CHAPTER EIGHT;

"May I know who the class representatives for this class are?" a third-year student council peeped through the room's door.

You instinctively stand up, raising your hand along with the transfer student.

"Please sign your names here," the third-year said, stepping into the room and holding out a clipboard. The front page was already scrawled with the names of other class representatives. "There will be a meeting later this afternoon at the student council office."

You walked over first, taking the pen from his hand and quickly signing your name. As you handed the pen to your co-representative, you glanced at him.

He looked back at you for a second before accepting the pen. With neat, precise strokes, he wrote his name: Kaneshiro Kazuya.

'Kaneshiro...' you repeated the name in your head. You'd barely exchanged words with him, yet now you'd be working together. He quietly returned the pen, giving you another brief glance before retreating to his seat. 

That's when you realized just how tall he was, he always seemed smaller, constantly sitting with his nose buried in a book.

"Thank you," the third-year said with a nod. "The council looks forward to your attendance."

Once the upperclassman left, you returned to your desk, your eyes briefly flickering to Kaneshiro as he settled back into his seat. He didn't look your way again.

'How am I supposed to work with this guy if he barely talks?' you wondered, brushing the thought aside as you grabbed your lunch and made your way to Amari's classroom.

"Greetings, people of Japan," you declared dramatically upon entering, earning a few laughs from your friends, who were already gathered around Amari's desk.

Their mouths were half-full with rice and side dishes, but they still greeted you cheerfully.

"Hey, Y/n!"

You grabbed a chair from another table and squeezed in beside Rumi. "What were you guys talking about?" you asked, unpacking your lunch.

"Mio wants to get frozen yogurt after class," Amari said. "She even said she'll treat us!"

You frowned slightly. "Ah... I can't. I have a meeting later."

"Whaaat? We can wait for you!" Amari protested.

"It's alright," you reassured her. "I don't know how long it'll take, and I'd feel bad if you guys had to wait around for too long."

Mio grinned, waving a hand dismissively. "We can just get frozen yogurt another time!"

"Yeah!" the others chimed in, agreeing without hesitation.

Although you never minded when your friends made plans without you, their willingness to adjust warmed your heart.

You smiled, feeling grateful. "Then it's a deal. Next time, it'll be my treat... along with Mio's!"

Laughter bubbled around the table, and just like that, the tension from earlier seemed to fade away.

"Good afternoon, everyone. We appreciate your cooperation and participation," the council's president smiled as he made eye-contact with the class representatives. His secretary stood behind him, outlining the agenda of the meeting and the schedule on club orientation day.

You sat quietly beside Kaneshiro, your focus remaining on the president's words.

"The club orientation serves as a gateway for new students to discover their interests or further develop their existing skills," the president began, his tone confident yet enthusiastic. "With this in mind, the council has worked hard to plan a memorable day for everyone."

You glanced at Kaneshiro, he wasn't in any club yet either, you wondered what kind of hobby he had.

"In the morning we'll have an assembly, and the orientation will stretch until mid-afternoon," he points at the time frame written on the whiteboard, "Then, we'll end the day with a few band performances from the music club."

You've always been a great music enthusiast, so it was only natural you were excited about the band performances. You could tell the other representatives were looking forward to it too.

"Other than the club orientation, we'd also like to fill you in with the school calendar for this semester, but these dates are tentative, expect a few changes in the future,"

The meeting stretched longer than expected, mainly due to students raising questions and seeking clarifications. By the time the president dismissed everyone, an hour had already passed.

"If everything is clear, then the meeting is adjourned."

As some students lingered to chat while others packed up their belongings and left, you stood and began organizing your things when Kaneshiro's voice unexpectedly called out.

"Hey, L/n," he said, standing beside you. "Are you heading out now?"

"Yeah," you answered, a little surprised.

"I see... would you mind if I walked with you?"

You blinked at him, not expecting the offer. "No, not at all."

The two of you bid quick goodbyes to the remaining students before stepping out into the dimly lit hallway. The school building was quieter now, the distant sounds of footsteps and muffled conversations barely reaching your ears.

The silence between you wasn't exactly uncomfortable, but it wasn't easy either, just a strange, lingering quiet that neither of you seemed willing to break.

"You're in the cooking club, right?" Kaneshiro finally asked.

"Yeah," you replied, pausing for a second. "What about you?"

"I play sports."

This goes to say with no judgment, but he didn't seem like the type to be an athlete- not that he didn't have the physique of one.

"Oh? What kind?"

He gave you a playful smile, "Don't wanna say."

"What? Why?" you laughed.

"You might think I'm gross and sweaty."

You scoffed, smirking. "I mean... I hate to break it to you, but I'm pretty sure that's just what playing sports does to you."

Kaneshiro chuckled softly. "I play basketball."

"Ah," you teased, "so you are gross and sweaty."

The two of you laughed, and just like that, the tension seemed to dissolve into thin air, a pleasant surprise you hadn't expected.

At the station, you parted ways with Kaneshiro, and you couldn't help but think it would've been nice if he had taken the same train home.

The platform was crowded when your train arrived, and you found yourself standing in the aisle with no vacant seats available. You didn't mind though.

But apparently, getting closer to Kaneshiro wasn't the only unexpected event of the day.

Seated directly in front of you, head resting against the window, was none other than Itoshi Rin. His arms were crossed, and his eyes were closed, his breathing slow and steady as he dozed off.

Your heart skipped a beat. 'Please don't wake up... please don't wake up...' you silently begged.

But as if your thoughts had jinxed it, Rin's eyes began to flutter open. His gaze, still heavy with sleep, drifted upward, landing right on you.

Panicked, you gripped the metal handle tightly and turned your back toward him. No matter how much you shifted, the awkwardness seemed impossible to escape.

Rin's gaze lingered on you, his expression unreadable. He noticed the faint crease on your forehead, the tension in your shoulders, signs of discomfort you were desperately trying to mask.

For a moment, Rin debated whether to say something or stay quiet. He was tired from football practice too, but no matter how much of a selfish prick he was, he was raised properly by his mom.

With a sigh, he grabbed his bag and stood up.

"You can have it," he muttered.

You turned around, startled. "No, thank you. I'm okay with standing."

"I offered you the seat," Rin said flatly. "Just take it."

Letting out a small sigh, you reluctantly accepted, sinking into the seat with a quiet "Thanks."

Despite the relief from finally sitting down, the awkwardness only seemed to amplify. Rin stood right in front of you, now facing you directly. With the train steadily filling up, your knees barely brushed against his legs.

Every now and then, his gaze flickered between the window and you. The space between you felt suffocating, and you silently willed the train to move faster.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, your station arrived. You bolted out of the train the moment the doors slid open, eager to escape the tension.

But just when you thought your awkward encounters for the day were over, you heard footsteps trailing behind you.

It hadn't dawned on you until now, you lived in the same neighborhood. It had just been so long since you'd crossed paths this way that you'd forgotten.

As you walked down the familiar street, you couldn't help but notice the spot where everything had changed, where you had stumbled, fallen, and confessed your feelings to Rin... only to be rejected.

But this time felt different. This time, you were the one walking ahead, and this time... you no longer carried the same overwhelming feelings for him.