Chapter 5: Ch 5. The Girls are Real?!
"The name is Hoshimi Kiyokawa, 17 years old. Please give me your advice."
"Let's welcome Hoshimi-san."
Clap-Clap-Clap
"Hoshimi-san, that's your seat over there."
After Hoshimi briefly introduced himself in Class J of the second year at Sobu High School, the homeroom teacher named Shizuka Hiratsuka pointed out his seat.
Hoshimi glanced at the second-to-last row of seats, walked over, and sat down with his schoolbag.
As he packed his things, he secretly listened to the murmured discussions among the students that had been sparked by his arrival.
"White hair and red eyes, so rare, is it from birth?"
He also found it inconceivable that the hair color and eye color of human beings in this world were so diverse, prompting various whispers.
Regarding his white hair and red pupils, according to the memories of the original owner of his body, it was inherited from his mother, and he was genuinely born like this.
"The skin is too white... I feel like my body isn't very good..."
If you stay at home for a year without going out, your skin will turn white. Your body is not bad. Please don't criticize your physical condition so quickly.
"He's pretty handsome, but unfortunately he's not my type."
Hoshimi calmly squinted at the extravagant blond girl from the corner of his eye.
I'm sorry, girl, you're not my type either; the powder used to cover your acne is almost falling off your face.
"Okay, quiet down, let's start class."
As soon as the female teacher named Shizuka Hiratsuka spoke, the whispers in the classroom instantly disappeared.
Hoshimi raised his eyebrows and looked with great interest at the heroic female teacher in a white trench coat standing at the podium.
This Hiratsuka-sensei has a good reputation among the students...
But it's a pity, he originally wanted to hear more about what these student meetings were discussing so that he could establish an initial mindset for getting along with these students.
"Turn to page 29, let's talk about today..."
Hiratsuka-sensei began class, and Hoshimi followed the teacher's instructions and turned to page 29 of the textbook.
Whoosh--
Suddenly, a gust of wind came in.
It shook the leaves, fluttered the curtains, and rattled Hoshimi's textbook.
Hoshimi pressed the side of the textbook with his left hand, subconsciously glanced sideways at the classmate by the window, and prepared to ask her to temporarily close the window.
"What?!"
When his eyes met the delicate profile of the female student by the window, Hoshimi's pupils shrank, and his red eyes filled with astonishment.
"Yukinoshita Yukino..." Hoshimi murmured subconsciously.
Was it an illusion? He actually saw the person from his dream in reality?!
Or was he still in a dream and hadn't woken up yet?
No! He was sure he had woken up!
But how to explain Yukinoshita in front of him?
Was she similar in appearance? Or...
Hoshimi, his thoughts in turmoil, suppressed the uneasiness in his heart and softly whispered to the female classmate by the window.
"Hello, classmate."
His top priority now was not to make hasty assumptions, but to carefully verify everything he could think of.
"What's the matter? Hoshimi-san."
Yukinoshita turned her head to the side, staring at Hoshimi as if nothing had happened.
That indifferent attitude was exactly the same as when she first saw any new transfer student.
"..."
Looking at Yukinoshita's indifferent expression, Hoshimi politely smiled and asked softly,
"Classmate, I know a girl who looks very similar to you. Her name is Yukinoshita Yukino. Do you know her?"
"I do."
Yukinoshita's attitude remained as cold as ever, making it difficult for Hoshimi to guess her thoughts from any change in expression.
Unable to find a way in, Hoshimi continued after a moment of thought, "Could I ask you, what is the relationship between Yukinoshita Yukino and you?"
"Hoshimi-san, you know that this is a presumptuous question. Why do you still ask it?"
Yukinoshita smiled faintly, staring at Hoshimi as calmly as water.
"That's my problem, sorry."
Hoshimi's eyes twitched slightly, and he already had a preliminary answer in his heart.
He turned around and looked at his textbook tensely.
It seems like something big is going to happen...
In the brief exchange with the girl sitting next to him just now, he was 90% sure that she was Yukinoshita Yukino from his dream.
Firstly, their appearance: the girl sitting next to her and Yukinoshita look exactly alike without a doubt.
There is no difference in terms of eye color, face, hair length, fingers, Yukinoshita's chest, and the long, white legs!
Secondly, temperament: the temperament of the other party and Yukinoshita are almost identical, the kind of cold, high-mountain flower-like temperament that ordinary families cannot easily cultivate.
