Ren and I sat next to each other for a few more minutes, exchanging a few words about the book he was reading. The atmosphere between us was still a bit awkward, but not uncomfortable. For someone as introverted as Ren, this was already a big step.
"By the way, my name's Hiro. Hiro Sasaki."
I said it as casually as I could, even though inside I was screaming: "I just introduced myself to the main character of the game I used to play nonstop!"
Ren looked up at me.
"Ren Ichijou. Nice to meet you, Sasaki."
I nodded, returning his faint smile.
After a bit more small talk, the familiar "thump thump" sound from the microphone echoed across the hall. An elderly teacher with graying hair and a stern expression walked up to the podium.
The opening ceremony had officially begun.
Like every school opening ceremony in the history of mankind, it was so long and boring I thought I had been isekai'd again into a side game called "Sleep Simulator". The speech droned on like a lullaby, no different from how it was in the game. Only this time, I couldn't fast-forward or skip.
I glanced at Ren. He was still listening attentively, nodding every now and then like a model student straight out of a textbook. Meanwhile, I was losing a battle against my drooping eyelids.
Eventually, after the obligatory blessings and forgettable speeches, applause signaled the end of the ceremony.
"You may now head to your assigned classrooms," the teacher announced.
Classroom...?
I blinked.
Oh no… I had no idea which class I was in!
In the game, the class assignment just popped up after the cutscene. But here, there was no menu, no map, no helpful NPC to guide me!
I looked around and saw Ren standing up, slinging his bag over his shoulder as he headed for the exit.
Without thinking, I followed quietly behind him.
Please, let me be in the same class as him. Not just because I had just planted a friendship flag, but also because if I remembered right, Ren's class was where nearly all of the main characters gathered. Including Ayaka and the other key heroines.
If I could be in that class…
Then the main story of my new life would officially begin.
I followed Ren to a classroom at the end of the hallway. A wooden sign above the door read: [ Class A – Year 1 ].
Next to the door, a piece of paper listed the class roster and seating chart. I leaned in for a closer look, half nervous, half curious.
And… there it was.
Hiro Sasaki.
Lucky, but also oddly specific. That was really my name and there was no character with that name in the original game.
And more than that… I could recite this class list by heart, Ayaka Shirogane, Ren Ichijou, Mizuki Tachibana, Kaori Minase, Shun Asakura… all of them were main characters in the game.
In other words, I had landed in that class. The main one. The one where everything important happened in Love Crossroads.
It felt like hitting the lottery without even buying a ticket.
I glanced at the seating chart.
My seat was at the very back by the window — the classic "main character seat" from every school anime ever.
Ren sat at the front of the same row.
I stepped into the classroom, gave a slight nod to the homeroom teacher checking attendance, and quietly made my way to my seat.
From here, I could see almost the entire class.
And just as expected, familiar faces started showing up one by one.
The girl with light pink twin braids — Mizuki, always energetic and full of life.
The messy blond-haired guy resting his head on a notebook — Shun, the one who broke the fourth wall every time he opened his mouth.
The dark blue-haired girl with glasses — Kaori, the textbook bookworm with surprisingly deep emotional arcs.
They all entered, and then...
Light from the window softly outlined her figure as she stepped into the room.
Ayaka Shirogane.
There was no mistaking her.
Long, silky black hair, gentle golden eyes with a hint of sadness, an elegant walk, perfectly worn uniform, black knee-high socks, she looked exactly like she did in the game's intro scene. Only this time, it wasn't 2D.
She was here. Real. In the flesh.
The whole class seemed to pause for a moment as she walked in, bowed slightly to the teacher, and made her way toward a seat right next to mine.
I didn't know whether to be thrilled, shocked, or terrified.
Because now, I wasn't just a player anymore. I was in the story — a part of it.
Ayaka set her bag down on the chair next to me — the one on my left.
I tried to stay calm as I glanced over. Inside, my brain was doing cartwheels.
Ayaka Shirogane… is sitting right next to me.
This wasn't a demo. This was real.
She turned slightly, offering a gentle smile. Her golden eyes were calm and kind.
"Hi," she said, her voice soft like a spring breeze. "I'm Ayaka Shirogane. Nice to meet you."
I blinked, then quickly responded.
"I'm Hiro Sasaki. Nice to meet you too."
Her smile deepened for a brief moment before she turned back to organize her books.
She didn't say anything more, but her presence made my heart race. There was a faint scent from her hair that made it hard to focus.
I looked out the window, trying to calm myself down.
This whole situation was way too familiar and yet, completely new.
Because now, I wasn't just a player watching from the outside.
I was Hiro. And the girl beside me… was Ayaka Shirogane, the heroine from the game I once adored.
What happens next… I have no idea.