The Returnee’s Quiet Journey Through High School – A Roshidere Fanfic

It was finally the end of the day, but it felt like it had dragged on for an eternity. After all this time, today had felt excruciatingly slow, as if each minute was determined to stretch itself out. Annoying and tedious—that’s how I’d describe the whole thing. The lectures, the meetings, everything. No matter how anyone spins it, that’s the truth.

I found myself walking toward the student council room, trying to shake off the weight of the day. The deliberation in the administration office had been a slog—paperwork, endless questions, more paperwork. It was like being buried in a mountain of bureaucracy, and I had to claw my way through it.

The questions were the worst. Each one felt like they were trying to corner me, pin me down with specifics about my absence, about why I left, what I was doing. All of it was exhausting, and I could feel my patience thinning with every response I gave. But still, it had to be done. There wasn’t any way around it. No choice in the matter.

And then, as if to add more layers to the ordeal, the student council president and vice-president were there too. Of course they were. That part didn’t surprise me, even if it made the whole situation even more of a headache. I knew it would happen—the moment I got back, the higher-ups would want a full debrief, and having Kenzaki and Sarashina there only confirmed my suspicions.

The president had played his role perfectly. Stoic, serious, asking all the right questions to satisfy the administration. He was a professional, I’ll give him that. But I could see right through him.

He was probing, trying to figure out how to handle me, how to fit me back into the picture. It wasn’t about me, really—it was about how my situation affected the academy’s image, how they’d position it so no one asked too many questions.

The vice-president, Sarashina, had been more passive. She mostly listened, occasionally chiming in with the kind of formalities you’d expect from someone in her position. But even so, she didn’t miss much. Her eyes would flick toward me, assessing, calculating. I could feel her trying to read between the lines, to catch something I wasn’t saying.

But there was nothing to catch. I gave them exactly what they wanted. The perfect answers, the ones that kept the conversation moving without giving too much away. It was all just a game of subtlety. And I played my part as I always do—carefully, calculating every word.

The whole ordeal left me drained. The tediousness of it all, the questions that danced around the real issue, the looks exchanged between the president and the vice-president. It was nothing I hadn’t anticipated. Everything went exactly as expected, right down to their attempts at trying to piece together the gaps in my story. I didn’t leave them much to work with, though. Just enough to satisfy them.

But I knew it wasn’t over. The deliberation had just been a formality—a way to reintegrate me into the academy’s system. The real challenges would come later, once they figured out how they wanted to deal with me. I had been gone too long for them to just let it slide.

With a sigh, I shoved my hands into my pockets and kept walking. It didn’t matter. None of it really mattered. They could try to pry all they wanted, but I wasn’t about to let them in. I had my reasons for being gone, and no one needed to know what those reasons were.

And now... the student council. Another round of questions, no doubt. Another opportunity for them to try and make sense of me. I couldn’t help but feel a small sense of dread.

Still, there was no avoiding it. I had already played my hand, and now I just had to see where the cards fell.

As I walked down the corridor, I became aware of a pair of footsteps trailing behind me. Two girls—one with glasses and a short bob-cut, and another blonde, with a stylish, almost model-like appearance—were following me.

I didn’t let it show, but I quickly assessed their presence. Judging by their pace and the way the bob-cut girl kept glancing in my direction, it was clear they weren’t just passing by.

I slowed my steps and turned around, meeting the gaze of the glasses-wearing girl. She froze, startled by the sudden eye contact.

“Can I help you with something?” My voice came out naturally flat, almost mechanical, as I sized them up. The blonde seemed more laid-back, but the girl with glasses... there was a sharpness in her eyes, an edge. She wasn’t here out of idle curiosity.

“Uhm… Can I ask who you are and what you were doing in the administration office?” Her tone was direct, though her posture stiffened as soon as the words left her mouth.

A prying one.

The blonde girl beside her seemed uneasy, glancing at her friend nervously as if worried this might escalate.

