There were a lot of changes this year. Such as the students, the staffs, and the former Chairman.

He was still the principal, but now he was also the homeroom teacher of Gakushū's classroom, which worried the young Asano. It wasn't like his father was still a tyrant, but he still hadn't moved on from his disastrous middle school experience. The pressure of his father, the enduring of watching his father mercilessly beat up anyone who opposed him right infront of him.

(Author: I remembered when Gakuho beat up those foreign exchange students mercilessly, and I remember how Gakushū was shaking, pressed up against the wall, and he saw a literal monster right infront of him. He would have probably broken down and cried right there if his father wasn't there)

To calm himself, the young Asano was repeatedly squished his stress ball, his free hand was tapping it's fingers on his desk. Biting his lip, he forces himself to look out the window and watched the students outside instead.

Outside, he saw Akabane by the vending machine buying his favorite drink again. Gakushū didn't need to see what it was to know what the red head was going to buy. He saw him drinking the same thing every day last year. Strawberry milk.

Soon, the classroom was filling up, his classmates greeting him and smiling at him adoringly.

Gakushū, out of habit, smiled back and greeted them all in return.

Despite no long running in the student Council anymore he was still respected and popular. And it was just his instinct to act like the perfect council president, despite no longer being on the job.

"Ohayo Asano-kun!"

"Ohayo Gakushū-san"

"Ohayo!"

The strawberry blonde entertained his adoring classmates, making small talk or cracking jokes with them. Secretly, he just wanted to lay down his head and sleep, but with his classmates watching him he felt that he needed to maintain his 'perfect student's role. Even if he doesn't even need to.

Soon, their homeroom teacher, his father, came inside and ordered everyone to sit down.

Gakushū looked out the window. Akabane was still outside. The strawberry blonde scoffed, it was only the first day and he was already slacking off? How arrogant.

"Who's chair does that belong to?" Mr. Asano pointed at the desk behind Gakushū. It was the only remaining seat empty.

"Ano, that's Akabane-kun's desk" a timid girl spoke.

Gakuho raised a brow, before shaking his head. "We'll start without him, it won't be on us if he comes here without any knowledge what we discussed"

Gakushū was still looking outside watching the red head. When was he planning on coming inside?

"I want to announce the group partners of this class this year" he paused, smirked, and added "And whoever the pair will be, shall be remained paired for the rest of the year. There will be no switching"

Groans can be heard from his students. "What if we don't like our partner?" A boy asked raising his hand.

"Then you suck it up" Gakuho deadpanned. He took out his notebook and starts calling names.

Gakushū tuned him out, attention still out the window. "What is he even doing out there? Is he seriously planning on spending the rest of the morning outside, sipping his stupid strawberry milk drink, while playing with his phone?"

"--Momoka and Kiyoka Riu"

Most of Gakushū's virtuoso friends had switched schools that year, the only one left was Ren but he was in a different class. The boy hoped whoever he will be partnered with would be someone quiet, responsible, and wouldn't want to impress him too much. He shuddered as memories of his partners from last year resurfaced in his mind, they were mostly fangirls.

Unlike this year, last year they got to partner with whomever they want. Gakushū couldn't exactly turn them away if they want to partner with him, they were always so fast to appear right beside or behind him.

"Please let it not be a girl" he begged in his mind.

"And finally Akabane Karma and Asano Gakushū"

Gakushū whipped his head to face his father. "WHAT?!" he yelled standing up.