After breaking up, my ex asked me to win her back

Kagura Hikaru held a rather special position in his own class.

On one hand, those he associated with were at the top of the school's food chain—Kiryu Hina, Kohinata Motoyo, Ayakoji Chiyoko, and so on—all had quite significant relationships with him.

There were many in the class who liked him, naturally, most of them were girls, valuing his appearance.

However, oddly enough, on the other hand, Kagura Hikaru wasn't exactly popular.

When he returned to school after disappearing for several weeks, his return stirred no waves, and not a single classmate showed any concern.

He left without a sound and came back just as silently.

Only a handful truly cared.

He only entered the classroom after saying goodbye to Ai Cheng Hua Lian in the corridor.

On the way to school, they naturally bumped into each other on the train, where Kagura Hikaru expressed his gratitude to her.

His memories had returned, clearly with a bit of Ai Cheng Hua Lian's help.

In his eyes, this young girl was no longer an angel, she was practically a goddess; every time Kagura Hikaru spoke to her, he had to fight the urge to kneel.

Well, that's a bit of an exaggeration.

At least, he was certain that he owed her a favor.

Kiryu Hina and Kohinata Motoyo also greeted him with a 'welcome back'.

Upon entering the classroom, they were the first to approach him.

"You took off your bandage?" Kohinata Motoyo asked, seemingly surprised by her first remark after greeting him, pointing at the top of Kagura Hikaru's head.

The white gauze was no longer wrapped around it.

Kagura Hikaru replied, "I had it removed at the hospital yesterday; it has healed."

"I see, congratulations."

"And thank you for taking me to visit Bunkyo Middle School that time."

"No problem~"

Kagura Hikaru glanced at Kohinata Motoyo, who smiled and winked at him, as if to prompt him to recall something, perhaps about bones buried under cherry blossoms.

But she miscalculated. Kagura Hikaru intended to pretend that nothing had happened.

Then he looked towards Kiryu Hina.

Compared to Kohinata Motoyo, she appeared much more restrained, standing behind, hesitating as if not knowing how to start or whether to speak at all.

Kagura Hikaru dispelled this doubt, "Good morning, Hina. Is your mouth sewn shut?"

He even made a joke.

But clearly, it had a poor effect.

Kohinata Motoyo and Kiryu Hina looked at him in astonishment.

"...Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You...you've never made jokes before." Kohinata Motoyo said with a questioning look, "Are you really Kagura Hikaru?"

"That's obviously a misunderstanding; he makes jokes, in private... Okay, maybe not now but he used to," said Kiryu Hina in defense of Kagura Hikaru, but her eyes weren't right either. After a moment of hesitation, she slowly asked, "Have you forgiven me?"

"I believe we are even on that matter."

Kagura Hikaru placed his shoulder bag on the desk and looked at her, "You said it, starting from scratch, from strangers, or have you changed your mind?"

"Of course not!" Kiryu Hina's expression brightened with joy.

Kagura Hikaru hadn't given her a definite response that day and left; later, there had been no contact, and she thought all hope was lost.

Unexpectedly.

"Alright, then let's start from strangers—but let's skip the self-introductions."

"I agree," Kohinata Motoyo said with a smile, pretending to be serious as she looked at Kiryu Hina and extended her hand with a tilt of her head, "You're Kagura's new friend? Hello, I'm Kohinata Motoyo."

"Yes, I know, sly fox," Kiryu Hina's expression drooped as she rolled her eyes.

"I don't think I should be a fox,"

"Cheating cat suits you too, hey there, Cheating Cat. Remember to take a bath the next time you come to school; you reek,"

"Wow, you're really aggressive,"

While they were arguing, Kagura Hikaru's eyes drifted towards the other side of the classroom.

From the classroom's front door, a familiar girl walked in, Ayakoji Chiyoko.

It might have been Kagura Hikaru's imagination, but the moment she entered, the hubbub in the classroom quieted for a second before resuming its nosiness.

Kiryu Hina noticed his frown and followed his gaze to Ayakoji Chiyoko, explaining, "Recently, her reputation at school has been pretty bad."

"Why?" asked Kagura Hikaru.

"Uh, that was our doing," Kohinata Motoyo said awkwardly. "To distract her and get a chance to talk to you, we sent some trouble her way."

"Like what?"

"We made her look for fifty stray cats around the school and hide the exhibits Tsukinomori Girls' Academy sent over."

"Exhibits?"

"We let Sakata Asahi know in advance; she knows everything, and the items have been returned to their rightful place, don't worry,"

That didn't put his mind at ease at all.

"We also exposed her love life," Kiryu Hina said with a glance at Kagura Hikaru, shrugging, "If someone stops you at school asking about your relationship with Ayakoji Chiyoko, don't be surprised. Just say it was absolutely terrible."

"..."

These two really went to extremes.

As he was thinking, Ayakoji Chiyoko saw him and headed straight towards him with a warm smile on her face.

"Kagura, you finally came to school," she said.

"Chiyoko,"

Kagura Hikaru used the name from their dating period, which changed the expressions of Kiryu Hina and Kohinata Motoyo, while Ayakoji Chiyoko's smile deepened.

"The time you were not here felt like an eternity to me."

"You're exaggerating," Kagura Hikaru looked around at the classmates who were casting surprised glances their way, thinking they were well-hidden.

He completely understood their astonishment; he'd be startled too if a mummy started talking one day.

For someone like Ayakoji Chiyoko, the more beautiful her smile, the more terrifying she became, leaving people guessing her thoughts.

But if someone really guessed what she was thinking... that would be even worse.

Now, Kagura Hikaru felt as if he were wrapped in a spider web, the wire-like threads causing him pain as though blood were seeping out beneath his skin.

The one tightening around him was the look in Ayakoji Chiyoko's eyes.

Her gaze held a suffocating quality that Kagura Hikaru had experienced in the past, but now he was not so sure about.

"We need to talk," Kagura Hikaru said, "I hope these past few days have given you some clarity."

"...Of course, crystal clear," Ayakoji Chiyoko slightly lifted her head, like a proud swan looking down.

But in her eyes, there was an inescapable unease.

Kagura Hikaru hadn't been in contact with her for several days, even when Ayakoji Chiyoko came to him personally, he did not meet her, leaving her shut out.

It seems that when someone is pulled from a Beautiful Dream back to reality, they somehow regain a bit of rationality.

"Then let's do it now," Kagura Hikaru nodded and walked out of the classroom.

"Class is about to start!" Kiryu Hina exclaimed in surprise.

"Help us ask the teacher for a leave," Ayakoji Chiyoko hurriedly said, then quickly followed.

Kiryu Hina and the other looked at each other helplessly as they watched her leave the classroom.