Asuka Tokunaga was completely dumbfounded.
A threat.
This was absolutely an enormous threat.
Miyama's love letter had not even been delivered yet, but these three beautiful girls, who were obviously not here with innocent intentions, had already cut in line by force and taken every seat around Akuto.
The way they looked at Akuto was not the way ordinary classmates looked at each other at all.
Asuka instinctively looked toward Akuto, wanting to see his reaction.
In the end, Akuto merely glanced casually at his three new neighbors. His face showed no particular expression, as if all of this were only natural.
He even had the leisure to pull an obviously difficult book out of his bag and begin reading it as though no one else were there.
"Akuto-kun... are your nerves made of reinforced steel?"
Asuka could not help retorting in her mind. Being surrounded by three beautiful girls like that, and he could still calmly read a book? His mental fortitude was way too strong.
For the next few classes, Asuka had no attention left for the lessons at all. All of her focus was drawn to Akuto and the "scenery" around him.
Erica seemed very interested in the book Akuto was reading. From time to time, she would lean sideways and point at a page, asking him something in a low voice.
Her golden hair would occasionally brush against Akuto's arm, the movement natural yet faintly intimate. Akuto would answer briefly, while Erica showed a thoughtful or enlightened expression, her blue eyes gleaming.
Liliana was much quieter. Most of the time, she listened carefully and took notes, but Asuka keenly noticed that her peripheral vision never left Akuto.
Whenever Akuto occasionally wrote or sketched something in his notebook, Liliana would glance over slightly, her ice-blue eyes carrying a trace of almost imperceptible concern.
Ena Seishuuin was far livelier. She would take advantage of the teacher turning around to write on the blackboard to quickly pass Akuto a small note, or lightly poke his back with her pen.
Sometimes Akuto would turn back and give her a helpless look, and Ena would make a face at him, smiling brightly. Her vitality seemed capable of infecting the small area around her.
During breaks, that atmosphere did not improve at all.
Erica would discuss topics with Akuto that Asuka could not understand at all, topics that sounded like history or mythology. Liliana did not speak much, but she would silently hand him water or tissues. Ena simply pulled Akuto into discussions about what to eat for lunch, or complained that a certain teacher's lecture was too boring.
Surrounded by them, Akuto remained perfectly composed. He did not seem particularly enthusiastic, nor did he show any impatience.
Although he would occasionally respond, most of the time Akuto merely listened, the corner of his mouth carrying a faint smile that seemed both indulgent and resigned.
Judging by his attitude... he seemed quite used to being "surrounded" like this?
Asuka watched from a distance, her heart filled with complicated feelings. How were these transfer students? They were clearly three guardian deities. Under this kind of "iron wall" encirclement, did Miyama's love letter really still have any chance of being delivered to Akuto? Even if it was delivered, would Akuto read it? He already had so many dazzling girls around him...
When the lunch break bell rang, Asuka watched Akuto leave the classroom surrounded by the three beautiful girls, probably heading for the cafeteria or the rooftop.
She touched the still-scorching love letter in her bag and felt as if it had become a heavy stone, pressing down so hard she could hardly breathe.
"Miyama's confession... is ninety-nine percent doomed, isn't it?"
Asuka slumped weakly over her desk, burying her face in her arms as she let out a muffled groan.
"If those three beautiful girls are the opponents, the difficulty level is way too high. Sorry, Miyama. Forget your love letter, even if I went up myself..."
Asuka even began to wonder if her brain had short-circuited when she promised Miyama that morning.
"Hm? Even if I went up myself?"
As she thought about it, Asuka finally realized something.
The reason that thought had occurred to her was because... in her mind, her own confession had a much higher chance of success than Miyama's?!
But normally speaking, even if that were true, she would never have thought in that direction.
There was only one situation where she would subconsciously think her confession had a better chance than Miyama's.
She liked Akuto too.
Otherwise, she would never even have the thought that "my confession would work better than Miyama's."
...
Stimulated by Miyama's actions, Asuka finally became aware of her own feelings.
However, she now faced two major problems.
On one hand, since she and Miyama both liked the same man, that meant her relationship with Miyama had changed from close friends to rivals.
On the other hand, aside from her and Miyama, a large number of female classmates had also set their sights on Akuto, including top-tier beautiful girls who had chased him all the way from Italy.
The moment Asuka thought about the fact that she would have to defeat so many rivals if she wanted to be with Akuto, she felt a crushing amount of pressure.
