The next day dawned, the sun already high in the sky.

Sakurano Private High School sat near the city center. Only super schools could afford such prime real estate. Its massive campus dwarfed ordinary schools, rivaling famous universities—a clear sign of its prestige. Just imagine selling that land! The profits would be insane.

Along the path from Xia Chuan Yuan’s home to school, rows of cherry blossom trees bloomed beautifully. A gentle breeze stirred the petals, creating a sea of pink that fell like a soft, floral rain.

His body still remembered the way to school. He wouldn’t forget the route.

Truthfully, the walk took only five minutes. Even with time for brushing teeth, washing his face, breakfast, and changing clothes, he’d arrive in fifteen minutes—give or take five. This gave early-riser Xia Chuan Yuan plenty of leisure.

After all, the opening ceremony started at 8:30 AM. He’d woken at 7:30 AM. That full hour gap meant no rush. No fear of being late. Life should be slow, relaxed—savoring every moment.

This fast-paced world had people rushing everywhere, missing beautiful sights. Why exhaust yourself? Spiritual fatigue was pointless. Wasn’t it better to take things slow, like him?

If passersby heard Xia Chuan Yuan’s thoughts, they’d probably beat him half to death. Then they’d lecture him: "Not everyone’s as carefree as you. We hate that smug attitude. Let me show you reality."

It was September—summer’s end, autumn’s start. The autumnal equinox was still weeks away. Yet the sun blazed fiercely, distorting the air visibly. The heat was relentless.

Sakurano’s opening ceremonies were always held in the school gymnasium. This year was no exception. The gym was a city landmark, seating sixty thousand. Modified, it could hold eighty thousand.

So idol concerts, sports events, music performances, soccer practices, and school sports days all borrowed the space. Few venues were this big, this good, this packed.

For students, the gym meant endless perks! Free front-row seats to shows. They loved it. Such generous schools were rare—a key reason many dreamed of enrolling here.

Xia Chuan Yuan had attended opening ceremonies before—in this life and his past one. But fragmented memories left him unsure. Today felt like his first real experience in this life.

He strolled in at 8:00 AM. The ceremony began at 8:30, yet most students were already seated by class.

Yesterday, he’d found old diaries at home. They recorded his life, patching his hazy memories. He knew where Class 2-1 sat and headed there.

All three grades gathered for the ceremony. Fresh faces glowed with excitement—new high schoolers leaving middle school quirks behind, stepping into "senior-year syndrome."

Before the ceremony started, old friends chatted. Newcomers exchanged names and contacts. Some gossiped about handsome boys or pretty girls.

At Class 2-1’s section, a boy called out:

"Yuan! Over here! I saved your spot!"

Xia Chuan Yuan spotted two guys. One had delicate, almost feminine features. The other was broad-shouldered and muscular. The latter had shouted.

Memories and diaries clicked instantly. The slender one was Matsushima Ryo—his name and looks both girlish. The muscular one was Tamaki Taichi. They’d been best friends since middle school, five years strong.

But they seemed so... couple-y. Diaries hinted they’d met each other first. Were they a thing? Xia Chuan Yuan’s mind raced. *Is my virtue safe? Was my past self into guys?*

Of course, the two had no clue about his wild thoughts—or that this Xia Chuan Yuan wasn’t the same person. Even if they wanted his "virtue," he’d refuse.

"Yesterday you rushed off. Everything okay? You didn’t even listen to the homeroom teacher. She’d cry if she knew!" Ryo said.

"I felt sick. Went home early. Sorry to worry you," Xia Chuan Yuan replied.

Taichi chimed in: "Find a girlfriend this summer? Still flying solo?"

"Don’t smirk like that. My single status isn’t a crime! Blame me? Fine, blame me!" Xia Chuan Yuan shot back. (He had no clue about girlfriends—diaries never mentioned any.)

"Nah. I just worry my sisters adore you. If you got a girlfriend, they might... ruin her face," Taichi joked.

"Same! My sisters miss you too. Pick one as your girlfriend. Forget that middle school girl!" Ryo added.

Xia Chuan Yuan had no idea what their sisters looked like. Diaries skipped details. But judging by their decent looks, the sisters were probably hot. He didn’t know the middle school girl either—likely a first love too precious to record. *Note: stop keeping diaries.*

"Hey, why the new glasses today?!" Taichi stared.

"Old ones ruined my handsome face. These suit me better. Being hot means doing what I want!"

"Go splash water on your face. Still so vain. How are you even alive? Though... your features look sharper. Kinda handsome now."

"You see me thriving. Society needs talents like me. And I’ve always been hot—just hidden by this messy hair. Gotta trim it tonight. Ugh, it’s annoying."

Xia Chuan Yuan finished, only to find them gaping.

"What’s with those stares? Is getting a haircut weird?"

"No! We’re just shocked. You’re such a shut-in. You never go out—haircuts were pointless. Plus, you always said, ‘Respect parents, don’t cut hair lightly.’ Your words!"

"People change. Guys change fastest! Chill. Overreacting makes you look low-effort."

*Wow. How much of a hermit was my past self?*

As Xia Chuan Yuan chatted with Ryo and Taichi, time slipped by. Ding-dong-dong-dong—the chimes rang. 8:30 AM. The ceremony began.