"...up...wake...wake up already!"
"Ugh..."
"My god you slept like a log! How was your nap sleeping beauty? Teacher's already here."
Groggily picking his head up from the desk, Hui rubbed his eyes and blinked once. Then twice. And then a third time while looking around the room. All gray. The clamor of the morning was replaced by the clearing of a throat at the front of the classroom, calling for the attention of all students.
Standing at the front of the classroom was the teacher, Mr. Miszer. His last name was close enough to Mister so everyone just called him Mister. He was in his early to mid-twenties, but relatively plain-looking. In every sense of the word, he was just a teacher. Nothing more, nothing less, unlike what would be found in novels, but that resonated Hui.
Hui felt that the teacher wasn't all that much different from the rest of them, just having graduated university and becoming a teacher and yet he was dedicated to his job. Not trying to openly befriend students or act with the 'latest new trends' popular among the students. Mister was someone Hui could respect and feel relaxed around so he couldn't help but smile even during his boring lectures.
The atmosphere created by Mister was much more compatible with Hui than the atmosphere of the students who made him feel out of place.
"I'm sure you're all excited about the transfer student, but their parents called in saying they were out with a cold so they will not be attending until further notice. And with that out of the way, class begins now."
Not giving the students enough time to process the information and start a commotion, the teacher began the lesson. He was known to be more strict than other teachers so interruptions such as talking would not be tolerated. This left everyone fidgety and wanting to talk, but being unable to, making a restless atmosphere.
By the time lunch rolled around, however, the initial shock had worn off and students carried on as if a transfer student never existed at all. It was already winter in their second year of high school so cliques had been made and a routine already formed. Without the shock factor, the news of no new student was hardly enough to disrupt the status quo.
"Ahhh, it's finally lunch time! Let's eat," said Min, turning around to face Hui while stretching. Benjamin Ace had wavy black hair and a nice face fitting him as he was one of the more popular people in the class. He was easy going and easy to get along with so he had a lot of friends from various circles. That being said, although he had all the makings of a protagonist, he was still part of the go home club with Hui.
"Min, Hui! Let's eat lunch together!"
Coming to the back corner of the room to greet the two of them was a girl, also part of the go home club with them, Maki Shiba, also known as Kii. She had short, brown hair with side swept bangs and was an outgoing person who could be touchy-feely at times—the exact opposite of Hui. Hui didn't dislike her, but he didn't know how to act with her.
She went to the same middle school as Min and lived in the same neighborhood, so by association in high school, she came to know Hui and became a part of the group. Her body was well toned from doing track and field in middle school, but after relaxing for a year and a half in high school, it had begun to mellow out.
She pulled up a chair from nearby and sat by the side of Hui's desk before unpacking her lunchbox. Her lunch consisted of rice balls dotted with seaweed and sesame seeds, two hard boiled eggs, bite-sized hotdogs, and stir-fried vegetables.
"That's a pretty nice lunch you got there, Kii."
Hearing that praise, Kii puffed her chest out with her hands on her hips and a smug looking face. "I made it myself this morning! What did you bring Min?"
"I just bought some bread from a bakery on the way to school. You, Hui?"
"I forgot bring lunch today."
"Oh! In that case, I'll give you some of mine! Say ahhhh!" Kii eagerly picked up a rice ball with her chopsticks and held it towards him.
Hui looked away feeling self-conscious, but his face was still a mask of indifference. Although he was aware of himself as being indifferent to everything, it didn't mean that he was unfeeling like a robot. He just didn't have those strong feelings of passion like an athlete might have towards their sport.
Hui couldn't help but wonder if it was normal to mind or not. If feeding a friend of an opposite gender like that was a normal thing people do or was it just her? Regardless, he definitely minded and wouldn't be eating that.
"—Eh. You're gonna eat rice balls with chopsticks instead of your hands?" Min interrupted while looking at her with a weird expression on his face, as if he was looking at some kind of alien.
"Ehhhh~ Well I don't want to get my hands dirty eating."
"Then why bother making rice balls in the first place!?"
"It's easier to pick up isn't it? I can just take a bite of it, put it down, and eat something else before going back," said Kii while doing those actions. "See? Simple isn't."
"Now that I see it... yeah it makes sense. I might do that too next time."
"Right~!" Kii was looking smug once again. It was the kind of face that would make anyone want to knock her down a peg. Hui couldn't help but poke her sides which made her squirm from ticklishness.
"Hey, what was that for!" Kii shouted with a pout, cheeks puffed up and clutching her sides.
"Sorry, I just had to do it. It's the law." Hui said through a smirk. Min looked back at him with a smirk of his own and they fist bumped other.
"Couldn't have said it any better myself. With a face like that she was just asking for it."
"What kind of law is that and what's wrong with my face huh!" Kii tried giving off her most menacing glare, but it only came off as cute. It didn't last long, however, as this banter and small arguing was a common routine in the few months they've known each other. Their faces dropped back into small smiles. "So Hui, do you want my lunch or not?"
"No it's fine. I'm gonna go chill at the library. Have fun eating I guess." Hui was already halfway out of his seat while talking. He walked out of the class without looking back. His face quickly returned to a neutral and his eyes drooped tiredly. His deadpan expression made him someone that others would stay away from as he walked alone towards the library.
*
"He just up and left huh."
"Yup, seems so."
Benjamin and Maki watched his back as he left the room and didn't let their gaze wander for some time.
"He didn't even want my lunch after I offered it so nicely. He even looked like he was pretty put off by it and made a quick retreat—how rude! He probably thinks it tastes bad!" Maki was practically fuming. What angered her the most was the fact that Hui had refused to eat something she made herself. It was a matter of pride.
"In that case, can I have some?" Min happily replied.
"Ehhhh..."
"What's with this difference in treatment?!"
"Well there's a difference between offering food and being asked for food y'know..." Regardless of what she was saying, she still picked up a rice ball and slowly and shakily moved it towards Min, but hesitation was clearly as she kept stopping, pulling back, and moving forward again. "Here you go..."
Kii's eyes kept glancing at her food and away again. Min could only sit there in silence watching her one man show play out.
"You know what, you can keep your food." Min said with a sigh, unable to take the silent pressure placed on him.
"Really?! Thanks Min, I was starving!" Kii instantly perked up again, but it was immediately cut short.
"Tsk." The sound of a clicking tongue was heard. This came from a girl who sat in the center of the room. Amy Reine, one of the overbearing popular types. She had blonde, wavy hair that reached just beneath her shoulders.
Around her were her equals, Beatrice Brie and Casey Cie. Together they form the ABCs, the name which people call them behind their backs.
Amy was glaring right at Min and Kii while Beatrice and Casey cast glances at them and giggled to each other.
The silent pressure caused Min and Kii to quiet down and eat their lunch in silence. With nothing else to do, they sighed and stared out the window at the gloomy sky above.