“I apologize, but do I know you?” I asked, keeping my tone calm as I shifted my attention between them.

“Err... My name is Sayaka Taniyama,” she said, straightening her posture and locking eyes with me, her expression suddenly more composed. There was something about the way she stood that spoke of a girl who had high expectations—someone used to confrontation, but with control.

Straight-laced, I noted. She had the look of someone who never lets her guard down.

I glanced at the other girl, who had a much different energy—light and carefree. Too carefree, maybe.

“Nice to meet you~! I’m Nonoa Miyamae,” she chimed in, smiling brightly, her demeanor a stark contrast to Taniyama’s more serious tone.

I paused for a second, pretending to consider their introductions.

“Taniyama and Miyamae,” I repeated, keeping my voice even. “Do you need something?”

Taniyama hesitated, her lips tightening as if she wasn’t sure how to phrase her next question. After a moment, she steeled herself and finally spoke.

“Are you... perhaps, by any chance... Youseke Arima?” Her voice wavered just slightly, but she held her ground, clearly waiting for confirmation.

I stayed silent for a beat longer than necessary, my eyes studying her. Interesting. So, they were aware of me, after all. That made things... complicated.

But also, predictable. It was clear that they too were affiliated with the Student Council.

The question hung in the air, and I weighed my options. Revealing myself outright wasn’t ideal—it would draw more attention, exactly what I wanted to avoid. Yet, outright denying it wouldn’t work either.

I met her gaze once more, deliberately holding it this time.

“And if I am?” My voice was neutral, neither confirming nor denying, leaving the burden of interpretation on her.

Taniyama’s eyes widened, but she recovered quickly, her sharp expression returning. Miyamae, however, tilted her head, her curiosity piqued.

“Then... why have you returned now?” Taniyama asked, her voice firmer than before. It was clear she wasn’t going to drop this easily.

I shrugged slightly, giving nothing away. “Why does it matter? What’s it to you?”

The question threw her off, and for a moment, I could see her trying to gather her thoughts. Miyamae shifted uncomfortably beside her, sensing the tension building between us.

“It’s not just me,” Taniyama said, her voice a bit quieter but still resolute. “There are people wondering why someone with your... reputation... would disappear and then come back without any explanation.”

“People?” I raised an eyebrow, keeping my tone neutral, as though I hadn’t already pieced things together. “Can you elaborate?” I asked, my voice laced with what I hoped passed for genuine curiosity.

In truth, I was just probing with her. I wanted to see how far she'd go—how much she was willing to reveal before she realized she was stepping into a web she couldn’t quite escape from.

Taniyama hesitated, her lips tightening into a strained expression. I could practically see the battle going on in her head as she weighed her options, unsure of how much to divulge. “The... student council. Members of the council. No one else.”

Ah, there it is.

I gave her a small nod, my expression unreadable, though inside, I was quietly amused. “I see.”

So, they were here on behalf of the student council. Predictable. Not that it changed anything, but now it was useful information confirmed. I let my gaze drift between the two of them—Taniyama with her strained seriousness and Miyamae trying her best to keep things light. Neither of them realized just how deep into this game they were.

“So… then, tell me?” Sayaka asked.

“Tell you what?” I responded, tilting my head slightly, feigning ignorance like this was the most innocent conversation in the world.

“Are you Youseke Arima, or not?” Her voice was firm now, but I could sense a sliver of doubt creeping in.

I sighed dramatically, letting the silence linger a moment longer, my gaze drifting lazily between them. “Don’t you think coming right up to me and asking if I’m this Youseke Arima—assuming that’s who I am—is a bit... risky?”

Both of them blinked, clearly taken aback by the sudden shift in my tone. I leaned back slightly, folding my arms across my chest and studying their reactions.

“You do realize,” I continued, my voice calm but with a hint of amusement, “that this sort of direct approach could easily backfire. What if I wasn’t this Arima? Or what if I was, and didn’t exactly appreciate being... cornered?”

