Shiriku shuffled into the empty classroom, his steps sluggish from the lack of sleep. With a yawn, he plopped himself down at his desk, feeling the exhaustion weigh heavily on his eyelids. The soft hum of the fluorescent lights overhead and the gentle rustle of paper from the open window curtains lulled him into a drowsy state.
As the minutes ticked by, Shiriku's eyelids grew heavier, and he found himself succumbing to the irresistible pull of sleep. With a sigh, he rested his head on his crossed arms, using them as a makeshift pillow. His face pressed against the cool surface of the desk, and he let out a contented sigh as he closed his eyes, drifting into a light slumber.
The rhythmic sound of his breath mingled with the gentle rustle of the curtains, creating a peaceful ambiance in the otherwise silent classroom. Shiriku's chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm as he surrendered himself to the embrace of sleep.
Occasionally, a faint snore escaped from Shiriku's lips, the sound muffled by the crook of his elbow. His brows furrowed slightly in his sleep, a faint frown tugging at the corners of his lips as he shifted in his seat, searching for a more comfortable position.
Despite his best efforts to stay awake, Shiriku's exhaustion proved to be too much to resist. He drifted deeper into sleep, his breathing slow and steady as he lost himself in the comforting embrace of slumber.
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As Shiriku fell into his sleep, a sound of smacking his desk woke him up and it was Fuyumi. Shiriku let out a yawn and immediately greeted Fuyumi good morning but was cut off by Fuyumi when she handed him a bento box.
Shiriku, feeling a bit awkward from the previous day's encounter, accepted the bento box from Fuyumi with a hesitant smile. He opened his mouth to say something, wanting to address the tension between them, but Fuyumi cut him off before he could utter a word.
"Let's not talk about yesterday," Fuyumi said quickly, her voice tinged with discomfort as she avoided Shiriku's gaze. "Just eat the bento during lunch, and maybe you'll figure out the answer."
Shiriku's expression faltered, his attempt to address the situation thwarted by Fuyumi's abrupt response. He nodded awkwardly, unsure of how to proceed as he accepted the bento box.
"Um, okay," Shiriku replied awkwardly, his voice trailing off as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Thanks, Fuyumi. I'll see you at lunch."
With a forced smile, Fuyumi nodded in return, her eyes avoiding Shiriku's gaze as she quickly returned to her own desk. The atmosphere between them remained tense as Shiriku sat in silence, his mind swirling with unanswered questions and unresolved emotions.
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After 20 minutes, the classroom door swung open, and Sachi breezed in with her usual energetic flair. Her eyes sparkled with positivity as she greeted everyone in the class with a cheerful "Good morning!" Her classmates responded with smiles and returned the greeting, their voices filled with warmth and affection.
"Good morning, Sachi!"
"Hey there, Sachi! You're always so full of energy!"
As Sachi made her way to her desk, her classmates exchanged knowing glances and whispered to each other.
"Sachi is always the sunshine in our classroom."
"You say that again, it's like she brings the good vibes with her wherever she goes."
Approaching Fuyumi's desk, Sachi flashed her a bright smile and greeted her with enthusiasm.
"Hey, Fuyumi! Good morning!"
Fuyumi returned Sachi's greeting with a polite smile, her expression still tinged with a hint of awkwardness from yesterday's encounter.
"Morning, Sachi," Fuyumi replied, her voice polite but reserved.
Sachi's smile faltered slightly at Fuyumi's response, sensing the tension in the air. But she quickly brushed it off, determined to maintain her positive demeanor.
"Yesterday was fun, huh?" Sachi continued, her tone upbeat as she reminisced about their unexpected encounter in the grocery store. "Me, you, and Shiriku unexpectedly meeting in the grocery store."
Fuyumi nodded in agreement, her smile becoming more genuine as she recalled the shared experience.
"Yeah, it was definitely unexpected," Fuyumi replied, her voice softening as she thought back on their encounter.
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After greeting Fuyumi, Sachi turned her attention to Shiriku, her bright smile radiating infectious energy as she approached his desk. "Hey there, Shiriku! Good morning!" she chirped, her voice filled with enthusiasm.
Shiriku glanced up from his desk, squinting slightly at Sachi's exuberant presence. "Ahh, Sachi, your energy is blinding me," he joked with a playful grin, shielding his eyes in mock exaggeration.
Sachi let out a laugh at Shiriku's comment, her laughter ringing out melodiously in the classroom. "Oh, come on, Shiriku! You know you love it!" she teased, nudging him gently with her elbow as she took a seat beside him.
Shiriku chuckled in response, shaking his head fondly at Sachi's antics. "Yeah, yeah, I guess I do," he admitted with a smile, his tone warm despite his teasing.
As Sachi settled into her seat, she turned to Shiriku with a playful glint in her eyes. "I had so much fun yesterday, hanging out with you and Fuyumi in the grocery store," she exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine excitement.
Shiriku's smile widened at Sachi's words, a sense of warmth filling his chest at the memory of their unexpected encounter. "Yeah, me too," he replied, his tone sincere as he recalled the laughter and camaraderie they shared.
Sachi nodded eagerly, her gestures animated as she recounted their adventures from yesterday. "It was such a blast! We should do it again sometime," she suggested, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Shiriku's expression softened at Sachi's suggestion, a genuine smile gracing his lips. "Yeah, definitely," he agreed wholeheartedly.
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As Sachi continued to reminisce about their time at the grocery store, Shiriku's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, a slight cringe evident in his expression as he recalled the moment she jokingly teased him about being a couple to the store worker.
"Sachi, can we not talk about that?" Shiriku interjected awkwardly, his voice tinged with embarrassment as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
Sachi's eyes widened in surprise at Shiriku's reaction, her playful demeanor faltering slightly as she sensed his discomfort. "Oh, sorry, Shiriku. I didn't mean to embarrass you," she apologized sincerely, her tone softened with genuine remorse.