Hamada-sensei pushed his glasses higher on the bridge of his nose. The white stick of chalk moved across the dark surface, leaving a thin trail of dust.
"The value of x is nine."
He turned away from the blackboard and set the chalk into the tray. His eyes moved across the rows of desks, pausing as he straightened his vest. "If there are parts of this calculation that remain unclear, please speak up."
Noboru raised his hand, palm open and fingers loose. He shifted his weight toward the rear of his chair, the wooden frame creaking under the movement. His mouth curved at the corners as he looked toward the front of the room. "Sensei."
Hamada's shoulders pulled back as he stood behind the podium. His jaw muscles moved under the skin, and his index finger struck the wood of the desk in a rhythmic pattern. He turned his head toward the back of the room, his eyes fixing on the student. "Noboru. State your question."
Noboru gripped the edges of his tie and pulled the knot firmly against his collar. He straightened his spine until his back no longer touched the chair. "I have understood this part of the lesson perfectly. I only thought I should let you know."
The classroom grew still as the students turned their heads. Hamada-sensei's chest rose and fell once, and a short, sharp sound escaped his throat. He inclined his head to the side, the skin above his left eye folding upward.
What? Am I hearing things? Have the gods finally touched his stupid brain?
He moved his head slowly from side to side. A satisfied line formed across his mouth. "That is very good news. It is a relief to see that the material is finally being retained by you."
A sharp, mechanical ringing vibrated through the walls and the wood of the desks. Noboru pushed his weight against the rear legs of his chair, letting the front feet lift off the floor. He extended both arms toward the ceiling, his palms open. "I am joking. It is time for lunch."
Several students pressed their hands over their mouths as the sound of stifled breaths filled the air. Wooden chair legs ground against the linoleum, and the floor vibrated with the collective weight of students rising. A thin, translucent sheet of plastic crinkled as a student pulled it away from a container.
Hamada-sensei stacked his papers into a neat pile, the edges tapping against the desk. He looked directly at Noboru. "Noboru. You will report to the detention after the final bell."
his chair sliding back until it struck the desk behind him. He spread his fingers wide and shook his head. "Wait, what? Why? Sensei, I didn't even do anything!"
"Disrupting my class and your constant poor attitude will not be ignored. We will settle this matter after school. See that you are not late."
Hamada-sensei slid the strap of his bag over his shoulder. He turned his back to the class and walked through the open doorway, his footsteps fading into the noise of the hallway.
The volume of voices in the room increased as soon as the doorway was empty. Shino shifted his torso toward Noboru, his shoulders pulling inward. He kept his eyes on the back of Noboru's head and lowered his chin. "Hey... What will you say to Fukazawa-Senpai?"
Noboru let his breath out in a long, heavy rush. He reached back and ran his fingernails against the hair at the base of his skull, his elbow pointing toward the ceiling. "Well, it is unavoidable now. Actually, this might be a good chance to escape her for a while."
Makoto rested his back against the side of his desk and draped his forearm across his face, obscuring his eyes. His chest barely moved as he spoke, his voice remaining at a constant, low pitch. "Is that really how you see it? If she hears you missed training because of detention, do you think she will go easy on you? I can already picture the number of suicide sprints she will make you run."
Noboru's fingers stopped moving. The skin around his eyes pulled tight, and his jaw dropped slightly. "You're right... I am in trouble. She will definitely kill me."
He let his weight fall back into the chair, the frame thumping against the floor. He pressed the tips of his middle fingers against the sides of his head and moved them in small circles.
Sachiko looked away from her bento, where the rice and side dishes were separated into precise sections. She gripped her chopsticks and moved a small piece of food from one side of the container to the other. "So he is at it again today."
Naomi pulled the tab on her drink, the metal clicking as the seal broke. Her mouth curved upward as she glanced toward Noboru's desk. "Yes. It is exactly what he deserves. Hamada-sensei finally did something about it."
At the very back of the classroom, Tetsuo slid several printed sheets into a folder, aligning the edges with practiced precision. He moved without making a sound, his expression unreadable. He rose from his seat and looped the strap of his bag over his shoulder in one smooth motion.
Noboru lifted a single chopstick and waved it toward the doorway. He leaned half out of his seat, his voice cutting through the noise of the other students. "Hey, Tetsuo! Where are you off to? You're not eating with us today?"
Tetsuo paused just long enough to glance back over his shoulder. "I will be back soon..." The door slid shut with a soft click, leaving the group behind.
A sharp, jagged breath escaped Noboru's teeth. "That guy is a complete mystery. Ever since Takahashi dragged him out of class to act as a servant, he disappears every single lunchtime. It is impossible to know what he is doing."
Shino nodded, his expression thoughtful as he watched the closed door. "Now that you mention it, he does seem to have a lot of 'business' lately. Do you think it's related to the Student Council?"
