The sharp ring of the bell echoed through the classroom, signaling the end of the math lesson. Mr. Yamamoto had barely stepped out of the door when the quiet murmur of students erupted into animated chatter.
Lily, however, stayed seated, her hands neatly folded on her desk. She still felt the weight of curious stares and muffled whispers, but no one approached her.
Not yet, anyway.
"Well, that was fun," came a voice beside her.
Lily glanced over to see Koji leaning back in his chair, his hands resting casually behind his head. His glasses slid down the bridge of his nose again, but he didn't seem to care.
"Fun?" she echoed, raising an eyebrow.
Koji grinned. "Okay, maybe not fun. But at least I didn't fall asleep this time. That's a personal win."
A soft laugh escaped her before she could stop it, and Koji's grin widened.
"Hey, see? I got a laugh already. That's a good sign," he said, wagging a finger in mock pride.
Lily shook her head, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Thanks, by the way," she said softly. "For the note. It… it really helped."
Koji tilted his head, pretending to think. "Oh, you mean the incredibly cool and thoughtful note I passed during class? The one with the impeccable handwriting?"
"Yes," Lily said, laughing quietly this time.
He puffed out his chest dramatically. "Of course. I'm known for my incredible support skills. And my amazing penmanship."
She giggled again, her hands tightening slightly around the strap of her bag. "I saved it," she admitted, glancing down.
"It's in my pencil case."
Koji froze for a second, his eyes widening slightly before he straightened up with a pleased grin. "Whoa, already a treasure, huh? I should start charging for autographs."
"That's not what I—" Lily started, but the look of exaggerated confidence on his face made her laugh again, the tension in her chest loosening.
Koji smirked, clearly satisfied with himself. "Man, I should've been a comedian," he said, scribbling something in his notebook. Lily hesitated for a moment before leaning slightly to get a better look, her nerves still buzzing despite his easygoing demeanor. "What are you writing now?"
"Oh, nothing important," he said quickly, covering the page with his hand. "Top-secret plans. You know, saving the world, defeating evil empires, that kind of stuff."
She gave him a blank stare, and he leaned closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Okay, fine. It's a draft for my manga. Happy?"
"Manga?" Lily repeated, her brows furrowing slightly.
Koji gasped as if she'd just insulted his entire existence. "Wait, wait, wait. You don't read manga? Please don't tell me that."
Lily hesitated. "Not really. I mean, Claire—my best friend back in Seattle—read a few and tried to get me into them, but I never really got it."
Koji stared at her, wide-eyed. "This is a tragedy. A travesty. How do you even function?"
Lily couldn't help but laugh again, the corners of her lips tugging upward. "I function just fine, thanks. Besides, I know some things. Like, uh… One Piece?"
Koji slapped a hand to his chest like she'd just stabbed him. "One Piece? That's it? That's all you've got?"
"Well, it's popular, right?" she said defensively, her cheeks tinting slightly pink.
"Popular, sure. But that's like saying you know about sushi because you've had a California roll," Koji said dramatically, shaking his head in mock disappointment.
Lily bit her lip to keep from laughing too loudly. "Okay, fine, sensei. What do you suggest?"
"Glad you asked," he said, sitting up straighter. "I'll make you a list. The list. The top five series that will absolutely change your life. You'll thank me later."
"Top five?" she echoed, tilting her head.
Koji held up a hand, his expression deadly serious. "No arguments. Trust me, this is for your own good."
Koji was midway through listing his favorite manga when the classroom door creaked open. A hush fell over the room, as if an unspoken rule demanded absolute silence in her presence. Lily straightened instinctively, her curiosity piqued by the confident click of heels against the floor. An elegant woman stepped in, holding a stack of books.
"That's Ms. Ishikawa," Koji whispered, leaning toward her. "English teacher. She's actually super nice. And, uh…" He paused, his eyes flicking toward the front of the room. "Super scary when she's mad. So, you know, don't mess up."
"I'll try my best," Lily whispered back, smiling.
Koji leaned back in his chair, a pleased grin still plastered on his face. "Good. Stick with me, newbie. I'll show you the ropes."
The warmth in Lily's chest grew as she glanced over at him again. He was quirky, a little dramatic, and maybe just a bit much , but he was kind.
(≧◡≦)
The moment Ms. Ishikawa walked in, the atmosphere in the classroom shifted.
