Monday came and went like a blur.
Sakuragi Renji moved through the halls like a ghost—silent, unnoticed, forgettable. He found the quiet corners, took the back seat in class, and always looked just slightly away from people.
He didn't try to be invisible.He was invisible.
No one greeted him. No one asked questions. And that was just how he liked it.
By Wednesday, the class had already formed its little cliques. The loud boys, the study nerds, the girls who giggled too much—it was the same tired formula from middle school.
"Yo, you saw that new anime?""Sensei's already giving homework, man…""Ugh, this uniform makes my chest look flat—don't look, idiot!"
Renji sat by the window, eyes on the clouds, pencil moving quietly on his notebook.
The teacher was explaining something about quadratic equations. He'd already solved the entire worksheet.
Someone tried to whisper across to him during math.
"Hey… um, Sakuragi-kun, right? Can I borrow a ruler?"
He didn't even glance their way. Just slid the ruler across the desk silently.
"...Thanks."
He said nothing.
Lunchtime was always on the rooftop.
The first day, it was empty.
By day three, a couple of second-years showed up—but when they saw him already sitting there, they gave him a weird look and left.
He ate his cold rice alone, watching the city skyline.
A crow landed on the railing nearby, staring at him.
"Tch. Jealous you can fly."
On Thursday, something strange happened.
The teacher handed back an essay they'd written for orientation week.
"Good work, Sakuragi-kun," he said, eyebrows slightly raised. "You write with… unusual clarity."
Some students turned their heads. Renji stared down at the paper.Full marks. Red ink circled the teacher's comment:
"Your thoughts are deep. You've experienced pain, haven't you?"
He hated that.
Don't read into me. Don't pretend to understand me.
He crushed the paper slightly as he stuffed it into his bag.
That afternoon, as class ended, one of the girls approached his desk.
She had short hair, lively eyes, and a curious expression.
"Hey… Sakuragi-kun?"
Renji blinked slowly, not answering.
"I read your essay. You're kinda intense, huh?"
He stared at her.
She didn't flinch.
Most people would've backed off by now.
She offered a smile. "Anyway… cool writing. You should, like, do novels or something."
He didn't respond. Not even a nod.
She stood there awkwardly, waiting. After a moment, she gave a small shrug and walked off.
He let out a slow exhale.
People like that… they always lose interest fast.
By Friday, the week felt exactly like every other school week before it.
Classes. Silence. Loneliness.
But that night, as he walked home, the streetlight hit just right—and he caught a glimpse of himself in a store window.
His reflection looked like someone else.
A stranger with dead eyes.
He paused.
"Do I even look alive anymore?"
A couple walked past, laughing.
He clenched his fists.
Just three years.Graduate.Disappear.
That plan still stood.
But for the first time… something whispered inside him.
Would it really hurt to be seen—just once?
End of Chapter 2