High School Life Begins (2)

I was chatting with the usual three plus Kousaka-san, four of us now, when the teacher came in and homeroom started. First on the schedule was self-introductions, and I waited my turn with my heart pounding. It looked like they were going in seat order, starting from window-side seat number one, which meant my turn would come almost immediately.

I was wondering whether a simple 'I look forward to working with you.' would do when Arisa, seated right in front of me, finished her self-introduction.

"Ah, Izumi-kun, we're going to have you introduce yourself in front of everyone later, so just wait a bit, okay～?"

Just when I'd braced myself for my turn, I got skipped over and the next person's self-introduction began. My shoulders sagged at the thought of having to go through another press-conference-style introduction like in middle school.

I pulled myself together and listened to everyone else's introductions. My time in middle school had been so short I'd barely managed to remember any of my classmates' faces, so I needed to pay proper attention this time.

A sun-tanned, slender track-team girl. A well-bred ojou-sama type. A girl who said she'd entered from the high school division. The class was full of all kinds of people.

When the last person finished, I thought my turn had finally come, but then they moved on to picking class duties and committee assignments. Apparently the plan was to wrap up all that procedural business before the entrance ceremony, then take plenty of time for the boys after.

I was also told the boys' session could be cut short whenever I got tired, so normally it ended with just a bare-minimum introduction and dismissal. For my part, I figured I'd keep going as long as the questions kept coming. Of course, if I really hit a wall, I'd let myself stop.

Once homeroom was over, we moved to the entrance ceremony venue. Instead of the gymnasium, it was apparently a hall large enough to seat every student and guardian. Truly the trappings of a private high school.

The entrance ceremony itself didn't have anything especially unusual, but Onee-chan giving a speech in front of the entire student body and all the parents was seriously cool. Mom must have been beaming with pride. Since Onee-chan is the student council president, I'll probably get to see scenes like this again and again.

When the entrance ceremony ended and we returned to the classroom, it was finally my turn. Just like before, Kaede and Arisa were standing on either side of me, and the class rep had come up onto the podium with us to emcee.

"Nice to meet you, Izumi-kun. I'm the class rep, Miyamoto Yuika. Pleased to meet you. We've actually been in the same class this whole time, but since this is the first time I'm talking to you since you got out of the hospital, I figured I'd introduce myself properly."

Miyamoto-san had her center-parted black hair pinned back with barrettes on either side and tied low in a long ponytail. The black-framed glasses on her face screamed "serious type." And the way she was being mindful of my memory situation told me she wasn't just serious. She was kind too.

"All right then, we'll begin Izumi-kun's self-introduction. Izumi-kun, please go ahead."

With Miyamoto-san running the show, my self-introduction began.

"Everyone, nice to meet you… I'm Izumi Shouya. Due to an accident a while back, I have some memory issues, and I don't remember anything from before the accident at all…"

The students who'd entered from the high school division and were hearing about my accident for the first time looked quite shocked. Even the people who became my classmates this year had serious expressions, maybe because it was their first time hearing the full story.

"My body is fine now, so please don't worry too much about that. But because of the memory issues, I might cause you some inconvenience… In particular, even people I knew before the accident are now, to me, meeting me for the first time… So even those who've been in the same class with me up to last year, nice to meet you, all over again. Please be good to me…"

When I bowed my head after that long-winded greeting, applause rose up from the classroom and welcomed me warmly.

"All right, Izumi-kun, is it okay if we ask you various questions?"

"Yes."

This time Miyamoto-san was running things, which made it much easier. Plus, I had Kaede and Arisa with me, and I'd been getting used to this world bit by bit.

"First… could you tell us your hobbies?"

Last time, the "what's your favorite ___?" type questions had been the ones I couldn't answer, but I was fine now. I wasn't empty anymore.

"Lately… I've been playing games quite a bit. Not the competitive type. I prefer the kind where everyone cooperates together."

"Geez, Shouya's been holed up in his room playing games lately and won't pay attention to me～"

Kaede puffed out her cheeks as she peered up at my face. Sakura had been getting lonely too, so I'd have to keep it in moderation. Still, if these games could be a way to get closer with my classmates, that'd be nice.

