It was the girl I had literally fallen on. The girl whose chest had become my airbag this morning. Now that I was seeing her clearly, with her arms crossed and that subtle “I’ll destroy you later” stare, I wanted to climb out the window and restart the day.

  “Ah, Mr Souta,” the teacher called from the front.

  “Please take the open seat in front of Miss Yuki.”

  Miss Yuki.

  Of course, her name was elegant.

  “Shit... This is awkward,” I whispered under my breath.

  As I walked past her to my seat, Yuki didn’t say a word. But I could feel it, that stare. Sharp. Focused. Like she was mentally setting me on fire.

  I sat down, hoping to disappear.

  Didn’t work… Not even close.

  From behind me, a voice leaned in, sweet and playful.

  “I heard what you did~” “You’re such a rascal. Hehehe.”

  I froze, feeling a shiver going up my spine.

  My heart somersaulted. And maybe, just maybe, it shouldn’t have gotten me this excited, but the way she giggled after?

  Kinda made it sound… kinky.

  Am I broken? I might be broken…

  Without missing a beat, I turned around. “U-Uhm, I apologise again, Miss Yuki!” I stammered, bowing my head with my hands together like I was about to be executed.

  “That incident was entirely unplanned. A total fluke. An accident of gravity.”

  “Sure it was,” someone else chimed in front of me.

  “Probably did it on purpose.” “No way it wasn’t.”

  “Call the cops.” “Guys, please, he’s clearly a pervert, don’t let his sad eyes fool you.”

  Oh god, the class is now talking about me?!

  I felt the heat rush to my face as I turned around and buried my face in my notebook, pretending to look busy. "Just let me survive today without another charge."

  And of course, the morning dragged on, I think it was thanks to the earlier incident. Yuki answered half the questions before the teacher finished asking them. The soft-spoken girl next to her barely said a word. The energetic one kept raising her hand too late.

  And the red-haired one? She looked like she knew every answer… But didn’t say a damn thing. And well, I made sure not to make eye contact with anyone who could press charges.

  *

  By lunchtime, the cafeteria was a warzone. People shouting.

  Tables packed. Chopsticks clattering like a drumline. Thankfully, I found a solo seat near the back. Perfect for loners, introverts, and people recently accused of motorboating a classmate.

  I sat down fast, finding a seat that easily felt like god was rewarding me for all the struggles I had undergone. The food was decent, yakisoba with just enough sauce to glue my dignity together.

  That peace lasted about six bites.

  “HELLO?!?”

  I looked up, cheeks full of noodles.

  It was Yuki. Her long, jet-black hair swayed gently as she looked down at me like I’d just parked in her reserved space in hell.

  “Finally,” she huffed. “Are you deaf or just slow?”

  My eyes landed on hers as I was still chewing. Still dying inside.

  “Uh… Can I help you?”

  “Yeah. Move.”

  “Huh?”

  “This table. You’re by yourself. I have three other people. You see the problem?”

  I looked around. The other tables were full, but I could still see one or two free tables. I looked back and checked the size of my table. Sure, this table could maybe fit three people… If two sat on laps and one stood on the salt packet dispenser.

  “I don’t think it’ll fit everyone,” I said, trying to be polite over the roar of human chaos.

  Yuki narrowed her eyes as if I told her to go die or something.

  “So? Just move,” she demanded. “You’re not really gonna sit here shovelling food while a lady has to stand, right?”

  My brow furrowed instantly hearing that excuse.

  What is this, anime logic?

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  I sighed, already accepting defeat. There was no reason, and no way, I could argue and win against a fight with the ice queen. I stood up, shoulders slumped, and a hand grabbed mine from behind.

  “Don’t go!”

  I turned around, and my eyes widened. It was one of the other girls that Yuki hung out with, the bubbly one with bright purple eyes, blonde hair, and a golden pin in her hair.

  “Let’s all sit together!” she grinned, voice too sweet to fight. “More fun that way!”

