The first thing Ren noticed in his new classroom was the seating arrangement—30 seats in total, arranged in five rows of six. His eyes scanned the room, taking in the various students who would be his classmates for the next year.
Seated somewhat in the middle of the pile were two familiar faces that he recognized all too well— Hana and her friend.
Hana, the girl who had grabbed his hand earlier, frowned in disgust as their eyes met. Ren sighed in disbelief, already anticipating the tension that would undoubtedly follow during the school year. His gaze shifted to her friend, who offered a small, hesitant smile in return. Somewhat encouraged by her little show of friendliness, Ren felt a slight lift in his spirits.
Ren chose a seat in the fourth row, second to the last by the window. It was a spot that offered a good view of the classroom while allowing him a bit of privacy.
Taking his place among them, Ren found himself seated in the midst of a group of enigmatic students, each one unique in their own right. There was some brooding loner in the back corner, his gaze fixed on some distant point beyond the window, the confident jock with an easy smile and a mischievous glint in his eye, the studious bookworm buried beneath a mountain of textbooks, her pen scratching furiously against the pages even though it was just the very first day!! ; Ren spent the whole day wondering what she was writing. We can't forget the Class Clown with a mustache drawn on him with a black pen.
As he sat down, he could still hear the echoes of the upperclassmen's conversation in his mind. The new gang leader, internal conflicts, the Sakurakai—these were not just rumors; they were his new reality now.
He looked out the window, the sight of the Sakura trees outside calming him slightly. The soft rustling of the leaves in the breeze reminded him of why he was here—to find the truth about who Kaito truly was and to navigate the truth about his demise.
As the last few students trickled in and took their seats, the homeroom teacher began taking attendance, her voice cutting through the murmurs of the class. Ren leaned back in his chair, trying to gather his thoughts and prepare for the day ahead. He was here for a reason, and he couldn't afford to be distracted by the chaos around him.
Yet, as he looked out the window at the sakura trees swaying gently in the breeze, he couldn't shake the feeling that his path was about to become even more complicated.
As the homeroom teacher began calling attendance, Ren felt a curious sense of anticipation. She went through the first few names without any issues, her voice clear and steady.
"Aoi Hana."
"Here. "
"Fujimoto Yukino."
"Present. "
"Suzuki Makoto. "
"Here Sensei!. "
She paused momentarily before calling the next name, her eyes lingering on the attendance sheet for a fraction longer then usual.
"Ryuhara Ren." Ren noticed the slight hesitation but quickly brushed it aside. "Present," he replied, his voice firm. The teacher gave him a brief, unreadable glance before continuing down the list.
"Kobayashi Yuki."
"Here."
As she continued, Ren's mind wandered back to that slight pause. Why had she hesitated? Was there something about his name that stood out to her? He pushed the thought away, focusing instead on the rest of the attendance.
"Sato Shiinchiro, " She called. There was no reply. She repeated the name, "Sato Shiinchiro," still receiving no response.
On the third call, the door burst open, and a boy stumbled into the classroom, yelling, "Present!" The class erupted into laughter at the sight of him.
Ren recognized him instantly as the bicycle guy from earlier who had nearly rammed into him. His hair, a messy tangle of brown, his shirt untucked, and his blazer looked like it had been hastily thrown on.
"What do you think you are doing coming to my class at this time?. " The Teacher demanded, her calm demeanor gone and her tone sharp as ever.
"Sorry, Shizuka-senpai, I ran into some things on the way here," Shiinchiro mumbled around a bagel he was munching on.
"It's Sensei here! and you don't call me by my first name in class again!!. "
"Sorry, Sensei," he corrected, his voice still muffled by the bagel.
"Take your seat, now before I lose my patience with you. " She ordered, her patience clearly wearing thin.
Shiinchiro looked around and noticed the only empty seat was the one beside Ren. As he made his way over, Ren fixed him with an unflinching stare. Shiinchiro dropped into the seat next to Ren, finally finishing his bagel.
"Hey," Shiinchiro whispered, noticing Ren's intense gaze. "What's your problem?. "
Ren leaned in slightly, his voice low and steady. "Things you called me, You almost ran me over this morning."
Recognition flickered in Shiinchiro's eyes. "Oh, that was you? Sorry about that. I was running late and—" Ren cut him off, his expression stern. "Just be more careful next time." Ren said not interested in the rest.
Shiinchiro nodded sheepishly. "Yeah, yeah, I will. Thanks for not making a big deal out of it."
Ren gave a sly look and turned his attention back to the teacher, who was now continuing with the roll call. He tried to refocus on the lesson, but the morning's events had left him on edge. Between the mysterious pause at his name, the chaos in the hallway, and now this run-in with Shiinchiro, it was shaping up to be an unusual first day.
As the teacher wrapped up the attendance, Ren took a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering tension. He glanced out the window at the gently swaying sakura trees, their petals fluttering softly in the breeze.
Despite the strangeness of the morning, there was something calming about this scene. He allowed himself a moment of tranquility before turning his attention back to the day's lessons, determined to stay focused on his goal.
But in the back of his mind, the questions he had kept brewing: Why had the teacher hesitated at his name? What internal conflicts were brewing within the Sakurakai? And how was he going to navigate the complexities of this new school while keeping his mission in sight? Ren knew he had to stay sharp and vigilant; his journey was only just beginning.