The buzz of the classroom faded into the background, replaced by the soft humming of the air conditer and the rhythmic scribbling of pens across paper. Daiki's head rested on his elbows, his long hair brushing against the wooden desk. His eyes were shut while breathing slow and steady. English class was the perfect time for a nap. After all, English came naturally to him, every test, every lesson, every vocabulary word—it was all second nature.
The teacher, Mrs. Watanabe, was blabing about sentence structure, but Daiki wasn't listening. He'd heard it all before, and honestly, he could recite it in his sleep. Which,bhe was doing at the moment.
In his dream, there was a girl. Her face hovered just out of reach, her features fragmented like a puzzle missing key pieces. Daiki could see her nose, the curve of her lips, but not her eyes and hair. Her mouth moved, speaking words he couldn't hear. He strained, trying to catch the syllables, but the only thing that reached him was the motion of her lips. No sound. Just movement.
It was maddening. He could feel something important in the words, but they were intangible, slipping through his grasp like sand.
"...ki", "..aiki" "Daiki!" Mrs. Watanabe's voice interrupted his dream, sharp and insistent. "Wake up!"
Daiki's eyes snapped open, and for a second, the world tilted. He blinked, the dream fading away, he was back in the classroom, surrounded by the familiar faces of his classmates. Mrs. Watanabe stood at the front of the room, arms crossed, a scowl on her face.
"Sleeping again?" she asked, her voice dripping with mild annoyance.
Daiki grinned and sat up, brushing a strand of hair from his eyes. "Sorry, just needed a quick recharge," he said, flashing her a bright smile.
The class chuckled. Mrs. Watanabe rolled her eyes but didn't press further. She was used to Daiki's antics by now. He was the guy who could sleep through an entire lecture and still ace every test.
The bell rang, signaling the end of the period. Students gathered their things, chatting excitedly about whatever plans they had for the rest of the day. Daiki stretched, yawning dramatically as he slung his bag over his shoulder.
His best friend, Ren, should've been waiting for him outside the classroom, just like every other day. But when Daiki stepped into the hallway, he didn't see him. He paused, scanning the crowd of students. It was odd, Ren was never late.
"Where the hell is he?" Daiki muttered under his breath, a frown tugging at his lips.
He turned down the hallway, heading toward the stairs that led to the rooftop. It was their usual spot. They'd meet there during lunch, away from the noise and chaos of the cafeteria. But today, Daiki felt a strange sense of impatience beauty it wasn't like him to be late.
As he reached the top of the stairs, he spotted Ren's familiar figure standing near the door, talking to someone. Daiki raised an eyebrow, his frustration melting into curiosity. Kaito was supposed to be meeting him, not chatting with some random classmate.
"Yo, Ren!" Daiki called, interrupting their chat.
Ren turned, am apologetic grin on his face. "Sorry, Dee. Had to help Yui with something."
Yui? Daiki's gaze flicked to the girl standing beside Ren. She was smiling, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. She was one of Kaito's classmates, a friend of his from the same year. Daiki had seen her around, but they hadn't really talked much.
"What's up?" Daiki asked, trying to hide the slight irritation in his voice.
Yui glanced at him, her smile a little awkward. "I, uh, got a bad mark on my quiz. Kaito helped me go over the mistakes," she explained, her voice soft but genuine.
Daiki nodded, understanding now. It made sense. Ren was a genius when it came to academics. He was the type to help anyone who needed it, even if it meant delaying his usual rendezvous with Daiki.
"Well, since you're both here," Daiki said, his smile returning, "we might as well hang out together."
Ren raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the suggestion. "You sure?"
"Yeah," Daiki replied with a shrug. "Why not? It's not like we have any classes to rush off to."
Yui looked between them, her expression both curious and a little unsure. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"
"Nah," Daiki said easily. "We're just killing time."
