"Is that girl attending school today?" a male teacher leaned in on the office desk, curious about Hara's presence. "Yes, surprisingly she showed up. I thought she might drop out considering her temperament," Hara's homeroom teacher, Mr. Rob, responded. "She was absent for a whole week, which gave me some relief during that time."
"Now that she's back, let's hope she doesn't cause any more trouble," Mr. Rob added, expressing his hope for a smoother time ahead. The other male teacher simply nodded and took a sip of his coffee.
"Moreover, take a look at this," Mr. Rob handed a paper to Mr. Paul, his eyes gleaming with surprise. As Mr. Paul glanced at the paper, his eyebrows raised in astonishment. "All of the answers are correct with detailed explanations."
"It was just a brief test," Mr. Rob remarked, a touch of pride in his voice. "Since it was for extra marks in the finals, I made it harder than usual."
"Guess whose paper that was," Mr. Rob continued, a hint of excitement in his tone.
Mr. Paul quickly skimmed through the papers, his eyes widening as he realized the truth. "It was Hara's?!" he exclaimed almost spilling his coffee, his astonishment evident.
"I thought she was at the bottom of the class," Mr. Paul said, still in disbelief.
"She was," Mr. Rob confirmed.
"To achieve this level of improvement in just one week seems impossible. Are you sure she wasn't cheating?" Mr. Paul questioned, a hint of skepticism in his voice.
"I highly doubt it. Usually, she would simply fall asleep after writing her name on the exam papers. But this time, she actually answered the questions. So I observed her closely to see if she was engaging in any suspicious behavior, but to my surprise, she didn't do anything out of the ordinary," Mr. Rob replied, his tone filled with genuine intrigue.
As the news of Hara's exceptional performance in the test spread among the teachers, a chain reaction of astonishment ensued. One by one, teachers from various subjects were called in to witness Hara's remarkable improvement. Each teacher who examined her answers was taken aback by the quality and depth of her responses.
Whispers and murmurs filled the teacher's lounge as the educators discussed Hara's sudden transformation. They couldn't help but wonder how she had managed to achieve such a significant improvement in just a week's time. Speculations and theories floated around, ranging from secret tutoring to hidden talents.
The teachers couldn't deny that Hara's performance was impressive, and it left them with a mix of curiosity and intrigue. It was a rare occasion for a student who had been considered at the bottom of the class to suddenly excel academically.
Word of Hara's extraordinary test results continued to spread throughout the school, reaching the ears of both students and faculty alike. As Hara's classmates learned about her exceptional performance in the test, a mix of surprise, curiosity, and admiration filled the air. The news spread like wildfire within the classroom, and soon, everyone was buzzing with excitement and discussing Hara's unexpected improvement.
Some classmates were genuinely impressed by Hara's achievements, realizing that there might be more to her than they had initially assumed. They began to view her in a new light, recognizing her capabilities and potential. Others, however, couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy or skepticism, questioning how someone who had been considered at the bottom of the class could suddenly excel academically.
Whispers and conversations filled the classroom as Hara's classmates shared their thoughts and opinions. Some speculated about how she had managed to improve so dramatically, while others wondered if it was a temporary fluke. Nevertheless, Hara's performance became a topic of discussion, creating a sense of anticipation and curiosity among her peers.
Unaware of the attention she was receiving, Hara continued to enjoy her music, blissfully immersed in her own world.
"Wow, the music in this world is of such high quality," Hara silently expressed her happiness as she immersed herself in the melodies playing through her earphones. The songs captivated her, evoking a profound sense of joy and satisfaction within her. Walking through the school corridors, Hara found herself carried away by the melodies that provided a harmonious backdrop to her thoughts and feelings.
Upon swiftly glancing at the man, she couldn't help but exclaim under her breath, "Ah!, you scared me!" In her surprise, she accidentally elbowed the man beside her. As she turned to face him, her heart sank into her stomach. To her astonishment, she recognized the man as Yuto, whom she had encountered before. He seemed taken aback and was touching his chest where she had elbowed him.
She straightened herself up, regaining her composure, and adjusted her uniform. As she gazed at him, memories of his earlier warning flooded her mind. "You deserved that! Did you actually follow me all the way here? You're such a stalker," she retorted before briskly walking past him, feeling flustered. Yuto, frozen in his position, stared at her in disbelief until her figure disappeared from view.
The final bell echoed throughout the school, signaling the end of the school day. Unaware of the rumors circulating about her, she remained composed as she made her way to the school gate to head home. Despite noticing that many people were staring at her more than usual, she chose to disregard their curious glances. As anticipated, her driver was already waiting by the gate. Without wasting any time, she hastened towards the car, eager to escape the discomfort of the lingering stares.
While she settled into the car seat, the driver expressed his apologies, saying, "I'm sorry, miss, but we can't go to the shopping mall today. Mr. Chen will be arriving at the house, and he would like you to join him for dinner." She arched an eyebrow in surprise. She hadn't actually mentioned anything about going to the shopping mall earlier that day. She wondered if it was a common assumption for 'Hara' to head into the city after school. Without making eye contact with the driver, she simply replied, "Fine."
As the black, opulent car entered through the gates of the mansion, the driver informed, "We have arrived, sir."
A man dressed in a black suit removed the cigarette from his mouth, glanced up, and took in the sight of the mansion. Despite being in his forties, he maintained a youthful and handsome appearance. He exhaled the smoke and then stepped out of the car.
It appeared that Mr. Chen had indeed arrived.