One moment, he was Crazy Ollie—twenty-eight years old, legendary rockstar, five-continent tour under his belt. The next, he's Oliver Crayle, a seventeen-year-old nobody waking up in a cramped high school uniform with a classroom full of strangers staring at him.
No band. No stage. No explanation.
Just a window seat, a sleepy coastal town, and hands that still remember every note he's ever played.
Determined to chase the music that got left behind in his old life, Oliver can't go five minutes
Crazy Ollie's School Rom-Com Operation! - The Bastion of Discipline, Ollie's Invasion
The morning light stretched long across the hallways of Namimachi East High School. The wind blowing in from the sea faintly rattled the windows of the school building. Day six since his reincarnation. Kureijii Orii's red hair, as he walked the corridor, blazed as if on fire, backlit by the morning sun. His golden eyes were as drowsy-looking as ever, his burning hair carelessly tied back behind him. Students passing by parted ways for him, for some reason. He himself didn't notice. In his head, a new rhythm had been playing since last night. That rhythm he'd kept tapping against the wall. It wasn't a song yet. But something in the core of his body was running hot.
He crossed the third-floor corridor of the main building and descended the stairs leading to the second floor. Outside the window, Sagami Bay stretched wide, and he could see small boats heading out from the fishing port.
—At that moment.
Thud.
The sound of a fist hitting the wall.
Orii stopped in his tracks. From the stairwell landing, around the corner leading to the second-floor corridor of the main building. There, a man stood. Silver-streaked short hair. The sides shaved, hair stiffened with styling product so it wouldn't budge even in the wind. His posture was always perfectly straight, and sharp deep-green eyes stared straight ahead. Ryuuji—president of Namimachi East High School's student council, the "Seiritsu-kai."
He had his fist pressed against the wall. The back of his tightly clenched fist was white. He'd struck it. No—that sound just now. That was the sound of a fist punching the wall.
"…Kureijii Orii."
A low voice echoed through the hallway.
"Oh, it's you."
Orii raised one hand. A light, casual tone. As if he didn't notice this man's killing intent at all. But his golden eyes alone were fixed steadily on Ryuuji.
"You are a cancer on this school."
"Huh? A cancer?"
"That hair. That attitude. Banging on desks in the classroom, trespassing in the music room, and on top of it all, seducing female students. The dignity of this school is being degraded."
Ryuuji's left eyebrow rose slightly. He was angry. But more than that, his face looked like he was desperately holding something back.
"I was just playing the piano."
"Without permission."
"The door was unlocked."
"There is no room for argument. Your very existence is a challenge to the order known as the school rules. I will drive you to expulsion. That is my duty as student council president."
Ryuuji lowered his fist and turned his back to Orii. He began walking. His footsteps echoed through the hallway.
"You're an interesting guy, you know that?"
Orii called out from behind him.
Ryuuji stopped. He didn't turn around.
"What are you trying to say?"
"Nothing. Just—I heard your sound. That wall-punching just now. That's one hell of a beat. Anger and hesitation mixed together. That's rock."
Ryuuji's shoulders trembled, just barely.
"…Nonsense."
Ryuuji started walking again. This time, briskly. He disappeared toward the student council room.
Orii leaned against the wall. He narrowed his golden eyes, watching Ryuuji's back.
"I don't hate that guy. He's pure. Just lost. Hey—why's he so desperate?"
No one answered. The sea wind blew in through the hallway window.
—The student council room.
Ryuuji had returned to his castle, known only to himself. An entire wall of filed school-rule violation records. On his desk, the rulebook of Namimachi East High School was always placed. On the whiteboard, an analysis chart of Orii's behavioral patterns was posted. A small photo of red hair. Around it, written in black pen: "Violation Details," "Range of Activity," "Alert Level." Ryuuji stared at it, motionless.
"I'm convening a special disciplinary investigation committee."
At his voice, several disciplinary committee members waiting in the corner of the room nodded. All of them wore serious expressions.
"Kureijii Orii's school-rule violations number twenty-six confirmed at this point. Unauthorized entry into the music room, shouting in the hallways, talking during class, non-regulation hair color, and unauthorized access to the rooftop. This cannot be overlooked. Today, we will enter the music room and conduct an on-site investigation. We will solidify the evidence."
There was no hesitation in Ryuuji's voice. But his eyes, looking at the whiteboard, wavered just slightly.
Last night—the sound he'd heard from the student council room window. That melody flowing from the music room. The sound of the piano. And that song. Just for an instant, it had reached his ears. That was—
(No. I don't know that sound.)
Ryuuji shook his head. He crushed the stirring in his chest with his fingertips. A song that had flowed from a street speaker when he was a child. The memory of standing there, crying, that day. That voice—and Orii's voice—overlapped. Deep in his heart, something creaked faintly.
"Move out."
Ryuuji slammed his fist onto the desk. The sound reverberated through the room.
After school.
Special classroom building, second floor. The music room.
The lid of the old grand piano was open. Evening light streamed through the windows, casting long shadows on the floor. Orii sat before the piano. Beside him stood Sakura. A girl with black hair in a braid, tied back into a single tail. Her large violet eyes were fixed on Orii's profile. In her hands, she clutched a lunchbox wrapped in a light-blue cloth.
"You'll let me listen again today, won't you?"
"Yeah. The continuation from yesterday—it's taken a bit of shape. Wanna hear?"
"Yes…!"
Sakura moved closer to the piano. Pressing down the hem of her skirt, she sat down small. The wind blowing in from the sea passed between the two of them.
Orii placed his fingers on the keys. Tan. A single note. Outside the window, a crow cawed.
—At that moment.
BANG.
The door was thrown open violently.
