CHAPTER SEVEN;
class representative
*starting from now, they'll be in their second year

The opening ceremony for the new school year felt busier than the last, with Iekami Academy's student population noticeably larger. The gymnasium buzzed with energy, students reuniting with friends and sharing stories from their break.

Over the entirety of your vacation, you'd immersed yourself in your small business, working tirelessly and saving a decent sum of money. While it felt rewarding, you couldn't help but wonder if this was what being a workaholic felt like. After all, you were still just a teenage girl.

You woke up late, your body clock is not fixed yet, still used to your unhealthy sleeping habits during spring break. "Where's Amari?" you whispered to yourself, looking for a familiar face within the crowd.

"Y/n!" a high-pitched voice screeched.

You turned around, your brows raising as you looked for the owner of the voice, "Mio," you said, your face softening.

"Are we in the same class?" you asked.

"I don't think so," Mio replied, shaking her head with a dramatic sigh. "And you really think I could make it into class 5?"

You scrunched your nose in mock disapproval, giving her a playful nudge. "You never know. Hey, have you seen Amari?"

"Not yet," Mio said thoughtfully. "But she texted me a few minutes ago saying she's on her way."

Before you could respond, a deafening screech of microphone feedback filled the gymnasium, immediately silencing the crowd.

"Students of the academy, welcome to another journey filled with prosperous knowledge!" the principal announced in his usual over-enthusiastic tone.

His speech droned on, the same old welcome address you'd heard in previous year. 

The voice of the principal became muffled in the background as your attention grew thinner. Your gaze dropped to the printed schedule in your hands. 'Class 5,' it read. You had been hoping to be placed in the same class as Amari, just like last year.

Your eyes widen at an approaching figure, "Girl, where have you been?"

"I had to force my older brother to drive me to school because I didn't want to take the train, we got stuck in traffic unfortunately." Amari scratched her head and glanced at the principal. "Oh, right!" she pulled out her printed schedule.

Both your faces fell. "What!" you exclaimed in unison.

"Amari, you're in class 4?" Mio muses.

"Hey, Y/n, it isn't that bad." Amari consoles, "My classroom is just right beside yours."

The morning assembly came to an end and the students went to their respective classrooms. You reluctantly separated from the group, Amari and Mio were in class four, while Kaori and Rumi were in class three.

You were the only one in class five.

You entered the room, the heavy feeling in your heart growing lighter at the sight of faces you knew.

"Heeeyyy, L/n! It's so nice to see you here!" a student you knew from another club greeted.

You smiled back and conversed with a few of your new classmates, then the sliding door glided open.

Your heart plummeted.

Itoshi Rin walked in, his usual grim expression etched on his face. That familiar sinking feeling swirled in your gut again. Embarrassment resurfaced like a bad memory, because this was the same boy who had rejected you.

You knew being in the same class as Rin wasn't impossible, yet somehow you hadn't expected it.

'Was it too late to switch classes?' you wondered, already feeling like your year was off to a rough start.

"Everyone, settle down." the homeroom teacher entered, settling his things on the table in front. "Club orientation will begin next week, and there is no time to waste. I'm sure most of you have gotten a gist of each other's personality, we'll pick a class representative right away." he asserted.

To make matters worse, Rin had chosen the seat directly in front of yours. If switching classes wasn't an option, switching seats might have to be your next move.

"Are there any nominees? Volunteers?" Mr. Fujita asked, tapping his fingers on the chalk tray.

"I nominate L/n Y/n," someone called out from across the room.

Your head shot up. "Wait, what?"

"Okay, Ms. L/n for female representative," Mr. Fujita confirmed before you could object. "Now, what about for the male representative?"

'Wow, okay, no freedom to decline at all?' you thought bitterly.

"Mr. Fujita! Tanaka volunteers!" someone shouted jokingly.

"Hey, what the hell?! Mr. Fujita, I'm a devoted student-athlete! I won't have the time!" Tanaka protested.

The class burst into laughter, continuing to joke about who should take the role until one quiet student raised his hand. His face wasn't familiar, was he a transfer student?

With a resigned sigh, you walked to the front and stood beside your new co-representative. A few classmates gave you encouraging thumbs-ups. You smiled back awkwardly, intentionally avoiding Rin's gaze.

Unbeknownst to you, Rin had been watching you the whole time, his cheek resting on the back of his hand. And this time, he remembered exactly who you were.

hell's kitchen

9:12 AM

kaori
is it just me or are there like
a crazy amount of transfer
students in our year

mio
yeah LOL

mio
taking the entrance exam
as an upcoming freshman is
already hard enough

mio
but taking the entrance exam
as a transfer student is harder
i heard

GUYS

THIS SCHOOL IS RUINING
MY LIFE

CAN I TRANSFER CLASSES
BRRUUUHHHHH

amari

mio
me i don't mind any of
my classmates 😍

amari
yeah girl cus u spent half of
the morning gawking at the
international student

mio
PLSSSSS HE HAS SUCH A COOL
NAME TOO

amari
ezekiel is not a cool name

rumi
LMFAAOOOO

IM IN THE SAME CLASS
AS ITOSHI RIN IM DEAD

amari
LOLLLLLL

mio
HELP???

kaori
and the plot thickens

WHO CARES ABT THE
PLOT

rumi

mio
y/n be tough

mio
you're sixteen, at your
big age dealing with
an ex crush should be
no biggie

easy for u to say ☹️

and i'm also class representative

i wasn't even able to say no

amari
why not

amari
i think it's a perfect role
for you

ERUGGGGYH but i'm
already getting sucked
dry by my business

i can't handle another
responsibility

rumi
nothing is unmanageable if
you put your mind to it ❗

kaori
um ok girl with deadline blindness

rumi

kaori
😐 u almost failed our bio class
last year bc u took one look at
the assignment and thought
you could do it in a day

LMFAAOOOOO

amari
bruh is that assignment like
the

kaori
the one that takes a month to
accomplish yep

mio
OK THAT'S INSANE WORK

HOW DID YOU EVEN MANAGE
LMAOOO

kaori
she had to take extra classes
during summer

hope u learned your
lesson rumi

rumi
☹️☹️ stop coming for
my neck