As Principal Takeshi finished speaking, he turned toward the open office door.
"Mr. Sano," he called out.
A man who had been standing silently outside stepped in. Dressed in a formal black suit with a silver pin on his chest, he bowed slightly.
"Please escort Miss Aisha to her classroom," the principal said with a warm smile. "And Aisha, best of luck on your first day. I hope this school becomes a place where you create beautiful memories."
"Thank you, Principal Takeshi," Aisha replied softly, bowing her head.
With that, Mr. Sano began walking, and Aisha followed him through the wide, polished halls of the academy. The walls were lined with tall windows, letting in soft sunlight and the sound of light rain still tapping against the glass.
As they approached the classroom, she could already hear the murmurs of students inside, the gentle hum of morning energy. Mr. Sano opened the door, and the chatter fell into silence.
The moment Aisha stepped in, the atmosphere shifted.
It was subtle—like the room had briefly forgotten to breathe.
Her long, midnight-black hair flowed gently behind her, and her striking blue eyes stood out even more against the dark uniform she wore. The school dress code had never looked so elegant: a crisp white shirt beneath a black blazer, a pleated skirt, and a thin black tie.
The class fell silent. Then
"Good morning, sir!" the students greeted as they stood.
The homeroom teacher nodded and turned to Aisha with a kind smile.
"Everyone, we have a new student joining us today. Please come introduce yourself."
Aisha stepped forward calmly, meeting the eyes of each student without fear. Her presence alone seemed to hush even the boldest whispers.
"My name is Aisha Haruka," she said clearly.
Gasps rippled across the room.
"Wait… Haruka?"
"As in the Haruka family? No way!"
"That's the Haruka family… one of the top noble houses!"
"Is she… is she really studying with us?"
Some students looked at each other in awe, others in disbelief.
Even the teacher blinked in surprise before regaining composure.
"Well then, Aisha, welcome to Class 1-A. I hope everyone here will treat her with kindness and respect."
Aisha simply nodded, her expression calm but deep down, her heart beat just a little faster.
This was the beginning of her new life. The first step into a world that once seemed like a dream.
Mr. Sano gave a nod and left the room. The class teacher turned to Aisha with a gentle smile.
"You can take the second-last window seat. It's empty," she said.
Aisha nodded. "Okay, ma'am."
As she walked through the rows, whispers followed her like a soft wind. Some students stole glances. Others stared outright, nudging their friends. It wasn't just her beauty they could sense something else about her. Quiet grace. A calm strength.
She took her seat by the window. Outside, the rain had turned heavy, painting silver streaks across the glass. Aisha rested her chin on her palm and stared out silently, lost in thought. The low murmur of the teacher's voice faded into the background as her mind wandered.
When class ended and the teacher left, a group of girls gathered around her desk. One of them stepped forward, her eyes filled with curiosity.
"Are you really from the Haruka family?" she asked.
Another girl chimed in. "You look just like someone from the noble houses…"
Aisha gave them a soft smile but didn't say much. She was polite, but distant, her eyes always calm, unreadable.
Then, a girl sitting in front of her turned around and smiled warmly. "Hi, I'm Miya," she said. "If you don't mind, would you like to have lunch with me?"
Aisha looked surprised for a moment, then nodded. "Sure."
Just then, another teacher entered, and the students quickly returned to their seats.
A few hours later, the bell rang for lunch.
Miya turned in her seat again and grinned. "Let's go! I'll show you around the school canteen."
Aisha stood up, adjusting her skirt. As she moved away from her desk, she glanced at the seat next to hers. It was still empty.
"Does no one sit here?" she asked.
Miya looked at the desk and waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, that guy? He's always skipping class. Kind of a silly boy. Nothing interesting, really."
Aisha tilted her head slightly but said nothing. She followed Miya and a few other girls out of the classroom, their footsteps echoing down the hallway as laughter and chatter slowly filled the air.
As Aisha walked down the hallway with Miya and the other girls, heads turned.
Whispers spread like wildfire.
"Who is she?"
"She's stunning…"
One boy leaned closer to his friend, eyes wide. "I want to be her friend."
Another snorted. "Friend? I want to marry her!"
A third student sighed dramatically. "Why isn't she in our class? Those Class 1 kids are so lucky."
Aisha didn't react. She was used to people staring—but today felt different. Maybe because this was her first day as a normal student. Or maybe because, for once, she wasn't hiding.
They reached the canteen—a wide hall filled with rows of tables and chairs. Students lined up to collect food from the counters. The smell of warm rice, curry, and baked bread filled the air. It was noisy, alive, and full of laughter.
Miya turned to her with a bright smile. "This is our school canteen! Pretty big, right?"
Aisha nodded, eyes scanning the room.
"Um…" Miya hesitated. "Are you okay eating with us?"
Aisha tilted her head. "Why wouldn't I be?"
Miya scratched her cheek, looking a little awkward. "I mean… you're from a noble family. I thought maybe you're used to fancier meals… or a private place…"
Aisha stopped walking.
She looked at Miya, her expression serious but soft.
"Please," she said quietly. "Don't treat me like a noble. Treat me like your friend."
Miya blinked, surprised.
"I'm happy to eat with you," Aisha continued. "So don't ever say things like that. I'm not better than anyone here. We're all the same."
Miya stared at her for a moment, then smiled—genuine, touched. "Okay… friend."
They found a table and sat together, the beginnings of a new friendship forming between trays of school food and the sound of rain tapping lightly against the windows.
As they sat eating, Miya couldn't help but glance at Aisha's face.
When I asked her to come with me… I really thought she'd refuse, Miya thought. She's from the Haruka family—one of the top noble families. People like her usually ignore us…
But Aisha had smiled and said yes without hesitation. And now, here she was, sitting beside them, eating the same food, talking like any other student.
She's not like the others. She's different…
Miya felt a small warmth inside her chest. A quiet happiness.
Then, suddenly, Aisha looked at her. "What happened?" she asked softly, tilting her head. "You look like you're deep in thought."
Miya blinked, a little flustered. "Ah—no! Nothing," she said quickly.
Aisha raised an eyebrow, unconvinced.
But Miya just smiled. "Really. It's nothing."
Aisha smiled back, then returned to her food.
For the first time in a long while, Miya felt like something special was starting. And it all began with a simple "yes."