The gates were nothing special up close. Yui walked through them without thinking much about it,Haru right beside him staring at unfamiliar faces. Yui kept his eyes forward.
‘‘Come on, '' Haru said, already pulling out his schedule, let’s go find our classes.''
"Yeah"
Haru looked at him for a second and smiled.
The Corridors were packed. Yui followed Haru, letting him lead the way through the noise "it should be around here somewhere "Haru said, craning his neck over the crowd towards the notice board
"You have been saying that for the past five minutes."
"I know where I am going"
"You clearly don't"
Haru shot him a look and Yui looked away, unbothered. They found the board eventually -Haru spotted their names first, running his finger down the list until he hit both of them. same class!
" See, "Haru said, turning around with a grin, “I told you."
Yui said nothing but anyone could clearly see that just how happy he was. They both stood there for a second, both quietly relieved in their own way, before Haru started moving again.
"Come on, “he said "let's go find the room before you complain about that too."
After two wrong turns and one argument about whether they are going right way, “Class 1-B,"Haru said, stopping in front of the door.
"It took us twenty minutes."
"Stop complaining, we are here aren't we."
Yui glanced at him and pushed the door open first. The classroom was already loud-groups forming, seats being claimed, people who had clearly known each other since middle school picking up conversation like no time had passed. He stepped inside and immediately walked into someone.
He looked up. The boy was surrounded by people-some laughing, some nudging his shoulder and some trying to get his attention. He looked like a person who just used to this-people gravitating toward him without really asking them to. But his face didn't show much. Like the noise around him had nothing to do with him.
He glanced at Yui, said nothing for seconds
"Sorry, “he said.Flat.Quiet.Already looking away, Yui didn't say anything back. He wasn't even sure why.
"Hey-"Haru grabbed his sleeve from behind. "Those two seats next to the window, quick!"
"Okay okay"
They grabbed the seats. Haru set into his seat immediately, stretching his body like he had just finished a long journey. “Not bad “he said, looking around the classroom.
Yui said nothing. His eye moved across the room just for a second. Seeing the boy already turned back to his group, like nothing happened. He just stopped scanning room when the class door opened.
The teacher walked in with the kind of energy that immediately settled the classroom without trying-she dropped her bag on the desk and looked around like she was doing a quick headcount. No forced enthusiasm, just someone who had clearly done this enough time to not make it a whole thing.
"Good morning." she pulled the cap off a marker. "I'm Miyazawa Keiko. I'm your homeroom teacher." She leaned slightly against the desk. "Okay so introduction since, I don't know none of you yet-stand up, say your name and thing about yourself."
The introduction started from the front row and worked their way back. Some kept it short, some rambled a little, most looked relieved when it was over. when it got to haru he stood up without hesitation like he has been waiting for his turn.
"Akimoto Haru."He glanced around the class for a second. "I just want everyone around me to be doing well. That's genuinely enough for me."
It was simple. No jokes, no performance. A few people nodded, some smiled. Haru sat back down, Yui glanced at him briefly.
"That's really all you had."
"I meant it though."
Yui looked away and said nothing. Which was basically his way of agreeing.
Then it was Yui's turn. He stood up slowly, like he was doing favor by participating. "Koda Yui."He paused. "I just want my privacy and for no one to bother me.That's it."
The class went quiet for a second. Then some let out a disbelieving laugh, some heads turning like they weren't sure if he was serious or not. He was.
At front Miyazawa-sensei pressed her lips together, clearly trying hard not to laugh-but the small laugh escaped her mouth-which was enough.
Yui sat back down completely unbothered by the reaction he had caused.
"Yui,"Haru whispered, somewhere between used to it and disbelief.
"What."
"You can't just say that."
"I just did"
Haru put his face in his hand, across the room, among all the people still reacting. Reiji had gone still, he wasn't laughing, he wasn't smiling. He was just looking at Yui with an expression that was hard to read- like something had caught his attention without his permission.
Yui wasn't even looking at his direction. He was busy ignoring Haru, who was still nagging him about social awareness. But Reiji kept watching him-the kind of looking that doesn't announce itself.
"Next" her eyes being already landed on Reiji.
He blinked once and stood up unhurriedly, like the room had all the time in the world to wait for him. "Kano reiji."He sat back down before teacher could even nodded. The classroom went quiet for a second.
Miyazawa-sensei looked at him for a moment then just moved on.
After sitting down, his eyes moved across the room-like it was intentionally just to glance at Yui, as his eyes landed at him.
Yui looked back, it lasted two seconds, maybe less. he broke the eye contact and faced forward to look at the board
Reiji turned back to whatever that was in front of him. He didn't know why his chest felt slightly different. He told himself it was nothing
It was probably nothing.
