As promised, after Nanami Hayashi’s holiday ended, I accompanied her to Yulin High to investigate the real killer. Well, actually, I just wanted to experience school life. If I accidentally started a harem, wouldn’t that be a huge win?
"Today, we have a new Chinese transfer student. Cold Creek, please introduce yourself," class advisor Miss Sato announced. "Hello everyone, I’m Cold Creek. I’ll be with you all from now on. I look forward to your care," I said, then gave a deep bow. Miss Sato gestured for me to find a seat. I naturally sat next to Nanami Hayashi. "Nice to meet you," I added.
The boys seemed indifferent to a male transfer student, but I was quite popular with the girls. Probably because I fit their aesthetic well.
Though I came for classes, I barely knew any Japanese characters. After all, I’d only been in Japan a year, living alone without much interaction. Mastering basic conversational Japanese was already tough. For incomprehensible lessons, the only result was drowsiness. Anyway, I wasn’t here to study. I could always ask Nana for help with Japanese later.
I slightly manipulated my time sense, and soon it was lunch break. A few friendly classmates came to greet me. During class, some girls had sneaked glances at me; when I looked back, they quickly looked away.
"Hello," a girl said just as I was about to eat with Nana. I looked up. She was a petite, short-haired girl with freckles—quite cute, and seemingly our class president. "What is it?" I asked. She introduced herself warmly: "I’m Rika Dojima. Welcome to our class. I look forward to getting to know you." She extended her hand. "I also look forward to your guidance, Dojima-san," I replied, shaking it politely. "Well, I’m off to lunch now. Goodbye." I followed Nanami Hayashi to the rooftop. Since she had her maid prepare bento, I didn’t need to queue for the cafeteria.
People were rushing down from the roof in panic. Could there be a youkai? But it’s broad daylight! I grabbed a bespectacled guy. "What’s happening, classmate?" He glanced at me. "Someone on the roof is about to jump. We’ve called the police and are finding a teacher." "Jumping!" Nanami Hayashi gasped, covering her mouth. This TV drama scene was happening right here. I handed her the bento. "I’m familiar with this. Wait here. I’ll be back to eat." Ignoring her protests, I rushed to the rooftop.
At the rooftop door, several students stood trying to persuade the jumper. I pushed past them. "Sorry, leave this to me," I said, then walked toward her.
"Stop! Don’t come closer!" a sharp, hoarse voice halted me. I smiled slightly. "Classmate, I’m not here to stop you." My words sparked her to speak. "If you’re not stopping me, just leave. I don’t want to live anyway." I shook my head. "That won’t do. I planned to jump today to end my life, but you beat me to it. How sneaky." The jumper glanced back. "Don’t joke. I know you’re here to persuade me."
While talking, I quietly crept closer. "I’m not joking. If you jump and die here, it’ll make my jump harder. Let’s jump together." In a blink, I was at the edge, parallel to her, less than two meters apart. "Since we’re dying anyway, might as well tell me—why do you want to die?"
She showed no intention to answer. I changed the subject. "If you don’t want to say, it’s fine. How about we make a pact?" She looked at me. "A pact?" Up close, I realized she was stunningly beautiful, with long, straight black hair and curves that put Nanami Hayashi’s to shame. Why would such a perfect girl want to die? I wondered, but no time for that now.
"Let’s jump together. If we both die, we’ll have company in the afterlife. If we both live, fate spares us—live well. If one dies and one lives, the survivor lives for both. What do you say?" As I spoke, I moved closer, grabbed her hand, and we sat side by side on the ledge. She stared incredulously. "Jumping from here is unsurvivable. But if I somehow live, I’ll keep the pact." I smiled. "Since we’re dying, no harm in telling your name. I’m Cold Creek." "Mingzi Baishi." I gripped her hand tightly. "Well, Mingzi, let’s jump." With that, I pulled her and leaped off the sixth-floor roof.
"Sorry, if you died, my coming here would be pointless," I said. Mid-air, I gave her a sinister smile. On impact, I cushioned Mingzi Baishi’s fall, hitting the ground myself.
"No way," Nanami Hayashi whispered, staring at my corpse. Though I was dead on the spot, Mingzi Baishi was only injured, not critically. "I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought you to school. If not for me, you wouldn’t have died." She sobbed uncontrollably as my body was loaded into the ambulance.
Twelve hours had passed since my death. The clock above my head automatically rewound by twelve hours. As long as my time isn’t exhausted, I revive no matter how I die. But the pain is very real. "Haven’t died in a while. This really hurts."
I’d already planned for my resurrection: slightly distort time to create an alibi. Anyway, when I died, my head was smashed; only Mingzi Baishi truly remembered my face. Alright, I need to find Nanami Hayashi quickly. I jumped off the morgue bed. I was completely naked. "Sigh, I have to rewind my clothes to twelve hours ago."
In short, something like this happening on my first day is really interesting. Choosing this school was definitely a wise decision.
