Miku walked into class, her mind still a little jumbled from everything that had happened earlier. She glanced around, and there, sitting by the window, was her best friend, Alya. A warm smile spread across Miku's face as she made her way over to her.
"Hey, Miku!" Alya greeted, her British accent still thick despite years of living in Japan. "How's your day going?"
Miku plopped down beside her. "Same as usual. Just... a lot on my mind," she said, tapping her fingers on the desk.
Alya raised an eyebrow. "A lot? What happened?"
"Baka", replied Miku
" Come on! What happened?"
Before Miku could answer, the door swung open, and the teacher walked in, followed by a student Miku didn't recognize. He had a confident stride, and Miku's heart skipped a beat when she saw his face.
It was Rio.
Her surprise and confusion mixed with something else—something warm and comforting—filling her chest. She wasn't sure what to make of it. Her thoughts were jumbled.
Rio looked around the room before his eyes landed on Miku. For a split second, their gazes met. His lips curled into a smile, and Miku couldn't help but return it, feeling a strange sense of connection.
"Hey, I'm Rio Silver, from osaka junior high," he said, his voice cool but friendly, as he introduced himself to the class.
He looked over at Miku once more, smiled at her, and then walked over to his seat—one row above Taiki's.
Miku's heart skipped again. Taiki was sitting near the back, quietly reading, his head tilting up to acknowledge her with a smile. Miku smiled back, though her mind was elsewhere.
The bell rang, signaling the start of class, but Miku couldn't stop thinking about Rio—his sudden appearance, that smile.
As the class went on, Miku noticed the girls around her whispering and giggling, stealing glances at Rio. Classic, she thought. They were all eager to meet the new guy. It was obvious.
After class ended, Alya leaned toward Miku. "Did you see that?" she said, her eyes sparkling. "He's got the whole school buzzing already. They're all over him, and he's barely been here a day!"
Miku rolled her eyes, but inside, she couldn't shake the thought of Rio's smile. "Yeah, I saw," she said, trying to sound casual.
Before Alya could say anything else, the teacher spoke up. "Alya," she called, "Could you show Rio around the school? Help him get settled in?"
Alya grinned, ready to jump on the opportunity. "Sure, no problem!" she said, standing up from her desk.
But before Alya could walk off, Miku caught her arm. "Actually, I'll show him around," Miku said, a surprising surge of confidence taking over her. She didn't know why, but something about Rio's presence was pulling her in, and she wanted to do it herself.
Alya raised an eyebrow but smiled. "Alright then, go for it! Just don't forget about us, alright?"
Miku nodded, taking a deep breath before walking toward Rio, who was standing by the door, talking to a group of other students. His eyes met hers, and for a moment, it felt like the world around them faded.
"Hey," Miku said, her voice a little shakier than she wanted it to be. "I'm Miku. I'll show you around the school if you want."
Rio turned toward her, flashing a grin. "Sure, sounds good."
They walked through the halls together, the conversation flowing easier than Miku expected. She showed him where the cafeteria was, the gym, and the various classrooms. But it wasn't the school Miku was thinking about as they walked. It was him. His smile, his calm energy—it was all too much.
"Thanks for the tour," Rio said as they reached the courtyard, where students were sitting around, chatting.
"No problem," Miku replied, her heart still racing a bit. "It's easy to get lost here, but you'll get the hang of it."
They stopped for a moment, just standing there. Rio glanced at her. "You've been a huge help, Miku. I appreciate it."
Miku felt a warmth spread through her chest at his words. "Anytime," she said with a smile.
They stood there for a moment longer before Rio spoke again. "Hey, I know we just met, but... I think we could be friends."
Miku blinked, surprised at his honesty. She smiled, realizing that despite everything, she felt a sense of ease with him. "Yeah, I think so too."
With all that warmth flowing in the air, Taiki Kyota watched from afar, his eyes narrowing slightly as he observed the exchange.