The bell signaling the end of classes echoed through the hallways, bouncing off lockers and tiled walls.
Students spilled into the corridors like a river, laughing, shouting, and shoving past one another, their voices blending into a chaotic symphony.
Yet for Mayeda Shin, the world felt paused, as though someone had pressed a still frame over the normal bustle.
He walked alongside Matsui Miki for a few steps before gently slowing his pace, letting her catch up.
Her cheeks still bore a faint pink flush from their earlier conversation, and her gray eyes darted nervously from his silver gaze to the floor and back again.
"You're… really going through with this?" she asked, biting her lip.
Mayeda's expression remained calm, almost unnervingly so, as he looked down at her.
"Of course I would," he replied.
"And I always keep my word. Especially when it's… for someone else." He added with a small sigh.
Miki froze at his words, unsure how to respond.
She had expected him to say it casually, maybe shrug it off, or tease her. Instead, there was weight behind his voice, a subtle gravity that made her stomach twist in a mix of nerves and anticipation.
"Mayeda… you'd really-"
"After all, if I don't help you, it'd be a pain to look at you sitting next to me everyday." The tall boy added with a small shake of his head.
…
Ouch.
She comedically clutched her chest as if she was stabbed.
He paused at the entrance to the school's narrow side corridor, his gaze flicking toward the street beyond.
"This is where we split," Mayeda said. "You go home. I have… something to take care of."
Miki's hands tightened on her bag strap. She was curious of what he does after school, but it wasn't any of her business.
After all, she just met him this week and only talked due to these conditions, for now.
"I see… well, um, take care then…" Matsui softly spoke out and turned her back.
Mayeda's silver eyes caught hers, sharp and unwavering.
"I forgot to add something very important" The faint smirk tugged at his lips, almost imperceptibly.
"You have a pretty smile. Do it more often, ok?" He casually said before turning around to walk away.
Miki's eyes widened from the compliment out of nowhere.
He was by far the most unpredictable person she's ever met from nonchalance to suddenly seeming flirtations with her.
Mayeda gave a curt nod to her from behind, then turned, black school jacket swaying slightly as he strode down the corridor.
His mind was already shifting gears, calculating, planning, predicting.
Step one… convince Yoshikawa that Usui's heroics had saved her.
Step two… guide her toward visiting Usui.
Step three… subtly manipulate circumstances so the two would connect, all while remaining invisible in the background.
Just for today after that school beating he gave to different dudes, Mayeda treated human emotions like equations or variables to be anticipated, outcomes to be predicted.
Except… unlike numbers, people tended to misbehave. And yet, the challenge intrigued him.
I'm totally getting main character vibes right now. How pathetic.
Yet he was still excited about doing this, as much as he was unconsciously guilty of it all.
***
Yoshikawa Manami had just stepped out of cooking class, her apron tied around her waist and her silver hair falling loosely around her shoulders.
Due to her love and dedication to cooking, she was a special exception to have nearly entire days of cooking classes to enhance her skills.
Her cheeks still carried a subtle flush, the lingering heat of focus and pride in her work.
She had barely noticed the rest of the day passing with the aroma of honey and garlic still clung faintly to her hair.
She didn't expect anyone to stop her in the hallway. And yet, there he was.
"Manami Yoshikawa," Mayeda's calm voice called.
She turned, and for a moment, her heartbeat stuttered.
Did he just really use my full name?!
His crystal silver eyes regarded her with that unreadable, intense focus, and for some reason, she felt like she was being measured, weighed, and… considered.
"Yes… Shin?" Her voice came out quieter than intended, she didn't expect to see him like this.
He tilted his head slightly.
"Wanna go out with me?"
Her brow furrowed.
"WHAT? Excuse me?"
HE'S REALLY ASKING ME OUT? HERE? NOW? BUT WE JUST BECAME FRIENDS!
"What's wrong?" He obliviously asked.
It was obvious that this man really did have a poor choice of words sometimes.
This moment was no exception.
"Where did this come from…?" Yoshikawa was having some small conflicted feelings of this moment.
Huh?
Why is she so shy for?
After she called me handsome earlier this morning.
Girls can be so confusing sometimes.
No matter.
"Usui recently caught a cold. I'm planning to visit him, so I'd like you to come as well with me." Mayeda offers with a small hint of gentleness in his eyes.
Manami blinked, confused yet flustered.
"B-but isn't this a bit sudden?! I never talked to him properly or let alone got to become friends with him yet!" She stammers with a growing blush.
"Yes," Mayeda interrupted, eyes narrowing ever so slightly.