"Also… lately I've gotten into watching volleyball videos. I've gone to see matches of Arisa here… and Kousaka-san over there, too."

When I mentioned Kousaka-san's name, she gave a little startled jolt. She probably hadn't expected to come up right after Arisa. I might have been a little inconsiderate.

"Mhm, mhm, games and volleyball… Next… how about a classic, your favorite food?"

My self-introduction proceeded with me answering Miyamoto-san's questions. With Kaede and Arisa chiming in to help too, it flowed along smoothly.

"Okay, let's start taking questions from everyone."

Miyamoto-san had handled the standard questions, so now we were transitioning to individual questions from the floor.

"All right, anyone with a question～?… Okay, Hayami-san."

Did Miyamoto-san already have everyone's names memorized? Or maybe just the ones who'd been there since middle school? Either way, the one she'd called on was the blue-haired, short-cut, sun-tanned girl. Her spats peeked out from under her skirt, and even as I thought "I guess I won't get to see panties," somehow that itself felt strangely exciting.

"Um, nice to meet you, I'm Hayami Ai. So… uh, I… I mean, I'm on the track team, and Izumi… -san, will you come cheer for us at track meets too?"

That sounded less like a question and more like a request… but I didn't really have a reason to refuse.

"Um, it depends on venue security and so on, but… if my Protection Officer-san and secretary-san say it's okay, I think I can manage pretty much any sport… Also, 'Izumi-san' gets mixed up with Kaede, so '-kun' or… my given name would be fine."

At my words, Hayami-san nodded happily. The other girls were getting fidgety too, so I had a feeling I was about to get invited to cheer on a whole lot of clubs. Every club here was supposedly a powerhouse, so I was actually looking forward to it.

"Okay, if you want Izumi-kun to come cheer for you, make sure to let him know about the venue too! All right, next… yes, go ahead."

She didn't call out the next person by name, so apparently even Miyamoto-san didn't have everyone memorized.

"I'm Amagi Nanase. Shouya, what do you want in someone you'll marry?"

The next questioner was a girl with a white bob cut. From under her heavy bangs, sleepy-looking eyes peered out at me.

"Um, well… let me get this out of the way first: two of my minimum marriage spots are already filled… so it'd have to be someone who could get along well with those people and my family… or rather, someone who would treasure them as much as I do… I guess."

At my words, the class started to stir. It made sense. When I'd first come to school last month, those two spots hadn't been confirmed yet, which meant that within the past month, I'd entered that kind of relationship with two people.

Everyone started speculating about who they were, but when they saw the two girls beside me turning bright red, they seemed to figure it out right away.

"In other words, get along with your other fiancees?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Got it. I'll get along."

"All right, then for the next one… Hoshimiya-san, go ahead."

The next person called on was a girl with platinum blonde hair braided into a half-up style. She was about my height, but her breasts were even bigger than Arisa's. From beneath her skirt, white knee-high socks and a garter belt extended along her thighs, giving a refined impression.

"Nice to meet you, Shouya-sama. I am Hoshimiya Mikoto. I look forward to your acquaintance."

"Y-yes… pleased to meet you."

I didn't know how to respond to such a polite greeting, and I found myself at a loss for words. "Shouya-sama," at that… I felt like someone had used the -sama form on me before, too.

"Shouya-sama, once you're married to a woman, with what frequency would you grace her with your presence?"

Come to think of it, married couples in this world don't usually live together… I lived with Kaede and the others now, but Arisa was separate. Even so, I figured I'd still want to see her often.

"Um… I'm not sure how often a normal man would do it… but if it's someone I'm close enough with to marry, I think I'd want to see them quite a lot… I guess…"

At my words, Hoshimiya-san nodded in satisfaction. The whole class was buzzing again, but it didn't seem like a bad impression. Arisa, beside me, looked happy too.

After that, with Miyamoto-san directing things, I fielded questions from others until they eventually ran out and we were dismissed.

I'd gone back to my seat and was chatting with Kaede and Arisa while getting ready to head home when Amagi-san approached my desk.

