The classroom was thick with the murmur of whispers as Airi Nakamura stepped inside, the soft click of her shoes against the floor cutting through the noise. She had a quiet grace about her that immediately commanded attention. Her white hair, neatly styled into a hime cut, framed her face delicately, contrasting against her porcelain skin. She scanned the room briefly, her eyes calm yet observant, before her gaze lingered on a particular seat.
When the teacher gestured for her to introduce herself, Airi's voice was soft, but steady. "My name is Airi Nakamura. I'm happy to be here."
As her words echoed in the classroom, Kaito's heart skipped a beat. His body stiffened involuntarily, his gaze snapping to hers. Something about her felt eerily familiar—like a fragment of a forgotten memory trying to surface.
"She looks familiar," Kaito murmured under his breath, his eyes narrowing as he studied her from across the room.
The boys in the class, who had been admiring Airi since she entered, immediately shifted their focus. Whispers of admiration passed between them—"She's so cute," "Did you see her smile?" But their excitement quickly turned into envy when Airi's eyes locked with Kaito's, just for a moment too long.
"Do you know a person here?" the teacher asked, turning toward Airi.
"Yes," Airi replied, her voice just above a whisper but perfectly audible.
"Who?" the teacher asked, curiosity piqued.
Airi's eyes flickered back to Kaito. "It's Kaito Ishida."
The room fell silent. The boys' jaws dropped. The whispers grew louder, each one filled with disbelief and jealousy.
Kaito's mind raced, trying to make sense of it. "Huh?" he muttered, his confusion clear.
The teacher blinked in surprise. "You know Kaito?"
Airi nodded, her smile gentle. "Yeah, we were childhood friends. Did you forget?"
Kaito stared at her, his brows furrowing. Childhood friend? He couldn't place her face, not at all. "Sorry, I don't remember," he said, his voice low.
"It's okay," Airi responded, her tone soft, reassuring. "We were just kids back then. It's okay to forget."
The teacher, oblivious to the tension in the room, quickly scanned the class. "Airi, where would you like to sit?"
Airi looked around, her gaze resting on the empty seat beside Kaito.
The teacher pointed. "Here, beside Kaito."
As Airi made her way to the desk, the boys' envy was palpable. They stared at Kaito, their eyes burning with jealousy. Kaito couldn't even bring himself to care. He wasn't interested in any of them, and certainly not in whatever drama they were trying to cook up.
Airi sat down quietly beside him, her movements graceful. Kaito, however, remained focused on the front of the room, ignoring her presence as best as he could. His mind was elsewhere, still replaying the strange encounter.
The teacher began the lesson, and the minutes ticked by, but Kaito couldn't shake the feeling that Airi's presence was slowly weighing on him. She wasn't just a random new transfer student—she felt different, like an old wound that hadn't fully healed.
At 10 PM, the bell finally rang, signaling the end of class. The teacher dismissed the students, and Kaito, feeling the familiar ache of boredom creeping in, began to spin his pen absentmindedly. His thoughts were jumbled, a mess of memories and emotions that refused to settle.
But then, he heard it. A soft voice, barely a whisper, yet it cut through the silence like a knife.
"Kaito~"
Kaito's hand froze, the pen dropping from his fingers as his gaze snapped to Airi. She was leaning closer to him, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Talk to me~" she purred, her voice playful and teasing.
Kaito's heart skipped, and his chest tightened. Airi was... cute, and it irritated him. He hadn't wanted to feel anything, not for her, not for anyone. But here she was, making his thoughts spin in ways he couldn't control.
His expression hardened as he turned his attention back to the board. Don't look at her, Kaito. think about Sayuri.
But even as he tried to concentrate, his mind betrayed him.
Airi, noticing his silence, pouted, her lower lip jutting out in a way that made Kaito almost lose his resolve. So cute.
In the brief moment of distraction, Airi's eyes darkened with frustration. Why isn't he talking to me? she wondered, her face clouded with confusion. She had expected him to respond, to react in some way. But all she got was the cold shoulder.
Just as the tension between them thickened, the teacher returned and began the next lesson, breaking the spell between them. The minutes dragged on as Kaito tried to ignore Airi's presence beside him. But the longer she sat there, the more she felt like an unwelcome ghost from his past—someone who had come to stir up memories he wasn't ready to face.
When the bell rang for break, Kaito didn't hesitate. He stood up quickly and made his way out of the classroom, eager to escape the suffocating atmosphere. But, as he stepped into the hallway, he realized he wasn't alone. Airi was following him, her footsteps light and hesitant.
Kaito's eyes narrowed as he turned to face her. "Why are you following me?" His tone was sharp, cold even.
Airi hesitated, a nervous laugh escaping her. "Oh, why am I following you? That's strange, isn't it?" Her words faltered, and she blushed slightly.
Kaito raised an eyebrow. "You're lying."
Airi, flustered by his directness, smiled sheepishly. "I just… wanted to ask if we could eat together?"
Kaito sighed, but his irritation seemed to fade slightly. "Alright, follow me."
They walked to the canteen in silence, the air between them thick with unspoken words.
As they entered the crowded canteen, whispers began again. Students turned to stare, clearly intrigued by the new transfer student and her unexpected companion.
"Is that the new transfer?" one girl whispered.
"She's so cute."
Another girl nudged her friend. "Who's that guy with her?"
The first girl squinted at Kaito. "He's Kaito Ishida. He used to be in my class. But… he looks so different now."
"He looks bland. Like a nerd. Why is she with him?"
One girl chimed in, "He *looks* bland, but he's actually handsome if you've seen him without glasses."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. We bumped into each other once. His glasses fell. When I gave them back... I was stunned. He was so good-looking, I couldn't believe it. He just said thank you and walked away like nothing happened."
"I'll find out myself," the girl muttered, her curiosity piqued
The conversation swirled around Kaito, but he was too lost in his own thoughts to pay attention.
"I feel like someone's talking about me," Kaito muttered to himself, glancing around, but the murmurs only intensified.
Airi, noticing his distraction, looked at him with a soft smile. "Kaito?"
Kaito blinked, then looked at her. "What?"
Airi shook her head, smiling again, though there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. "Nothing."
And so, they sat together, eating in silence. But to Kaito, it felt like the weight of the past was sitting right beside him, waiting to be acknowledged. And deep inside, he knew it was only a matter of time before the memories, the ones he had locked away, would come crashing back.
Airi's Flashback:
It was a typical day at the park when it happened. Airi was sitting on the swings, her small hands gripping the chains as she swayed back and forth, lost in her thoughts. The laughter of other children filled the air, but she had never quite fit in. The girls at school had always been cruel, whispering behind her back and calling her names. She had always been alone.
That day, however, the teasing escalated. One of the girls had shoved her, causing Airi to stumble. She lost her balance and fell hard onto the ground. Tears blurred her vision as she struggled to stand up, but they just laughed.
And then, out of nowhere, Kaito had appeared.
"Leave her alone," he had said, his voice quiet but firm.
The bullies froze, not used to seeing anyone stand up to them. But Kaito had been different. He had always been different.
"She's not bothering anyone. So just go away," he said, glaring at them with an intensity that made even the older kids hesitate.
They had backed off, and Airi's tears had stopped falling, replaced by the warmth of gratitude. Kaito had never known it, but that moment had saved her. Saved her from a world that had always been too harsh and cruel.
She smiled at the memory, though it was tinged with bittersweetness. Kaito had always been there for her.
Now, she hoped that he could remember.