1 Chapter 1 Shoujo Effec (1/1)

His breath fell short and dry against his throat as he raced for his first class in his new school. The bell had rung some minutes ago.

'Damn you Himeko.' Duran cursed under his breath.

His sister was supposed to go with him on his first day, but she flaked out last minute with a mad panic attack of having to forget handing in her long overdue spring-break homework. She bolted out the door before he had a chance to say, ”Wait up”.

So he found his own way to school, and the office for his transfer student orientation.

Despite the orientation finishing well before the first bell, he was inevitably late to class. It had taken him a good ten minutes to get to the block on the other side of the school grounds with a further ten getting lost.

Eventually he arrived to his classroom. Stopping in front of the door to Class 1-A.

He took a moment to compose himself before gingerly opening it. And cringed when his homeroom teacher paused his lesson and all eyes were turned his way.

'Please forgive my lateness, Aimi-sensei. I was attending an orientation at the office,' Duran said as he bowed low.

'Ah the late transfer student. This is Kita-kun all. Close the door Kita-kun and take your seat in the back row next to the window,' Aimi-sensei commented listlessly.

Duran was pleasantly surprised by his teacher's lack of concern. The flourish of whispers, from students in the room, made him feel uneasy.

He glanced at his classmates and almost chortled at the sight before him.

Rows of students in starched iron uniforms, neatly preened hair and prescriptive glasses, stared back at him.

'A bunch of otakus training to be salary-men.' Duran deduced in his mind.

He shrugged off the thought and took his seat next to the window.

Aimi-sensei called everyone back to his attention, and the lesson resumed.

Duran's mind wandered to the type of school he had entered.

Hotaka High wasn't his first choice, but it was walking distance to his new home and furthest from his last school. No one questioned his fit since he had top grades to be there. Although, he was somewhat taken aback by his principal's instant dismissal of his appearance.

'I feel a slight disappointment now that I've met you in person.' His principal had said at their orientation meeting.

Duran wondered if it was because he wasn't a glasses-wearing otaku. Well, it's not like he could take an offence from a man wearing last century's tweed suit and fake hair that was way too black and silky-smooth for a man beyond middle-age.

'Can't be helped.' He brushed off the thought and sunk into Aimi-sensei's mathematical drone.