A new day officially begins!
The middle school Kanao attends is said to be a school founded by certain big shots in Tokyo specifically for their own children.
Therefore, whether in teaching staff or funding and equipment, it is extraordinary, with extremely high admission thresholds.
Even with her identity as a dual-doctorate holder from Tokyo University, Kocho Shinobu had to go through considerable effort to finally get Kanao in.
Perhaps precisely because the students studying here are basically either rich or noble.
It causes Shinobu, every time she sends Kanao to school, to witness a scene at the school entrance that could be described as bustling with traffic.
But today, it seems a bit too lively...
"Welcome, Master Hashibira!"
At the spacious school entrance, dozens of men in suits stood in two rows, shouting loudly.
Among them, a black stretched vintage car slowly stopped.
As one suited man quickly stepped forward to open the rear door, it was as if some stirring background music suddenly rang in the ears. Then, a youth in school uniform slowly stepped out.
This youth had flowing shoulder-length hair. Although wearing sunglasses, one could still glimpse his handsome and delicate features hidden behind them.
"Master Hashibira, walk slowly!"
"Alright, all of you go back."
Raising his hand to pat nonexistent dust from his shoulder, the sunglasses youth put both hands in his pockets, head held high and chest out, walking with wild, cool, awesome strides into the campus amid the shocked, envious, jealous, or disdainful gazes of surrounding classmates.
"Farewell, Master Hashibira!"
The dozens of bodyguards around shouted in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.
"Uwaa, this scene is really exaggerated..."
Standing on the side of the street, having witnessed this entire scene, Kocho Shinobu was almost dumbfounded.
From childhood until now, she had never seen such an exaggerated display.
What the hell, going to school with dozens of bodyguards escorting him, which family's young master is this?
And is it really okay for you to shout slogans in the street like this?
Even the Master of the Demon Slayer Corps isn't as arrogant as you guys!
"Kanao, is this a student at your school?"
Turning to look at Kanao beside her, who was also staring blankly, Shinobu asked curiously.
Hearing this, Kanao hurriedly shook her head, her face full of confusion.
But immediately, as if suddenly remembering something, she quickly took out a notebook from her pocket and wrote rapidly on it:
[Probably the transfer student the teachers mentioned yesterday. I heard he's the young master of some very wealthy conglomerate family abroad...]
"A transfer student..."
Looking at this sentence in Kanao's notebook, recalling the arrogant appearance of that youth just now, Shinobu seriously instructed:
"Kanao, stay far away from that brat at school in the future. These rich people all have very bad hearts. Don't let him influence you, understand?"
*[Mm, I understand. Thank you, Sister Shinobu.]*
"Alright, hurry up and go in. I should also be leaving now."
Kanao nodded lightly. She stood in place until she watched Shinobu walk far away, then turned around and walked toward the campus.
"Ugh!"
However, the moment she turned around, Kanao felt she had suddenly crashed into something. She let out a soft sound, her entire body uncontrollably falling backward.
Her body losing balance for an instant, just as Kanao thought she would definitely fall to the ground, an impatient voice suddenly rang out before her.
"Hey! Keep your eyes looking forward when walking!"
Immediately after, a hand suddenly reached out, helping her, who was about to fall, steady herself again.
Her vision swaying, the stabilized Kanao looked closely and discovered that the person who reached out to help her was actually that arrogant sunglasses youth from just now?!
She saw this sunglasses youth clicking his tongue now, raising his hand to pat the school uniform on his chest.
She seemed to have... accidentally bumped into him just now?
*[Apologize! Must apologize first!]*
Panicking instantly, Kanao hurriedly lowered her head and took out her notebook, trembling as she wanted to write the three characters "I'm sorry" on it.
However, this sunglasses youth seemed to have no intention of hearing her apology.
He didn't even say another word to Kanao, but just directly walked around her and shouted toward that black vintage car still stopped at the school entrance:
"Uncle Mouri, my schoolbag, I forgot it."
"Understood! Master Hashibira!"
The man named Mouri immediately took out Inosuke's schoolbag from the rear seat of the vintage car, quickly ran forward, and handed it to him with both hands.
"Thanks. You all go back first, no need to keep waiting here. Just come pick me up after school."
"Yes sir! Master Hashibira!"
Waving goodbye, Inosuke once again raised his head, carrying the schoolbag in one hand casually slung over his shoulder, the other hand in his pocket, striding with large steps toward the campus.
The whole person projected an aura of arrogance and dominance!
Perhaps precisely because he was too arrogant, there was actually not a single classmate around who dared to approach and speak to him.
However, among them, there was one exception.
Nearby, Kanao was seen taking a deep breath, overcoming her inner fear, then quickly rushing forward, spreading her arms, and blocking his way entirely.
"Hmm?"
Recognizing at a glance that the trembling girl before him was the one who had bumped into him earlier, Inosuke immediately frowned slightly.
"Classmate, do you still have business?"
Please, you were the one who accidentally bumped into me just now. I didn't even bother to pursue it. You don't want to scam me, do you?
Nodding forcefully, Kanao hurriedly raised the notebook in her hand before him. On it was written:
"I'm sorry for accidentally bumping into you just now. I hope... you won't be angry?"
Taking off his sunglasses, reading this sentence on the notebook word by word, Inosuke blinked rapidly.
He looked at Kanao before him carefully sizing him up, and immediately asked with confusion:
"Classmate, why are you writing on a notebook? Could it be you can't speak?"
Completely not expecting this to be his focus, Kanao was stunned for a moment.
After quite a while, she reacted, nodding and shaking her head, face flushed red, holding her pen and wanting to explain something frantically on the notebook.
[I can't speak, but I'm not mute. I actually, just, because...]
Due to excessive nervousness, not only did Kanao take forever to write a complete sentence on the notebook, but her hand holding the pencil also trembled more and more, her whole person so nervous she was about to cry.
Seeing her appearance, the corner of Inosuke's mouth rose slightly, and he suddenly laughed.
"Well, forget it. Since it's inconvenient to say, don't force yourself."
Seemingly having seen through the embarrassment in this girl's heart before him, he didn't ask further, just put on his sunglasses again, and with a generous smile extended his hand toward her.
"Hashibira Inosuke, transfer student just returned from abroad, slightly wealthy family.
Classmate, I find you quite interesting. Are you willing to be friends with me?"
[Be... friends?]
The hand holding the pencil suddenly stopped. Kanao lowered her head looking at this hand Inosuke extended before her.
[He wants to be friends with me...]
Since coming to this school, this was the first time someone was willing to take the initiative to be friends with her...
[Somehow, he doesn't seem like a bad person...]
After a moment of hesitation, Kanao bit her lip, also tentatively extending her own hand, and lightly shook Inosuke's hand.
Then, quickly wrote another line on her notebook.
[Thank you... Tsuyuri Kanao, that's my name.]