“Yo! Morning!
How’s your mom doing?”

The one who burst cheerfully into the classroom was Takeru Aoki.

Aoki and I happened to be right next to each other on the class roster.
He was number one, and I was number two.

For about the first month of the new school year, our seats were assigned according to that order so we could learn our classmates’ names and faces more quickly.

Each class had thirty students—fifteen boys and fifteen girls—and there were eight classes in each grade.

During our first year, everyone studied the same general curriculum, so we weren’t divided by specialization yet.

Starting in our second year, we would each choose a field of study and be assigned to classes accordingly.

Once we chose our specialization, we would normally stay with the same class through our third year.

I planned to enter the general studies program.
It was the most popular course at the school.

To tell the truth, I was interested in the fine arts program.

But I had never really intended to make a living from painting.

Aoki, on the other hand, planned to enter the sports program in his second year.

Which meant this would probably be the only year we would ever be classmates.

“You get here pretty early.”

Aoki dropped into the seat at the very front.

“My house is pretty close to the school.”

“Oh, right. You went to First Middle School, didn’t you? You live in a nice area.”

“I suppose being able to walk to school is convenient. I don’t have to worry too much about catching a train or anything.”

Aoki turned toward me.

“So why’d you choose this school?”

For a moment, I didn’t know how to answer.

My parents had met here.

And I had chosen this school partly because I wanted to follow the path they had once walked.

But that was something precious to me.

Something I wanted to keep to myself.

“Because it was close enough to walk.”

I gave him a vague answer, then quickly turned the question back on him.

“Did you choose this school because of volleyball?”

“Of course! I’ve already been practicing with the team since spring break. Well, all I get to do right now is chase balls around, but still.”

He looked genuinely happy about it.

“You gonna join the art club?”

“I haven’t decided yet, but I’m thinking about going to check it out.”

“Oh, you should. Yano-senpai’s really easygoing. He’s got this calm, gentle vibe. I bet you two would get along.”

Then he looked me up and down.

“You’re nothing like a rough guy like me. You’re all polite and proper.”

His compliment made me feel a little self-conscious.

“You’re pretty easygoing yourself, Aoki-kun. A little rough around the edges, maybe, but you’re a good guy.”

“Hey, was that actually a compliment?”

He gave me a slightly bashful grin.

While we were talking, the classroom door opened and our homeroom teacher walked in.

At this school, the teaching staff was made up almost entirely of Betas—and highly capable Betas at that.

Among the students were Alphas, Betas, and Omegas.

With all three secondary genders attending the same school, apparently having Beta teachers made it easier to respond calmly and quickly if any problems arose.

I had heard that some kind of incident had occurred between an Omega student and an Alpha teacher in the past.

After that, the school had adopted its current policy.

Naturally, our homeroom teacher was a Beta as well.

He introduced himself briefly, and then it was our turn.

One by one, we stood and gave simple introductions—what middle school we had attended, which program we were considering for our second year, and things like that.

Once everyone had finished, our teacher returned to the front of the classroom.

“All right, then. Let me explain what we’ll be doing starting today.”

For today and tomorrow, we would be taking placement tests.

There would be no regular classes, and we would be dismissed around noon.

Even if I went straight home, I didn’t really have anything planned besides studying.

As I listened to the teacher, Aoki suddenly turned around in his seat.

“Hey... don’t you think there are a lot of cute girls in this class?”

He kept sneaking glances at the girls behind us while whispering to me.

Apparently, sitting still and paying attention wasn’t exactly one of Aoki’s strengths.

Then, without warning—

Whoosh!

Something flew through the air.

Tap!

It hit Aoki right on the head.

“Ow!”

A piece of chalk dropped to the floor.

As Aoki rubbed the spot where it had hit him, our teacher called out from the front of the room.

“Hmm? Got that, Aoki? If you spend all your time staring at the girls, you’re going to miss something important!”

He had already managed to get our teacher to remember his name—and apparently put himself on the watch list.

Giggles spread throughout the classroom.

Then a girl called out from somewhere behind us.

“Sensei! I went to middle school with Aoki-kun! Whenever he wasn’t at practice, he was either sleeping or chasing girls around! You’d better keep an eye on him!”

“Hey!”

The entire classroom burst into laughter.

We had barely started high school, and somehow Aoki had already made sure everyone knew exactly who he was.

But he didn’t seem bothered in the slightest.

Instead, he suddenly stood up and raised both hands dramatically.

“Now, now, now, everyone! Calm yourselves!”

I wondered what on earth he was about to say.

“By the way, there’s a volleyball selection match next month! I’m still just the guy chasing balls around, but we’ve got some seriously handsome upperclassmen, so come cheer us on!”

Then he blew a kiss toward the girls.

“Eww!”

“Aoki, shut up!”

The classroom erupted in laughter all over again.

Apparently, Aoki wasn’t merely easygoing.

He was also quite the class clown.

Just then, the bell signaling the beginning of first period rang through the classroom, cutting through the commotion.

And with that, we began the first placement test of our high school lives.

After we had finished all of our tests, I was packing my things to go home when—

“Oh! Senpai! Hey!”

I heard Aoki’s voice.

Senpai?

I looked up.

“Oh, Takeru-kun. So this is your class.”

I recognized that gentle voice.

“I’m looking for Kaname Akagi...”

“Oh, Kaname? He’s right here!”

Aoki pointed straight at me.

I turned toward the voice.

Yano-senpai was standing in the classroom doorway.

Our eyes met, and his usual gentle smile appeared on his face.

Then he lifted a hand and waved casually at me.

“Hey, Kaname-kun!”

And as though what he was about to say were the most natural thing in the world, he added,

“I came to see you.”