  She gave me a playful shove, not hard, but I stumbled anyway.

  “No!” Yuki snapped. “Let him go. You never know what kind of person he really is.”

  “I mean… You didn’t mean it, right?” The girl with the pin asked, tilting her head with pure, innocent eyes.

  “Of course I didn’t!” I panicked. “It was gravity’s fault! If I could just explain, there was a bag, and I slipped, and-”

  “Lie all you want,” Yuki said, arms crossed. “We know you copped a feel on purpose, you're a pervert, a loser and just a creep.”

  I could feel my brow twitching, hearing this girl doing everything to make me out as the bad guy.

  I’m gonna commit a crime against gravity. That woman is causing me too much grief!

  “I-I think… We should believe him,” a soft voice murmured. I turned and saw the quieter blonde. She barely met my eyes, twirling her hair and looking like she regretted saying anything at all.

  “My, my~” Another voice joined in, smooth, sultry, dangerously teasing.

  “Sounds like all he got was a coping mechanism. Not even a proper feel. Poor boy.”

  The last girl stepped up behind Yuki. Long Red hair. Confident smile. Dangerous curves. And a voice that felt like it came straight out of a “hot teacher” Anime OVA. I watched her step past the blonde girl and Yuki, and noticed that the crowd around us had quieted; it was clear their attention was on us now.

  But why was my heart doing the samba right now… Was it her voice or the crowd?!

  “Let’s vote!” The redhead said cheerfully. “Who wants him to sit with us?”

  Three hands went up instantly.

  Of course, Yuki didn’t lift hers. What did I expect…

  “No! He’s leaving,” Yuki snapped, shooing me away like a mosquito. “Don’t encourage him.”

  “Three against one~” The girl with the pin sang. “Majority wins!”

  Still, I didn’t want to push it. Letting out a sigh, I grabbed my things.

  “It’s fine. There are four of you. I’m just one guy. I’ll find somewhere else,” I said, forcing a smile. The blonde girl looked genuinely sad, as did the other, quieter one. Even the redhead frowned a little.

  Yuki?

  She smirked as she’d just won a petty war.

  “Told you. He’s leaving. It's for the best…”

  "Yeah, yeah, keep saying that, enjoy your food," I muttered, slightly lowering my gaze.

  But before I could take a step, someone grabbed my wrist again.

  And this time. It was the redhead.

  “Hey,” she said, voice softer now. “Since you’re so nice… How about I give you a reward?”

  My brain short-circuited. My heart skipped a beat as she looked into my eyes.

  OH GOD. I’ve seen this scene before. I know what happens next.

  She smirked before leaning in, her sakura lips close to my ear.

  “My name’s Arisa,” she whispered.

  “The queen over there? That’s Yuki.”

  “The sweet one with the pin is Nao.”

  “And the quiet one... That’s Reina.”

  "wha-…" My mouth opened, but nothing came out as if my words were stolen by the surprise. She winked, turned, and walked back to the table like nothing had happened. I stood there for a second, processing what had just happened. Part of me was crushed that the dream scenario didn't come to light.

  “...My prize was your names?” I finally muttered, still standing there in awe.

  But to be honest, after letting it settle in.

  I wasn’t even mad.

  ….

  …..

  …….

  Is what I?would’ve said…

  If I weren’t sitting outside next to the trash bins.

  Because apparently, being a “nice guy” doesn't get you anything but the stench of three-day-old yakisoba and half a plastic chair. I gave up my seat like some selfless anime protagonist expecting karma to reward me with divine beauty and a warm table, maybe even an extra girl or two.

  “Wrong,” I muttered into my cold food.

  Every decent seat was taken.

  Except near the trash. Of course. So there I was, eating like a peasant, watching the campus royalty laugh from their kingdom across the courtyard.

  I could’ve been sitting with them. Arisa. Nao. Reina. Maybe even scored a phone number if the stars aligned. But no, I guess things can't be all good, but I guess every amazing protagonist has to go through the training arc.