"I know that. But that's why I'm here. I'm his friend who's bringing a friend along, wouldn't you say this is a great opportunity to try and get closer to him like this?" He reaffirmed.
Silence.
"But what if he doesn't like me coming along?" She tried to find any excuse despite the idea being an intrigue to her mind.
"Come on, when a sick boy sees a beautiful girl coming to see if he's ok, he'd be flattered." Mayeda casually states as if it was a simple thing.
An idea struck in her mind.
"Wait… when did he get sick?" Yoshikawa questions, this was a very important question to her.
Mayeda had a small smirk growing, as if he had planned their conversation to lead to this direction.
"Ah, he actually got sick today earlier just recently in school. He had to leave school earlier due to some cold I believe."
…
Yoshikawa's eyes widened.
A cold?! Today?!
But…
She remembered earlier.
How cold it was in that bathroom.
How it was during the very start of school.
This was too big of a coincidence but how can she ignore these dots?
"I see… I'm sorry to hear he got a cold, but how did he get a cold near the start of summer?" She curiously asked with an innocent expression.
Mayeda puts a hand in his pocket, already with an answer in his head.
"He told me over the phone that he caught a cold from using the bathroom. He explained how it was unusually cold in there but he had to use it really bad, so he used it for longer than usual for some reason."
His crystal eyes reflected on here.
"He never told me why, but I guess it was for some really bad taco consumption."
Yoshikawa's eyes brightened.
No way… this was too much…
Usui had to be the one who saved me earlier!
But he's hiding it from Mayeda for some reason… but I guess it's due to not wanting to worry him.
Is he embarrassed of admitting it… or maybe he just doesn't want the recognition?
Either way, those two options made him more warmer in her eyes.
Her mind raced backed.
Memories of the incident with shadowy figures, a panicked voice, a hand pulling her to safety and flickered to the surface.
She remembered the fear, the sudden warmth, the rush of adrenaline.
But she also remembered… someone else.
Someone… a bit tall.
Dark hair.
Strong.
But he was nowhere in the picture now.
It wasn't too ridiculous to put Usui in the picture.
Her heart skips a beat from the thought of being saved by her growing crush.
"Of course, I won't force you. I'm sure we can just arrange another meeting another time with him." Mayeda shrugs a mock of disappointment and slowly began to take out his phone.
"N-no, wait! Let's go together!" Yoshikawa quickly said without thinking.
Heh.
"Oh? You're willing to see him now?" Mayeda puts on a small smile of surprise and relief.
"Uh…" she stammered. "I… I suppose… yes. I should visit him."
She tried playing it off.
Yoshikawa… you're so easy to see through for me.
Mayeda's lips curved into the faintest smirk.
"Good. Then let's go now."
She followed him wordlessly, curiosity and apprehension swirling in equal measure.
He walked beside her but didn't speak much, letting silence fill the gaps as they navigated the quiet streets.
For a moment, she wondered why he had to make everything feel so… calculated.
***
Usui Sato's small apartment smelled faintly of tea and antiseptic, a testament to his mother's care and his own inability to take care of himself while sick.
He was perched on the edge of his bed, blankets draped over his knees, cheeks flushed pink from fever and embarrassment alike.
Mayeda said he'll be here soon…
When he heard the soft knock on the door, he groaned.
"I'm too lazy to get up…" Usui lets out a small whine.
Mayeda'sexpression was one of disbelief.
"Hey, come on, open the door. Why is it even locked anyways?" He said on the other side of the door.
"It's because I don't wanna risk being contagious and I don't feel like seeing your handsome face today." Usui murmurs and nuzzles his pillow.
What a pain in the ass.
Mayeda felt a bit frustrated from setting up this perfect first proper merging for them just for his friend to be stubborn.
"I'm gonna give you on the count of three." The black haired boy declared.
Usui's eyes opened.
Wait what.
"Three." Mayeda counts.
Instead, the door flung open anyways with a sudden burst, flying open.
"AH!" Usui jumps a bit in his bed when the door opens.
Mayeda's voice came first from the doorway.
"Someone's here to see you."
Then came the angel herself.
Manami Yoshikawa with a hesitant gaze and entrance through the door.
The door hinged nearly blew off when he Mayeda flicked it open with his fingers.
Obviously if he destroyed the door, he'd have to pay for property damage.
The door had a small squeak from the subtle movement now after crashing crashing the wall.
Usui's glasses had been abandoned, leaving him blinking at the figure in front of him.
"M-Manami?!"
Yoshikawa stepped more inside cautiously, her hands clutching the strap of her bag.
"Uh… hi. You… you okay?"
Usui sat upright a bit straighter, coughing into his sleeve before trying to regain composure.