She was young—mid-thirty, maybe?—and had a bright, bubbly energy that instantly drew attention. Her short black hair was styled into a neat bob that swung with every animated movement she made. Her smile was wide, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm as she set her stack of books on the desk and clapped her hands together.
"Good morning, everyone!" she chirped, her voice carrying just enough authority to silence the lingering chatter in the room.
"Good morning, Ms. Ishikawa," the class echoed, though the response varied in enthusiasm.
Ms. Ishikawa's gaze swept across the room before landing on Lily. Her smile widened.
"Oh, there she is!" she said, clapping her hands together. "Our new student!"
Lily felt her cheeks heat up as all eyes turned to her again. She gripped her pen tightly, her knuckles white against the plastic.
"Ms. Aikawa, isn't it?" Ms. Ishikawa continued, tilting her head slightly.
Lily nodded hesitantly. "Yes, ma'am."
"Well, don't be shy! Stand up and introduce yourself properly," Ms. Ishikawa said, gesturing for Lily to rise.
Lily's heart pounded as she pushed her chair back and stood up, her legs feeling slightly shaky.
"In English, please!" Ms. Ishikawa added with a playful wink, switching effortlessly to a crisp, British-accented English.
Lily blinked. "Oh, um… Hi, everyone," she began, her voice soft but steady. "My name is Lilian Aikawa, but you can call me Lily. I just moved here from Seattle, and… I'm excited to learn with all of you."
Ms. Ishikawa's eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands again. "Excellent! Lovely accent, Lily. Very natural." She turned to the class, now switching back to Japanese. "See? That's the kind of fluency I'm looking for this year!"
Turning her attention back to Lily, she added in English, "Seattle, you said? Beautiful city. I've been there a few times myself. Whereabouts did you live?"
Lily's nerves eased just a little as she responded. "Near Green Lake. It's a small neighborhood, but it's really nice."
"Oh, I know Green Lake!" Ms. Ishikawa said excitedly. "I used to go there for the summer markets when I was younger. Absolutely loved the coffee shops around there. Did you ever visit Cafe Luna?"
Lily's eyes widened slightly, a small smile forming on her lips. "I used to go there all the time! They had the best chai lattes."
"Exactly!" Ms. Ishikawa said, beaming. "It's a shame we don't get chai lattes quite like that here, isn't it?"
Lily nodded, her smile growing. The familiarity of the conversation was like a warm blanket, easing some of her lingering tension.
"Anyway," Ms. Ishikawa said, placing her hands on her hips. "It's lovely to have you here, Lily. You're going to do great."
Lily opened her mouth to thank her, but before she could, Ms. Ishikawa's demeanor shifted.
Her smile dropped, replaced by a sharp, focused expression as her gaze zeroed in on the back corner of the room.
"And speaking of fluency," she said, her tone deceptively sweet, "I sincerely hope some of you will take this year as an opportunity to improve."
The room fell silent, save for the sound of her heels clicking softly as she walked toward the back. Her eyes locked onto a boy slouched in his chair, his arms crossed lazily over his chest.
"Mr. Fujimoto," she said, her voice suddenly dripping with authority.
Haruto Fujimoto, the boy Koji had whispered about earlier, froze mid-slouch. His face paled, and he sat up straighter, the cocky smirk he'd worn just minutes ago vanishing. But Lily noticed his jaw tighten, his eyes darting to the smirking faces around him. Was he truly cowed, or just biding his time?
"Yes, ma'am?" he said weakly, his voice a fraction of its usual bravado.
Ms. Ishikawa leaned against his desk, her expression unamused. "I trust you'll do your best to keep up this year? No more excuses about late-night gaming, hmm?"
The class stifled a collective laugh as Haruto nodded furiously. "Yes, ma'am."
"Good," Ms. Ishikawa said, straightening up and turning back toward the front of the room. Her smile returned as if the brief moment of intensity had never happened.
"All right, class! Open your textbooks to page 10. Let's start with some basic conversational phrases."
Lily slowly sat back down, still clutching her pen. Her heart had slowed to a steady rhythm, and for the first time that day, she felt something close to relief.
Koji leaned over, whispering under his breath, "Told you she's scary when she's mad."
She stifled a giggle, biting her lip to keep from laughing too loudly. As the class settled into their textbooks, Koji scribbled something on a scrap of paper and slid it onto Lily's desk. The words "Top 5 Manga That Will Change Your Life" were written in bold, followed by a doodle of an exaggerated smiley face. Lily bit back a laugh, already feeling less alone.
Maybe this won't be so bad after all.