Chapter 24: A Story About Me Lying Flat on Campus?
.....
Kyushu Time, 7:25 AM.
The gates of Sobu High School were a flurry of activity as the morning rush tapered off. Most students were already in their homerooms for morning study, so the latecomers were few and far between.
As the remaining students trickled in, they stopped dead in their tracks, staring in bewilderment at the security checkpoint.
There, standing before the grizzled gatekeeper, was a silver-haired boy. He was strikingly handsome, enough to make several passing girls steal a second glance, but his attire was... unorthodox.
He was wearing full-body anime-print pajamas and clutching a plush pillow to his chest.
This was, of course, Seito.
After finishing his breakfast, he had realized his only school uniform was in the wash. Since he only owned one set, he decided the most logical course of action was to wear his pajamas. It wasn't like delinquent students wore their uniforms properly anyway, so why should he?
The security guard stared at him, his eye twitching. "Kid, you told me your uniform is in the wash. Fine. I can almost accept the pajamas." He pointed a shaking finger at the pillow under Seito's arm. "But explain the pillow! Give me one good reason why you're bringing a pillow to school!"
And what is up with those pajamas? the guard screamed internally. The chibi anime girls are way too bright!
"The teachers always told us to treat the school like our own home," Seito replied, his face a mask of absolute sincerity.
"That... actually makes a disturbing amount of sense," the guard muttered before catching himself. "No! That is not a valid excuse!"
Seito cleared his throat and leaned in close, surreptitiously sliding two packs of premium cigarettes into the guard's pocket. "Look, Officer... I'm about to be late. Can we just overlook the domestic comforts?"
The guard felt the weight of the bribe. His stern expression wavered, then transformed into a look of grandfatherly approval. "You're right! You're late! What are you still doing here? Get to class, young man!"
"Much appreciated," Seito smiled. But the moment he turned his back, his expression soured.
Dammit. Those were the bribes I bought for Shizuka and Sae. That old dog took two packs for a gate pass? Highway robbery.
At least I still have the specialized 'liquor' hidden in my inner pockets.
...
Class 1-D
The homeroom teacher, Shizuka Hiratsuka, and her assistant, Sae Chabashira, stood on the podium scanning the room. Every seat was filled except for one.
"Tell me that brat hasn't logged back into the game," Shizuka muttered, her fingers drumming restlessly on the desk. She was dying for a smoke.
"Maybe he's soloing the Ninth Floor Boss," Sae remarked dryly.
She had checked the boards earlier. The Front-Line Raiders had cleared the Eighth Floor at 6:00 AM and were currently moving on the Ninth. Given Seito's track record, the possibility wasn't zero.
Shizuka's irritation grew. She had explicitly given him permission to sleep in class, and now he was pulling a no-show? If he's not here by the bell, I'm breaking down his front door, she vowed.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Footsteps echoed in the hallway. The door to Class D swung open, and every head in the room turned simultaneously.
Shizuka: "..."
Sae: "..."
The entire class: "..."
Seito strolled in, pillow in hand, looking like he'd just rolled out of bed—which, technically, he had.
"Morning, Shizuka-sensei, Sae-sensei. I'm not late, am I?"
Shizuka's face went from pale to a deep, murderous crimson. "Pajamas? A pillow? You really are taking that 'school is home' metaphor literally, aren't you?"
"Naturally," Seito nodded. "Consistency is a virtue."
Without waiting for a response, he marched to his seat, slammed the pillow onto the desk, and buried his face in it. His movements were fluid, practiced, and entirely devoid of shame.
The class watched in stunned silence.
"Zzz... huff... Qiqi... don't drink all the coconut milk..."
Within seconds, he was talking in his sleep.
"..."
The students looked at the teachers. Both Shizuka and Sae were radiating a dark aura. They marched over to Seito's desk. Shizuka grabbed him by the collar and hauled him upright while Sae snatched the pillow away.
"Wha—? My pillow!" Seito blinked blearily as his neck was hoisted into the air.
"Sleeping is one thing, but a pillow is an insult to the institution!" Shizuka snarled. "Listen up. We have a test next week covering everything we've done so far. If you score anything less than a perfect pass... well, you've seen my fist in the game. It hurts more in real life."
She let go of his collar and stormed out of the room.
Seito stared blankly for a second, then slumped back onto the hard desk. Test? You think tenth-grade math scares me? I've lived two lives; I could be your father.
He closed his eyes and was out again in an instant.
As the morning progressed, several subject teachers walked in and out. Each time they saw the boy in pajamas sleeping through their lectures, they paused in shock. But after a quick glance at the class roster and a reminder of the "special case" status Shizuka had granted him, they simply sighed and moved on.
Let the homeroom teacher deal with the pajama-boy, they thought. We're not paid enough for this.
.....
Thank you for reading.
It's a free–chapter for you all.