All the boys in the room were already staring at her, eyes wide, practically falling over themselves. Meanwhile, I just sat there, wondering if she even remembered me.
"My name is Faye Pioneer" she said, her voice cool and steady. "I live on Street 011. I like cats. And I'm applying for the student council."
The introduction was simple, but her tone carried a calm confidence—almost distant, like she was speaking from somewhere none of us could reach.
"Fritz Gruger," the teacher's sharp voice cut in, tone like a blade. "I've been told you're insufferably loud whenever you sit beside Mr. Kuziya."
The class instantly snickered. Fritz straightened in his seat, pointing at himself. "Eh? Me? Loud? Ha!"
"From now on, you'll be sitting there." She pointed toward the desk right in front of the door—the class equivalent of Siberia.
The room erupted in muffled laughter.
"Wha—?!" Fritz shot up, clutching his chest. "Teach, that's exile! That's solitary confinement! This is cruelty!"
"Sit." she said flatly.
He deflated, dragging his feet toward his new seat like a prisoner on death row.
"And Miss Pioneer," the teacher continued, "you'll take his former chair."
Faye moved gracefully toward the desk beside me, while Fritz groaned from the corner, muttering something about "friendship betrayal" under his breath.
She never once looked my way, nor did she notice me stealing glances at her. Without hesitation, she walked toward Fritz's old seat and sat down with effortless grace.
Almost instantly, the boys swarmed around her, their desks scraping closer, their voices loud with forced laughter as they scrambled for even a fraction of her attention.
Meanwhile, Fritz sat hunched at his new desk by the door, sulking like a puppy abandoned in the rain. His shoulders sagged, his face a picture of betrayal.
"BOYS, back to your own seats," the teacher snapped, her voice sharp enough to cut through the noise.
I didn't say anything. My throat felt tight, like words would get stuck halfway if I even tried.
Mostly, I was afraid—afraid that she'd completely forgotten me. That all those memories I held onto were just one-sided relics of childhood. And here I was, overthinking everything like an idiot.
The teacher finally left the classroom, heels clicking down the hall until the door shut behind her.
Almost instantly, the boys sprang back into motion, swarming Faye's desk again like moths to a flame.
"Uh, h-hey, Peoneer-san! If you need someone to show you around, I'm your guy!" one blurted, practically leaning over her desk.
"Oi, back off! She obviously wants someone smarter. Peoneer-san, if you're thinking about student council, I can introduce you to the president!" another cut in, puffing out his chest.
"Forget that—Faye-chan, do you like cats? 'Cause, uh, I've got three at home!"
Their voices overlapped, eager and desperate, each one trying to outdo the other. A chorus of clumsy laughter and nervous stammers filled the room, like some kind of circus act unfolding right before my eyes.
Just as the noise around Faye reached its peak, the door slid open again.
Another teacher walked in, carrying a thick book under his arm, his glasses sliding down the bridge of his nose. His presence wasn't as sharp as our homeroom teacher's, but the room still settled quickly.
"Alright, class," he said, setting his things on the desk with a dull thud. "Open your books. We have a long discussion today."
Groans rippled through the boys, but they finally peeled themselves away from Faye, shuffling back to their seats like scolded puppies.
The classroom fell into a more familiar rhythm—pages flipping, pens scratching, the steady drone of the teacher's voice filling the air.
But no matter how hard I tried to focus on the words, my mind kept drifting—back to the girl sitting just a few feet away, her silver hair catching the light, her presence impossible to ignore.
In the middle of class, my pen slipped from my fingers and clattered to the floor, rolling across the aisle.
I bent down quickly, reaching for it—only to see it bump against the tip of Faye's shoe.
To my surprise, instead of stopping, it nudged forward, rolling just out of my reach.
"Wha—?" I froze for a second, my hand hovering awkwardly midair.
I glanced up at her.
Her posture was perfect, eyes glued to her book, expression calm and unreadable. She didn't even flinch, didn't so much as glance at me.
So… she didn't notice? Or maybe it was just an accident?
I swallowed, muttering under my breath as I leaned farther out of my seat to grab the pen before it rolled any further.
KRINGGG—!
The bell shrieked, cutting through the steady drone of the lecture.
Finally. Break time.
Chairs scraped against the floor as everyone shot up almost in unison—some heading straight for the cafeteria, others clustering in groups to chatter and laugh. The room filled with energy, the kind that only came after surviving a long, boring discussion.
I let out a quiet sigh, leaning back in my chair. My pen—secure in my grip this time—tapped absently against my notebook.
Across the room, the boys were already circling around Faye again, their voices a mix of eagerness and awkward attempts to impress her.
Meanwhile, Fritz dropped into my desk space, slamming his palm against my table with a grin.
"Break time, my boy! Let's grab some foods before the vultures clear out the cafeteria."
