The Mischievous Angel
The sun shone brightly over the elementary school as Kota sat in his tiny desk, legs dangling and his hands clasped on the tabletop like a little gentleman. On the outside, he looked like the perfect angel—quiet, composed, and wide-eyed with curiosity. But inside, it was a whole different story.
**Kota's Inner Voice:** *All right, Kota. First day of school. This is your chance to make an impression. Be cool. Be smooth. Wait, why is that kid staring at me? You want a staring contest? I'll win. Look away. That's right. Respect the king.*
As the teacher entered the room, Kota straightened up in his seat.
"Class, please settle down. We have a new student joining us today. Please introduce yourself," the teacher said, gesturing to Kota.
Kota stood up, hands at his sides, his innocent expression masking the little storm brewing inside.
"I'm Kota," he said in a soft, polite voice.
**Kota's Inner Voice:** *Yeah, keep it short and sweet. Mysterious. That's how you leave an impression. Should I smile? Nah, too much. Wait, why is that kid in the corner picking his nose? Dude, not in public!*
"Nice to meet you, Kota!" the class chorused, though a few kids were clearly distracted.
As Kota sat down, a girl plopped into the seat next to him. She had short black hair, a pair of round glasses, and a cheeky grin that spelled trouble.
"Hi, I'm Ayumi," she said, poking his arm.
Kota turned to her, his angelic face hiding the mental commentary that followed.
**Kota's Inner Voice:** *Oh great, a seatmate. And she's already poking me. Why couldn't I sit next to the quiet kid? She looks like the type who talks too much. Stay calm, Kota.*
"Hi," Kota replied, keeping his voice neutral.
Ayumi leaned closer. "Do you always look this serious? You look like a tiny grandpa."
**Kota's Inner Voice:** *Excuse me? Did she just call me a grandpa? Okay, you're on my list now, Ayumi.*
"No, I don't," Kota said, puffing his cheeks slightly.
"You do now," Ayumi teased, giggling.
**Kota's Inner Voice:** *Oh, you're lucky I'm a gentleman, Ayumi. Otherwise, I'd—wait, is she drawing on my notebook?*
Ayumi had grabbed Kota's notebook and was doodling tiny stick figures on the corner of the page. Kota stared at her, stunned.
"Don't worry. I'm making it better," Ayumi said, grinning.
---
When the recess bell rang, the students flooded out of the classroom. Kota stretched his arms and looked around.
**Kota's Inner Voice:** *Freedom! Time to explore this place. Maybe I'll grab a snack. Wait, where's Ayumi? Did she wander off? Good riddance—wait, why do I care?*
He spotted her sitting alone in the corner of the canteen, her lunchbox on the table. No one else was near her. Kota grabbed his own lunch and walked past her, but his feet stopped.
**Kota's Inner Voice:** *Why does she look so sad? This isn't my problem… but still. What kind of angel would I be if I left her like that?*
Before he knew it, he plopped down in the seat next to her. Ayumi looked up, startled.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Eating," Kota said simply, pulling out his lunch.
"You don't have to sit here, you know," Ayumi muttered, looking away.
Kota took a bite of his sandwich, ignoring her words.
**Kota's Inner Voice:** *I know I don't have to. But I want to. Besides, you're stuck with me now.*
"You're weird," Ayumi said after a moment, but there was a small smile on her face.
"You're weirder," Kota replied, chewing.
For the first time that day, Ayumi laughed—a soft, genuine laugh that surprised even herself.
"You're not as serious as you look, Grandpa," she teased.
Kota smirked slightly.
**Kota's Inner Voice:** *Fine, Ayumi. You win this round. But don't think I'm letting you off easy next time.*
As they ate together, other kids started to notice and slowly began joining their table. By the end of recess, Ayumi was no longer sitting alone, and Kota felt a strange warmth in his chest.
**Kota's Inner Voice:** *I guess having a mischievous seatmate isn't so bad after all.*
CHAPTER END 🫠