White walls. White ceilings. White floors. A lifeless box disguised as a school. These thoughts gnawed at the back of Tsubasa's mind dulling her usual cheer as she chatted with her only friend here, Hatsumi Miki. The rest of the room is equally lively... with one exception: the desk in front of her. At that desk sits a boy with dark black hair, a little longer than most, messy but not careless. His posture is perfect-back straight, hands folded in his lap. Unlike his hair, his uniform is pristine, every fold of the fabric clinging to lean muscle. Her eyes trace the taught muscles of his neck up to his face, he's looking out the window, his eye turns to look back at her. Heat rushes to her cheeks, and she yanks her gaze away. What was she doing? She didn't even know his name.
Miki seems to notice her reaction and giggles before she teasingly hugs Tsubasa from behind. "Aww~ Poor Miu~ It's your first day and you've already fallen for the class's resident hottie~"
Tsubasa's face burned hotter. "D-don't call me that!" she hissed, elbowing Miki. "And shut up!" She tentatively looks back at the boy, gauging his reaction... There is none. He doesn't shift, doesn't flinch, doesn't even seem to register their existence. Her stomach twists-why does that bother her?
Miki senses her change in mood and lets go of her, moving around her to sit on her desk, blocking her view of the boy. "His name is Tamashi Kage."Tsubasa blinks a few times. She never asked about his name... But before she can say that, Miki interrupts with "Don't worry about him. He ignores everybody. I've been in the same class as him for 6 years and I've never seen him speak to anyone if he wasn't required to.... Which makes it so much weirder that he knows everyone's names. Guess he just listens real well." She gives her an encouraging smile before getting a chill down her spine and glancing back to see Kage's bright red eyes burning a hole in her. "EEK!" Miki practically jumps off the desk, her face losing some color. She turns to Tsubasa with a forced smile, but her usual confidence falters. "I don't think he liked that. All yours now, Miu~" She blows her a kiss before scurrying back to her desk, leaving the blushing red-head to deal with him.
Tsubasa, still reeling, slowly looks back at Kage. He's staring right at her.
Her breath catches. His red eyes-striking, almost hypnotic-seem to pull her in. The color is unnatural, yet undeniably beautiful, like embers burning low in the dark. Their otherworldly beauty unsettles her, but despite the unease curling in her stomach, she leans in, drawn to them, unable to look away.
After a few moments of unbroken eye-contact, Kage looks away, turning back to the window. Without his gaze on her, the room somehow feels dimmer, emptier. Tsubasa hadn't realized how much she'd been holding onto that connection until it was gone. A slight pout tugs at her lips before she can stop it. "H-hey... won't you at least say something?"
He looks at her again, and a shiver runs down her spine. His voice is deep-not overly so, but enough that it lingers in the air. "Okay. What would you like me to say, Miu?"
Her heart stops. Not even her brother calls her that. Heat floods her face as shame sinks in, and she shrinks into her chair, wishing she could melt into the floor. Anything would be better than sitting under his stare for another second.
Kage hesitates, glancing between her and the window. He shifts slightly, looking... uncertain. "Did I... say something wrong? I'm sorry."
The words sound foreign on his tongue-like he's not used to saying them. Or maybe... not used to speaking much at all. But the effort, however clumsy, makes her feel just a little better. She peeks up at him through her fingers. "Just..... don't call me that...."
He blinks questioningly. "You mean Mi-" He catches himself and clears his throat. "Then, what should I call you?"
She ducks lower, her voice barely a murmur through her sleeves. "...Tsubasa is fine."
"Right... I won't get it wrong again..." And just like that, his attention drifts back to the window, as if the moment never happened.
For a moment, Tsubasa is relieved to be free from Kage's attention. Then, as if on cue, the classroom door slides open and the teacher strides in. Immediately, the students-Tsubasa included, despite her reluctance-rise in unison. "Good morning, Sensei."
Sensei takes roll, allowing students to sit as their names are called, before launching into a routine explanation of the year's schedule. It's dull, just an outline of what to expect. Then, Sensei posts a list at the front of the room.
"Freshmen are required to join at least one committee. Clubs, however, are optional-you're free to join as many or as few as you like. If you don't submit your first and second committee choices by the end of the week, I will choose for you. And trust me, you'll hate what I pick. Class dismissed."
With that, the students slip back into conversation, some filing to the front to check the list before leaving. The classroom gradually empties. Eventually, only Miki and two other girls remain, offering Tsubasa a wave before they head out.
Tsubasa, still seated behind Kage, watches the back of his head, debating. Finally, she speaks.
"I guess you're planning to be the last one to leave?"
He gives her a sidelong glance. "You've figured this out, and yet, you're still here."
She scoffs. "Whatever. Now I'm definitely not leaving before you."
Kage exhales in what sounds like a sigh of surrender and rises from his seat. "Fine, you win. I'll leave first."
Tsubasa immediately sits up, scrambling for a reason to keep him there. "Wait-you-uhh... You haven't checked the list yet! Don't you need to see it?"
He stops just before reaching the door, a flicker of amusement ghosting across his lips. "No. I already know what I'm going to do. Library."
She glances at the posted list. "But... how do you know it's an option?"
"Really? In what world would a library committee not exist?"
She opens her mouth, then closes it. "...Fair point. But what if there's a club you want to join?"
"There isn't."
She frowns. "How can you be so sure without even knowing what they are?"
"But I do know what they are."
She smirks. "Oh yeah? Prove it." Striding to the front, she snatches the list off the board. "Name three clubs."
His blank stare doesn't waver. Then, he begins listing them off-one by one.
"Kendo, Judo, baseball, basketball, volleyball, tennis, track, competitive swimming, literature appreciation, Shogi, history appreciation, art, Mangaka, gardening, work-study-"
"OKAY!!" She practically shouts, pouting as she scans the list. "I get it! You don't have to recite the whole thing..." She glances up, but-
He's gone.
Her eyes dart around the room. "How-?"
Without thinking, she grabs her bag and bolts, weaving through the halls as fast as her legs can carry her. Bursting into the courtyard, she skids to a stop, panting as she scans both ends of the street. Nothing.
"What the hell? Where'd he go?!"
Behind her, footsteps approach.
She spins, only to see Kage casually strolling past her.
"Looking for me?"
Her mind blanks. "You-what-when-"
He glances over his shoulder, pressing a finger to his lips. "It's a secret."
And with that, he walks off.
She watches him go, half tempted to follow-but, well, her house is in that direction anyway. Keeping what she thinks is a discreet distance, she trails after him, only for him to casually round a corner and vanish.
Heart racing, she sprints forward, only to be met with... nothing. Just an empty street. No sign of him anywhere. The only sound is the faint rattle of something metallic.
Panting, she kicks a stray can in frustration. "Dammit! Why can't he just be normal?!"
High above, perched on a rooftop, Kage smirks as he watches her.
Cute.
"Alright, fun's over. Time to head home."
He hops down from the roof, heading in the opposite direction.
"...I wonder if she'll try to follow me every day."