Shun Minazuki sat at the back of the classroom, his eyes lazily drifting out the window. The lesson was as dull as always. His classmates chattered around him, but he didn't care. He wasn't here to engage. He was just here, existing.
Shun liked being unnoticed. He was used to it. His family always praised him for being dependable, a quiet helper when needed, but it was never for the praise. They expected him to help people. It was just how things were. Helping others wasn't something Shun sought out, nor was he interested in the connections it created.
During lunch, Shun often found a quiet corner to nap. It was the one time of the day when he could shut his eyes and ignore everything, even the thoughts that crept into his mind. Other students talked and laughed around him, but he didn't need to be part of that. The silence was what he valued most.
He didn't care much for Alice Tsukishiro, the new transfer student everyone seemed so obsessed with. She was beautiful, composed, and always at the top of the class. The kind of girl everyone admired. He didn't have time for admiration or attention. But when he glanced at her sitting in the front, something about her face struck him as familiar. Maybe it was from before, long ago. He couldn't remember clearly, and he didn't care to. It was just a passing thought.
The bell rang, pulling him from his thoughts. Shun stood up slowly, his movements quiet and deliberate. He grabbed his books and walked out, his eyes fixed on the ground as he made his way to the door.
Outside, as always, Alice walked briskly, trying to avoid a group of loud boys. She was trying to keep her calm, but Shun could see the way they made her uncomfortable. Without thinking, he moved in front of her, standing between her and the boys. His presence alone was enough. The boys grumbled, turned away, and left.
Alice blinked in surprise but didn't say anything. She looked up at him, a moment of recognition passing between them. It was strange. For a second, Shun felt like he knew her, but it didn't matter. He didn't care enough to wonder why. His gaze met hers for a brief moment, and then, without another word, he turned and walked away.
Alice stood there, feeling the weight of the strange encounter. She couldn't help but feel like she should know him—like they had met before. But the thought slipped away as quickly as it had come. Shun didn't seem interested in pursuing anything. He wasn't the kind of person to make connections, not with her or anyone else.
Later that night, when Shun was alone in his room, he sat at his desk with a book no one else cared to read. His family would be proud of his good grades, his quiet help to others, but it all felt distant. He didn't need to be noticed. Sometimes, he'd leave small anonymous notes around school—little hints, a kind word here and there—to help those who needed it. People never knew who left them. That was the way Shun liked it.
He didn't care about Alice, or the boys who bothered her. He didn't care about much. He just helped because it was expected.
But in the back of his mind, he wondered if helping her had meant something more than he realized.