The train was crowded. Figures. Morning rush hour. People packed in like pixels on a broken screen—blurry, buzzing, too close.
I leaned against the pole by the door, earphones in, no music playing. Just white plastic and silence.
That's when I saw it.
Some guy. Middle-aged, suit too tight, eyes looking everywhere but where they should.
His hand was somewhere it shouldn't be—on the girl in front of him. Her body stiff, her face turned away like she could vanish if she tried hard enough.
Tch.
I hate that kind of thing. Not because I'm a hero. It's just... gross. A waste of space.
I sighed, pulled out one earbud. Stepped forward.
My hand caught his wrist. Gentle. Firm. Like pressing pause.
He looked up, confused.
"Hey," I said. My voice was soft. Almost bored. "That's not yours."
He stammered something. I didn't care enough to listen.
I twisted his wrist just enough to make a point. He yelped, pulled back. The girl moved away fast, shrinking into the crowd.
I let go.
"Next stop's yours," I told him. "Get off."
The doors opened. He left.
I went back to my spot, put my earbud in again. The girl glanced at me once. I didn't say anything. Just closed my eyes.
Too early for this kind of crap.
Soon the train came to a stop. My stop.
Adjusting the strap of my bag hanging off my shoulder, I stepped out. Heading for school with heavy steps.
School sucks.
* * *
"So that happened?"
Reo Mikage's voice came way too close, his face practically invading my personal space.
"Yeah," I mumbled, leaning back a little. "And can you not breathe on me?"
I gave his face a lazy push. Not hard—just enough to make him stumble slightly in his chair.
"Oi, you trying to kill me or what?" he snapped, adjusting himself. His purple hair ruffled from the breeze drifting in through the open window.
I yawned. "Nah. But if I was, I'd let your breath do the job."
His eyes narrowed. "You saying my breath stinks?"
"I didn't say that. You did." I shrugged. "Guilty conscience or something?"
Reo was just about ready to lunge at me when the classroom door slid open.
The homeroom teacher stepped in, voice sharp as always, telling everyone to sit down.
Reo huffed and returned to his seat.
I slouched deeper into mine, pulling my hood up. Peace—temporarily restored.
After that, through the 1st to 4th periods. It was all a total blur.
Didn't listen. Didn't care. Slept through all of it.
Got called out once or twice. Didn't even bother lifting my head. Eventually, they stopped trying.
Why? Easy.
Because I'm smart.
Homework? Reo lets me copy his. He complains like it's the end of the world, but he still slides the paper over every time.
Exams? I cram the night before. Barely. Still land above average. Been doing that since middle school. Never failed me.
"Oi, Nagi."
A tap on my head. I ignored it.
Then he tugged my hood back, pulling the collar against my neck. Not painful, just annoying enough to make me lift my head.
"Tch... What?"
I shot a look at Reo. He looked way too energetic for someone who just sat through four periods of mind-numbing boredom.
"It's lunch, get your lazy ass up."
Then—smack.
A chop to the head.
I stared at him. "That hurt. You owe me food now."
He rolled his eyes.
I yawned.
Fair trade.
* * *
We went to our usual lunch spot. Somewhere out on the school grounds. Secluded. Quiet.
Don't ask me where it is—I never bothered to remember. I just follow Reo. He's the kind of guy who remembers useless details like that.
Guess it's not that useless, though. The quiet's nice.
It's not like the classroom or cafeteria are bad, really. But Reo once said, "I dislike chaotic and loud places."
Rich kid stuff, probably. Whatever.
Me? I just don't like noise. Or crowds. Or anything that feels like too much. So yeah, I guess this peaceful little corner he found… kinda grew on me.
"Over here," Reo said, already setting the lunchboxes down on this concrete bench tucked behind the tall back wall of the school.
I dragged my feet as I walked up, yawning. "Why do we always eat all the way out here…"
"Because the cafeteria's loud. You hate loud."
"…Tch. Still a pain."
But I sat anyway. The bench was warm from the sun, and I slouched back against the wall without thinking.
Reo passed me a bento. It looked fancy. Balanced, colorful, probably made by some private chef or something.
"You didn't bring lunch again," he said.
I popped open the lid. "Didn't need to. Knew you'd bring it for me."
He clicked his tongue. "You're lucky I plan ahead."
"I know."
We ate in silence. Just the cicadas buzzing somewhere in the trees. The wind. Chopsticks clicking.
No teachers. No background noise. Just Reo, lunch, and time slowing down.
It was good.
"Hey," he said after a while. "Are you even awake right now? Or are you just sleep-eating?"
"Bit of both."
He laughed—just a quiet one. The kind you almost miss.
I leaned back again, looking up at the sky through half-lidded eyes. Blue and open, like there was nothing I had to do and nowhere I had to be.
I could get used to this.
Actually… I already had.
~
(End of chapter)