In Pursuit of Happiness, Starting from Sakurasou

First Day in Class F

After the nyūgakushiki (opening ceremony), the parents of the students gradually left the school grounds, leaving behind the newly enrolled first-years to begin their high school journey.

Students made their way to their respective classrooms, the air buzzing with excitement and curiosity as they prepared to meet their new classmates.

Hozuki Nozomi was no exception.

As soon as he entered Class F, his eyes immediately locked onto a familiar figure. A certain slouching, dead-eyed youth with a distinctly unfortunate aura about him.

Nozomi smirked and walked up to him, giving him a light pat on the shoulder.

"Oi, Hikigaya," Nozomi greeted. "Yo, chin okay?"

Hikigaya Hachiman turned around, his trademark dead-fish eyes looking even deader than usual.

"Ah, it's you." He let out a tired sigh before rubbing his still slightly swollen chin. "The school doctor said it's nothing serious. Should be fine in a few days. But…"

His face twitched slightly.

"But what?"

"That lady still insisted I go to the hospital for a check-up after class. I, uh… didn't dare to refuse."

Nozomi didn't need to ask who that lady was.

The aura of Yukinoshita Yukino's mother was something not even a battle-hardened warrior would dare to trifle with. She had spoken to Hachiman with a polite, impeccable smile—one that somehow radiated the threat of absolute destruction should he dare disobey.

Nozomi chuckled.

"Well, at least you survived."

"…Barely."

Rubbing his chin again, Hikigaya glanced at Nozomi and sighed.

"That said, thanks for saving me earlier. Even though it involved punching me into next week."

Nozomi waved it off casually.

"Don't mention it. We're classmates, after all. And now that we're in the same class, looks like we'll be stuck with each other for a while."

Hikigaya gave a dry chuckle.

"Yeah… Just don't punch me again, alright?"

Nozomi grinned.

"No promises."

The Legendary Protagonist Seat

Upon entering the classroom, Nozomi beelined for the most sacred seat in all of anime history—

Second to last row. Right next to the window.

As expected, the legendary "MC seat" was unclaimed. But just as he sat down, a tall, blond, and undeniably popular-looking guy stepped into the classroom and approached the desk.

Hayama Hayato.

With his well-groomed looks, naturally charming smile, and "perfect prince" aura, Hayama was the kind of guy who effortlessly drew people toward him.

He paused for a moment when he saw Nozomi sitting there.

But instead of making a fuss, he simply smiled and took an alternate seat two rows ahead, right next to his usual group.

Soon enough, the rest of the class began finding their seats as well.

The Girls of Class F

Nozomi casually scanned the room.

A surprising number of beautiful girls had ended up in Class F.

First, there was Miura Yumiko—a stylish blonde gal who immediately planted herself next to Hayama, practically radiating possessiveness.

Then, right behind her sat Ebina Hina, a glasses-wearing beauty with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. Nozomi made a mental note to keep a healthy distance from her—after all, she was a fujoshi with a dangerous obsession for "male bonding."

Sitting beside Ebina was the cheerful, pink-bunned energy bomb herself—Yuigahama Yui. Her easy-going smile and warm, bubbly presence made her seem ridiculously approachable.

Further back, there was Kawasaki Saki—a cold, silver-haired beauty with a high ponytail and teardrop moles near her sharp eyes. Her tough, aloof exterior practically screamed tsundere.

And then—

As if the gods of anime had personally blessed Class F, the moment Shiina Mahiru stepped into the room, the air visibly changed.

A collective gasp rippled through the class.

"IT'S SHIINA-SAN!"

"USO DA ROU?!"

"HOW IS A SUPER BEAUTIFUL GIRL IN OUR CLASS?!"

The entire male population was in awe.

With waist-length golden hair that practically shimmered under the light, an effortlessly graceful aura, and a soft, angelic smile, Shiina Mahiru was the living embodiment of a hitori-sama (untouchable beauty).

Miura Yumiko, still basking in the glow of being one of the "popular girls," pouted in dissatisfaction at the sudden shift in attention.

Still, the boys couldn't contain their excitement. They eagerly watched, hoping that Mahiru would sit next to them.

Unfortunately for them—

The only empty seat left in the classroom was the one right beside Nozomi.

Without hesitation, Mahiru elegantly took the seat, flashing a polite smile as she settled in.

Silence.

Then—

A wave of pure jealousy washed over the entire male population of Class F.

Nozomi barely reacted.

It wasn't that he was indifferent—any normal guy would have been thrilled to sit next to an angelic beauty like Mahiru.

But Nozomi knew better.

Girls that perfect?

99% chance they were an NPC with rejection flags built in.

Besides, why was this seat empty in the first place?

A quick glance around the class answered everything.

The boys had intentionally avoided sitting next to him.

Whether it was because of his earlier display of strength or just an unspoken bro-code of "let's not let this guy steal all the luck," he wasn't sure.

Well—whatever.

At least now, he didn't have to deal with that awkward empty-seat situation.

Of course, that didn't stop the glares of envy from burning into the back of his head.

