A couple of days had passed, and everyone was aboard the bullet train, the hum of the speed vibrating through the air.
"Hey dude, watch it~ haha!"
The other students were in full swing—teasing each other, playing games on their phones, chatting away.
But Kuroki? He was staring blankly out of the window, the world rushing by in a blur. He wasn't interested in any of the noise. He was just trying to zone out, until...
"Munch munch."
The sound of someone eating right next to him interrupted his thoughts.
"Ugh, you really have to eat that loud?" Kuroki muttered, visibly annoyed, his eyes narrowing.
The culprit? Of course it was Satsuki, sitting beside him, happily chewing on a snack.
"Well, I'm hungry," she replied casually, food stuffed in her mouth.
Kuroki's expression twisted in frustration as he watched her chew with exaggerated crunches. He couldn't help but think:
(Why am I still friends with her?)
He turned his gaze back to the window, trying to ignore the rising irritation.
(This is so boring...)
(Why did I even bother coming on this trip?)
(I just want to be home.)
"Munch munch."
(Relax, Kuroki...)
"Munch munch."
(Just relax and breathe.)
"Munch munch."
The sound was unbearable now. It felt like each bite was louder than the last, and Kuroki couldn't escape it. His thoughts were drowned out.
"Tsk," he clicked his tongue, veins visible in his forehead as he clenched his fists, his body going tense.
"Munch munch."
He snapped.
"Why the hell are you eating so loud?!" Kuroki's voice shot out, his frustration bubbling over.
Satsuki turned to him, her mouth full of food, crumbs falling from her lips and onto her shirt. She blinked at him, utterly unbothered.
"Huh?" she asked, completely oblivious to the storm brewing in Kuroki.
"I said, why are you eating so damn loud?!" Kuroki repeated, louder this time, his voice tinged with anger.
Satsuki just stared at him blankly, chewing slowly, as though trying to process what he just said. For a moment, there was only silence.
The tension stretched on, the seconds feeling like minutes.
"Well??" Kuroki demanded, his voice sharp.
Satsuki took her time, still chewing, before holding up the snack bag. "You want some?" she asked casually, as though everything was normal.
"No!" Kuroki snapped. "I don't want any! I want you to stop eating so damn loud! How hard is that to understand?!"
Before she could respond, a soft giggle echoed from the front of the train.
"A-Aohana?" Kuroki turned, his face going red at the sound of her voice.
Aohana stood up from her seat, making her way down the aisle, a playful grin on her face.
"You guys have such a sweet relationship," she teased, her eyes glinting with mischief.
"No we don't!!" Kuroki shouted, his face turning crimson. The entire train car went silent, all eyes now on the three of them.
Satsuki leaned closer to him, whispering in his ear with a smug expression, "Who's the one being obnoxious now, huh?"
Kuroki's veins were practically popping from his forehead as he clenched his fists tighter, trying to keep his composure. His entire body trembled with the effort of not exploding.
"Y-You…!" Kuroki's words faltered, his anger still simmering beneath the surface.
"Hehe," Aohana giggled again, unaffected by the tension.
"You two are hilarious," she said, her grin widening as she watched them.
Kuroki's anger fizzled out almost instantly. Realizing he wasn't in the heat of the moment anymore, he took a deep breath, his body relaxing. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, looking at the floor.
"Haha… sorry about earlier, Aohana," he muttered, his face softening into an apologetic smile.
"Hehe, don't worry about it," Aohana said with a light laugh, brushing it off like it was nothing.
Kuroki let out a small sigh of relief, feeling the tension finally lift. "Thank you, Aohana," he said gratefully, flashing a genuine smile. His aura was completely different now—lighter, more relaxed.
Satsuki, however, looked at him with disgust, her expression twisted in confusion. She watched Kuroki for a long moment, as though he'd suddenly turned into something unrecognizable.
(Wait a minute…)
Her mind raced, trying to piece things together.
(No way… it can't be.)
Her eyes flicked between Kuroki and Aohana, her face growing pale. She shook her head in disbelief, realizing the answer was too obvious to ignore.
(Is Kuroki…)
Her thoughts stilled, and the word formed in her mind:
(Retarded…)
Satsuki stared at them both, her mind a complete blank. She didn't even know what to think anymore.
(Oh well.)
With a resigned sigh, she laid back in her seat, scrolling through her phone, the entire scene now just background noise to her.