A Simultaneous Gathering from Both Sides

Revisiting the knowledge that he had nearly forgotten, Haruto sat and watched the teacher begin the lesson. Most of the class, excited by the new school year, eagerly took notes on their notebooks.

Haruto glanced down at his own notebook, unsure of what to write. This was, in a way, his third time attending high school, and it felt like time was flowing backward.

"..."

He took a deep breath and slowly wrote something down. When he looked up, his eyes caught the brief gaze of a blonde girl with twin tails—Eriri. She quickly averted her eyes.

Since leaving the infirmary yesterday, Eriri had avoided direct contact with Haruto, though she frequently stole glances at him, always keeping an eye on him.

Haruto, who had complex feelings toward Eriri, wasn't sure how to respond to her gaze, so he pretended not to notice it.

After some time, Haruto reconnected with most of his classmates and made friends with some of the more approachable ones, like Akihisa Yoshii and Yuji Sakamoto. He also got along with Yuki Ikeno, who had a warm and gentle personality.

The student sitting behind him, Ume Taro Nozaki, had a quieter, more reserved demeanor. Haruto couldn't find a topic to bond over with him, so they simply exchanged introductions as a way of getting reacquainted.

As for Futaro Uesugi, their relationship was rather indifferent. Even back in middle school, they barely spoke. Uesugi's personality was clearly dull and twisted, and Haruto had no real desire to get to know him unless absolutely necessary.

"Hey, Haruto , do you have any plans this afternoon?"

At lunch, Yoshii approached Haruto's desk, inviting him to hang out. He glanced at Nozaki, who was seated behind Haruto.

"Hey, Nozaki, why don't you join us?"

"No, I have something I need to take care of. I can't make it."

Nozaki's response was a bit of a surprise, but Yoshii nodded understandingly.

"Alright, no problem. Maybe next time. Haruto, how about you?"

Yoshii had grown more familiar, calling Haruto by his first name. Haruto smiled and agreed.

"I don't have any plans for the afternoon. Would it be alright to visit your house, Yoshii?"

"No problem at all! My parents are out on a business trip, and my sister is studying abroad. The house will be empty, so you're welcome to come over. Yuji's the only one who visits regularly."

"By the way, Hideyoshi, do you have any plans this afternoon?"

Yoshii asked a boy who was packing up his bag. Hideyoshi, with a delicate, almost feminine appearance, was a former middle school classmate of Yoshii, and he overheard the conversation.

"I've got to visit the theater club in Toyosaki. I might join, but have you guys thought about joining any clubs? You should join one now that we're in high school."

"Huh, clubs? Sounds like a hassle," Yoshii grimaced. He didn't want to sacrifice his precious gaming time at home, and immediately shook his head. "Nope!"

"Not joining any clubs? What about Yuji?" Yoshii asked.

"I'm like him," Yuji said with a defiant laugh. "I don't plan on joining any clubs. I'd rather go home early and relax than be stuck running errands for 'upperclassmen.'"

Hideyoshi wasn't surprised by their answers. He turned to Haruto. "What about you, Haruto?"

Haruto had been part of the literature club in his previous life, but he rarely attended meetings. He'd essentially been a ghost member, only showing up when there was something important to handle.

"As of now, I haven't thought about it. I'll consider it."

"If you're unsure about which club to join, why not join the theater club with me?" Hideyoshi suggested, eyeing Haruto. "I think you'd do great in there."

"Drama club? I'll think about it."

Haruto's non-committal response made Hideyoshi realize that Haruto wasn't interested in joining the Drama club. He wasn't holding out much hope for the 'consideration' Haruto had mentioned.

After school, Haruto, Yoshii, and Yuji headed toward Yoshii's house. On the way, they stopped at a convenience store to grab snacks before continuing their journey.

"It's a shame Hideyoshi couldn't come. If only we could get him to wear a dress. That would be perfect," Yoshii lamented as they walked.

Yuji didn't respond, but Haruto glanced at Yoshii and stayed silent. Though he'd seen Hideyoshi dressed as a girl before, he didn't find it particularly interesting. Even though Hideyoshi's cross-dressing looked very feminine and gentle, Haruto felt that something was missing—like the mature elegance of a woman.

"Girls' gatjering, huh?"

Meanwhile, in another part of the school, Sekai Saionji had organized a gathering with the girls from the class. Besides Katsura, there was also Hikari Kuroda and Kanroji Nanami, with five girls in total attending.

Other girls could have been invited, but Sekai felt five was the perfect number. Adding more might complicate things and make the atmosphere more troublesome.