  *

  After I finished sulking and slurping my dignity down with the last bite, I dragged myself toward the library. Books. Manga. Light novels. The sacred salvation for the socially bankrupt. "Reading is something you can never go wrong", I always said to Saki.

  And oh boy, even in the worst days, miracles do happen. Because as I walked through the overly crowded library, I found sitting on the shelf the newest?Mushoku Tensei?volume.

  Score.

  I picked it up like it was a treasure and scanned for a seat. Only one left.

  And wouldn’t you know it?

  It was like God had changed his mind and was now leading me down a dark, dangerous cave, dangling a golden nugget on a stick in front of me, only for me to get trapped down there.

  They were there.

  All four of them.

  Yuki, in her throne-like aura.

  Arisa, casually flipping pages of something far too smart for lunch hour.

  Nao is giggling at something on her phone.

  And Reina looked like she hadn't blinked in ten minutes.

  The only free chair?

  Right next to Yuki.

  "AHHHH GOD! Why are you testing me like this? You know I need to read this volume!!!" I shouted at myself as I slowly moved closer.

  My eyes wandered between Yuki's face and the empty seat next to her. The warlike flashbacks are coming back to me. Still, I had to try. I couldn’t let my trash-can lunch define me.

  "Just take a deep breath, Souta…."

  I took another step closer using the shelves as cover, before I finally mustered enough courage to walk out and ask.

  “Hey, mind if I-”

  “Get lost.”

  “...Right.”

  Okay. Cool. No worries. Soul crushed. Moving on.

  But then, Nao gasped as if she'd just found a lost puppy.

  “OMG, it’s Souta! Come sit with us!” Her laugh bubbled out, bright and contagious. I found myself smiling before I even realised.

  “Yeah, yeah,” said the one with the red-framed glasses, voice teasing and smooth.

  “We did kick you out last time. Consider this an apology.”

  “You’re welcome to sit,” the quiet girl added softly, “but... don’t try anything.”

  “Oh, what the hell, of course not!” I stammered. “Let’s all just forget about that… tragic airbag moment.”

  Now, given the green light, I approached like I was entering a boss fight. Yuki’s eyes snapped to mine the moment I stepped close, cold, calculating, like a sniper lining up a shot.

  Arisa and the Nao noticed.

  “You know what,” Nao said quickly, “I’m switching seats. Sitting next to Yuki sounds fun today~!”

  “Wow,” Arisa added with an exaggerated blink. “Would you look at that? The seat beside?me just opened up. What a strange, sudden coincidence.”

  These are the people you need!!

  I gave a polite bow and slid into the seat next to Arisa, careful not to breathe too loudly.

  Not that it helped.

  She leaned in the moment I opened my book.

  “Oooh~?Mushoku Tensei. I bet I can guess your favourite Part already.” Her voice was laced with some sort of seduction power.

  Goddamn it, she’s hot. But maybe, just maybe, she was a fellow fan?

  I gulped and then took the risk.

  “Honestly? The family arcs. Finding his family again hit him hard. It’s way deeper than people think.”

  She blinked once, slowly. Then smiled.

  “Aww. That’s cute.” Then smirked.

  “I thought for sure you were gonna say the part where the heroine loses her virginity.”

  “...HUH?”

  My brain stopped working.

  “I’m kidding, I’m kidding,” she said sweetly.

  Then added: “...Mostly.”

  “That’d be?really disturbing,” I muttered. “They’re literally kids.”

  Yuki, of course, chimed in from across the table.

  “Probably right up your alley.”

  “Hey! No, what, absolutely not!”

  I turned to Arisa, who hadn't taken her eyes off me.

  “Have you even read the series?” I asked, slightly tilting my head.

  She adjusted her glasses, smile unchanging.

  “Nope. Never heard of it.”

  My soul withered on the spot.

  There goes my one shot at bonding.