Sakura flinched, her body trembling, and Orii stopped his fingers.
"…Hey there, student council president. If you wanna listen, wait outside."
Orii said it without turning around.
Ryuuji stood there. Behind him, six disciplinary committee members. All of them had tense expressions.
"Kureijii Orii. And Sakura. Your actions are a clear violation of school rules."
Ryuuji's voice carried well.
"Unauthorized use of the music room. A secret meeting with a female student outside the classroom. Kureijii Orii's violations have now reached twenty-six. According to school regulations, three violations warrant special guidance, five warrant a suspension recommendation. Twenty-six is grounds for expulsion."
Ryuuji stepped forward.
"Please, wait. I was the one with him. I'm the one who invited him, on my own. Orii-san has done nothing wrong."
Sakura stepped in front of Orii. Her hands were trembling slightly. But her eyes didn't waver from Ryuuji.
"Sakura-kun. You are one of the most outstanding students in this school. Grades. Conduct. Character. All of it was perfect. Why would someone like you be with a man like this—"
Ryuuji pierced Sakura with his deep-green eyes.
"If you get involved with a man like that, your future will be destroyed. Do you understand? You're throwing away your path as an honor student with your own hands. Your parents will cry. Your teachers will be disappointed. Do you intend to throw your life away?"
Sakura's eyelashes trembled. Tears welled up in her violet eyes. Even so, she didn't back down.
"Even so, I—I want to stay by Orii-san's side. It's fate, after all."
Her voice shook. But Sakura didn't retreat a single step. She gripped Orii's sleeve tightly.
"…You're a fool."
Ryuuji's brow rose slightly. Irritation ran through his fingertips.
"I hereby order the prohibition of music room use. Leave this place immediately. If you do not comply, the Seiritsu-kai will impose stricter disciplinary measures by resolution."
"Heh. A music room ban? Now that's a rock 'n' roll proposal. But you know, student council president—music isn't the kind of thing that stops just because it's banned."
Orii finally stood up. He closed the piano lid. Patan.
"Are you scared of me?"
Orii fixed his golden eyes on Ryuuji.
Ryuuji's breath stopped for an instant.
"…What did you say?"
The air in the music room went cold.
"You feel something from my songs, don't you? 'That guy's dangerous, I have to erase him.' But what you're really scared of isn't me—it's what's inside your own heart. Am I wrong?"
"Shut up."
"There's a sound sleeping inside you. You love music, don't you?"
"I said shut up!"
Ryuuji's fist slammed into the wall once. DON. The sound echoed through the music room. The disciplinary committee members flinched.
Sakura watched the two of them, her face pale. A single tear traced down her cheek.
"Don't drag her into this. Orii. You can destroy yourself alone, as you please. But your existence brings misfortune to everyone around you. Sakura-kun, you should realize it. This man is only capable of wounding other people's lives."
Ryuuji turned a cold gaze toward Sakura.
"Your tears are also pointless. If you're going to shed useless tears, you'd be better off leaving this piece of trash's side right now."
Sakura's fingers gripped Orii's sleeve even tighter.
"I won't leave. Never."
Her voice was thin. But it had a core of steel.
Ryuuji looked down at Sakura for a while. Eventually, he let out a small sigh.
"I see. …You'll learn soon enough. Take him away."
At Ryuuji's words, the disciplinary committee members approached Orii.
Orii slipped away smoothly.
"Fine. I'll leave. But don't lay a single finger on her."
"Who said I'd take orders from you?"
"It's not an order. It's courtesy. Between men."
Orii took Sakura's hand. It was cold. He could feel her trembling.
"Let's go."
Sakura nodded once. Without even wiping her tears, she walked after Orii.
They passed through the music room door. Behind them, Ryuuji's voice rang out.
"Kureijii Orii. Know this: the next time we meet, your expulsion papers will be in my hands."
Orii didn't look back.
Behind the school building.
"…Um, I'll go home first today. I'll bring a lunchbox again tomorrow."
Sakura forced a smile. In a bright, normal voice.
"Wait. You look pale."
Orii reached out his hand.
"I'm fine. I'm much stronger than I look. So don't worry. Well then, see you tomorrow."
Sakura turned her back to Orii. She tried to leave at a quick trot.
"Sakura."
He called out to stop her. But she didn't stop. Without looking back, she hurried toward the school gate.
Left behind, Orii looked up at the sky. The setting sun stretched the shadow of the rooftop.
"Hey, Ryuuji. The sound you denied—that's your truth."
His voice was swallowed by the sea wind.
—Thirty minutes later.
Sakura was stopped inside the school by several disciplinary committee members.
"Sakura-senpai. Could you come behind the school building for a moment?"
A male voice. There were three of them. She remembered all their faces. They were Ryuuji's close aides—the ones who'd been in the music room earlier.
"Wh-what is it?"
Sakura's voice was hoarse.
"We have something to discuss. Come with us."
They gave her no choice, leading Sakura behind the school building. She was still clutching the lunchbox she'd meant to give Orii. The light-blue cloth. Inside it: tamagoyaki and karaage she'd made waking up at five that morning, and a small portion of rice with furikake.
Behind the school building, there was no one around. It was shaded on the north side, the light thin. Beyond an old cherry tree, the school's back gate was visible.
"Sakura-senpai. I'll be direct."
One of them stood in front of Sakura.
"Stop getting involved with that man. It's for the order of this school."
"I am acting of my own will—"
Just as Sakura started to speak.
Thwack.
The lunchbox was kicked.
"Ah—!"
The lunchbox flew from Sakura's hands. The light-blue cloth came undone, the contents scattering across the ground. The tamagoyaki rolled, the karaage fell into the dirt.
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