In the cssroom

  “Css, we have a new student joining us today.”

  The teacher, which is a bald guy, gestured for me to step forward in the cssroom, and I swallowed, feeling every eye in the room on me. Walking towards the teacher's table and taking a steadying breath, I introduced myself.

  “Hello, everyone,” I said, bowing slightly. “My name is Kazuki Tanaka. I’m new here, so… I hope we can all get along.”

  A murmur spread through the room, a mix of polite acknowledgment and mild curiosity. I spotted a girl with emerald-green eyes giving me a nod, her expression friendly, while another student—a boy with silver hair and pointed ears—watched me with a faint, knowing smile.

  “Thank you for your introduction, Kazuki,” the teacher said, gesturing to an empty seat near the window. “Now please, take your seat. it's at that beside that window.”

  I made my way over to where the teacher point out, feeling a strange mix of relief and anticipation. As I settled into my seat, I gnced around the room. The students returned to their books and conversations, but I could still feel a few curious gnces my way. I wondered if they knew about my connection to Tsukiko or if I was just another new face to them.

  From my spot by the window, I had a clear view of the academy’s courtyard, where students were milling about, their movements graceful and confident. A few were clearly human, but others had characteristics that set them apart—the pointed ears, the shimmering skin, the occasional fsh of unusual colors in their eyes.

  As css began, I stole a quick gnce at Tsukiko, who was seated across the room, her expression as calm and composed as ever. She seemed completely at ease in this environment, her posture perfect, her gaze focused.

  I took a deep breath and concentrated on the lesson, but my thoughts kept drifting. This was Yumeji Academy, a pce where humans and supernatural beings coexisted, and I was smack in the thick of it. It was intimidating, yet a part of me felt energized in a way I hadn't before.

  This was more than simply a new school. This was the beginning of a completely new life, and I was prepared to face whatever came my way.

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  So far, the day had been a mixture of astonishment, disbelief, and a steady stream of nerves. I had barely managed to keep up with the lessons. The level of sophistication significantly exceeded anything I'd seen in my previous schooling. The teachers expected not only effort but also excellence, and despite my best efforts to keep my head down and concentration, I could feel the weight of the cssroom's expectations pushing down on me. My pen lingered over my notebook as I struggled to absorb the lesson, but the words on the board appeared to blend together.

  Lunch break arrived, and I let out a sigh of relief as the teacher dismissed us. My notebook was filled with frantic scribbles, none of which made much sense to me.

  “This is going to take a lot more effort than I thought,” I muttered to myself as I rubbed the back of my neck. My eyes drifted to the front of the css, where Tsukiko sat, composed and utterly unfazed.

  But what caught my attention wasn’t just her calm demeanor. A small group of students had gathered around her during the break, chatting animatedly. I recognized a few faces—some of them were the same students who had barely spared me a second gnce during my introduction.

  So she’s that popur? The realization hit me like a brick. Tsukiko, who seemed so reserved and distant at first gnce, was clearly a big deal here. I wasn’t sure whether to feel impressed or overwhelmed by the stark contrast between her world and mine.

  As I started to pull out my lunch, I noticed movement in front of me. A girl with golden blonde hair and bright, curious eyes had approached my desk. Her ears, slightly pointed at the tips, immediately gave away that she wasn’t human.

  “Hi there!” she said, her voice cheerful and warm. “You’re the new guy, right? Kazuki Tanaka?”

  “Uh, yeah. That’s me.” I nodded, surprised by her straightforwardness.

  She smiled, pcing a hand on her hip. “Nice to meet you! I’m Kiyomi Fujiwara. My dad’s the CEO of Meijo Sweets—maybe you’ve heard of it? We supply a lot of Japan’s sweets.”

  “Oh, I think I’ve seen the name before,” I replied, trying to keep up with her energy. “Nice to meet you too, Kiyomi.”

  "So, what is your association with Tsukiko? I saw you both arrive together this morning." Her smile widened, and she leaned in slightly, lowering her voice as if to reveal a secret.

  Her directness caught me off guard, and I hesitated, unsure how much I should say. But I remembered Akito’s words about trust and decided to keep my answer honest. “I’m… her servant.”

  “Servant? Wait, what? Are you serious?” Kiyomi blinked, taken aback.

  "Yeah. That’s the arrangement.”

  Kiyomi looked at me for a bit before shaking her head in astonishment. "That's insane." Tsukiko's family is known for keeping things within the family. They've never adopted someone from another bloodline before."

  That's the first time I've heard about that.

  Before I could dwell on it further, another voice interrupted us.

  “Oi, Kiyomi, don’t hog the newbie by yourself.”

  I turned to see a small, broad-shouldered guy with messy bck hair approaching us. His build was solid, almost imposing, but his expression was friendly. As he got closer, I noticed something unusual—he was a dwarf.

