Vol. 1 - Chapter 2: Same School and Classroom
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-Morning Conversations
As Yuto and Yuna walked toward school together, the morning sun bathed the streets in a warm glow.
Yuna glanced at Yuto, who looked half-asleep as he trudged forward.
"Umm… hey," she said hesitantly. "Did you finish your homework?"
Yuto didn't respond. He just kept walking, his expression blank.
Yuna frowned. "Hey! Are you even listening?"
Yuto blinked and snapped out of his daze. "Huh? Oh, sorry. What was that?"
Yuna sighed. "You're really that tired, huh?"
"Yeah…" Yuto rubbed his neck. "I had to do all the homework by myself."
Yuna tilted her head. "Don't you have friends? Why didn't you guys do a group study?"
Yuto let out a small groan. "I tried texting them, but I guess they all fell asleep right after class. No one even replied."
Yuna giggled. "If that happens again, you can study with me."
Yuto blinked in surprise. "Really? I mean—no, it's fine."
"Why not?"
"Well…" Yuto scratched his cheek. "If my friends find out I'm studying with a girl, they'll never let me hear the end of it."
Yuna giggled again. "I see."
"Yeah."
Just as Yuto was about to say something else, the school gates came into view.
"We're here," he said.
Excited, Yuna ran ahead—but just as she did, a bicycle sped toward her from the side.
"Yuna, watch out!"
In a split second, Yuto reached out and gently pulled her back, his hand landing on her shoulder just in time.
The bicycle zoomed past them, the rider barely managing to swerve.
Yuna's eyes widened. "Oh…"
Yuto quickly let go. "Sorry about that. I thought you might get hit."
Yuna looked at him for a moment before shaking her head with a small smile. "No, it's okay. Thanks for saving me."
For some reason, the warmth of Yuto's hand lingered on her shoulder.
—It's been so warm recently.
With that, the two of them walked through the school gates together.
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-Suspicious Stares
As Yuto and Yuna made their way toward the school building, three figures stood frozen in the distance.
Kaneshiro Daiki, Houshino Souta, and Takeda Ren.
Yuto's closest (and most troublesome) friends.
Their jaws dropped in sync.
"WHAT THE HECK—!?"
Daiki's phone slipped from his hands and clattered onto the pavement.
Yuto felt a shiver down his spine.
"Hmm? What's wrong, Yuto?" Yuna asked, tilting her head.
Yuto slowly turned his head left.
Nothing.
He turned his head right.
Still nothing.
But somehow, he could feel it.
"...Lately, I feel like I'm being watched," Yuto muttered. "Do you get that feeling too, Yuna?"
Yuna looked at him blankly. "Nope. But… maybe it's your friends?"
Yuto followed her gaze and immediately spotted three familiar idiots peeking out from behind the lockers.
They weren't even hiding properly.
Yuto sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Of course… It's them."
"They look… curious," Yuna noted.
Yuto groaned. "No, they're about to make fun of me again."
"Should I go ahead to the classroom?" Yuna asked politely.
"Yeah, that'd probably be best," Yuto said, already preparing himself for the incoming disaster.
Yuna gave him a small wave before heading inside.
Yuto turned to confront his so-called friends.
"Alright, you idiots—come out already."
The three of them slowly emerged, all of them trying (and failing) to stifle their laughter.
"Pfft—" Daiki was the first to break, pressing a fist to his mouth.
Yuto crossed his arms. "Just get it over with."
Souta grinned. "Hey, Yuto… who was that?"
"Yeah," Ren chimed in. "We don't even talk to other students. How did you meet her?"
Yuto sighed. "Well…"
"Well?" Ren raised an eyebrow.
Yuto scratched the back of his head. "I, uh… kinda bumped into her this morning."
Silence.
Then—
"BUMPED INTO HER!?"
All three of them shouted at once.
"Stop yelling!" Yuto groaned. "Let me explain!"
Daiki snickered. "Alright, alright. Go on."
Yuto sighed. "Like I said, I was really tired from all the homework, so I spaced out while walking and ended up bumping into her."
Daiki smirked. "I see…"
Souta rubbed his chin. "Interesting…"
Yuto narrowed his eyes. "Don't start."
Ren patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, man. We're just very interested."
"Shut up and let's go to class," Yuto grumbled.
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-Seating Arrangement Disaster
The four of them entered the classroom, and Yuto immediately heard someone call his name.
"Hey, Yuto!"
He turned to see Yuna waving at him from her seat.
"Teacher said you're gonna sit next to me," she said cheerfully.
Yuto froze. "H-Huh?!"
Behind him, he felt the air grow heavy.
He slowly turned around—
Daiki, Souta, and Ren were staring at him with monstrous grins.
Their faces said it all.
"YUTO!?"
Daiki cracked his knuckles. "You lucky bastard…"
Souta put a hand on his shoulder. "How does it feel to be chosen by fate?"
Ren shook his head in mock disappointment. "You will pay for this…"
Yuto sweated nervously. "Hey, it's not like I chose this! The teacher assigned me this seat!"
His friends weren't listening.
With a sigh, Yuto reluctantly took his seat beside Yuna.
As he settled in, he felt her gaze on him.
When he turned to look, Yuna simply smiled.
Yuto blinked.
For some reason… his face felt a little warm.
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End of Chapter 2.