The next day at school, everything felt normal.
Shun walked into the classroom, his mind on the usual things. Sleep. Books. Quietness.
He sat at his desk, took out his notebook, and tried to focus on the lesson. The teacher was talking about something, but Shun wasn't paying attention. His eyes were mostly on the window, looking at the sky, lost in thought.
Then, he noticed her.
Alice.
She was sitting in the front of the class, like always, her silver hair shining in the sunlight that came through the window. She was listening to the teacher, taking notes. Her posture was perfect, and she looked so calm, as if everything in the world was in order.
Shun stared at her for a second. He couldn't help it.
But… he didn't say anything.
He looked back at the window. He didn't know why, but something about Alice made him feel a little uncomfortable. It wasn't bad. It was just… different.
Alice didn't notice him staring. She was focused on the lesson, her hands moving quickly as she wrote down every word. She was always like this. Everyone admired her for it. She never looked out of place, always perfect.
Shun didn't want to talk to her. He didn't want to stand out.
He kept his focus on the teacher, but part of him kept thinking about what happened this morning. The breakfast. Her kind offer. Her smile.
It was strange.
Lunchtime came.
Shun sat in the corner of the cafeteria, quietly eating his lunch. He didn't like to sit with others. It was always easier this way. People left him alone, and he could read his book.
But today, something felt different.
He looked around the cafeteria. His eyes found Alice again. She was sitting at a table with a few of her friends. They were talking, laughing. But Alice wasn't really smiling. She looked… a little far away.
She was eating her lunch, but her mind seemed to be somewhere else. She wasn't as perfect as she appeared to be. Shun noticed it, but no one else seemed to.
He wasn't sure why, but he felt a little bad for her.
After school, the day ended quickly.
Shun walked home as usual. But today, there was something in his mind. He wasn't sure what it was, but it felt like he couldn't shake off the feeling of Alice.
When he got to his front door, he heard the sound of a car driving up next door. He looked over and saw Alice walking out of her house, carrying a small bag.
She didn't look his way.
Shun stood there for a moment, his heart feeling a little strange.
Should he say something? Should he talk to her?
But no, he didn't want to stand out. He didn't want to be noticed. So, he just turned and walked inside.
It was the same as every day. Quiet. Alone. But for some reason, he couldn't forget about Alice.