Prologue

Prologue – "Do You Want to Sit on My Lap, Senpai?"

The school rooftop was quiet.

No chirping birds. No distant echoes of classroom chatter. Just the breeze brushing lazily across the concrete and the faint rustling of clothes hung to dry on a rusted railing.

At the center of it all, lying flat on his back with one leg slung lazily over the other, was a boy.

Kazumi Naoko.

Sixteen years old. Second-year student. A boy whose sharp eyes and black hair gave him a naturally cool aura—even if he had no intention of using it.

A single earbud played faint music into his left ear. In his hands, a handheld console gleamed, its screen alive with vibrant pixels and the intense background music of a boss battle.

His expression didn't change much. Eyes focused. Lips relaxed. He was still—so still that one might mistake him for a statue dedicated to the ancient art of not giving a damn.

If "calm" had a human form, Kazumi Naoko was probably it.

And yet, he was handsome.

Not the flashy, popular kind, but the kind that stood out once you actually looked. Neatly cut hair, a clean face, a quiet, stoic vibe. He was the kind of guy who could've been the brooding love interest in any shoujo manga if he cared to try.

But no one noticed him.

No popularity. No gossip. No whispers behind lockers. His name wasn't even on the list of "mysterious cute boys" in the girls' group chat.

And that was just how he liked it.

"...Tch. Missed the timing again."

Kazumi muttered to himself, expression still blank, as the words YOU DIED glowed red across his screen.

Third time in a row.

He didn't sigh. Didn't groan. He just quietly restarted the boss fight, like someone casually brushing lint off their sleeve.

Peace.

Silence.

Nothingness.

Exactly the kind of atmosphere he treasured.

Until—

Creeeeak...

The metal door to the rooftop opened with a soft groan.

Kazumi's eyes flicked toward it—not startled, just mildly surprised. Hardly anyone ever came up here during class hours.

And when he saw who it was, his brows lifted. Barely. But still.

A small girl stepped out into the sunlight, her soft blonde hair catching the breeze.

She had a completely neutral face, like she'd been pulled straight out of an emotionless character template.

Rino Chisa.

First-year. Petite. Quiet. Unreadable.

Some students thought she was cute.

Most thought she was weird.

Kazumi?

He thought she was dangerously close to becoming a real-life NPC.

If you told her, "Isn't today's lunch delicious?!" with a bright smile, she'd just tilt her head and reply:

"Ohh. So that's what you think."

No joy. No judgment. Just a perfectly deadpan observation.

And today, she was heading directly toward him.

"...You lost?" Kazumi asked, pausing his game and sitting up slightly.

Rino blinked once. "No."

"...Then what do you want?"

She stopped far too close for comfort—like someone who didn't understand personal space was a thing. Her head tilted slightly upward to meet his gaze.

"I want to get closer to my senpai," she said flatly.

Kazumi stared.

There were many ways a kouhai could introduce herself. This wasn't on the list.

"...Why?"

"You seem lonely," she said without blinking. "Also, your face is my type."

"...Thanks?"

It didn't sound like a compliment. More like she was listing ingredients for a new recipe.

Then, without a moment's hesitation, Rino sat down next to him.

Not near him. Next to him.

Their arms brushed.

She adjusted her legs slightly, then rested them to the side like she was about to start a traditional tea ceremony.

Then, with both hands, she patted her lap.

"Come here," she said.

Kazumi blinked.

"...Huh?"

"You can lay on my lap. That's what cute girls do for their favorite senpai."

Kazumi stared at her.

No sarcasm. No irony.

She was dead serious.

"...I'm good. No thanks."

"I don't mind."

"You should."

Rino didn't respond. Instead, she reached out, gently grabbed the sleeve of his hoodie, and with an alarming amount of strength for someone her size, yanked.

"Wha—?!"

Before he could resist, his head was already resting on her thighs.

He stared up at the sky, the clouds passing slowly overhead.

"…Why are you so strong?"

"Cheerleading club," she replied. "I quit after two weeks."

Of course she did.

Her lap wasn't exactly the softest place on earth. Rino was thin, almost bony. And yet, somehow… it was warm.

Comfortable.

And slightly embarrassing.

"Are you going to say anything else?" he asked after a moment.

"No."

"...Right."

With a sigh, Kazumi adjusted the angle of his console, held it above his chest, and resumed his boss fight.

No flustered blushing. No over-the-top reactions.

Just a guy laying on a girl's lap while playing a JRPG.

Totally normal.

The wind blew softly across the rooftop. The sun shone down in golden streaks. And up there, away from the world, two emotionally broken teens sat in silence—one physically present but mentally elsewhere, the other emotionally deadpan and disturbingly forward.

Maybe, just maybe…

This was the start of something stupid.

And that was exactly what Kazumi feared most.