stuff in public!”
Nanao gave him a sly smile.
“So if we’re alone, it’s okay to say it a lot?”
“Quit poking my cheek like it’s nothing~~!”
Satou, clearly exasperated, muttered,
“Why aren’t you two dating again?”
“Shut up! Don’t say that with a straight face!”
Still, Satou wasn’t wrong.
Normally, people would joke, “You two should just get together already~” and the pair would reply “Cut it out~” or “We’re not like that~” while secretly already being a thing.
But this was Izumi. Everyone in class agreed—he wasn’t capable of that kind of high-level teenage romantic game.
Just as everyone was laughing, the morning homeroom bell rang.
“Nanao. See you later.”
“Eh? I wanna see the new girl too… is that not okay?”
“You can check her out later, alright…?”
Izumi was determined to guard the final defense line.
As Nanao waved “Bye-bye” and headed to her own class, the homeroom teacher walked in.
Students hurried to their seats. The idea of a new girl joining their class made them unusually quick to settle down.
The teacher just smiled wryly at the excitement.
“I’m sure most of you already heard, but a new girl will be joining our class today.”
Satou’s info was confirmed. The classroom buzzed even louder.
Izumi sighed at everyone’s excitement.
(Well, can’t blame them. But no way someone weirder than Nanao’s gonna show up, right?)
The teacher turned toward the hallway and signaled.
The door opened—and the girl who entered made Izumi’s eyes widen.
A beautiful girl with a mysterious aura.
Another incredibly cute girl, right after Nanao.
The boys were practically bouncing in their seats, and even the girls let out amazed sighs.
And just as Satou’s “classified info” predicted…Her chest was, well, very noticeable.
You couldn’t help but worry the buttons on her uniform were going to pop—probably due to the sheer visual impact of that [H].As boys started fixing their hair, Izumi backed away emotionally.
The teacher introduced her.
“This is Akeboshi Meina. She was studying abroad at a university in the U.S. until recently but returned due to family reasons. Be sure to welcome her.”
The room was already noisy beyond control. The teacher had to raise his voice.
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“Quiet down for a second! …Akeboshi-san, please introduce yourself.”
Meina smiled warmly and bowed to the class.
“I’m Akeboshi Meina~. It’s a pleasure to meet you~”
There was a slight Kansai accent to her voice.
Her friendly smile made her seem sociable despite being a supposed prodigy who studied abroad. And the boys? Already puffing like bulls.
Meanwhile, Izumi shrank into the corner of the classroom, trying to erase his presence.
(Okay. I’ll just avoid getting involved with her…)
He turned to look out the window, avoiding eye contact.
It was May, and the air was slowly turning more humid. Summer was creeping in.
(Anyway… what should I do about lunch?)
He was still getting packed lunches from Shiragiku. There was a chance Nanao brought side dishes too. Amane might bring something herself. For a broke high schooler living alone, it was super helpful… but he still only had one stomach.
(…Maybe I should exercise.)
After all, the school’s sports festival was coming at the end of the month.
Izumi ran the relay last year as a class representative. Given his class lineup, he’d probably get picked again.
(I don’t want Nanao seeing me lose because I gained weight…)
Ridiculous as it sounded, he didn’t think anything was wrong with that thought. His conditioning was proceeding as planned.
“……Hm? What’s all this noise?”
Lost in thought, I hadn’t noticed the commotion in the classroom. Only when the strange murmuring reached me did I finally snap my gaze forward—and my eyes widened.
For some reason, Akeboshi Meina was standing right in front of me, staring intently at Izumi.
“……Wha—!?”
Instinctively, Izumi stood up and took a step back.
But Meina stepped forward in turn, closing the distance between them with a swoosh.
Izumi retreated further until her back hit the classroom wall. Still, Meina didn’t stop—pressing so close that her ample chest nearly squished against Izumi.
Staring into that flawlessly composed face, a single bead of sweat trickled down Izumi’s forehead.
“Huh? What? What’s going on?”
Then—Meina smiled.
A gentle, serene smile.
“Izumi-sama… it’s been a long time.”
“……Eh?”
The way she spoke, as if she knew Izumi, left him frozen.
Wait… have we met before? No matter how hard he searched his memories, nothing came up. Maybe they’d crossed paths somewhere, just once…
(W-Who is this? Akeboshi Meina? I don’t remember ever…)
While Izumi floundered, Meina moved.
She took Izumi’s hand, pressing it snugly against her own chest—and in full view of their watching classmates, declared:
“I’ve loved you… ever since that day. ♡”
Déjà vu.
He didn’t need to ask what felt familiar. Just a month ago, he’d been in a nearly identical situation. He still remembered Satou’s bulging eyes as he watched from up close.
But now wasn’t the time to escape reality.
Right now, Izumi had something far more urgent to confirm.
“……U-Um, have we met before?”
Meina, however—
—didn’t seem surprised at all. As if this reaction was exactly what she expected, she kept smiling… and casually shaped something with her right hand.
A familiar silhouette.
One Izumi had seen countless times since childhood. The kind everyone had tried at least once while playing with shadow puppets.
In other words—
“The little fox you saved that day. ♪”
With a playful “Kon~♪”, Akeboshi Meina grinned.
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