Mao was calm, quiet, and serious. At Cresthill High, where drama thrived in every hallway and lunchroom rumor spread faster than wildfire, he was an outlier—someone who didn't chase attention, didn't speak unless necessary, and never once posted a selfie.
People noticed, though. Not because he was flashy, but because he wasn't.
He always sat in the back row, near the window, in every class. His grades were flawless. His uniform was always neat. Teachers liked him. Students respected him—from a distance.
Then came the new girl, Hana.
She took his seat on the first day without realizing it. When he walked in and paused beside her desk, the whole class held its breath. No one had ever seen Mao thrown off balance.
But instead of asking her to move, he simply nodded and took the seat next to hers. It was the smallest shift—barely noticeable—but in a school like Cresthill, it was seismic.
For the first time, Mao spoke before being spoken to.
"You like the window, too?"
Hana blinked, surprised. She hadn't expected him to talk—not to her, not to anyone. His voice was quiet, almost careful, like he chose each word before letting it out.
"Yeah," she said, giving a small smile. "It feels like the only escape in this place."
Mao nodded, his gaze shifting out the window for a moment. "Same."
They didn't say anything else that day. But the next morning, Hana left the seat by the window empty. Mao sat down without a word. After a few seconds, she pulled out a granola bar and slid half of it across the desk.
"Trade for a pen?" she asked.
He handed her his favorite gel pen without hesitation.
That became their silent routine. Shared snacks, exchanged supplies, the occasional glance when the teacher said something ridiculous. It wasn't dramatic. It wasn't loud. But day by day, something started to bloom—quietly, like the way light filters through clouds.
One Friday, as the final bell rang, Mao waited by the classroom door.
"Want to walk home together?" he asked, eyes not quite meeting hers.
Hana smiled, shouldering her bag.
"I thought you'd never ask.