WebNovels

Chapter 3 - There are so many things

Yuujin woke up normally, had his breakfast, brushed his teeth, and got ready for school, dressing carefully and paying attention even to the smallest details.

He finished putting on his sneakers and got up from the bed he had been sitting on, heading to the living room with his backpack, waiting for Misaki and Emi.

"Ahhh, I'm so sleepy! I don't want to go!" Misaki protested.

"Sweetie, if life were that easy, I wouldn't even be working. Now, come on," Emi said, nudging Misaki to hurry up.

"Ah! Hey! I'm already going, no need to push me like that!" she complained, walking ahead distractedly with her phone in hand.

As she almost ran into a wall, Yuujin grabbed her backpack.

"Hey!" she shouted.

"You need to pay more attention. If you get hurt, I'm not taking responsibility!" Yuujin said sternly.

"Yeah, like I'd get hurt. I'm careful, okay? Defective white cabbage," Misaki said, heading out of the apartment and leaving Yuujin muttering to himself.

"When did she start acting like this? Hmm… I don't remember. Has she always been like this?" Yuujin wondered, recalling some past moments with them.

"But I want to watch the princess channel! Why would YOU stop me?!" Misaki yelled at Yuujin.

"Because I got there first!" he yelled back.

"Hey! Stop fighting. Yuujin, can you let your sister watch today? You can play on your console," their father said, taking the controller from both of them.

"But dad, I got there before her!" He watched his father hand the controller to Misaki as she teased Yuujin with irritating gestures.

Yuujin left the living room with his father, who got close to him.

"Sorry, Yuujin, but you know how your sister is. We still have to deal with her," he laughed, and Yuujin laughed a little too, but quickly went back to a neutral expression and headed to his room.

Yuujin began thinking about that memory, returning his thoughts to the present.

"I guess it's because our parents didn't punish us with big consequences," Yuujin said to himself, following Misaki and Emi on the walk to school, which wasn't too far.

During the walk, Misaki bumped her head on a boy's back while messing with her phone.

"Ah, I'm sorry, are you okay?" the boy turned to check if she was fine.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Misaki said hastily and stepped aside.

Next to him was another girl, and they seemed close.

Yuujin watched them silently, until the boy grabbed his shoulder.

"Are you Yuujin?" the boy asked, making sure he was the right person.

"Ah… yes. How do you know?" Yuujin turned to face him, curious to find out more.

"You match the description almost exactly, just like Aoki said," the boy analyzed Yuujin alongside the girl.

"Aoki? The blond guy with the earrings?" Yuujin looked at them as they surrounded him.

"That's the one. I'm Taylor, nice to meet you, and this is Yuri," Taylor raised her hand for Yuujin to shake.

Yuujin slightly lifted his hand, and Taylor noticed it was sweaty.

"Do you usually sweat when you shake hands with people?" Taylor asked, and Yuujin blushed slightly, turning his face away.

"Don't worry, I'm just joking," she said, stepping closer with Yuri, who sniffed the air around Yuujin and commented on it.

"Aoki was right when he said you have an interesting scent," she smiled a little.

"Yeah… he said the same thing to me," Yuujin scratched the back of his neck a bit, and Emi interrupted slightly.

"So, guys, everyone here needs to go to the same place. Why don't we all go together?" she said, calling Misaki along so she wouldn't bump into anything.

"Right, I just noticed your uniforms," Yuujin said.

"You're kind of slow, huh?" Taylor remarked, and Yuujin let out a small sigh. "But let's go, little guy." He and Yuri followed, waiting for Yuujin to come along.

Yuujin stayed quiet for a while, head down, sweating a little, almost walking into a lamppost before Taylor pushed him to the right.

"You're distracted. Are you thinking about something?" he commented, seeing Yuujin quickly lift his head.

"Me… thinking?" Yuujin said, with a slightly dumbfounded look.

"You're funny, Yuujin. Might be fun to have you in our group," Taylor said, while Yuri laughed at the situation, walking alongside him.

"Group? What group?" Yuujin moved closer to hear more.