But just as I was about to give in to Fritz's idea, a movement outside the window caught my eye.
A small figure lingered in the hallway, half-hidden behind the doorway—her short black bob peeking through the glass.
Aranami.
She wasn't coming inside, just… peeking in. Her eyes scanned the room like she was looking for someone. For me.
My chest tightened.
Even with all the noise in the classroom—Fritz babbling, the guys fawning over Faye—her presence pulled my attention completely. She looked hesitant, almost timid, like stepping through the door was a battle in itself.
What's she doing here? Looking for me?
Her eyes shifted, and for a second, they landed on mine.
"Later, Fritz," I muttered, standing up before he could rope me into anything else.
He blinked. "Eh? Where you going, my boy?"
"Just later, Fritz." I tossed over my shoulder, already heading for the door.
The chatter of the classroom faded behind me as I stepped into the hallway. Aranami straightened the moment I appeared, her fingers nervously tugging at the hem of her skirt.
Up close, she looked… relieved. Like she'd been waiting.
"Aranami?" I asked softly, trying to read her expression.
"U-uhm… Reui-san, d-do you want to eat together?" she asked, voice timid, stuttering, her eyes darting everywhere but me.
Before I could answer—
"AHHH! CUTE STUDENT ALERT!" a loud, irritating voice exploded behind me.
I stiffened. Of course. Fritz.
I turned to face him. His expression froze somewhere between shock, delight, and outright awe as his eyes locked onto Aranami. To be honest, it ticked me off more than I wanted to admit.
"Short hair… oversized glasses… cute face…" Fritz muttered in a daze, like he was describing the love of his life.
Then, before I could stop him, he strutted right past me, grabbed Aranami's hand, and declared with dramatic flourish, "It's fate! From this moment on, you shall be my future wife!"
Damn… this douche has some oddly specific taste. So that's why he didn't go crawling all over Faye, I thought bitterly.
But before I could open my mouth, Aranami yanked her hand free, swinging his grip off with surprising force.
Aranami shifted uncomfortably, her gaze flickering to me like she was silently asking for help. The way her shoulders tensed, the way her hand lingered awkwardly at her side—it was obvious she wasn't okay with this.
It bugged me. More than it should've.
"Back off, Fritz," I said flatly, stepping closer. My eyes narrowed at him. "Look—she doesn't like it."
Fritz blinked at me, then glanced at Aranami, finally noticing the way she hugged her arms to herself.
"Wait—this is the girl you were walking with earlier?" Fritz's face twisted into a mix of shock, confusion, and pure idiocy.
"Yeah." I answered simply, glancing at Aranami as I said it. To my surprise, her expression softened—happy, almost content—and there was even the faintest blush coloring her cheeks.
Then, in true Fritz fashion, he dramatically clutched his chest. "My heart… shattered! Betrayed by my own boy best friend!"
He collapsed to the floor in an exaggerated heap, earning a few stares from passing students.
Fritz suddenly sprang back to his feet, clutching his chest like some tragic hero reborn. His eyes locked onto Aranami with fiery determination.
"If my boy here ever betrays you," he declared, voice ringing with ridiculous passion, "just remember—I will always be here for you!"
A couple of students passing by snorted with laughter. I just pinched the bridge of my nose, already feeling a headache coming on.
"The hell's going on with you, Fritz?" I said, trying to sound playful—but the way he kept declaring his undying love for Aranami was starting to grate on me. I shoved that feeling down before it got too obvious.
"Oh, you don't get it, Reui, my boy!" Fritz announced dramatically, eyes practically sparkling as he clasped his hands together. "Short hair, oversized glasses—women like that are fucking perfect!" His gaze never wavered from Aranami, like he was about two seconds away from proposing marriage right there in the hallway.
Aranami shrank back a little, clearly overwhelmed, her blush deepening as she adjusted her glasses nervously.
"Okay, that's enough chit-chat." I grabbed Fritz by the collar and yanked him a step back, away from Aranami. He flailed a little, whining, but I ignored him.
Turning back, I softened my tone. "So… what were you saying, Aranami-san?"
She blinked, still a bit flustered, but managed a small smile. "A-ah… I was asking if you wanted to eat lunch together…"
"S-sure, let's head off and hit the cafeteria then," I replied without thinking.
But she shook her head softly, her gaze lowering as her fingers brushed the strap of her bag. "U-uhm, well… I-I have my own food that I packed. Enough for both of us, actually…" She hesitated, cheeks tinting pink. "C-can we maybe… find a more private place to eat?"
Her words hit me harder than they should've. Private. Just the two of us.
I swallowed, forcing myself to nod casually—like my heart wasn't doing backflips. "Yeah… sure. Lead the way."
"W-wait, Reui! Are you really leaving me?" Fritz's voice cracked behind us, dropping lower as we leave him behind.