Welcome to Avengers Academy! ~The Romantic Misadventures of Former Heroes~ - From Heaven to Hell! Seat Change Panic Friday

Only two days had passed since Tuesday's shock. Still slumped over his desk, Tooru glanced furtively behind him. The very back seat by the window. Ai had her textbook open. Just that profile of hers made his chest feel restless. (Yeah… she's really hard to talk to.) He'd somehow made it through Wednesday. But he'd barely spoken to her. During breaks, Ai was often reading a book by herself. He just couldn't find the right moment to approach her. "Haaah…" His sigh bounced off the desk. "Oi, oi, don't go looking all damp and gloomy first thing in the morning!" From the next seat, Makoto lightly tapped him on the shoulder. His well-defined features peered at Tooru. "Shut up. I'm serious here." "Seriously sighing? Got yourself a new worry or something?" "It's more like…" He started to say it, then stopped. (I can't tell Makoto yet, can I?) His feelings for Ai hadn't even taken shape inside himself yet. He couldn't put them into words properly. And besides, he felt strangely hesitant to talk to Makoto about it. He didn't really know why. The front door of the classroom slid open with a clatter. "Alright, everyone take your seats." Their homeroom teacher, Seto, stood at the podium, attendance book in hand. She wore her usual gentle smile. But in her hands, besides the attendance book, she held a box full of lottery slips. The classroom buzzed. "Wait, could that be?!" "Yes. We'll be changing seats during homeroom today." "WHOOOAAAA!!" The classroom erupted in cheers and commotion. Tooru's drowsiness was blown away in an instant. (Seat change!) His heart thumped hard. (If I could end up next to Ai-chan…) No way. That's what he thought. But still, what if. What if he ended up next to her, he could talk to her more naturally. Sharing textbooks, passing out handouts. Small things like that might close the distance between them. (Please, God!) Tooru wasn't usually one to pray. But right now, he couldn't help it. * * * His hand trembled as he drew a slip from the box. "…Alright." He took a deep breath and unfolded the paper. **Third row from the window, second seat from the front.** (So this seat is…) At the podium, Seto was filling in the seating chart on the blackboard. The sound of the chalk echoed strangely loud in his ears. He checked his own seat. Third row from the window, second from the front. (Then, next to me is…) His heart was pounding. His palms were clammy with sweat. Slowly, he moved his eyes to the adjacent box on the seating chart. **Morimoto Ai** Her name was there. (…Huh?) He couldn't believe his eyes. He checked his own seat number again. Then he checked Ai's name. No mistake. (N-No way…!) He couldn't believe it. Was this kind of coincidence even possible? His legs felt weak. His mouth went completely dry. His mind went blank, and the sounds around him suddenly seemed far away. (Yes… YEEESSS!!) He screamed at the top of his lungs inside his head. He desperately wanted to do a victory pose, but he held it back with all his might. But his face broke into a grin on its own. He hid his loosening mouth with his hand. "…*giggle*" A small laugh came from the corner of the classroom. It was Miyabi. Twirling her ponytail around her finger, she was staring intently at Tooru. She was smiling only with her mouth, as if watching an amusing play. "Wh-What?" When Tooru whispered, Miyabi just shrugged. But that wasn't important right now. (Ai-chan, next to me…!) Tooru put his bag at his new seat. Ai was sitting right next to him. Much closer than when he sat in front of her. Close enough to touch if he reached out his hand. (Wh-What should I say…) A greeting. Right, a greeting first. Just a casual "Nice to be next to you." But Tuesday's failure flashed through his mind. That huge blunder of spilling his textbooks everywhere. That, at least, he absolutely couldn't repeat. Deep breath. Tooru gathered his courage and turned to his neighbor. "H-Hey, Morimoto-san—" Ai looked up. Her large, slightly upturned, yet somehow lonely eyes gazed at Tooru. Her bangs swayed softly. (Uh…) The words stuck in his throat. "…What?" Ai's voice was calm today, too. A low, slightly husky voice. It resonated directly in Tooru's heart. "W-Well, you see…" That's when it happened. "Do you mind, Morimoto-san?" Long black hair swayed beside Tooru's desk. It was Suzu. She approached the seat next to Tooru—Ai's seat—and stood there with a perfect smile. That smile was colder than usual, and her eyes weren't smiling at all. "Eh…" A strange sound escaped Tooru's mouth. "Would you mind switching seats with me, next to Tooru-kun?" Suzu tilted her head slightly, gazing at Ai. It was a gesture so cute it would make anyone's heart skip a beat. (Huh…?) Tooru's mind couldn't keep up. "I don't mind." So easily. Really, so incredibly easily, Ai nodded. As lightly as saying, "It's raining today." (Huh?) "W-Wait, hold on!" Before Tooru could stand up, Suzu moved. "Thank you! Then, I'll be here!" Suzu placed her stationery on Ai's desk. "Then, I'll go to Suzu-san's seat." Holding her textbooks, Ai moved in the blink of an eye to Suzu's old seat—the very back by the window, which meant the seat next to Makoto. "Ah…" Beside the dumbfounded Tooru, Suzu now placed her bag. "Take care of me, Tooru-kun." Suzu winked. "Now we're next to each other every day. I'm so happy." Tooru collapsed. *Thud.