Taniyama’s stern demeanor faltered, a flicker of uncertainty crossing her face. “I-I wasn’t trying to... corner you,” she stammered, her earlier confidence wavering.

“Oh?” I tilted my head slightly, as if considering her words.

“Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re prying into something you’re not quite prepared for.”

Miyamae stepped forward, her usual cheerful tone returning as she tried to smooth things over.

“W-Well, we didn’t mean to cause any trouble! We’re just... curious, y’know? You suddenly showing up again, and all. It’s not every day someone like you just... reappears.”

I turned my gaze toward her, my expression still neutral but with a faint smirk playing on my lips.

“Curiosity, huh?” I mused.

“Well, curiosity does have a way of getting people into trouble.”

Miyamae blinked, her grin faltering slightly.

“T-Trouble? What kind of trouble?”

I shrugged nonchalantly.

“You know... the kind where people ask too many questions and end up in over their heads.”

Taniyama’s eyes narrowed, clearly trying to read me.

“What are you getting at?”

I met her gaze, letting the silence hang in the air for a moment before answering. “What I’m saying is, sometimes, people like me... don’t like being asked too many questions. Especially by the student council itself.”

Taniyama’s shoulders tensed, and Miyamae’s eyes widened as the weight of my words sank in, realization dawning on them both. I could almost hear the gears turning in their heads as they tried to process everything.

I let the silence linger for a moment longer before casually turning away. “Now then, if you’d excuse me, I have some important matters to attend to,” I said, my voice carrying a tone of finality. Without waiting for a response, I began walking toward the student council room.

But just as I took a few steps, I paused. There was no need to look back—I could feel their confused stares boring into the back of my head.

“You coming or not?” I asked, turning my head slightly to glance over my shoulder, my hands still tucked in my pockets.

“Huh?” Taniyama blinked, momentarily caught off guard. She looked genuinely perplexed, her mind still stuck on our previous exchange.

Miyamae, on the other hand, stood there, gazing at me with a curious expression. She wasn’t startled like her friend—no, she was studying me, trying to figure out what game I was playing.

I sighed softly. “It’s obvious, isn’t it? Anyone can tell you’re heading to the student council room,” I said with a casual shrug. “I happen to be going there as well.”

Taniyama’s eyes widened slightly. The look on her face told me she hadn’t expected that response.

Of course not, I thought. They were too focused on prying on me to consider where I might be going.

Without waiting for their reply, I continued walking, this time slower, allowing them to catch up. I could hear their hesitant footsteps behind me as they reluctantly fell in line. There was a brief pause, and I could sense the tension hanging in the air.

As we walked, I could feel their gazes burning into the back of my head. It wasn’t hard to guess what they were thinking—doubt, curiosity, maybe even suspicion. But I didn’t let any of it faze me. Instead, I maintained the same calm, measured pace, my hands still buried in my pockets as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening.

Taniyama cleared her throat, breaking the silence.

“Why are you going to the student council room?” she asked, her voice trying to sound casual but failing to hide the edge of wariness.

I replied, not turning back to face her.

“Why wouldn’t I go? Seems like I’m part of today’s agenda, after all.” I said as I reached up and opened the door of the student council, all the people present in the room turned their gazes towards me, well towards us, Taniyama and Miyamae were with me as well.

Taniyama, standing just a step behind me, seemed to finally piece everything together.

“Then you—” she started, her voice a mix of realization and frustration. She must have figured out that I had been messing with them the entire time. I didn’t bother looking back at her. I could guess her expression well enough—probably a mix of anger and embarrassment. But in the end, I didn’t care.

"Ah... you’re here, Arima," President Kenzaki’s voice cut through the room's silence. He stood at the head of a long, polished table, his expression calm, as always. His tone was neutral, fitting for the formal atmosphere of the room.

This wasn’t just a casual visit.