As we reached the classroom, Nami suddenly stopped near the water cooler. "I'm so thirsty. You go ahead and grab your book, I'll be right back." She tilted her head toward the classroom door before making her way to get some water.
"Hmm," I nodded, stepping into the room alone.
The moment I walked in, a strange silence wrapped around me. The dim lighting cast long shadows on the desks, making the room feel different from how it did during class hours. I walked straight to my seat, my fingers brushing over the wooden surface before I picked up my forgotten book.
For a moment, I just stood there, staring at it in my hands. It was such a small thing, yet coming back for it had led me here—to an empty classroom, to a fleeting pause in time that felt oddly significant.
I stood in the quiet classroom, a strange sensation washed over me—the feeling of someone else's presence.
It wasn't a sound, nor a movement, but a soft, rhythmic breathing cutting through the stillness of the room. The gentle rise and fall of someone's breath, blending with the silence, made my heart race for a moment.
I turned around, my eyes scanning the dimly lit space—and that's when I saw him.
A boy was lying across one of the desks, fast asleep. His face was half-buried in his folded arms, his dark hair slightly ruffled. He looked familiar—one of my classmates. But what was he doing here, sleeping at this hour?
"Why is he still here? Everyone else has already left…" I wondered, tilting my head in confusion.
Curiosity got the best of me, and I took slow steps toward him. The closer I got, the more I could hear his steady breathing. He looked completely at ease, lost in his dreams.
I hesitated for a moment before reaching out to wake him. Just as my fingers lightly touched his shoulder—
He jolted awake.
His body tensed as his eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the sudden interruption.
"Oh! Sorry… I didn't mean to startle you," I said quickly, taking a step back. "But… why are you still here? Didn't you go home?"
He blinked a few times, still disoriented from his abrupt awakening. Then, without directly answering, he muttered to himself, "Ah… what time is it?"
His gaze shifted to his wrist as he checked his watch, while I simply stood there,...
"Its 5 pm already "