Chapter 36: Lost One's Way

Having witnessed Kurohane Ichi’s astonishing appetite and speed of consumption, none of the cafeteria ladies, nor the fellow students eating nearby, continued to believe that Kurohane was someone from a privileged background holding a three-star card. After all, those from slightly better-off families usually possessed refined eating habits.

After going back for seconds three times, Kurohane finally put down his chopsticks with a sense of satisfaction, wiped his mouth with his hand, and rose to leave.

"Who exactly is he? He holds a three-star card, yet his behavior and temperament are worlds apart from what that implies." Suzumiya Asuka stood by a window in the cafeteria, secretly observing Kurohane. She was not as easily convinced by his words as the cafeteria ladies. Yesterday, after school, the school gate was clearly guarded by so many people, yet he arrived today completely unscathed. Furthermore, his interactions with Matsutani Ya and Uno Taku—while appearing servile—actually seemed to show him leading them by the nose. And then there was the money he had secretly slipped into her bag…

Such behavior was certainly not something an ordinary high school student could pull off. With a gaze filled with curiosity and anticipation, Suzumiya watched Kurohane’s retreating figure. Perhaps he could help her.

These thoughts and reflections were things that, a year ago, Suzumiya would never have considered and would have found impossible to imagine, yet now they swirled within her mind.

Kurohane, feeling perfectly content after his meal, was naturally unaware that he was being watched by a girl.

"I’m a bit stuffed. Where should I go for a stroll?"

Kurohane looked at the school’s clock tower. There was still an hour before afternoon classes began. The feeling of being idle, suddenly free from his training, was actually quite uncomfortable; he felt a constant urge to find something to do.

After wandering around the school aimlessly, Kurohane felt unused to the stares of others and returned to his classroom, feeling somewhat depressed. It seemed he would have to get a school uniform, or he would truly remain an outsider.

He had no idea that the reason people were looking at him was because they found it strange that he could still walk around the school so leisurely after offending Matsutani Ya.

After a short walk, his stomach was no longer feeling so bloated. Seeing the classroom lights dimmed, some female students were napping on their desks, while the boys who weren't napping were quietly playing on their phones or wearing headphones to read manga. The classroom was exceptionally quiet.

Watching this comfortable atmosphere, Kurohane could not help but yawn, feeling drowsiness wash over him.

"Bang, bang."

"Hm? Is class already starting?"

Kurohane sat up from his desk, stretched, rubbed his still-weary eyes, and looked groggily at Uno Taku, who was standing before him.

"School is already over. You sure can sleep, can't you? Acting like a top student in the morning and a 'God of Sleep' in the afternoon?" Miyamoto Tsune-yasu pushed his books and notebooks into his desk.

"What?"

Kurohane widened his eyes. What was going on? How had he suddenly become so prone to sleep? Normally, after his training, his sleep was always light; the slightest sound would wake him. How could class have ended just like that? Had there been no bell for the intermediate class? If the sky didn't truly look like it was four or five in the afternoon, Kurohane would never have believed it.

"Stop putting on an act. Are you playing dumb because you heard that Boss Feng is going to teach you a lesson after school?" Uno Taku looked at Kurohane with a sneer.

"Don't scare him. Kurohane-kun, Boss Matsutani is waiting for you in the gymnasium. Tidy up and get there quickly; don't make us wait!" Miyamoto tapped lightly on Kurohane’s desk, then draped his arm over Uno Taku’s shoulder, and the two left the classroom together.

"The gymnasium?"

Watching Miyamoto and Uno depart, a glimmer of cold light suddenly flashed in Kurohane’s still-drowsy eyes. Was it time to start moving again?

"Where is the gymnasium?"

Kurohane walked through the campus with his hands in his pockets and a lazy gait, looking left and right from time to time, searching for the gym. However, the school was simply too large; Kurohane had been walking for nearly twenty minutes and still hadn't found it.

Just then, a lyrical and melodious piano piece reached Kurohane’s ears. He felt as though he had heard this song somewhere before, yet on the island, he had never seen a piano, let alone heard piano music.