"We're part of Aoki's band, and he probably wants a new member. Can you play something, or do anything other than looking like an iceberg and almost bumping into posts?" Taylor waited for a positive answer.

"Ah… I draw… a little," Yuujin said, pausing, sweating, and fidgeting with his fingers oddly.

"Hm… maybe that'll help. Aoki said he'll talk to you during break today, so I'll leave you guys to sort it out," Taylor said, walking away silently, leaving Yuujin to think.

Yuujin stayed thoughtful.

"A band? And why me specifically? Aren't there other skilled people?" he wondered, looking a bit downcast.

When they arrived at school, Max was waiting for them in a nearby hallway.

"Looks like you brought our polar bear," Max said jokingly.

"Polar bear? Where?" Yuujin perked up, looking around.

"That's you," Yuri laughed at Yuujin's reaction.

"Aoki calls you that. He talked a lot about you yesterday. What did you do to catch his attention? He's usually like that only with people who… spark some… small interest in him. That's rare," Taylor commented, while Yuri and Max looked curious too.

"I… I don't know. I bumped into him yesterday, and our conversation wasn't long, but he said he found my scent interesting, that's all!" Yuujin tried to defend himself, though it wasn't a threat.

"You mentioned that along the way, but I don't think that's the reason. He saw something in you; I just don't know what," Max shrugged, putting an arm around Yuujin's shoulder.

"I'm heading to class. See you later," Yuri said, waving to them as Max and Taylor nodded.

"So, 'whipped cream hair,' what's your class anyway?" Max asked, tightening his grip slightly as he waited for the answer.

"Ah… second year," Yuujin replied, and Max perked up.

"Funny how destiny works! Haha, we'll be in the same class!" Max released Yuujin and started walking, with Taylor gesturing for him to follow.

Yuujin thought about starting a conversation, but whenever he tried to speak, no sound came out, and he didn't know why.

"What's happening? Am I mute?" Yuujin thought, arriving in the classroom with Max and Taylor.

"Look at that, a new boy… and he's cute…" a girl whispered to her group, glancing at Yuujin.

Max pulled Yuujin to sit next to him, while Taylor sat behind him.

"You'll like it, the teachers are super chill," Max said, excited about Yuujin's presence.

"Excuse me," the same girl approached Yuujin and Max. "I couldn't help but notice you, new boy. Want to hang out with us during break? I find you interesting," she said.

"Me? Interesting?" Yuujin was slightly startled, shifting back in his seat.

"Yes, and please, he'll spend this time with us! You and your group can keep your eyes off him!" Max said more seriously.

"Is that right, new boy?" she continued staring at Yuujin.

"Yes…" Yuujin tried to speak but was sweating and tapping his foot nervously.

"Tara, you usually don't call boys over like this. Consider holding back. Yuujin isn't interested in your group, can you please leave us alone?" Taylor stood up, putting himself next to Yuujin.

She huffed a little, stepping away from Yuujin, Taylor, and Max, returning to her seat on the other side of the classroom.

"Why did she find me interesting?" Yuujin lifted his head to look at Taylor, but when Taylor looked down at him, he turned his face away.

"Don't mind her, she does that to boys she finds attractive," Taylor said, returning to his desk.

"Me? Attractive?" Yuujin thought, glancing at them as their eyes lingered on him, making him quickly look down. "I shouldn't be thinking about this… I should just wait quietly until class starts!" he protested.

"You're cute, with your white hair and blue eyes. The perfect target for her. Don't be fooled, Yuujin," Max commented, sitting back in his chair.

"Target?" Yuujin raised his head to hear more from Max.

"Yeah, they'll include you in their group, take advantage of you, and act like they never knew you when someone prettier or just someone else comes along. They keep changing," Max explained.

"I see, I think…" Yuujin laid his head back on the desk, thinking about a few things.

"Aoki shouldn't be in this classroom. When people mention him, it seems to be in their group. I don't know what he saw in me, but I want to know… because I also found something interesting about him… he's not afraid to express himself…"

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