Sure enough, Haru's premonition came true—
"Takanashi, Haru, go stand in the hallway!"
As soon as they entered the classroom, the graceful black-haired beauty at the podium, Shizuka Hiratsuka, coldly addressed the two who were trying to sneak in through the back door.
In the classroom, all the students looked at the two with strange gazes.
Whispers arose.
"That Haru who was hospitalized for a month actually showed up late to Shizuka-sensei's first class. He's really got guts."
"He really does have guts, and he's hanging around with that chuunibyou Rikka Takanashi. Could he be a chuunibyou too?"
"What a shame. He's so handsome, but he's actually a chuunibyou..."
Hearing the discussions around them, some female students who had originally been attracted to Haru's good looks and wanted to find opportunities to approach him immediately gave up.
In Japanese schools, students' reputations among peers were extremely important.
Students with poor reputations would basically be isolated.
No one dared to be unconventional and associate with students who had poor reputations, as it would implicate themselves, lower their own reputation, and ultimately lead to being isolated together, or even bullied.
"That Haru was hospitalized for a month, and various cliques have already formed in the class. It's already difficult for him to integrate into any group.
Now, with this incident further damaging his reputation, he'll probably be relegated to the fringes for all three years of high school."
In one corner of the classroom, Hachiman Hikigaya observed the class dynamics and couldn't help but think to himself, feeling some sympathy for Haru.
However, thinking that even if Haru became a class outcast, he was still a handsome guy.
And he had just arrived at school and already became good friends with the beautiful girl Rikka Takanashi.
Even if he became an outcast, so what?
"Damn it, normies should all just die."
Hachiman Hikigaya gritted his teeth, feeling that his sympathy for such a life winner like Haru was presumptuous.
Although Rikka Takanashi was a chuunibyou, no matter how chuunibyou she was, she was still a cute beautiful girl.
While the boys on the surface didn't dare approach Rikka Takanashi, who knew how many secretly had feelings for her.
On the other side of the classroom.
A cute girl with a dango hairstyle and an excellent figure listened to the surrounding students' discussions with an extremely complex expression.
Her eyes unconsciously glanced toward the figure outside the window, but she didn't dare let the classmates beside her notice.
In the front row of the classroom, Morimori Sanae, who had been elected class president due to her high popularity, also showed sympathy on her pretty face:
"Just because he's with a chuunibyou, he gets ostracized. How terrifying."
"That's exactly why my dark history must never be discovered."
Morimori Sanae secretly resolved, but she couldn't help feeling sympathy for Haru, who was about to become a class outcast just for getting close to Rikka Takanashi.
Standing outside the classroom, Haru had no idea that he was about to become a class outcast.
However, even if he knew, he wouldn't care.
No matter what, his past life had been that of a corporate slave for three years, giving him rich adult experience.
How could he possibly look favorably upon high school students playing house?
Of course, if he knew about being envied by a certain dead-fish-eyed person, he would probably be amused for a while.
Since he was being punished to stand in the hallway, Haru simply closed his eyes and began imagining Rikka Takanashi.
To obtain the system reward, he needed to imagine Rikka Takanashi in his mind for 72 hours—it looked like just three full days.
But in reality, to imagine for a full 72 hours, by Haru's estimation, it would take at least a week to accomplish.
After all, he couldn't possibly spend every moment eating and sleeping thinking about Rikka Takanashi, and every day there would be various things requiring Haru's attention.
Completing the suggestion in a week would already be quite good.
If he wanted to gain supernatural abilities as soon as possible, he couldn't waste a single moment.
Thinking this way, Haru immediately began imagining.
However, after less than ten minutes.
Haru felt someone tugging at the corner of his clothes.
"What are you doing?"
It turned out to be Rikka Takanashi, who had grown bored of standing and couldn't help but strike up a conversation with Haru.
Haru opened his eyes and sighed, unconsciously answering: "Thinking about you."
Unexpectedly, upon hearing these words, Rikka Takanashi's fair and delicate cheeks instantly turned red.
Her beautiful eyes filled with panic, her body trembling as she shyly turned her face away.
Seeing Rikka Takanashi react this way.
Haru realized his words just now were somewhat misleading.
He couldn't help but chuckle: "Didn't you say that to obtain the Wicked Eye, I must meditate on you as the object?"
"...Oh...so that's what it was."
A flash of surprise crossed Rikka Takanashi's beautiful eyes, then she suddenly understood, realizing she had misunderstood.
However, thinking that Haru was meditating on her in his mind, which seemed no different from thinking about her.
Rikka Takanashi's cheeks turned crimson again.
Unaware of Rikka Takanashi's thoughts, Haru was feeling puzzled—
[Ding, your bond value with Rikka Takanashi has increased by 10 points]
[Current bond value: 60]
[Due to increased bond value, Rikka Takanashi's suggestion difficulty receives a discount—imagination time of 72 hours reduced to 64.8 hours]
Haru was stunned for a moment.
"System, what is this bond value? What's this new function?"