Chapter 23: They Heard Us Without Hearing a Thing
He came back Monday morning.
Walked through the school gates like he hadn't been forced out. Like he hadn't been labeled unstable, dangerous, "difficult."
The hallway silenced.
Eyes followed.
Some out of curiosity.Some out of discomfort.Some… with disgust.
And then—
From the left wing of the building:
"Guess she did sleep with him."
Soft. Hissed.
But loud enough.
Yumi heard it too.
Her neck snapped toward the voice, but the crowd swallowed it.
She turned to Akiro.
He didn't flinch.
Didn't frown.
He just stared ahead.
Expression blank.
But his fists?They were clenched so hard his nails were slicing skin.
At lunch, they tried to sit together.
Tried.
But the whispers followed:
"Charity case.""He probably threatened her.""That hoodie? Must be her kink.""You see the way she looks at him?"
Yumi stood up.
Dragged her tray off the table.
Didn't speak.
Didn't scream.
Just stared at each face like she was memorizing who deserved fire later.
Akiro stood too.
He reached for her hand.
She didn't hesitate.
Fingers locked.
And just like that—
The rumors stopped whispering and started howling.
They left the cafeteria.
Found the art room empty.
Door locked.
Blinds down.
Yumi leaned back against the table, staring at nothing.
Akiro leaned beside her, exhaling slow.
"This is what we get," he muttered.
"For what?" she asked.
He looked over.
"For trying to love in a place that thinks people like us don't deserve it."
She turned her face to him.
And for a moment, it was quiet again.
Almost soft.
Almost.
Until he added, low:
"If they're gonna treat me like a monster… maybe I should stop pretending to be human."
She blinked.
Frowned.
He didn't mean it.
Or maybe he did.
And maybe… she wasn't ready for that truth.