On a cloudy day at Nada High School, Furayu sat alone in a cold classroom. Even though it was May, a torrential downpour beat on the windows. The harsh rain battered the windows, drowning out Ms Suzuki's voice as Furayu became lost in his thoughts.
Next to him sat an empty chair, usually filled by the one who anchored his emotional state.
He sighed heavily, thinking about the antics they could be getting up to. Whispering in the back, playing rock, paper, scissors at the back. It felt that class could be fun with her.
"Furayu!" Ms Suzuki's voice cut through his happy day dream like a blade.
"A-ahh yes miss!" He stammered, jolting upright.
"Detention after school." She snapped.
Sighing, resigning himself to the punishment
"Yes Miss." Furayu muttered, feeling a sense of despair.
Ahhh, how am I going to make sure Ren's feeling better? His mind slipped away again.
Back to that morning.
"Furaayuuuuu." A whining voice called out.
The sunlight poured through the window, casting a haze of rays along Furayu's face. Illuminating the dust that hung in the air lazily.
"Mmmm?" He groaned.
His eyes fluttering to the sight of his room, now filled with life, another person occupying it made it feel more alive. A feeble arm reached out from beneath the duvet, shaking him with surprising force.
Her small hand tugged at him persistently, dragging his body to half hang over the bed and toward the floor.
"Come here…please…" She murmured, her voice laced with drowsiness. Those words, even though gentle, had carried a strong pull, bringing him crashing down to earth.
"UWWWAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Furayu yelped, tumbling onto Ren's makeshift bed.
Catching himself just in time, locking his arms onto the floor into a turret like position, stopping himself from landing completely on top of the defenseless Ren. Even through the oversized shirt and the sheer bagginess of the clothes she wore, he couldn't help but notice the subtle outlines in her figure. Though she had never dressed in any revealing manner, her natural figure still took full attention of his mind. Ideal, unreal and yet pleased his eye.
"S-Sorry…" He muttered, slowly hyperventilating, trying to hide his embarrassment.
To any high school boy, this type of scene would have felt like a fever dream allowing them to relish in their youth. Yet Furayu was living in it.
Ren replied with silence. Simply wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down into a tight embrace. Letting herself nestle within the crook of his neck, she inhaled deeply, taking in his scent like it was the comfort she needed to keep herself alive.
"Ren… you okay?" He asked, voice low and cautious. His mind raced, desperately trying to find a way out of the moment before it escalated into madness.
She replied with a soft, drawn-out hum. It was feverish and slightly weak but content. Her voice seemed to linger in the air
Is she actually enjoying this? Furayu's thoughts spun like a whirlwind.
"I'll get you something to dri-"
Before he could finish, her arms tightened around him. Heat surged from her body, seeping into him. It wasn't just a fever, it was the softness of her skin, her body moulded with his. The warmth of her presence began to break him down. He relaxed against her, letting himself melt onto her frame.
"That's it…" She whispered, voice calm and satisfied.
He exhaled, it was comfortable, but the awkwardness of lying directly on top of her still irked him in some sense.
"EEEKKKK!" Ren squeaked as Furayu shifted, now beside her.
Their eyes met. She shifted closer. Their breath brushed across one another's face.
This fleeting moment felt like a once in a lifetime thing. For some moments like these had come in different forms. But for Ren, it was here and now.
"Could you stop poking me with your elbow?" She asked, irritated.
Furayu responded with silence. He began to shift uncomfortably.
"Move whatever that is!" She snapped, trying to protect such an intimate moment..
Pushing him away, frustrated. Then paused. The realisation dawned on her.
"oh…"
"IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK." Furayu blurted in a frenzy, covering himself, red faced.
Ren sat there, bewildered and unable to form a coherent reply.
"I'm just gonna go to the… bathroom." She mumbled, forcing a smile and slipping out the room.
Furayu watched her scamper out the room. His heart fell into an unimaginable embarrassment.
"I completely fucked up…" He whispered to himself.
A nudge shook him back to the present. The fleeting memory of the morning faded.
"Wake up. Idiot, I'm here now." Inoue sneered.
Furayu stiffened, why is she here?
"Calm down, calm down. Let's just eat." Hina sighed, fed up of the both of them.
The three sat in silence, the tense atmosphere thick enough to choke someone unconscious.
Inoue broke the tension.
"You're helping me with taking the boxes to science." Inoue said, turning her head to Furayu.
"Why me?" Replying flatly.
"Because you're a guy." She snapped.
What is this girl's problem? She acts like a complete brat, Furayu thought, a feeling of uneasiness took over. Maybe she is… Maybe that's why she's so fucking insufferable.
Looking at her, you'd think she was perfect. Beautiful. Angelic. The kind of girl that was dreamt about from afar. But instead she sat across him scoffing a sandwich, giving him grimacing looks. That angelic appeal is almost torn apart by her behaviour but still put on a pedestal by girls.
Her personality, the way she spoke. He was treated like he was a dog. Made it hard for him to breathe through the rage he withheld. Biting his tongue, not wanting to start any type of conflict in such a tense atmosphere.
"Fine. I'll help." He unwillingly replied after some thought.
The silence continued, the three of them continued to eat, the occasional click and clatter of miscellaneous objects broke the silence.
Finishing his last bite and closing his bento. Inoue reacting to this, stood up abruply, brushing herself off.
"Boxes. Now." She said arrogantly. Already turning to the boxes and picking a couple up.
Furayu groaned under his breath, but stood up anyway. Not in the mood to argue, especially not with her.
"We're going to the vending machine then going to science." Furayu muttered, he felt a shudder down his spine knowing that he's going to argue with her.
"Fine but you're getting me something." Inoue snapped at him.
"Okay." He replied blandly, deciding it wasn't worth it to try to start an argument.
"Have fun." Hina scoffed, giving them a wave of relief as she watched them leave.
The two walked side by side, silence followed behind them like a shadow. The air thick with tension, only broken by the hum of the vending machines ahead. With boxes in their arms, the footsteps of theirs echoed softly down the hallway.
"Furayu, why are you so annoying?" Inoue asked, her tone full of condescension.
"Why are you such a bitch." He shot back with venom.
The words hung in the air for a second before Inoue let the boxes she was holding fall. The thud echoed through the hall, halting what felt like the entire world for a brief, breathless moment.
"I'm a what?" She growled, her voice and seething with rage as she slowly turned herself toward Furayu.
"Bitch." Furayu replied, his expression unreadable.
Inoue's eyes flickered and widened. The pure bloodlust exuded from her stare.
Furayu blankly stared back, confused.
"You okay?" He casually asked, as he walked further down the corridor.
Her stare pierced into him.
The atmosphere tense.