When you compare Japan and China, the clearest split is education, as stark as a ridgeline against the sky.

Japan doesn’t cram facts like stuffing a goose.

They polish students like river stones, focusing on many qualities.

Etiquette, morals, capability, self-cultivation—those bloom in Japanese students like spring flowers after rain.

Coming from China in her past life, she had to respect Japan’s system, the way you nod to the tide.

With two lifetimes of memory, Yun Shi carried a library inside, shelves deep as a forest.

She joked she could breeze through high school, even jump grades, a kite riding the wind.

If she wanted, college wasn’t off the table, like a distant peak you could reach.

But she miscalculated—clouds hid cliffs.

She didn’t expect Japan’s students to be freaks.

No—students of this anime-flavored world were freaks, the kind that sprint like wind and test like thunder.

At the entrance exam, she was sure she’d take first, heart steady as a drum.

Dark horses rushed in from the back road like shadows.

Miyuki Kiseki edged her out by one point and stepped on her pride, a heel on thin ice.

For a top student with a past life, that stung like a thorn.

Miyuki Kiseki was truly bright.

Give her time, and her achievements would tower like pines.

Yun Shi couldn’t fathom why she chose this school; the answer stayed fogged.

But the part that made Yun Shi want to cough blood wasn’t that.

First place wasn’t Miyuki Kiseki.

If it were just that one point, fine.

She’d been careless and even let herself go easy, a hand loosened on the reins.

But the top score beat her by at least ten points, a canyon of difference.

One point is a story you can laugh about.

Ten points is a cliff you don’t cross.

The girl who took first was famous on campus—called a prodigy and a beauty.

Yun Shi hadn’t seen her, but today fate might brush sleeves.

‘You’re saying she’s in the Student Council?’

By chance, Yun Shi chatted with Mai and blinked in surprise, like a bird catching sun.

‘Yeah. I even saw her with Mizuki last time. She’s so cute~’

Mai wore a lovestruck look, palm against her cheek like petals cupping dew.

‘Why tell me this?’

‘You want to join the Student Council, right? So I’m tipping you off about that genius girl.’

‘I haven’t decided, and I won’t care.’

‘Once you’re in, you’ll see her. Something might happen, since she seems close with the president.’

‘Boring. Why say this?’

‘You looked bored, so I’m chatting~’

Ever since Mai learned the secret, her attitude flipped like a banner in a sudden wind.

Yun Shi still hadn’t adjusted, nerves rattling like chimes.

Mai sat in the seat ahead, tossing empty topics like paper cranes.

Without noticing, she slipped into the role of friend.

‘Mai—oh, Yun Shi’s here too.’

Mizuki came in from another aisle, surprise written on her face like fresh ink.

‘Wow, when did you two get so close?’

Usually, Mai roasted Yun Shi until Mizuki had to step in.

A day this peaceful felt unnatural, like snow in summer.

‘Ah-haha... what are you saying, Mizuki? I—I—I’m not with this—no, I—’

Mai’s tongue tied itself into knots; no full sentence came out.

‘Where do you see I’m close with her? Idiot.’

Yun Shi shut it down without hesitation.

Yet when her eyes met Mizuki’s, she looked away, as if light stung her.

Mizuki paused, puzzled, then yesterday’s scene rose like a ripple.

The figure fleeing before her eyes still played in her mind, a shadow under lantern light.

Whenever she remembered that side of Yun Shi, her heart wouldn’t calm, a drum under water.

She didn’t know much about Yunshi Bianqi.

She knew he was cold outside, warm inside—ember behind frost.

Someone like that kept being pushed out.

Beyond pity, Mizuki felt anger, a storm at herself for missing it.

‘Yun Shi...’

That person is always so alone, so I should be the one to reach in.

‘Got time?’

Mizuki smiled softly, sunlight slipping into the girl’s chest.

‘For what?’

Yun Shi put irritation in front of her voice, then her posture.

‘Let’s eat lunch together~’

‘No.’

‘Eh, why?!’

‘I don’t care for girls’ gatherings.’

And I don’t have the right, she added in the quiet of her heart, like ink swallowed by paper.

Since Mizuki became friends with the others—Mizuki and Sham—their bond stayed smooth, like water over stones.

People often saw four girls eating on the rooftop, trays catching the wind.

Sometimes you’d catch them laughing about after-school fun, like sparrows at dusk.

Yun Shi was never in that circle.

She kept her one-person life, a lunch in a quiet corner, and a solitary walk home.

Sometimes Sham would tag along, like a lantern in fog.

Though Mizuki called her a friend, Yun Shi had never agreed.

Naturally, a thin wall stood between them, like paper you couldn’t tear.

She fed the stray cats in secret to find a spark in loneliness.

