After walking for quite a while, Hikari didn't even realize that he had already reached the school gates. His head was tilted downward, his gaze locked on the ground as he absentmindedly mumbled to himself.
Thoughts of the shadow manipulator continued to linger in his mind, clouding his awareness of the world around him. The steady rhythm of his footsteps against the pavement was the only thing tethering him to reality.
What he failed to notice were the eyes watching him—sharp, scrutinizing glares from a handful of students standing by the entrance. Some whispered amongst themselves, their gazes flicking between him and the girl walking beside him.
Others stared outright, expressions unreadable. Yet, oblivious to it all, he continued his usual routine, weaving through the hallway traffic, climbing the stairs, and eventually arriving at his classroom.
"Good morning!" A cheerful voice greeted as soon as he stepped in.
"Good morning," Hikari replied without much thought, his voice distant.
The moment he entered the classroom, the usual buzz of early morning chatter faded into an eerie silence. It was an unusual stillness, one he only began to register as he made his way to his desk.
His movements slowed slightly, the weight of something gnawing at the edge of his consciousness, but his mind was still too preoccupied with the events of the morning to piece it together.
Placing his bag down beside his desk, he sat down and exhaled. Something felt off—something strange. The lingering sensation of warmth in his right hand sent a jolt through his senses.
Slightly, his fingers twitched as he realized that his hand was still clasping onto something. But hadn't he already let go of his bag? Confusion knitted his brows as he hesitantly glanced downward.
And then it hit him.
A sharp intake of breath caught in his throat as his gaze landed on his hand—still tightly holding onto Yukine Mitsumi's. A rush of blood surged to his face, heat creeping up from his neck to the tips of his ears. His entire body stiffened as the realization crashed over him like a tidal wave.
Mitsumi's face was just as red as his, her eyes wide and flustered. But before he could react, before he could even begin to form an apology, their homeroom teacher strode into the classroom.
"Everyone, today we have a new transfer...ee..." Sakamoto-sensei's voice trailed off as his eyes landed on the two of them.
The silence in the room stretched unbearably. Hikari swore he could hear his own heartbeat pounding against his ribcage. It took only a moment before the homeroom teacher's expression mirrored his own—a mix of shock and speechlessness, his mouth opening but no words escaping.
"Wagh~!!! I'm so sorry, Yukine Mitsumi!" Hikari shot up from his seat, bowing his head in a frantic attempt at apology. The sudden motion, however, sent his forehead crashing straight into his desk with a loud thud. A pained groan escaped his lips as he rubbed the sore spot, the stifled laughter of a few classmates barely reaching his ears over the ringing in his skull.
"I didn't mean...to..."
His voice died in his throat when he finally took in the atmosphere of the room. The male students were drilling holes into him with their death stares. Sharp, dagger-like glares bore into him from every angle, their expressions a mix of jealousy and barely contained rage. Even Sakamoto-sensei was looking at him with an expression that sent a shiver down his spine.
"Thank you very much for bringing me to school safely, Hikari." Mitsumi suddenly smiled, clasping his hand between both of hers.
Hikari nearly choked on air. Whaaaat?! What are you doing?! He wanted to scream, but all he could do was stare at her in utter disbelief. His mouth opened and closed, struggling to find the right words. She was going to make the misunderstanding worse! Didn't she realize what she was doing?!
The entire class inhaled sharply, their collective attention fixed on the scene before them. The stares intensified, and for a second, Hikari swore he saw his life flash before his eyes.
"You're welcome, I guess..." he muttered weakly, his voice barely audible.
"Okay, Mitsumi, please come to the front and introduce yourself," Sakamoto-sensei finally spoke, regaining some semblance of composure.
"Hello, everyone. I am Mitsumi. Yukine Mitsumi. Nice to meet you all." She greeted with a gentle voice.
No one responded. Or rather, no one was paying attention. Every single male student was still glaring at Hikari, their expressions screaming one thing: How dare you?!
"Okay, Mitsumi, you can take that empty seat at the back. Beside Hikari," Sakamoto-sensei instructed.
Hikari's stomach dropped. No. No, no, no. Sakamoto-sensei, please reconsider! He silently pleaded, his eyes practically begging his teacher for mercy. Sitting together was only going to make things worse!
But Sakamoto-sensei didn't even glance at him.
Defeated, Hikari slumped back into his seat. The moment Mitsumi pulled her desk closer to his, he could practically feel the daggers being thrown at his back.
"Psst, Hikari." A soft whisper reached his ear, sending a slight shiver down his spine.
He turned his head slightly. "What is it?" he whispered back.
Mitsumi leaned in, her expression apologetic. "I accidentally dropped my bag in front of your house this morning. I totally forgot about it!"
Hikari froze. His brain short-circuited. Wait… in front of his house?!
"If it's alright, can we share textbooks, please?" she asked innocently.
His stomach twisted into knots. Oh no. Oh no. This was not going to end well.
"Mitsumi? Where's your textbook?" Sakamoto-sensei asked, his patience clearly thinning. "Class is already starting."
"I'm sorry, sir. I forgot it at Hikari's house. May I just share textbooks with him?" she asked, completely unaware of the nuclear bomb she had just dropped.
The classroom went dead silent.
Hikari died.
He absolutely, utterly perished at that very moment. There was no coming back from this. The room practically trembled from the sheer intensity of the stares aimed at him. If looks could kill, he would have been reduced to ashes right then and there.
He could already hear the rumors forming in everyone's minds. Left her textbook at Hikari's house? That could only mean one thing. A scandalous conclusion. A catastrophic misunderstanding.
A bead of sweat rolled down his temple as he glanced at Mitsumi, who remained completely oblivious to the brewing storm. How did she not realize what she had just done?!
"Very well." Sakamoto-sensei exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You can share your textbook with him, Mitsumi."
A small "thank you" left her lips as she pulled her desk closer, positioning it next to his.
Hikari let out a heavy sigh. He prayed—begged—that nothing else would worsen the misunderstanding. But fate had other plans.
"KURAYAMI HIKARI!!!"
Sakamoto-sensei's voice thundered across the classroom, jolting him upright.
"Could you please stop staring at Mitsumi?!"
Hikari's soul nearly left his body. "Wha—?!" His face burned with embarrassment. "I was staring at her?! When did that happen?!"
The room erupted into muffled laughter. Hikari groaned, burying his face in his hands. This was going to be a long day.
But deep down, he had a feeling that this was only the beginning.