Finally, character: he knows Yukinoshita very well. This woman has a strong desire for revenge, but at the same time, she is very calm. She will not seek revenge directly, regardless of the occasion or without explanation.
It is now in class, and Yukinoshita is very clear that there is no chance for revenge at the moment, so naturally, she will not act rashly.
Underneath the calm exterior that was as light as water, there might be an undercurrent brewing that could tear him apart...
"..."
Seeing his right eyelid twitching wildly, the uneasiness in his heart grew heavier.
The appearance of Yukinoshita not only foreshadows impending revenge but also suggests that the girls in his dream are likely to exist in reality!
They are not beautiful dolls born of his dreams but real people who have entered his dreams!
In other words, those girls who appeared in his dreams... really live in this world!
Thinking of this, Hoshimi's mouth inexplicably went dry.
Could it be that the "one-eyed, one-legged ghost princess" who appeared in his dream also exists in this world?
Thinking of all the events that transpired with that "ghost princess" in the dream, Hoshimi felt a chill run down his spine, a profound sense of crisis surging from deep within.
It's over...
Should he leave the country now?
If he encounters the "Ghost Princess" accidentally, it won't just be a matter of revenge...
"In that case, let Hoshimi-san continue to answer this question, Hoshimi-san?"
"Yes?"
Hearing his name, Hoshimi momentarily broke free from his turbulent thoughts.
He stood up and looked at Shizuka Hiratsuka, who called his name with some confusion.
"Cough~ Hoshimi, please answer this question. How many types of expository essays can be classified according to the writing method?"
Shizuka Hiratsuka coughed lightly and glanced delicately at Yukinoshita and Hoshimi standing in front of their respective seats.
Just now, she had asked Yukinoshita to explain "the classification of expository texts".
Unexpectedly, after Yukinoshita answered most of the questions perfectly, she pushed the remaining half of the questions to Hoshimi, who sat next to her, under the pretext that "more students should be tested on their understanding".
She was also curious about Hoshimi Kiyokawa's language proficiency, so she called on him to answer the question.
Additionally, she was a little curious about what Hoshimi had done to provoke Yukinoshita, causing this usually cold girl, who always adhered strictly to the "right" way, to focus on one person in class like this.
"Exposition... Classification... Writing method..."
After searching his mind, Hoshimi replied decisively: "Hiratsuka-sensei, I don't know."
After graduating many years ago in his previous life, he had already forgotten much of his school knowledge. That was normal.
As for the memories of the original owner, they were incomplete, and after a year spent at home, he had essentially forgotten all unimportant memories.
"Really? Then sit down. Yukinoshita-san, please continue."
Shizuka Hiratsuka raised an eyebrow and silently added Hoshimi to the list of students needing to focus more on their studies.
The classification of expository texts was already covered in junior high. Hoshimi couldn't even say a word. Clearly, he had a lot to catch up on...
"Expository essays can be divided into four categories based on writing methods: introductory expository essays, descriptive expository essays..."
"Alright, that's enough. Yukinoshita, please sit down."
Yukinoshita squinted at Hoshimi, a hint of unmistakable amusement flashing in her eyes.
As if to say, "this is just the beginning."
"..." Hoshimi looked at Yukinoshita's profile with a throbbing headache.
From the whispers of the students around him, he had already pieced together the truth about why he was called upon to answer the question.
This woman's revenge was swift indeed...
Yukinoshita, Yukinoshita, since you've already begun seeking revenge, you must be prepared to face retaliation, right?
"Hoshimi-san seems to have conflicts with Yukinoshita-san..."
"Indeed... It's the first time I've seen Yukinoshita-san target someone like this... Is something wrong with Hoshimi-san?"
"It's possible. Yukinoshita-san wouldn't target Hoshimi-san without reason..."
"I saw Hoshimi-san initiate a conversation with Yukinoshita-san just now. Could he have been targeted for harassing Yukinoshita-san?"
"It's possible. I saw it too. After talking to Yukinoshita-san, Hoshimi-san looked pale. It's very likely Yukinoshita-san gave him a verbal dressing down for harassment."
Listening to the students whispering, Hoshimi put on a warm smile that belied his inner turmoil.
He turned his head slightly, looked under the snow, and softly and lovingly said,
"Yukino, does your butt still hurt? It's my fault for pushing too hard last night. I know it was wrong. Please forgive me."
"?!!"
"?!!"
"?!!"
"!!!"
In an instant, all the whispers around him ceased, and the students who had heard Hoshimi's words opened their mouths in shock.