"Who is playing? It sounds quite nice."

Following the music, Kurohane arrived in front of a small, white, independent building. Carved into a uniquely shaped stone in front of the building were the words "Arts Building."

He gently pushed open the glass door and followed the music inside.

The first floor consisted of several art studios, which were currently empty. The music was coming from upstairs, so Kurohane slowly walked up the stairs.

Reaching the third floor, Kurohane spotted a classroom with the front door half-ajar; the music was drifting out from inside.

Kurohane walked to the door quietly, afraid to disturb the player.

As he reached the entrance and looked inside, a large floor-to-ceiling mirror came into his view.

Not a piano classroom? A dance studio?

A girl dressed in a white tracksuit was dancing gracefully to the rhythm of the music. The loose tracksuit did not hide her proud, curvaceous figure.

There was indeed a piano in the dance studio, but the music was coming from an electronic speaker placed next to it.

"So, no one is playing."

Kurohane had followed the sound seeking that familiar feeling, and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment when he realized no one was playing the piano.

With the melodious music paired with her graceful movements, Kurohane stood by the door, secretly admiring her.

The girl’s dance suddenly stopped, and she walked over to the piano, slapping the playback device to stop it.

Through the spotless floor-to-ceiling mirror, Kurohane caught a clear view of the girl’s features.

Her chestnut-colored hair was parted in a four-six split, falling in waves to her chest. Unlike most girls, she wore no bangs, boldly exposing her forehead. The smooth, delicate proportions of her face did not suffer for it; instead, she looked more mature and spirited. Her eyebrows, whether drawn to match her hair color or naturally so, were also chestnut-toned. With neatly fanned lashes, a pair of bright, spirited eyes were now staring at him through the mirror. She had a delicate, pointed nose, and an alluring black mole was perfectly positioned beside her rosy "cat lips."

"Who are you?"

Seeing that Kurohane hadn't realized she was watching him through the mirror, the girl turned around and asked.

"Ah? Me?"

Kurohane looked behind him, saw no one, and then pointed at himself.

"Duh, if not you, then a ghost?"

The girl huffed in annoyance.

"My name is Kurohane Ichi, and you?" Kurohane introduced himself, thinking he was being very generous, and then asked for the girl’s name in return.

"I didn't ask for your name!"

The girl scoffed coldly.

"Didn't you just ask who I was?"

Kurohane was somewhat puzzled; hadn't she just asked him who he was?

"How did you get in? Don't you know that this time belongs to me?"

The girl curled her lips, frowning as she looked at Kurohane.

"Uh, classmate, you've misunderstood. I'm not here to practice dance or steal the classroom from you. Please, continue, go ahead."

Kurohane waved his hands in explanation.

"You..."

The girl pointed a finger at Kurohane. Because she was slightly out of breath from dancing and felt a surge of indignation, she was momentarily unable to speak, her small face flushing red.

"Classmate, what's wrong? Are you sick? Should I take a look for you?"

Seeing her like this, Kurohane assumed she was ill and hurriedly stepped inside.

"Stop!"

The girl shouted loudly.

"Classmate, are you alright?"

Kurohane asked with concern.

"Who gave you permission to walk in with your shoes on?"

The girl glanced at the several conspicuous gray footprints on the polished wooden floor of the classroom, then looked up and glared at Kurohane.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."

Kurohane looked down, saw his own footprints, and quickly backed out, though he added a few more gray marks to the wood as he did so.

"You, stop!"

Kurohane was actually taking off his shoes right in front of her, intending to enter again.

"Oh."

Kurohane had just removed one shoe halfway when he heard the girl’s words and stopped.

"Who told you to take your shoes off?"

The girl frowned, looking at Kurohane’s sockless feet, and raised a hand to cover her nose.

"Ah, I'm sorry."

Kurohane tucked his foot back into his shoe and smiled sheepishly. He seemed to have forgotten to wash his feet last night, though there shouldn't have been any smell. Kurohane twitched his nose and inhaled; the air held no strange odors, only a faint, feminine scent.