Unluckily, Mizuki caught her that day, a glimpse like moonlight through leaves.

‘Okay, let’s go together!’

Mai threw up her arms with a cheer, bright as confetti.

‘I’m not going.’

Yun Shi’s impatience pricked like thorns.

‘Come on, don’t be so stiff. Let’s go~’

‘I said I’m not!’

‘We’re friends, Yun Shi!’

Mizuki leaned in, hands slapping her desk like thunder.

‘I...’

Yun Shi tried to say they weren’t, but the next words cut in like a blade.

‘If we’re friends, stop overthinking. Even if it’s a group of girls, nothing’s wrong.’

‘But...’

‘Listen to me, Yun Shi. Go.’

Mizuki’s stance turned firm; her tone allowed no retreat.

Under those earnest eyes, Yun Shi felt uneasy, as if pinned by a hawk.

In daily life, you couldn’t see it, but once Mizuki got serious she was scary.

Even the urge to resist got pressed flat, like grass under snow.

Maybe that’s the protagonist aura, she thought, a wry cloud crossing her mind.

‘Hehe, peach blossoms... a yuri flavor...’

Mai didn’t break into her usual manic grin.

She looked charmed instead, like a bee in sweet clover.

She knew Yun Shi was a girl, so no jealousy burned.

She was glad to see comrades—she was a yuri girl, after all.

‘Ugh, what a pain. Fine, I’ll go.’

Yun Shi surrendered under the gaze and gave up the struggle.

‘That’s more like it.’

Mizuki smiled, satisfied, and wanted to pat Yun Shi’s head.

But she hesitated; even if he was younger, he was a boy in her eyes, so she stopped.

Just as they settled it, a twist rushed in.

A classroom ‘regular’ burst through the door like a gust.

‘Big crisis, Little Yun!!’

A cute girl stormed in, fire trailing her heels.

The whole class paused, eyes turning like sunflowers.

‘Sham? What are you doing?’

‘Tell me honestly you like men—ah, pfft, pfft—no, I mean I’ve got a huge problem!’

‘Say that first line carefully, you jerk! Like men? You wanna die?!’

‘Don’t sweat the details!’

‘I do! When did I ever like men?!’

‘You said it last night...’

‘Never said that. That’s your delusion!’

‘You called it a life-and-death issue. If it’s not love, then what?’

‘It is not that, damn you!’

The two traded tsukkomi and boke, unaware how rotten their dialogue sounded, like fish left in the sun.

‘Hey, you, over here!’

Mai grabbed Yun Shi from her seat with a face cracking like dry paint.

‘What are you doing?!’

‘I should ask you. You like guys?’

‘Nonsense!’

‘Who is it? Which knuckle-dragger? I’ll bury him alive!’

‘I told you there’s no one!’

Another misunderstanding sparked like a stray match.

Mizuki stared, stunned, finger trembling as she pointed at Yun Shi’s defense.

‘Yun Shi, you... like men.’

‘Don’t just believe that!’

‘Unbelievable. You actually...’

Heart broken, Mizuki sank to her knees, a despair deeper than doomsday.

‘Sham Einafel, I’m going to kill you!!!’

It was all her loose mouth.

Yun Shi shook off Mai’s hand, volcano-hot, and strode up to Sham.

‘I—I was joking. No need to take it so seriously...’

Sham shuffled back, scared, eyes squeezing out tears like rain.

‘What kind of joke is that? Trying to tack another scandal on me?!’

‘My bad!’

‘You should’ve led with that, damn it!’

‘D-don’t karate chop me. You’re weird today. Why are you so irritable...’

The girl was courting death—not knowing it was her period.

‘Okay, okay, cut it out.’

Mai stepped in as peacemaker, gently pulling Yun Shi back like drawing a bowstring loose.

She knew Yun Shi’s period hadn’t passed and her temper ran hot, so she didn’t lecture.

She just signaled her to stop.

‘Hmph.’

Still simmering, Yun Shi turned away.

Her words bristled like needles.

‘So, why are you here? Door-to-door drama?’

‘Oh, right. I came to discuss something.’

Sham tucked away the mischief and stood, a rare gravity settling like dusk.

Seeing that look, Yun Shi quieted, and even Mizuki straightened, her mind wary of the Underworld.

‘What happened?’

Mizuki asked, a ripple in her chest.

‘Bad news, everyone. Mizuki, she...’

Yun Shi and Mizuki felt their hearts squeeze, like a fist around fabric.

‘She got a love letter. Someone’s confessing today.’

Silence fell, thin as frost.

‘Eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh?!’

Mai shrieked, a sound tearing the sky.

‘Are you kidding me?!’

Yun Shi and Mizuki spoke in unison, voices colliding like cymbals.