The two quietly made their way to class, taking in their new surroundings with opposite levels of interest. To Saito, a school was a school no matter where he went. But Miyu seemed like a child in a candy shop, sometimes pausing just to get a longer look at a certain room or group of students. He parted his lips, but no words came out as he wasn't even sure where to start. It seemed that if any interaction between the two didn't end in silence, it would begin with it. Though they saw each other daily, resided in the same large estate, and were of similar ages, it was never his place to ask questions and he kept them to a bare minimum when speaking with her.
"No way! Miyu, Saito! Over here!" As they arrived at their destined homeroom, the same three sets of eyes they'd seen this morning were huddled around Eliza's desk. Instantly, Hide and Anri seized the spaces of the nearby desks, reserving them for their newly made friends. Saito was the first to seat himself with a quiet Miyu trailing behind him. "What are the chances?!" Anri was overly energetic at the revelation of sharing the same class, a grin spread ear to ear across her face.
"That means I get your votes for class representative?! Right?!!?" Hide seemed ecstatic at raising his chances for election but was soon deflated as Eliza pointed out that it was merely the first day of school. Though he didn't ask further questions concerning the election, he didn't seem so easily ready to back down quite yet. "So what brings you to Kobayari? Are you returning from overseas? Did you get kicked out of your last school? Is Miyu Hidekazu a troublemaker?!?!"
Miyu felt small under his rapid-fire style of questioning, but it also reminded her of the way questions in her head swirled. Is this what would happen were she to try to voice them? The idea of being so open made her stomach turn but simultaneously, she could only respect Hide's social confidence. It was something she'd wished she'd been able to pick up herself.
"N-no...I just wanted a change of scenery." He peered down at her intensely, almost as if trying to decide whether she was lying. Miyu didn't dare to meet his eyes, staring down at her desk in resignation. She blinked and, for a moment, imagined the same etchings at her previous school before her eyes. She blinked again and the surface was entirely clean.
"Wahh, changing expensive schools just because you want to? KazuCorps must have some serious bank."
"And what about you?" They turned toward Saito who had, until now, been watching the exchange with calculating eyes. The question seemed threatening, almost like an unspoken warning danced with the words as he pointed them toward Hide.
"Huh? Me? What do you mean?" On the other hand, Hide was clueless as he stared into the opposite's violet orbs with matching intensity.
"This is an elite school. Most of the people who attend are children of senators, businessmen, and the like. She's introduced herself properly, but I can't say the same for you." 'What are your connections?' was the message Saito had so elegantly wrapped. He never missed details, prying for information about those around him whenever possible. That's simply the type of person he was.
But his diligence to his position as bodyguard left the atmosphere tense, and Anri's grin had been reduced to a nervous smile as Eliza fiddled with their fingers, uninterested in joining in on the chaos. Miyu sat stone-faced. She masked her interest in the answer with an expression worthy of poker.
Hide, however, was unable to catch any of the apparent signs. He broke the air with a grin, rubbing the back of his head dismissively as he spoke to Saito.
"Ah! My dad is an executive for Doyoda. He thinks my experience here will help me when I get into the car business! You know, it's never too early to start networking."
"You like cars?" Miyu surprised herself with the question as she peered at Hide who had grown visibly excited at the question.
"Do I like cars?!" His tone was incredulous. "I LOVE cars. I've loved them since my dad took me into his office! People say stuff like Wesla is the future, and they're cool n' all, but I think there's nothing like a car that just purrs, y'know?!" He continued, voice carrying throughout the class. He was met with a series of groans following from the other students who had probably heard this spiel a thousand times over. He didn't notice...or perhaps chose not to?
"Hide can name practically any car on the street. It's a game he insists on playing when we hang out, but he wins by a mile every time." Eliza quietly turned in her chair, a gentle smile on her lips as she explained his obsession quietly to Miyu who could only listen in wonder, unaware of Saito's curious eyes examining the situation beside her. They may have come to the school together, but it felt as if he were meeting Miyu again for the first time. A smile threatened to surface but he focused on putting away his items as a distraction.
Lunch came around much faster than they had expected. Miyu felt as if she hadn't gotten to know her classmates that well or the building itself.
"Ojou, I'll escort you." Saito offered quietly as both rose from their chairs.
"Oh! Oh! Sit with us!" Anri placed an arm around Miyu's shoulders, dragging her before Saito had even had a chance to react. His lips pressed into an exhausted line and moved to follow them toward the cafeteria.
During their walk, he kept a keen eye on those around them while also planning out any emergency exits just in case a situation arose. He could tell at a glance that Miyu was uncomfortable being so close to another, but in the back of his mind, he thought that this might be a good chance to see if she'd open up.
They arrived at the cafeteria around the same time as most other students.
"I'll get your plate for you." He received only a half-attempted nod from the silver-haired girl, as she was deep in conversation with Anri about something on her phone. Saito couldn't help but crack a small smile when he stepped away. It was the first time he'd ever seen her look so normal.
When he returned, he noticed she and Eliza standing up from the table. Confused, he set the tray down in front of her, but before he could ask, she'd already answered.
"We're going to the bathroom." His nerves calmed a bit, and he gave a small nod, taking a seat at the table with Anri and Hide who had grown suspiciously quiet in his presence. Despite their silence, he could feel that something wasn't...quite right. He had no need to see them to feel both staring him down, almost as if he were a criminal. Was there actually something on his face?
"Sooooo.." Their attempt to be casual was laughable. Saito set down his chopsticks and took a moment to meet their eyes.
"So?" His voice was calm and cool. They squirmed in their seats, seemingly having an internal quarrel. Anri was the first to crack.
She set her hands on the table, leaning forward with a huff.
"So are you secretly dating? How long have you two been together?" He hadn't had time to start eating, but Saito could've sworn he'd felt himself choking with wide eyes at such a ridiculous question. Hide was furiously shaking his head in agreement, and Saito could feel himself growing nauseous just from looking at him.
"No. We are not together." Realizing his tone was a bit harsh, he let out a sigh and continued. "That is not my place. I am simply here to ensure her safety." He sipped his water, beginning to eat. Did they seem like a couple? He had always felt they were barely compatible as-is.
"What are you? Like a bodyguard?" This time, Hide had posed the question which was promptly met and ignored by an uninterested Saito. Absurd.