* He slumped over his desk, unable to move. Was this what they meant by falling from heaven to hell? "Why… why…" He pressed his forehead against the desktop. The cool feel of the wood was terribly cold. (I finally… finally got to be next to her…) He thought a miracle had happened. He thought there really was a God. But that God was cruel after all. The happiness he'd almost grasped slipped right through his fingers. "Hehe…" From the seat behind him, he heard Miyabi's amused voice. "Shut up…" Still slumped over his desk, Tooru retorted weakly. He didn't care about anything anymore. But he couldn't lift his head. If he did, he'd see the seat next to him where Ai was no longer there. Instead, there would be Suzu's triumphant smile. (Why… why Suzu…) It was unreasonable. But there was nothing he could do. After all, Ai had said "I don't mind." * * * Meanwhile, as for Makoto— "(Eh, ehhhh…?!)" He was completely frozen by Ai suddenly appearing next to him. His back straightened perfectly. The textbooks neatly arranged on his desk. Notebook. Pencil case. Makoto's usual desk, without a single thing out of place. But now, Ai was sitting right next to it. "Take care of me, Tatekawa-kun." "Y-YES!!" An unbelievably loud voice came out. Several people in class turned around. Makoto's face turned bright red, right up to the tips of his ears. (Wh-Why did this happen…!) His heart went beyond pounding; it felt like it was going to explode. Would he be able to properly pay attention in class today? Makoto was already exhausted from his own extreme nervousness. * * * First period Japanese class ended. Tooru still hadn't recovered. He remained slumped over his desk. "Tooru-kun, don't be so down." Suzu brought her face close to Tooru's ear. She smelled nice. But right now, Tooru could only perceive it as spiteful. "I'm not really down…" "Hmm. Then why are you melting into your desk?" "…Just thinking." "Thinking, huh. …About Morimoto-san?" Tooru's body jolted. He lifted his head. Suzu's large eyes were right there. "For now, I'm the one next to you." Saying that, Suzu smoothly pulled away and opened her own textbook. She didn't spare Tooru another glance. (What's with her…) Tooru glanced at Suzu's profile. Long, black eyelashes. A straight nose. The face of a beautiful girl anyone would admire. But from her expression, he couldn't read what she was thinking at all. Then, suddenly— "Huh?" He noticed a single piece of paper tucked into the notebook he'd left open on his desk. It definitely hadn't been there a moment ago. Heart pounding, he opened the paper. **'Meet me on the rooftop after school. Morimoto Ai'** "——————!!!" A voiceless sound escaped him. (Th-This is…!) A love letter? From Ai-chan? To me? His heart felt like it was going to leap out of his mouth. His hands trembled, making the paper rustle. Various thoughts swirled around in his head. (Why, why so suddenly! She switched seats so easily just a moment ago!) (No, but, this is a chance, right! I can talk to her alone after school!) As if his slumping over the desk had been a lie, his body grew hot. (I'm definitely going!) Tooru carefully tucked the paper into his pocket. * * * During the break, Tooru was completely distracted. Even when Suzu tried to talk to him, he answered absently. He kept glancing over at Ai, too. But Ai was reading a book by herself, as usual. She didn't even look his way. (And yet, why a letter all of a sudden…) A small doubt arose. But that doubt was drowned out by the anticipation of "being alone with Ai-chan." The clock hands seemed to move terribly slowly. Every minute, every second, felt incredibly long. * * * After school. The moment the chime rang, Tooru dashed out of the classroom. "The rooftop! The rooftop!" He ran down the hallway at full speed. He didn't care if a teacher yelled at him. He took the stairs two at a time and stood before the rooftop door. The rooftop door was usually locked. But Tooru had discovered he could pick this lock with a single piece of wire. This was his secret place, unknown to anyone else. His hands were shaking. (Calm down, me…) Deep breath. He gripped the letter in his pocket. The paper was slightly damp from sweat. *Creeeak…* With a rusty sound, the heavy iron door opened. The moment he stepped onto the rooftop, a strong wind blew past. His uniform jacket flapped noisily. The sky was already beginning to turn orange. He could see the town of Hoshimigaoka in the distance. It was incredibly beautiful. (Ai-chan…?) He looked around restlessly. But the person there was— "Ahahahaha!! You fell for it!!" From behind the water tower, Miyabi jumped out. Clutching her stomach, she was laughing so hard she was almost in tears. Her ponytail bounced up and down in time with her laughter. "………………Huh?" Tooru's mind froze for the second time that day. "That face! It's priceless! Getting so worked up over a single letter! You're so easy to tease, Tony!" "Wh-Why are you here…?! And who the hell is Tony?!" "As if Ai-chan would write something like this. I just imitated her handwriting a bit. I'm pretty good at this kind of thing." Saying that, Miyabi fluttered her fingertips. It was a smooth motion, like a magician's. "Y-You…!!" His head felt like it was boiling with anger and embarrassment. His face turned bright red. Even the tips of his ears were burning hot. The letter he was gripping crumpled with a noise. (I-I was tricked…!) He couldn't stand how pathetic he was for falling completely into her trap. "Maybe the real one will come next time? You should practice sneaking suspicious letters more discreetly." Miyabi patted Tooru on the shoulder, then went down the stairs, her laughter still lingering. Left behind, Tooru stood alone on the rooftop. The wind felt cold. "…Dammit." He crumpled the fake letter in his hand into a ball and shoved it into his pocket. (I can't believe this…) Feeling absolutely miserable, Tooru trudged back to the classroom. * * * When he returned to the classroom, a few people were still there. "Ah, Tooru-kun! Where did you go? I was looking for you." Suzu waved from across the desks. "…Just a little walk." He didn't want Suzu to think anything else weird, so he gave a vague excuse. "Hey, I have a little favor to ask." Suzu took something out from under her desk. It was a prop for the drama club. It looked like a small music box, but the lid had come off. The gears inside were expose

日本語

What is Novelia? →

Episode 3

Name: Welcome to Avengers Academy! ~The Romantic Misadventures of Former Heroes~
Author: Novelia

What is Novelia?

Novelia is an AI-powered platform to read original light novels and fan fiction, create your own in just a few taps, and chat with the characters. New, illustrated episodes arrive daily — free to start.

Learn more about Novelia →New sign-ups get 5,000pt