  “Hey,” he said, nodding while extending his hand at me. “The name's Hiroshi Aoyama. My family runs Aoyama Appliances. You’ve probably used something we made.”

  “Nice to meet you,” I replied, shaking his hand.

  So, you’re grilling the guy about Tsukiko, huh? Typical.” Hiroshi turned to Kiyomi, a smirk on his face. “

  Kiyomi huffed, crossing her arms. “Well, wouldn’t you be curious? He says he’s her servant, of all things!”

  Hiroshi raised an eyebrow at me, his expression turning slightly more serious. “Her servant, huh? That’s… interesting. Fun fact: you’re not the first one, you know.”

  I frowned, confused. “What do you mean?”

  “The Kurohana family’s had others before you,” Hiroshi expined, his tone casual but tinged with something else—concern, maybe? “People they brought in from the outside, just like you. None of them sted very long. Two months, tops.”

  Kiyomi’s eyes widened. “Two months? What happened to them?”

  Hiroshi shrugged. “No one knows for sure. They just… left. Some people say they couldn’t handle the pressure. Others think there’s more to it.”

  I felt a chill run down my spine. Two months? That wasn’t exactly comforting to hear. But I pushed the thought aside, determined not to let it shake me.

  “Well,” I said, forcing a smile, “I guess I’ll have to break that record.”

  Hiroshi chuckled, cpping me on the back. “Good attitude. Let’s see if you can keep it up.”

  Kiyomi still looked skeptical, but she gave me a small smile. “You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that. Just… be careful, okay?”

  I nodded, appreciating her concern. “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Then suddenly, Kiyomi’s bright, curious eyes lit up as if she’d just had the most brilliant idea. “Ah, that’s right! Kazuki-kun! Are you free tomorrow?”

  “Tomorrow? Uh, I guess… I’ll have to check with my… master,” I said, the word feeling odd on my tongue.

  Kiyomi giggled, leaning forward slightly. “Master, huh? How very proper of you. Well, if you’re free, I’d like to invite you to a tea party ceremony. My family hosts them sometimes for special occasions, and I think it’d be fun to have you there.”

  “A tea party?” I asked, my curiosity piqued. Honestly, I didn’t know much about tea ceremonies beyond what I’d seen on TV, but the idea of attending one sounded… interesting.

  “It’s not just any tea party,” Kiyomi said, her tone turning slightly smug. “It’s an elf-style tea party. It’s a completely different experience—I think you’ll love it!”

  I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “That sounds great. I’d love to come if it’s okay with Tsukiko.”

  Kiyomi’s smile widened, but before she could say more, Hiroshi groaned loudly from beside us.

  “Hey, hold on a second,” he said, crossing his arms. “Why is Kazuki invited, but I’m not?”

  Kiyomi rolled her eyes, turning to face him. “Because rugged, buff people like you don’t fit the vibe of an elegant tea party, Hiroshi. You’d probably knock over the teapot or something.”

  “Excuse me?” Hiroshi shot back, his voice rising slightly. “Rugged? Buff? I’ll have you know I can be plenty elegant when I want to be!”

  “Oh, please,” Kiyomi scoffed, pcing a hand on her hip. “The st time you tried to ‘be elegant,’ you ended up spilling chocote fondue all over the table. Do you remember that?”

  “That wasn’t my fault! The fondue pot wasn’t stable—anyone could’ve knocked it over!”

  Their argument escated quickly, with Kiyomi’s pyful taunts cshing against Hiroshi’s indignant protests. The fact that I was still standing there, observing them in startled silence, was totally ignored as they quarreled like an old married couple.

  Is this… normal? I thought to myself, feeling both amused and slightly out of pce.

  Just as Hiroshi threw out another loud compint about his supposed ck of “tea party compatibility,” a soft but commanding voice cut through the noise.

  “That’s enough.”

  We all turned to see Tsukiko standing a few feet away, her usual calm demeanor in pce. She gave Hiroshi and Kiyomi a pointed look before shifting her gaze to me.

  “Kazuki,” she said, her tone even, “is everything alright here?”

  “Uh, yeah,” I replied quickly, scratching the back of my neck. “Kiyomi invited me to a tea party tomorrow, and we were just… discussing it.”

  Tsukiko’s eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at Kiyomi. “A tea party, you say? How charming.”

  Kiyomi fshed her a confident smile. “Of course! I think it’ll be a great way for Kazuki to get to know some of us better. Don’t you agree, Tsukiko?”

  Tsukiko studied her for a moment before nodding subtly. “Very well. If Kazuki wishes to attend, I have no objections.”

  I let out a small sigh of relief. “Thanks, Tsukiko. I’ll make sure to behave.”