"Ding-dong-dang-dong~"
As she agonized over it, another break arrived.
However, considering Asuka's mind had not been on class from the very beginning, whether it was class time or break time made little difference to her.
And yet... very soon, Asuka could no longer continue wrestling with her thoughts.
Because she discovered that Erica had somehow ended up sitting on Akuto's lap!
Erica Blandelli, the Italian transfer student with radiant golden hair and a queenlike aura, was openly sitting on Akuto's lap.
At that moment, Erica's uniform skirt had shifted slightly because of her sitting posture, revealing a glimpse of the area above her socks. Even from Asuka's position, she could tell that Erica's poise and figure were both extraordinary.
Under Asuka's stunned gaze, Erica turned slightly, her graceful body almost leaning against Akuto's chest. She wore that composed smile that made it seem as if everything was under her control, and her red lips parted as she seemed to whisper something beside Akuto's ear. It even made the corner of Akuto's mouth curve with a helpless expression that also seemed faintly amused.
Watching the scene before her, Asuka's heart skipped a beat.
Fortunately, before she could not stop herself from taking action, someone more proper stepped in first.
"Erica! Please mind your behavior! This is a classroom!"
A cool young girl's voice rang out.
It was Liliana Kranjcar, the silver-haired beauty from Italy, just like Erica.
They're both from Italy. In other words, Erica-san and Liliana-san are rivals.
And they both came to Fusang because they want to pursue Akuto-kun?
Asuka could tell that Liliana was different from Erica. Liliana was the more reserved type.
However, the fact that "both of them liked Akuto" was certain. Otherwise, with Liliana's reserved personality, there would be no need for her to step in and stop Erica at all.
As a girl herself, Asuka understood far too well what kind of look a woman had when she was looking at the man she liked.
...
However, even though Liliana did stop her, Liliana's attempts had never been very effective.
"Hehe. Still as stiff as ever, aren't you?"
When Erica heard that, not only did she fail to get up, she even adjusted her posture and sat more securely on Akuto's lap.
Seeing Erica remain so unbothered, Asuka felt her cheeks heat up as well. She quickly lowered her head and pretended to read, but the corner of her eye could not leave that direction no matter what.
Just then, another figure burst into this delicate balance like a gust of wind.
"Oh my, oh my~ Erica, that's so unfair! Ena wants in too!"
Ena Seishuuin, the black-haired girl with a wild, mountain-like aura and a cheerful smile, darted to Akuto's other side in a few nimble steps like a leopard. Without the slightest restraint, she squeezed out a little space and copied Erica by sitting down on Akuto's other leg.
Ena's posture was bright and unguarded, filled with youthful vitality, and she showed no intention of losing to Erica.
Just like that, Ena casually wrapped her arms around Akuto's neck, grinning at Erica with a look full of challenge.
"My king's lap belongs to Ena too!"
Her voice was clear and carried a hint of coquettishness, completely ignoring Liliana's increasingly grim expression.
My king? Why is Seishuuin-san calling Akuto-kun "my king"? Is Akuto-kun's surname actually Wang, not Lin?
Or does "king" not refer to a surname, but to his status?
No, no, impossible... What era is this? How could there still be something like a king in this world?
Asuka quickly ruled out the correct answer.
...
On the other side, Akuto was expressionless.
Caught between two beautiful girls with entirely different styles, Akuto's expression became somewhat subtle. He seemed a little helpless, but a nearly imperceptible hint of amusement crossed the depths of his eyes, as if he rather enjoyed being fought over like this. He leaned back slightly against the chair, his arms naturally resting to either side, his posture relaxed as he let Erica and Ena compete over him.
Erica leaned closer, while Ena, unwilling to lose, held on more tightly. The air was filled with silent sparks and a certain ambiguous tension.
Asuka stared in utter shock, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.
What... what is going on here?!
Akuto-kun... how can he be this calm?!
Could it be... he's already used to this kind of interaction?
And Erica-san and Ena-san... how can they do that?!
Asuka felt as if her worldview had suffered a severe impact, and her cheeks were hot enough to fry an egg.
"Ding-a-ling!"
The warning bell rang like a savior.
Akuto, who had been watching from the sidelines all along, finally moved.
"All right, Erica, Ena. Class is starting."
As he spoke, Akuto unhurriedly extended his arms and, one in each hand, accurately wrapped them around Erica's and Ena's slender waists.
(End of Chapter)
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