With a flick of his hand, Daiki pushed the door open, and they all stepped onto the rooftop. It was a quiet spot, the perfect place to relax away from the chatter of the school. Daiki leaned against the railing, feeling the cool breeze against his skin. Despite the warm weather, the air up here always felt different—calmer, freer.
"So, Yui," Daiki said, breaking the silence. "What's the deal with you and Kaito? You two seem pretty close, are you maybe...dating?" taunted Daiki before they can answer
Yui blushed slightly, "N-no it is nothing like that, we've been friends for a while. We help each other out with schoolwork and stuff."
"Ha ha ha...That's cool," Daiki said, nodding. He glanced over at Rin, who was still looking at him like he'd just suggested something strange.
Rin let out a breath. "Yeah, but I should've been up here sooner. Guess I got caught up in helping her out."
Daiki grinned, a playful glint in his eyes. "No big deal. I can survive without you for a few minutes."
Rin nodded, though the look on his face said he wasn't entirely convinced. "Don't go too far," he teased, "We'll be up here for a while."
"I'll be fine," Daiki reassured him, his tone light. He turned to Yui, giving her a friendly smile. "You're in good hands with Rin. I'll be back in a bit."
Without waiting for a response, Daiki made his way toward the edge of the rooftop, his hands slipping into the pockets of his uniform. He paused for a moment, looking out over the school grounds—the view from the rooftop was always one of his favorite things about the school.
He glanced back at Rin and Yui, who were engaged in a quiet conversation. With a final look, Daiki turned and slipped through the side door, heading down the narrow hallway towards the stairwell. The hallway was quieter here, a place away from the bustling students.
The school was quiet in the midday heat, the hum of the air conditioning a distant background noise. Daiki's footsteps echoed off the walls as he made his way to another stairwell, one that led to the side of the building. This exit was tucked away from the main paths, offering the privacy he was looking for.
He reached the door at the end of the hallway and pushed it open. It led him to a secluded area behind the school building, shielded from view by a row of tall bushes. He stepped outside, taking in the fresh air and feeling the slight breeze on his skin as he walked to a small corner near the back fence, the perfect spot where no one would disturb him.
Daiki reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a cigarette, flipping it between his fingers before lighting it. He took a long drag, leaning back against the fence as he exhaled slowly, watching the smoke curl into the air. It was a moment of peace before everything inevitably picked up again.
"I should really quit" he thought.
He didn't do this because he had to—he just liked the calm it gave him.
---
Daiki's footsteps faded as he disappeared behind the door, leaving Rin and Yui standing on the rooftop in a brief silence. The wind picked up, ruffling their hair as they stood there, each lost in their own thoughts for a moment.
Yui glanced over at Rin, still feeling a bit out of place. She wasn't quite sure how to ask she didn't want to seem rude.
"So, uh…" Yui started, her voice soft and polite, "Where did he go, if you don't mind me asking?"
Rin raised an eyebrow, casting a quick look toward the door Daiki had just exited through. He chuckled lightly, his tone teasing . "Don't worry about it. He's just taking a break. He does this sometimes."
Yui nodded, but her curiosity still lingered. She didn't want to push, though, not wanting to seem intrusive. Still, something about Daiki's abrupt departure had caught her attention. She wasn't sure what it was, but she couldn't help the feeling that there was more to Daiki's usual carefree attitude than met the eye.
"Do you guys often meet up like this?" Yui asked, her voice still polite, but the question a bit lighter, perhaps hoping to steer the conversation into safer waters.
Rin smiled, his expression a little more relaxed now that the awkwardness seemed to be fading. "Yeah, pretty much. Daiki and I have been friends for a long time. We have a routine, you know? I help him out with stuff when he asks, and sometimes he'll drag me up here just to hang out."
Yui smiled, her curiosity satisfied for the moment. She still wasn't sure about Daiki, but she didn't want to make things complicated. For now, she would just enjoy the moment, knowing she wasn't intruding.