"Katia... no surprise there, right? And it's been quite a while since we last saw Charlotte's brother," remarked Esther. Her voice carried a hint of curiosity as she spoke, her eyes scanning the room for familiar faces.Haruki, standing nearby with a casual yet attentive posture, shook his head gently. His dark hair shifted slightly with the movement. "Oh, he's not her brother," he clarified, his tone calm but firm, leaving no room for doubt.Esther looked genuinely taken aback by this revelation. Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion as she tried to recall the details from the meticulously read admission letter. It was a thick, formal document that she had studied thoroughly. "Really? I thought upper-level students could visit freely today," she pondered aloud, her mind grappling with this new information.Haruki noticed her confusion and offered a quick explanation, hoping to shed light on the situation. "Eric is busy with something today..." His words trailed off as he gla

Haruki received a painful punch, but his face remained unchanged. The blow had landed squarely on his arm, but he rubbed the sore spot and turned to Esther serenely. "But I still want to thank you anyway," he said. His voice was warm and sincere, and his radiant smile that seemed to light up the entire hallway—was the kind that could melt even the coldest hearts. Unsurprisingly, many girls around them paused in their tracks, their eyes glued to Haruki, captivated by his undeniable charm.Esther was no exception. Her face turned beet red, a deep blush spreading across her cheeks. 'Damn, I thought I had gotten used to his heartthrob smile by now,' she thought, feeling her heart skip a beat. Despite spending so much time with Haruki, his smile still had the power to make her feel like a nervous schoolgirl.They continued walking down the bustling school corridor. The cheerful morning atmosphere suddenly took on a darker tone. The bright sunlight streaming through the windows seemed to

'Ah... so that's what it is. After rejecting him, she must be hurting a lot too,' thought Charlotte, her heart aching with empathy and confusion. She had never been in this situation before, and the weight of her decision seemed to press heavily on her chest.Usually reserved and quiet, Katia broke the silence with an unusually lengthy and considerate statement. Her voice was calm but carried an undertone of sincerity that was hard to miss. "I think he confessed just to get it off his chest rather than because he truly has deep feelings for you. So... don't be too sad about it. We have to focus on our tasks soon."Katia's uncharacteristic display of concern took Charlotte aback. It was rare for Katia to speak so openly, and Charlotte felt a warmth from her friend's words that she hadn't expected. She could see the effort Katia put into comforting her, which touched her deeply. "Thank you, Katia," she responded, her voice soft yet filled with gratitude. She gave Katia a small, ap

"I hate that name!!!" she exclaimed with frustration, her voice echoing through the quiet room."Still, you must admit he's quite talented..." she continued, her tone softening. "It's such a shame he doesn't possess Mana, but his abilities are powerful. It seems he underwent a significant transformation after being rejected, right?" She pondered this, her mind replaying the events that had profoundly changed him.Love, however, is a powerful and respectable motivator. Esther couldn't help but admire him a bit more for that. Despite the pain he had endured, he had found a way to turn his suffering into strength."But... just thinking about Haruki's rejection... ugh... it already breaks my heart," she murmured, clutching her chest as if to hold back the physical pain she felt for him. "How did he get through that and emerge as a completely different person?" Her voice trailed off as she became lost in thought.She moved towards the window, which was slightly ajar. The night had settle

Ryoshu stepped into the elevator, the cold metallic walls reflecting the faint fluorescent lighting overhead. With a habitual motion, he adjusted his collar once more, feeling the stiff fabric between his fingers. He could not resist taking a moment to scrutinize his reflection in the polished metal, examining every detail of his rather plain and unremarkable school uniform. The dark blazer, white shirt, and neatly tied tie all seemed alien yet familiar."Not too bad, huh?" he murmured, his voice barely a whisper in the confined space. "Fumiya has a knack for this stuff. Moreover, a 0.3 boost to my charm stat is making a difference, too. You can notice the improvement when you look closely… I am excited to see how dashing I will look when I hit 40 points!"He turned slightly, inspecting his appearance from different angles, the elevator's mirrored walls providing multiple perspectives. Though slightly disheveled from his earlier adjustments, his clothes looked significantly better.