In Pursuit of Happiness, Starting from Sakurasou

On the platform, Hozuki Nozomi stood waiting for the train, hands tucked casually into his pockets. A gentle breeze carried a light floral scent past him, prompting him to turn his head instinctively.

A girl with neatly tied twin-tails and glasses walked up to him, offering a soft smile.

"Ohayou, Nozomi-kun."

"Ohayou, Sanshokuin. So it turns out you really do go to Sobu High like me," he replied, arching an eyebrow.

Sanshokuin Sumireko pouted slightly. "What, did you think I was lying to my own savior?"

"Nah, I was just curious. Why do you live so far away? I only live out here because I inherited Sakurasou."

At this, Sumire shrugged, speaking in an offhanded manner. "It's not that far. Just a thirty-minute train ride. Besides, my friend lives nearby."

As she mentioned her friend, her expression dimmed slightly. A shadow passed through her eyes—brief but unmistakable. Nozomi picked up on it but decided not to press the matter.

They waited in companionable silence until the train arrived. Stepping inside, Nozomi scanned the area and—luckily—spotted an empty seat. Without hesitation, he grabbed Sumire's wrist and guided her toward it, quickly sitting down beside her. He placed his school bag on his lap, freeing his hands.

Sumire blinked at their joined hands, her cheeks tinged with a faint pink hue, but she didn't pull away. Maybe it was because he had saved her from those thugs before and escorted her home that night—his sudden actions didn't feel invasive.

With thirty minutes before reaching Sobu High, Nozomi pulled out his phone and started scrolling through the internet.

Next to him, Sumire pursed her lips slightly before taking out her own phone. After a brief hesitation, she handed it to him.

"Sanshokuin?" he asked, glancing at her in confusion.

She flashed him a small smile. "Can I get your number?"

"Of course."

Nozomi took the phone and quickly typed in his number. Unlike some guys, he didn't peek at her contact list or any personal details. After saving it, he handed the phone back to her.

"Arigatou."

"Didn't you already thank me last time?"

"That was for saving me. This time, I'm thanking you for your number. I thought you'd reject me, you know. After all, I'm just a 'country girl' who doesn't even give delinquents the time of day."

Nozomi smirked inwardly at her playful tone. "Trying to show off your acting skills?"

Sumire grinned, the light reflecting off her glasses as she tilted her head slightly. "Maybe."

Nozomi waved dismissively. "Ignore what other people say. I think you're probably a total beauty."

Her eyes widened slightly, a spark of interest flashing within them. "Oh? What makes you say that?"

"It's the classic trope, isn't it?" Nozomi shrugged. "A country girl with twin-tails and glasses—if she changes her hairstyle and ditches the glasses, she's usually a total knockout."

Sumire chuckled at his logic. "So you're basing this on anime clichés?"

"Not entirely." He leaned in slightly, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Even with the glasses, I can tell. Your lips give it away."

"My… lips?" Sumire blinked, slightly caught off guard.

"Yeah. Beautiful girls have a certain type of lip shape. Small, cute, naturally pink, and just the right shine. .

The kind that, at a close enough distance, would make anyone tempted to steal a kiss.

Sanshokuin Sumire blinked before suddenly covering her mouth with her hands.

"I didn't expect you to be a hentai, Hozuki-kun. Staring at a girl's lips like that... I might have to reassess my impression of you."

Hozuki Nozomi smirked, completely unfazed.

"No need for that. I'll tell you the truth—Sanshokuin, under those glasses, the only feature you openly show to the world, your lips, are just too cute."

Who praises a girl's lips for being cute?!

That was straight-up a pervert's way of talking!

Sumire huffed internally, but she couldn't bring herself to be annoyed. Instead, she felt an odd sense of satisfaction knowing that someone had noticed her hidden charm.

After all, he wasn't wrong.

Once she removed her glasses and changed her hairstyle, she was, in fact, quite the beauty.

Thirty minutes later, the train arrived at their stop, and the two stepped off together, walking towards Sobu High School.

At that moment, Nozomi noticed an advantage to living close to school—some students actually got to ride bicycles.

But he wasn't jealous.

Not when he had an interesting beauty by his side.

Unconsciously, they arrived at the school gate, where it was packed with students. Since it was the first day of school, the area was even more crowded than usual, with some parents also present to send off their children.

Nozomi was about to check the bulletin board for his class assignment when suddenly—

[Ding!]

A mechanical voice echoed in his mind, signaling a system prompt.

[Mission Triggered: Destroy the Cliché School Romance Scene!]

[On the first day of school, a pink-haired girl fails to hold onto her pet dachshund. The leash slips, the dog dashes into the road, and an oblivious boy recklessly jumps in to save it—resulting in him getting hit by a car, thus triggering a typical youth romance.]

[Objective: Prevent this classic rom-com encounter and crush their fateful meeting! Reward: Special skill or item + Fixed bonus of 1 million yen.]

Nozomi's eyes gleamed as he scanned the area.

Target locked.

At the entrance, right in the middle of the road, a small dachshund had indeed escaped its leash and was now trembling in fear. A black car was speeding straight toward it, honking loudly.

And then, like an absolute fool, a dead-eyed boy sprinted toward the dog without a second thought.

What a textbook display of heroism for the sake of puppy love.

Nozomi sighed internally but didn't waste time.

In an instant, he launched himself forward.

His fists clenched.

[Skill Activated: Perfect Strike!]

With the system's assistance, his body moved with precise efficiency. His punch connected directly with the boy's chin, executing a textbook Rising Dragon Uppercut.

"Uwaahh!"

The boy let out a strangled cry as he was sent flying backward—dog still in his arms.

Meanwhile, the car was still coming.

Nozomi's eyes flashed as he shifted his target. His fist slammed into the airborne boy's schoolbag, propelling it forward. The impact was perfectly timed—the schoolbag absorbed the car's momentum, slowing it down enough to prevent an accident.

Using the force of the strike, Nozomi twisted mid-air, executing a flawless backflip before landing gracefully on the sidewalk amidst the stunned gasps of the crowd.

It was an impossible feat.

It shouldn't have been possible.

But with his mastery over the system's Perfect Strike ability, he had conditioned his body to move in perfect sync with the force of impact and inertia.

His movements had the fluidity of a fight scene straight out of an action anime, dazzling the bystanders and leaving them speechless.

[Ding! Mission Completed!]

[Congratulations! You have successfully destroyed the cliché school romance!]

[Rewards Issued:]

[Item Obtained: Neko Bag!]

[Neko Bag: Can store up to ten cats. The user can summon them at any time. Once released, the cats will act as additional eyes, allowing the user to see through their perspective and even issue basic commands.]

[Fixed Reward: 1 million yen.]

Nozomi's expression turned a little strange.

A Neko Bag? Seriously?

No...

This was basically the ultimate treasure for Yukinoshita Yukino!

With a small chuckle, he slung his bag over his shoulder and walked away, leaving behind a scene of absolute confusion and a boy wondering how the hell his face still hurt so much.

****************

I call BS on the scene. The Chinese really get off of praising themselves.

Attached is Pansy/ Sanshokuin Sumiko.