Enter the Class Prince

Just as the chaotic energy of the classroom reached its peak, Hayama Hayato stood up.

"Alright, everyone, let's settle down for a bit."

His bright smile was practically a natural charisma hack—effortlessly drawing everyone's attention.

Even Miura Yumiko perked up immediately, her eyes shining at the sight of Hayama taking charge.

The boys around him?

They looked at him like he was some kind of legendary leader, nodding along as if they had already sworn their allegiance.

With a few smooth words, Hayama eased everyone into the idea of introducing themselves, setting the tone for the rest of their time as classmates.

Miura Yumiko naturally supported Hayama, the boy she had harbored a crush on since junior high school. It was only natural that she followed his lead as he stepped up confidently, setting the pace for their self-introductions.

The Self-Introductions Begin

First up was Hayama Hayato.

Flashing his signature warm and reassuring smile, Hayama spoke with an effortless charm that made it clear why he was so popular.

"Yoroshiku, minna. I'm Hayama Hayato. I hope we can all get along well and make great memories together. If anyone has any troubles, feel free to talk to me. I'll be joining the soccer club, so let's play together if you're interested."

A blond, refreshing ikemen with natural charisma—his introduction was textbook perfect.

As expected, the class responded with enthusiasm, especially the girls, who practically sparkled in admiration. His usual entourage, including Tobe Shou and Oyama, followed suit, giving their own introductions. None of them particularly stood out, but they reinforced Hayama's presence as the unspoken leader of the class.

Nozomi found himself smirking slightly. Seeing these familiar anime characters come to life before his eyes made the whole situation even more interesting.

As he was lost in thought, his turn came up.

He stood up, cleared his throat, and spoke with a calm, composed tone:

"Yo. Hozuki Nozomi. I like light novels and anime. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu."

Then, without any unnecessary embellishment, he sat back down.

For a brief moment, silence hung in the air.

Hayama, ever the diplomatic class prince, quickly started clapping to break the awkwardness. The rest of the class followed suit, though some exchanged glances, seemingly unsure what to make of Nozomi's simple but somewhat otaku-like introduction.

But Nozomi didn't care.

After all, his introduction wasn't meant to impress anyone.

The Angel Speaks

Next up was Shiina Mahiru.

The moment she stood up, the atmosphere shifted. Even though the students had been relatively indifferent during the previous introductions, Mahiru's presence alone was enough to command full attention.

She was that kind of girl.

Her voice was soft yet clear, carrying an elegant poise that perfectly matched her angelic aura.

"Minna-san, I am Shiina Mahiru. I enjoy reading books. I hope to get along well with everyone. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu."

A perfectly standard introduction. And yet, due to the Mahiru Effect™, it was met with thunderous applause.

Kyaaa! Shiina-san is so elegant!

I-I actually get to be in the same class as Shiina Mahiru?!

Is this a dream?!

A few boys nearly fainted on the spot, while even some of the girls couldn't help but admire her charm.

Miura Yumiko, watching the overwhelming reception, clicked her tongue lightly in frustration. As someone who always enjoyed being in the spotlight, it was clear that Mahiru's presence had suddenly overshadowed her.

The Class Rankings

Shiina Mahiru was already well-known before today—not just because of her beauty but also because she had tied for first place in the entire grade alongside Yukinoshita Yukino. As such, both of them had been chosen as representatives for the freshmen during the entrance ceremony.

Speaking of rankings—

The official results were:

1st Place: Shiina Mahiru & Yukinoshita Yukino (tied)

2nd Place: Hozuki Nozomi

3rd Place: Hayama Hayato

While Nozomi wasn't the type to obsess over rankings, seeing his name right above Hayama's did give him a tiny sense of satisfaction.

A Certain Dead-Fish-Eyed Youth Speaks

One by one, the students continued their introductions. Even Hikigaya Hachiman got through his turn without much difficulty.

However—

When Nozomi heard his introduction, the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.

"I'm Hikigaya Hachiman. My hobbies are reading light novels and watching anime. Yoroshiku."

…Wait.

Did he just copy my introduction word for word?!

Nozomi gave Hachiman a side glance, and the dead-eyed youth deliberately avoided eye contact.

He was definitely aware of what he had done.

But, well… Nozomi let it slide.

After all, the two of them had already acquainted themselves through the morning's incident. Sharing common interests just made it easier for them to naturally become friends.

Plus, Nozomi knew that if Hachiman stuck close to him, it would prevent the guy from getting bullied. Given Nozomi's physical prowess, most people wouldn't dare mess with anyone under his protection.

Truly—

Hikigaya Hachiman was worthy of his title as "Big Sensei" among netizens. His fast thinking and self-preservation instincts were top-tier.

And with that, the self-introductions continued on without much further incident.

Thus began their first day in Class F—

A class that, whether they knew it or not, would be anything but ordinary.

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

First we have Miura Yumiko

Followed by Ebina Hina

Following her is Kawasaki Saki

The others were introduced in the previous chapter!!

Have a nice week ahead.