Noboru's fingertip struck the underside of his jaw over and over. The rear legs of his chair scraped the floor as he tilted his weight backward. "Wait a second... It couldn't be. Does that guy actually have a girlfriend now?"
Makoto's jaw stretched wide, the joints clicking softly. He swiped a palm through the air before slumping lower, the fabric of his sleeve rustling against the desk. "Be quiet already. Stop jumping to conclusions. I'm trying to sleep here."
Naomi shifted her weight in her seat, the metal legs of her chair humming against the floor. Her lips curved upward as she angled her torso toward the neighboring desk. "Hey, Sachiko, did you catch that just now?"
Sachiko's eyelids lowered and rose once. "What are you talking about?"
Naomi leaned her chest against the edge of the desk, making the plastic frame rattle. Her grin widened. "About Tetsuo maybe having a girlfriend. See, I told you—you should have just been honest with yourself."
Sachiko's gaze remained fixed on the chalkboard. Her voice stayed at a single, flat level. "It is not like that between Tetsuo and me."
The skin between Sachiko's eyebrows pinched together into a small fold. Tetsuo and I have become much closer than before, but… I still feel as though something is missing. It feels like we are still so far apart.
Meanwhile, Tetsuo pushed open the quiet door of the literature clubroom. The faint scent of old books and wood polish lingered. Tomoe sat by the window with a paperback in her hands. The wind blew her hair as she focused. She glanced up, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
The girl's fingertips rubbed the frayed corner of her textbook. Her head tilted slightly to the side. "Oh, you're back again. Remind me, why do you keep coming here so much?"
Tetsuo's shoulders remained level, his arms hanging still at his sides. He looked at a point just past her shoulder. "I am not certain myself..."
He leaned against a nearby desk, glancing around the sparsely decorated room. Dust caught faintly in the light from the window. "So, other than reading, what exactly does the literature club do?"
Tomoe set her book down carefully, smoothing her skirt. "Well, we write stories and publish them as a group. We also enter essay contests to win prize money or gifts for the school and ourselves. Sometimes we even go on trips. My favorite part was performing plays based on storybooks during the sports festival."
Tetsuo nodded slowly. "Oh, I see. So that's how it works."
Her gaze dimmed slightly, her shoulders dropping. "Well... that was the case when I joined last year, but…"
Tetsuo studied her for a moment. He then held out his hand towards her. "Let's go."
Tomoe blinked, confused. "What? Go where?"
Tetsuo's metal zipper grated as he pulled it wide. He gripped a thick bundle of paper, the edges crisp against his palm. "We are going to find new members."
Her shoulders slumped. "But I told you already, no one would want to join because of me." She rubbed her forearm lightly, glancing away.
Tetsuo sighed as he moved to the door and glanced back, his tone calm but unwavering. "Are you coming or not?" She hesitated, but after a moment of silence, she followed him.
Tomoe's voice dropped to a low murmur, the sound barely carrying across the hallway. She stared at the stack of forms in his hand. "The third-year students are occupied with entrance exams and their future plans. None of them will join us. We should focus on the second and first-years instead."
The air in the hallway was thick with the scent of various lunchboxes and the loud, overlapping voices of students. Tomoe lowered her chin, her eyes tracking the movement of her own shoes on the floor.
She kept a short distance behind Tetsuo, her pace uneven. The surrounding chatter seemed to dip and sharpen into whispers as they passed. The rumors followed her, pressing down on her shoulders.
They arrived at the door to Class 2S. A cluster of girls stood in the doorway, the sound of soft giggling coming from the center of the group. "That is so cute, Kumiko. Where did you find those?" one girl asked, her eyes fixed on the small trinket in Kumiko's palm.
Kumiko's lips pulled into a small curve. "I received them for free at a retail store. The owner gave them to me because I am a loyal customer."
Tetsuo moved into their space, the stack of papers held firmly in his hand. The group of girls shifted their attention to him immediately. His posture remained straight and his expression stayed neutral.
"Wow, he is handsome. What class is he from? I have never seen him before," one of them whispered, her fingers tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Be quiet, he's coming this way," another girl hissed.
Tetsuo stopped directly in front of Kumiko and looked into her eyes. Kumiko blinked. A pink flush spread across her cheeks, and her fingers moved restlessly over the trinket in her hand. "Um… hello. Are you here to see me?" she asked. Her voice was hesitant.
Tetsuo held out a form. "I am in the literature club. If we do not reach five members, the club will be disbanded. Will you... join?"
Kumiko's smile returned, though it remained small. "Sure. I am not very good at reading books, but I will give it a try."
Her friends watched with wide eyes. "Wow, she fell for him instantly," one whispered. "I cannot blame her. He is handsome and mysterious," another replied.
Behind them, Tomoe's lips curved into the faintest smile. Maybe I was wrong...Maybe I can still revive the club, she thought. Her fingers lightly held the hem of her skirt.
