What should I even do…?
The thought repeated endlessly inside Kentarou's mind.
From yesterday night.
Until this very moment.
Even now—
Inside the classroom—
He was still staring outside the window absentmindedly.
The blue sky looked peaceful.
Too peaceful compared to the chaos inside his head.
Why did Gen ask about Violet?
That single question refused to leave him alone.
At first—
He tried to ignore it.
But the more he thought about it—
The worse it became.
Did he fall for her?
Or was he just asking casually?
Maybe I'm overthinking.
…But what if I'm not?
Kentarou slowly rested his cheek on his hand while continuing to stare outside.
The classroom noises felt distant.
Like background sound.
His thoughts kept getting louder instead.
Gen is popular too…
Athletic.
Confident.
Good at talking.
Unlike me.
The more he compared himself—
The heavier his chest started feeling.
Then suddenly—
Another terrifying thought appeared.
What if he confesses before I do?
Silence filled Kentarou's mind for a moment.
That possibility alone somehow hurt.
And then—
Another thought attacked him immediately afterward.
What if Violet likes someone like him more?
Kentarou's eyes slowly lowered toward his desk.
Actually…
What if she already has a boyfriend?
He froze.
Completely froze.
"…I totally forgot to think about that."
His whisper escaped quietly without realizing.
Because honestly—
Until now—
He had been so focused on his own feelings that he never properly considered Violet's side.
What if someone already confessed to her in Japan?
What if she already liked someone?
What if—
She never even saw Kentarou that way at all?
His chest tightened slightly.
Then suddenly—
One final thought hit him critically.
Wait…
Would she reject me because I'm her senior?
Kentarou immediately looked even more troubled.
No, wait… seniors are normal,
right?
Or are they not?
Actually I have no idea.
The inside of his brain now felt like complete chaos.
Every possibility only made him more nervous.
More afraid.
More impatient.
Then finally—
Kentarou quietly straightened his posture.
His expression slowly became serious.
"…No."
He quietly made up his mind.
Before someone else confesses.
Before he loses courage.
Before it becomes too late.
There was only one thing he could do.
Kentarou slowly clenched his hand beneath the desk.
I'll confess my love as soon as possible.
The moment he decided that—
His heartbeat immediately became faster.
Because even saying it inside his mind felt terrifying.
Then suddenly—
"Kentarou."
His body froze.
The classroom became quiet.
Kentarou slowly turned forward.
The teacher was staring directly at him.
"…Would you like to continue looking at the sky," the teacher said calmly, "or should I continue teaching the class?"
A few students laughed quietly.
Kentarou immediately straightened himself.
"…Sorry."
The teacher sighed.
"You've been distracted since morning."
Meanwhile—
At the back side of the classroom—
Yui Takamura quietly looked toward Kentarou curiously.
He's distracted again…
Even Senku noticed it too.
"…This guy's definitely dying from love," he whispered dramatically to himself.
Kentarou quietly looked down at his notebook afterward.
But instead of the lesson—
Only one name remained inside his mind.
Violet.
_______________________________
Lunch break.
The classroom was filled with noise as students gathered into groups for food and conversations.
Meanwhile—
Kentarou sat near the window as usual with Senku beside him.
But unlike normal—
Several students were secretly glancing toward him today.
Whispering.
Looking.
Then whispering again.
Kentarou immediately noticed it.
"…Why are people staring at me?"
Senku looked completely entertained.
"You really don't know?"
"…Know what?"
Before Senku could answer—
Someone suddenly approached them.
Park Minwoo.
Still carrying his lunch awkwardly with both hands.
"…Can I sit here?"
"You're already standing here,"
Senku replied.
"…That's true."
Minwoo quietly sat beside them.
Then—
He looked at Kentarou with genuine admiration.
"…Kentarou....."
Kentarou immediately felt uncomfortable hearing that tone.
"…Why are you talking like that?"
Minwoo adjusted his glasses slightly.
"You've become famous."
Silence.
"…What?"
Senku immediately burst out laughing.
"You seriously don't know?!"
Kentarou looked even more confused now.
Meanwhile—
Minwoo leaned slightly closer like he was sharing top-secret information.
"People are saying you and Yui Takamura are secretly dating."
Kentarou froze completely.
"…WHAT?"
Several nearby students immediately looked toward him after hearing his reaction.
Senku nearly died laughing beside him.
"This is amazing."
Kentarou looked genuinely horrified.
"…Who started that rumor?!
"
Minwoo nodded seriously.
"The whole school is evolving."
"That sentence makes no sense."
"You went from quiet background character to romance protagonist."
"…Please stop talking."
Meanwhile—
Senku wiped tears from laughing too much.
"Our Kentarou…"
"…Senku."
"…Actually sitting alone in a café with a girl…"
"…Senku."
"…Character development…"
Kentarou covered his face tiredly.
"This is a nightmare."
Minwoo looked weirdly inspired now.
"…I want to become someone like you someday."
Kentarou immediately looked up.
"…Absolutely not."
"But you became popular naturally."
"I literally did nothing."
"That's what makes it cooler."
"It's ruining my life."
Minwoo nodded thoughtfully.
"…Mysterious popularity."
"That sounds illegal."
Senku laughed again.
Honestly—
Watching Kentarou suffer from accidental popularity was incredibly entertaining.
Then suddenly—
Kentarou remembered something.
"…What about Seo Yuna?"
