I practiced as a monk alone in Japan.

Chapter 5 Encounter on a narrow road

"Hey, I saw that guy again. He's so handsome. I really can't resist asking for his contact information, but I don't dare, sob sob."

"Is he really not a celebrity? He's dressed like a student. Are all boys this handsome these days?"

On the subway, there were middle-aged people reading newspapers.

There are young people discussing trendy topics.

There were also girls whispering and huddling together.

Tsukino Gen could even clearly sense that someone was secretly pointing a camera at him, pretending to chat casually, but actually pressing the record button.

Gen Tsukino was already used to all of this.

He said he doesn't care about his appearance, and if he had a choice, he wouldn't want to be the kind of person who attracts so much attention.

But there was no way around it; his innate charisma and breathtakingly handsome features made him like a firefly in the night, the most dazzling diamond in a coal mine.

Sigh, if I could, I really wouldn't want to be this handsome.

But what can you do if it's something you were born with?

After getting off the subway, I skillfully arrived at Zhaori Private High School.

In this hot yet hopeful season, you can easily see countless girls wearing pleated skirts and socks of varying lengths.

Showing off their legs in different styles, the whole school is a world of legs, how wonderful.

As he entered the No. 1 teaching building, he sensed an unusual aura nearby.

He turned his head slightly, and there stood the proud black swan.

This girl named Rin Asagiri has an extraordinary figure and an innate noble air.

Beneath her thick, black hair lay an exquisitely beautiful face. However, her aura was excessively cold and unapproachable.

Gen Tsukino turned his head and glanced at her, catching a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye.

But the next moment she quickened her pace, leaving Tsukino Gen behind, as if there were some futures that she could only reach alone.

The sunlight in the corridor bathed her figure, making her profile shine brightly.

She finally stopped at the bottom of the last step of the stairs, but when she turned her gaze down at the boy whose steps were still very steady.

Sakura Kazama excitedly patted Gen Tsukino's shoulder, causing the boy to turn around.

No one could see the strange glint in the eyes of that aloof black swan.

"Oh ha yo!"

She was like a girl full of energy early in the morning, with a sweet smile, as if she represented the whole hot summer.

Gen Tsukino smiled and looked at the other person, "I really envy Kazama-kun's energy."

Sakura Kazama sighed, feigning helplessness, "I really want to lend some of my energy to Tsukino-san, but unfortunately, Tsukino-san is someone who is difficult to change."

"Really? Do I look like some kind of old fogey?"

"No, it's just that Tsukino-san has a very strong heart. Saying she envies me or something is definitely a joke."

Kazama Sakura shook her head, causing her ponytail to sway.

"I didn't expect that even though I hid it so well, Kazama-kun saw through it so easily. Oh no, am I actually living in a young adult mystery novel?"

"You're talking nonsense again."

Kazama Sakura stood on tiptoe next to the boy, reaching out as if she wanted to tap his head, but because she didn't dare to get too close, even though she was about 1.7 meters tall, she seemed to be struggling.

However, upon seeing Kazama Sakura's actions, Tsukino Gen did not mock her for overestimating her abilities.

Just as Kazama Sakura was about to give up, he actually bent down slightly, looked her in the eye, and blinked innocently.

This action left Kazama Sakura stunned, and then the colors of the setting sun appeared on the girl's face.

Especially since this was a busy stairwell, she immediately turned around, her face flushed.

What are you doing?!

"Didn't you want to hit me on the head?"

So you just squatted down and let me knock on you?

"correct."

"..." The girl bit her lip, trying hard to suppress the urge of the little deer in her heart to break through the wall of her heart. "Are you stupid? Someone wants to hit you, and you still offer your head to be hit."

The boy smiled, straightened his back, resumed his lazy posture, and stepped onto a higher flight of stairs.

At the very front, Asagiri Rin had disappeared. I vaguely remember her pausing for a moment at the end. What could have stopped her? It seems nothing could have made her stop.

"It's okay because it's Kazama-kun." The girl's cheeks were flushed as she carefully stood on the same step as the boy, muttering to herself.

"You're lying again. You were clearly staring at Asagiri just now."

"Huh? You saw it?"

The boy didn't deny it, which annoyed Kazama Sakura. However, given her position, she seemed to have no reason to express her displeasure.

So she could only be careful and hide her little emotions.

"It's hard not to see it, isn't it?"

However, this tone is also difficult to interpret as normal.

Gen Tsukino smiled indifferently, "It doesn't matter if she saw it. I didn't say a word to her; we just happened to be here together."

"It's as if you confessed your feelings to someone shortly after the start of high school, and the person who got rejected wasn't you."

"I already said that wasn't a confession."

"What's the purpose of that? Did you know her before?"

Upon hearing Kazama Sakura's words, Tsukino Gen's expression paused for a moment.

Sakura Kazama bit her lower lip. "I'm not interested in any of this. Take it or leave it."

"Beep, beep."

She quickly reached the top of the stairs and looked up at the handsome young man who was looking up at her.

The girl proudly raised her head, seemingly trying to play the role of the white swan he had described.

"Hurry up, class is about to start."

"Ah."

Gen Tsukino didn't explain anything, nor did he feel the need to explain the relationship between himself and Rin Asagiri.

When he first started high school, he did walk up to the black swan in front of many people, but what he said was definitely not a confession.

But is there any need to explain anything? No, because people are more willing to believe what is newsworthy and only believe what they perceive as fact.

Since she didn't care, Tsukino Gen was even less concerned.

Life is a long journey, and time flows like water. Many old stories are best left buried in memories, without needing to be brought up again.

"Hurry up and go in. Don't always come to school at the last minute. Pay attention in class."

"Understood, Mr. Yamazaki."

When Tsukino Gen arrived at the classroom door, Kazama Sakura, who had been excited and full of energy, stood in front of a handsome young man and lowered her head slightly.

His expression clearly fell.

The young man, wearing a shirt, with his hair combed high, fair complexion, and a pair of refined gold-rimmed glasses, revealed a gentle smile.

"Alright, come to my office at noon. I have some things to discuss with you regarding your studies."

".good."

Sakura Kazama looked conflicted, but she still agreed.

She turned her head and saw Tsukino Gen looking in her direction, but he didn't say anything and walked straight into the classroom.

Gen Tsukino calmly walked towards the door, while the handsome, flamboyantly dressed young man frowned and looked at Gen Tsukino.

"Are you waiting for the teacher to greet you if you don't greet me?"

Gen Tsukino looked at the young man named Jihei Yamazaki, who was their homeroom teacher.

"Mr. Yamazaki. Instead of greeting the top three students in the grade first, you're waiting for them to greet you? How arrogant."

"What did you say?!"

Yamazaki Jihei's expression immediately changed, his gentle and warm attitude towards Kazama Sakura turning into obvious anger and embarrassment.

Ignoring the other person's initial exasperation, Tsukino Gen walked straight into the classroom.

They didn't care at all how the other person, being their homeroom teacher, would view them behind their backs.

Arriving at the classroom, which was still noisy and not completely quiet, he sat down and looked at the girl to his right who had put down her schoolbag and seemed to have become depressed.

The daytime sunlight fell on her loose hair.

Her hand, which was holding the textbook, was clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

……

(End of this chapter)