The moment fell apart when Kumiko's friend narrowed her eyes, attention settling on Tomoe. She drew Kumiko a step to the side, fingertips catching lightly at her wrist, her voice lowered with a tight edge. "That girl behind him," she murmured, her gaze flicking once in that direction before dropping.
"Tomoe Yukimura. Class 2-O." Her lips paused, then moved again. "In our first year… you remember there was that incident. Jirou-senpai ended up in the hospital." A short breath passed between them. "The one who did it was her older brother, Hiroki Yukimura."
Her shoulders shifted. "People were saying she told her brother to do it after her confession didn't go so well. He's... in prison now." Her hand loosened. "It might be better to keep some distance."
Kumiko's expression adjusted, small muscles around her mouth tightening. Her fingers worked at the trinket once more before she stepped back toward Tetsuo, stopping at a polite distance. She bent at the waist, the paper held firmly between both hands.
"I'm sorry." The words came after a brief pause, her grip tightening along the edge of the form. "I remembered that my friend and I had already planned to join the tennis club this year." Her shoulders remained lowered as she straightened. "I can't accept your offer." Her gaze slid to the side, eyes settling briefly on the floor before lifting again.
Tetsuo remained still, eyes fixed on her face for a moment longer than necessary. His hand extended, taking the form back as the paper brushed his fingers. Without looking again, he shifted his body and turned away.
Tomoe moved after him. Her head stayed lowered as she walked, her grip tightening along the edge of her bag, the strap creasing under her fingers.
"Poor guy." The comment came out under a lowered voice, followed by a brief intake of breath. Shoes shifted behind them. "He keeps trying to help, but he doesn't seem to realize how things look." There was a short pause, eyes lingering in the same direction as before. "So those rumors about her…were true."
Tomoe caught the words as they carried across the space behind her. Her steps slowed. Her fingers drew in against the fabric of her skirt, pressure building at the knuckles. Moisture gathered at the corners of her eyes, but she reached forward instead, fingertips resting lightly against the back of Tetsuo's shirt.
He came to a stop and turned, the movement small but complete. "Tetsuo…" Her grip tightened slightly before easing. The sound of her voice wavered as it reached him. "I'm grateful that you're thinking of me."
She lowered her eyes, breath uneven. "But… could we stop here." Her shoulders dipped. "No matter what we do, it ends the same way." A pause followed, her fingers loosening. "I don't think I can handle hearing more things that aren't true."
Tetsuo offered no reply. He continued forward, stopping in front of other students, the form shifting hands each time. The space around him filled with small pauses and uneven movements.
A boy pushed his glasses higher on his nose, fingers lingering there as his weight shifted back. "I'm sorry… there are a lot of things I have to take care of at home." His gaze dropped to the floor. "I don't really have extra time."
A girl drew a book closer against her chest, the cover creasing under her arm. Her breathing caught before she spoke. "My cat passed away not long ago." She swallowed, eyes fixed on the page edge. "I'm still dealing with that. I don't think I can join anything."
Another boy rolled his shoulders, hands sliding into his pockets. "I'm already part of a different club." He tilted his head slightly. "I can't add more than that."
Then a sharp sound cut through the low murmur. One boy leaned back, mouth twisting as his voice carried farther than the rest. "The literature club?" His eyes flicked toward Tomoe. "You must be joking."
A short laugh followed. "Don't get involved with that girl. She's trouble." He shook his head once. "People say she manipulates others. She's dangerous."
Tetsuo suddenly reached out without warning, his fingers closing around the boy's wrist. The joint turned slightly under his grip, pressure increasing just enough to draw a sharp intake of breath from the other student.
"—Wait." The boy's voice rose as his shoulders tightened, color draining from his face. His free hand lifted halfway, fingers spread. "I take it back! Are you gonna break my frickin' arm?!"
Tetsuo's hold loosened at once. His hand dropped away, and he took a step back, leaving a small gap between them. After a brief pause, his posture settled. "I'm sorry." The words came evenly.
He turned and walked off. His face remained set, eyes forward. His breathing stayed controlled, though it came a little deeper than before.
After a few more refusals, Tomoe moved ahead of him. She stepped into his path and set both hands against his chest, the contact light but deliberate. A faint tremor passed through her palms as she held them there.
"Please listen." Her voice came out unsteady, breath catching before the next words. She looked up at him, then lowered her gaze. "I'm grateful that you tried for me." Her fingers pressed briefly, then eased. "Thank you for going this far."
A pause followed, her shoulders drawing inward. "With those rumors, no one will agree." She inhaled, slow and shallow. "So… please stop. You've already done enough."
She withdrew her hands and turned away. As she headed back toward the clubroom, her shoulders remained sloped, her steps shortening, the sound of them dull against the floor.
Tetsuo watched her retreating back. His hands curled loosely at his sides, tension lingering in his frame. Her eyes… they look even emptier than when I first met her.
The school bell rang, its sound spreading through the halls, mixing with faint chatter and the distant closing of lockers.