Immediately—
Minwoo's expression changed slightly.
A little nervous.
A little happy.
"She…"
He adjusted his glasses again awkwardly.
"…She made me her friend."
Both Kentarou and Senku blinked once.
"…Huh?"
Minwoo continued quietly.
"And she gave me her number too."
Silence.
Then—
"YOU GOT HER NUMBER?!" Senku shouted loudly.
Half the classroom looked at them again.
Minwoo became embarrassed immediately.
"…Keep your voice down."
Kentarou looked genuinely shocked too.
"…That progressed fast."
Senku grabbed Minwoo dramatically by the shoulders.
"You're winning in life."
"I-I don't know about that…"
"No. You're absolutely winning."
Meanwhile—
Kentarou quietly thought about something.
A number…
Then naturally—
His mind went toward Violet.
Should I ask for her number too…?
For one moment—
He seriously considered it.
Then suddenly—
He remembered.
"…Right."
Violet had forgotten her phone back in Japan.
Kentarou quietly sighed.
Senku immediately noticed it.
"…Why do you suddenly look depressed again?"
"…Nothing."
"That's clearly not 'nothing.'"
Minwoo adjusted his glasses curiously.
"You sighed like someone who lost all hope."
"…That's oddly accurate," Senku added.
Kentarou looked away toward the classroom window.
"…It's complicated."
Senku slowly smirked after noticing Kentarou avoiding eye contact again.
"…This definitely has something to do with a girl."
Kentarou remained silent.
Which only made Senku more confident.
Meanwhile—
Minwoo looked impressed instead.
"…You really became popular."
"I'm literally suffering."
"That's what popular people say."
"That sentence makes me angry for some reason."
Senku started laughing again.
And while the classroom remained noisy around them—
Kentarou quietly looked outside the window once more.
Thinking about only one person.
Violet.
At the same time —
The noisy atmosphere inside Grade 9 Class-2 felt completely different from Kentarou's classroom.
Laughter.
Shouting.
Desk noises.
And in the middle of all that chaos—
A group of boys sat in a circle near the back side of the classroom.
At the center—
A spinning pen slowly lost speed.
Everyone watched carefully.
Then—
It stopped.
Pointing directly toward—
Takahashi Gen.
"…Again?"
One of the boys immediately grabbed his head dramatically.
"This guy survives every dare too easily."
Another boy nodded seriously.
"We're running out of dangerous missions."
"Last time he literally ate ultra spicy ramen without water."
"And smiled."
Gen leaned lazily against his chair.
"…Skill issue."
"That's not a skill!"
The group immediately started complaining loudly again.
Meanwhile—
Several girls nearby were already secretly listening to their game.
Because honestly—
Whenever Gen participated—
Things somehow became entertaining automatically.
One of his friends suddenly crossed his arms dramatically.
"Alright."
"No more dares."
"Yes."
"Your mental strength is annoying."
Gen smirked slightly.
"…Then?"
The boys looked at each other silently for a moment.
Then suddenly—
Gen spoke calmly.
"I choose truth."
Silence.
Complete silence.
"…WHAT?"
All his friends shouted together.
Even nearby students looked toward them immediately.
"The legendary creature finally picked truth?!"
"Impossible!"
"Someone record this historical moment!"
Even the girls nearby immediately became interested now.
Several of them literally pulled their chairs closer.
One girl whispered dramatically:
"This is getting good."
Meanwhile—
Gen looked completely unbothered.
"…Why are you all reacting like that?"
"Because you NEVER choose truth!"
"Truth is boring."
"EXACTLY!"
One of the boys suddenly stood up dramatically like a game show host.
"Alright everyone."
"We only have one chance."
"We must ask something worthy."
Immediately—
The entire group started discussing seriously.
Like scientists preparing a national project.
"What about his boxing secrets?"
"No."
"What about his training?"
"Too boring."
"What about his first love?"
The entire group suddenly became silent.
Then slowly—
Everyone looked toward Gen together.
Even the nearby girls leaned closer now.
"…Ask that."
"That's perfect."
"Yes."
"Absolutely."
Meanwhile—
Gen quietly sighed.
"…You people are annoying."
One of the boys pointed dramatically at him.
"Takahashi Gen."
"…What."
"Do you have a crush on any girl?"
The classroom atmosphere instantly changed.
Now everyone nearby was listening openly.
Even students pretending to study had stopped moving.
Another boy quickly added:
"And if yes…"
"…Tell us her name."
Silence.
Everyone waited.
Meanwhile—
Gen calmly rested his elbow on the desk.
Not embarrassed.
Not nervous.
Just calm.
Then—
He answered immediately.
"…Yeah."
The whole group exploded instantly.
"HE SAID YES!"
"NO WAY!"
"THIS IS INSANE!"
"GEN ACTUALLY LIKES SOMEONE?!"
Even the girls looked genuinely shocked now.
One of them literally covered her mouth dramatically.
"This feels illegal to witness."
Meanwhile—
Gen looked completely relaxed despite the chaos around him.
Then one of his friends slammed the desk loudly.
"NAME."
Another joined immediately.
"Tell us the name."
"WE DEMAND ANSWERS."
Gen sighed quietly.
Then finally—
For the first time—
A softer expression appeared in his eyes.
Very small.
Almost impossible to notice.
But real.
Then calmly—
He spoke.
"…Her name is…"
The classroom became completely silent.
And then—
"…Violet."