Despite what Kouji was expecting, changing classes on the second day of school here for him wasn’t that bad. The real bad thing for him was now he was stuck sitting next to Waa in class.

He partially felt bad for Anastasia, since now the spot next to her was empty once more. He also felt bad because he’d much rather sit next to her, than this idiot next to him right now.

“…” She was doing it again. This was the fourth time, and it was barely an hour into class.

“Hey!” He gave her a swift chop on the top of her head, jolting her back awake.

“Huh?! Why do you keep doing that?” She glared at him. “I was just about to be confessed to.”

“Please don’t fall asleep in class.” He talked back to her, not bothering to face her. Lucky for him, they were at the back of class. So the teacher didn’t really notice them. No wonder she always dozed off so much.

“I know, but it’s so hard.” She whined, stretching herself across the desk. This was really distracting to him. Kouji had no clue how the headmistress expected him to not only raise these girls’ grades, while also keeping his up to satisfactory levels. Paying attention to class and keeping an eye over to her. This was more than what any high school boy should ever have to deal with.

“Just pay attention to the teacher, this will be over soon...” He put a hand over his face. Kouji was barely able to keep his eyes open himself. Slowly, it felt like his body was slipping away from consciousness.

The teachers words were blurring out. Nothing was entering his brain, the darkness almost consumed him until something happened.

“Bang!” A yell screamed into his ears. Adding to that, a smash shook his desk. Kouji was jolted from his desk, falling flat onto the ground.

“What? What did I miss?!” He rapidly turned his head around, thinking that this was some attack. Instead, the laughter made him realize the truth of what happened.

“Hahaha!” Waa was barely able to keep herself on her seat as she was laughing at him.

“Why you…” He growled at her.

“Arisawa, Enokida!” The teacher yelled at them. “Can the two of you please keep it down back there.”

“S-sorry.” He quickly returned to his seat. Putting a hand over his mouth, he could feel the increasing heat of going through what just happened. Waa was still full of herself from what she just did. Not caring about what the teacher said to them.

That scare kept him on high alert. There was no more dozing off from either of them anymore and class was able to move on as normal. Soon enough, it was time for lunch.

“That’s really your lunch?” She asked him as he pulled it out. It was just half a bag of bread crusts. “My breakfast had better nutrition than that.”

“Well I just so happen to think that this is really tasty.” He lied, taking a bite of it. This wasn’t going to really fill him up, but the other half had to be saved for another day. The only way to get any extra flavor to this was the small packet of mayo he brought with him.

“You can enjoy that.” She took out her lunch. Which wasn’t really much more than his. A simple apple and banana. “I’ll just eat something that can actually be called lunch.”

“If that’s it, you have a really poor definition of lunch.” Not that he was one to talk.

“Aside from the fact that it’s a lot healthier than yours.” She countered. “It’s not like I have any time to make a real bento.”

“You would if you got out of bed at a reasonable time.” With this short time spent on talking. He was already done with his meal.

“Whatever.” She peeled open the banana and took a bite. “Why are you even still here? You don’t have to keep me awake during lunch.”

“I don’t have to, but I also don’t really have anywhere else to go.” He told her, leaning back in his chair for a little rest himself.

“What about that Russian girl? Aren’t you friends?”

“We’re not that close.” He said. “Now that I think about it, I’ve probably spent more time with you.”

“Well aren’t I special.” She responded sarcastically. “Must be pretty boring to be the only boy here.” Waa noted pretty much all of the girls were avoiding him. That was to be expected given everything surrounding him.

“I don’t know if boring is the right word.” This was his second day, and the things he had to deal with were nothing compared to any average school student. “What about you? Doesn’t seem like you hang with anyone else.”

“That’s because I don’t have any friends.” She rested her head down to the table. Closing her eyes. “Everyone here is so lame.”

“Kouji! There you are.” A girl walked into the classroom they were in. It was Anastasia. “I was looking all over for you.” She told him.

“So much for getting any sleep.” Waa brought herself back up to watch out this scene.

“Right, sorry.” He replied. “I’m just doing some of my tutor duties.”

“Tutors have strange tasks for their work.” She thought about the ones back in Russia. That difference between him and them was day and night. “But where were you this morning? I went to your house and saw that you already left. Then I got worried when I did not see you in class.”

“I see this is a rather one-sided relationship.” Waa made fun of him. “Don’t you think leaving her in the dark was a bit mean?”

“I’m sorry about that.” He explained. “I didn’t think you would get worried for me. Plus I don’t have a way of contacting you if anything happens.”

“That is a problem.” Anastasia sulked.

“Why don’t you two use Rine?” Waa offered. “It’s a messaging app, that pretty popular around here.” She explained this for Anastasia’s sake, but it was nice because Kouji never heard of it himself.

“Yes, we could exchange contact with each other!” Anastasia leaped in joy from that idea.

“I’d love to.” He responded. “But I don’t have a phone.”

“You don’t have a phone?” Waa looked at him with deadpan eyes, thinking that he was lying.

“I really don’t.” That was the truth. Not only was he rather strapped for cash. It’s not like there was anyone he wanted to contact with anyway.

“Fine. I guess I have no choice. I’ll lend you one then.” Kouji wasn’t expecting to be offered something like that from her. Especially not without a catch.

“And what do I have to do then?” Waa put her hand under her chin and pretended to think for a moment. She snapped her fingers when she came up with it.

“You have to come to my house every morning and walk with me to school.”

“What? But isn’t that already what I’m-”

“You don’t have to worry about waking me up. I promise from now on, I’ll come to school on time. I won’t even fall asleep in class either.” This rather sudden change of heart wasn’t what Kouji would expect from her, not that it was unwelcome.

“But, I would like to walk to school with him.” Anastasia contested.

“You’re free to come with him.” Waa told her. “So what you do you think, Arisawa?” He thought about it for a moment. It would certainly fix the problem he was told to fix. However, that also meant suffering with this girl’s teasing.

“If you keep your word, then fine.” He accepted. Though getting a phone was kind of nice. He understood that it wouldn’t be under any plan. So using any messaging was going to require an internet connection, severely limiting its usefulness.

“Great. Swing by tomorrow and I’ll give you an old one my family’s got lying around.” She laid back in her chair with a smile. “Guess that also means you don’t have to be stuck in my class anymore either.”

“Thank goodness, I can go back.” Kouji would much rather have Anastasia sitting by his side over this girl. “Well, I’m gonna use the bathroom before class starts again.”

“Have fun.” She said in a singsong tone.

“I’m not… Never mind.” He got up from his chair and left the two of them.

“Um… Enokida.” There was something bothering Anastasia. “I thought that you did not like him.” While she may not know this girl very well. The way the two interacting last time didn’t sound like she’d want to spend more time with him.

“I don’t.” Was the answer to that question. “But, he definitely made my morning more interesting.”

“Interesting?” She tilted her head in confusion.

“Heh, yeah.” Waa chuckled, closing her eyes. “Hanging with that dude. Isn’t all that bad.”