"Shouya, I want your contact info."

Amagi-san had asked for my contact info on our very first meeting. She'd already been using casual speech and dropping honorifics from the start, too. A girl who closed distance fast. Overwhelmed by her energy, I flailed for what to say.

"Sorry, um, Amagi-san… right? I can't just hand out Shouya's contact info that easily. How about mine instead? If you have something to pass on to Shouya, I can relay it… okay?"

"Mm… okay. Then, Kaede, let's exchange."

Amagi-san accepted Kaede's counter-offer, looking reluctant.

"Now, now, Amagi-san, once you and Shouya get to know each other a little more, Kaede will say yes too! Let's start with getting closer to Shouya first, yeah?"

Arisa was consoling Amagi-san, who looked a little crestfallen. This was exactly the kind of thing I loved about Arisa, I thought, all over again.

"Good. As long as I'm not absolutely barred from getting his info. And I'll definitely get close with Shouya. And with you two. Nice to meet you, Kaede, Arisa."

Amagi-san held out her hand to Kaede and asked for a handshake. I'd been a little worried the mood had turned tense, but it seemed my worry was misplaced.

"Mhm mhm! Nice to meet you, Amagi-san! I just exchanged contacts with Honami-chan in front of me today too! Honestly, if you get a little closer and promise things like not leaking my contact info, I'll totally exchange with you!"

Kaede, also relieved that Amagi-san had accepted, took her hand with both of hers.

"Nice to meet you too! Amagi-san!"

Amagi-san shook Arisa's hand too. I'd assumed she was the deadpan-speaking type, but the corners of her mouth softened as she shook hands with Kaede and Arisa.

"Everyone～! I'm going to invite you all to the class group chat, so please exchange contacts with me～!"

Off in the distance, I could hear Miyamoto-san calling out to the whole class.

"Oh, I don't have Yuika-chan's contact info either, I'm going to go for a bit! Wait for me, Shouya!"

"I'll help out making the group chat too, Shouya."

Kaede and Arisa joined the circle forming around the group chat, leaving just me and Amagi-san behind. Arisa going to help was one thing, but couldn't Kaede just add Miyamoto-san from last year's class group chat? Well, she'd probably forgotten about it. Either way, I now had to do something about being alone with Amagi-san.

"Shouya, you too."

Amagi-san held her hand out to me as well. I shook it back with one hand.

"Pleased to meet you… Amagi-san."

When I returned the handshake, Amagi-san wrapped both her hands tightly around mine… no, gripped them.

"Don't call me Amagi-san. Call me Nana. That's what my family calls me. And no formal speech either."

Amagi-san had suddenly demanded a nickname and casual speech. I understood that formal speech was weird between classmates, but "Nana" on a first meeting was a stretch.

"O-okay… Nanase-san…"

"Nana."

Squeezing my hand even harder than before, Nanase-san pressed for the "Nana" address. It looked like she wouldn't let go until I called her Nana.

"N-Nana…"

"Mm ♪ That's better ♪"

Nanase-san, no, Nana, broke from her expressionless face into a wide smile. The gap from her deadpan moments ago made my heart skip.

"Nana has fallen for Shouya. Shouya's nothing like the men she'd heard about. Nana wants to marry Shouya."

Was she the second love-at-first-sight of the day? Although Kousaka-san's situation was different. Kousaka-san had probably already heard rumors about me, and from going to cheer at her match, she'd seen my appearance and behavior, so she likely had a rough sense of my personality. With Nana, this was a true, complete first meeting.

"Um, so suddenly…"

"It's fine. Nana's gut feeling is always right."

"… A-and if it's wrong?"

"Then I'll apologize."

"Apologize," she says… Being told "actually, never mind" after being confessed to would really hit hard. That's basically getting dumped.

"But more than ever before, Nana's gut is buzzing nonstop. And Nana doesn't look it, but she's super nervous right now."

Nana stared straight at me as she pressed her hand to her own chest.

"Nana's definitely going to fall for Shouya even more than she does now. And Nana'll make Shouya look her way. Just you wait."

I nodded, trying to hide that my own heart was pounding nonstop from her confession.