"Yeah! Totally fine. Uh… just a… little… sick." His words came out fast, defensive.
DAMN YOU, BRO! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME SHE WAS COMING HERE??
HOW DID YOU EVEN GET HER TO COME HERE?!
Yoshikawa's eyes swept across the room.
That's when she noticed them… the rows of anime bunny girl figures lining the shelf beside his bed, each one carefully displayed.
Her eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"Pfft" Mayeda had to hold back a small laugh and covers his mouth with a hand.
Part of me wanted to see this.
He turned around and just did a small laugh in silence.
Yoshikawa, on the other hand, who never visited his house before.
Had a very interesting first impression of Usui when he's not at school.
Usui's face immediately turned red. "I—uh, those are… um… they're… my sister's collection!"
…
Yoshikawa only gave a small, polite smile in response with no words.
She didn't buy it…
Usui stared up at her, adjusting his glasses more to try and think of something to save face.
"They're, um…" Usui stuttered.
"They're anime figurines, we both bought these and just decided to keep these in his room since I come here often." Mayeda spoke up, lying a bit to help Usui's silly problem.
Yoshikawa blinked, then couldn't help but giggle. "Ah, I see, so both of you are a bit interested in this stuff?"
Mayeda walks over and puts a arm around Usui's shoulder.
"That's right. WE both like a bit of anime, the BOTH of us." He casually said as his grip on Usui's shoulder tightened a little as if it was saying:
I dare you to deny it, bitch.
"Yeah! We, uh… both like anime girls…" Usui waved his hands frantically, knocking over a small figure, which clattered to the floor.
Awkward silence.
Mayeda lets go of Usui's shoulder and just went back to Yoshikawa before leaning down next to her ear.
She shyly took a step back, but not too back due to his hand on her shoulder.
"Please…"
Mayeda glanced back at Usui, seeing how embarrassed he was.
A small smile.
"Don't judge a man based on his waifus."
He softly whispered into her ear.
Yoshikawa laughed softly, her silver eyes twinkling. "I promise I wasn't gonna do it anyways!"
Usui, on the other hand, saw this as a WTF moment. Was he hitting on her in front of him?! WHAT THE FUCK?
Usui scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed. "So, um… what brings you here, Yoshikawa?"
Mayeda stood just behind her again, watching the awkward comedy unfold silently, analyzing Usui's mannerisms and Yoshikawa's reactions.
This was perfect.
Connection was forming.
Humor, vulnerability, subtle trust and everything he had predicted.
In order to bond closer, you need unexpected things to happen in life.
Sure, this was a bit much but this is the best opportunity to get closer as real with each other as they could at this current stage.
"So…" Yoshikawa moved slightly closer to the bed, her gaze softening.
"You… really sav-" she paused.
Wait… if I ask it here and now… Usui might get embarrassed again and Mayeda might know how his friend got sick…
She really wanted to ask him, but these circumstances weren't really the best right now.
Usui's expression faltered for a moment. "Hm?"
"N-nothing.. I forgot what I was gonna say!" She said with a small, gentle smile.
…
Mayeda and Usui just stared at her.
Why does she look so positively happy about forgetting something?
They had a same braincell moment.
Mayeda stepped slightly forward, his tone smooth and neutral, yet carrying a carefully constructed warmth.
"He caught the cold because of it being a cold place. That's all there was to it!" He calmly spoke with a small smile, needing to end it there, for now at least.
Yoshikawa's chest tightened, and she felt the first real warmth toward Usui that didn't come from fear or embarrassment.
She looked at him, then back at Mayeda, whose silver eyes seemed to gleam knowingly.
"Yes," Usui mumbles, voice barely above a whisper, but a determined voice came on. "But, I'll recover soon!"
Usui enthusiastically said with a smile.
"And then maybe, we can talk better than this!" Usui added.
Her lips curved into a faint, genuine smile. "Yeah… I think that'd be pretty cool!"
He blinked, a bit flushed. "Uh… yeah.. really…"
No way.. she's really fine with talking more with me after!!!!
And just like that, the ice between them cracked.
Mayeda stared at the interaction with a soft smile, of course, when he knew they weren't looking.
Seeing his friend become more happy yet vulnerable made him smile.
And the fact he can make another friend, was all the better.
This really all will be worth it… I just need to get rid of any obstacles in my way… and keep this happiness alive.
This plan WILL work.
His gaze trailed from Usui and Yoshikawa talking to one another. It was awkward and a bit shy, but he can see they were more relaxed.
And this was all thanks to him.
His ideas.
His plan.
Thank goodness this step really worked out.
I'm really… glad.
Super glad.