The silence lingered for a moment, awkward but gentle.
Chris cleared his throat. "So," he said deliberately, shifting the focus, "which club are we joining?"
Luna leaned forward immediately. "There are so many."
Eris flipped her guide open. "Let's see."
Tyler followed their lead, opening the guide and scanning the pages. It was exactly as he remembered.
Fifteen clubs in total.
Four sports clubs. Soccer, basketball, volleyball, badminton.
Four arts and culture clubs. Art, music, drama, dance.
Four academic clubs. Science, computer, math, debate.
Three hobby clubs. Photography, literature, board games.
The familiarity steadied him.
Chris tapped his page. "Basketball club looks decent. And the computer club too."
Kai nodded. "I'll check basketball and science. Maybe photography as well."
Noah leaned over Tyler's shoulder. "Drama club sounds fun. And soccer." He grinned. "I want to play like you."
Amaya hesitated, then spoke up. "I'll try the art club. And board games."
Aria smiled. "Volleyball. And art."
Luna nodded. "Volleyball and dance."
Eris closed her guide thoughtfully. "Badminton. And literature."
They all turned to Tyler.
He blinked. "What?"
Noah laughed. "Where are you going?"
Tyler rested his chin on his hand, thinking for a moment. "Maybe… soccer."
Noah lit up instantly. "Yes. We're going together."
"Well," Chris said, standing, "it's decided. Let's go."
They gathered their bags and moved toward the door, this time with Tyler hanging back slightly, letting the others lead. As they passed through the rows, they exchanged jokes with nearby students, light remarks and easy smiles that kept the mood open and unforced.
Near the aisle, Tyler passed Clara.
She smiled at him.
He met her gaze for a second, nodded faintly, then kept walking.
They stepped out of Class 1-A and into the corridor, splitting naturally as they turned in different directions, the sound of their voices blending into the wider noise of the school.
The stairs leading down from the academic building were crowded.
Students flowed around one another in loose clusters, voices overlapping in fragments of laughter, excitement, and complaints about the day already feeling too long. Shoes thudded against concrete steps in uneven rhythms. Someone behind them stumbled and laughed it off. Somewhere below, a whistle blew sharply, then faded.
Tyler walked with Noah on his right, Aria and Luna a step ahead. His hands rested loosely on the straps of his bag, posture relaxed, eyes drifting between the movement around them and the open space below.
"So," Noah said, hopping down two steps at once before slowing to match pace again, "soccer field first, right?"
Tyler glanced at him. "You're already planning drills?"
"I'm planning glory," Noah corrected. "Day one impressions matter."
Luna laughed softly. "You said that about the terrace too."
"And I was right," Noah said. "We conquered it."
Aria smiled, careful not to miss a step. "You didn't conquer anything. You ate rice."
"That rice carried me," Noah replied seriously.
They reached the ground floor, the space opening wide and bright. Sunlight poured in through large glass doors, reflecting off polished floors and bouncing up onto the walls. To one side, students spilled out toward the playground. To the other, the volleyball courts were already drawing attention, the sharp sound of balls hitting the ground echoing faintly.
Luna slowed, then turned. "Volleyball courts are this way."
Aria nodded. "We'll check it out."
"Don't get recruited immediately," Noah teased. "We need you for team spirit."
Luna smiled. "You'll survive."
She glanced at Tyler. "See you later."
"Have fun," Tyler said easily.
Luna and Aria headed off together, their voices blending into the noise around the courts as they disappeared into the crowd.
Noah rolled his shoulders. "Alright. Soccer."
They took a few steps.
Tyler stopped.
Noah noticed immediately. "What?"
Tyler's gaze had shifted inward, unfocused, as if he were listening to something only he could hear. Thoughts brushed against his awareness, faint but sharp. Irritation. Unease. A familiar edge that didn't belong to first day excitement.
He blinked once.
"I forgot something in the classroom," Tyler said smoothly.
Noah frowned. "Now?"
"Yeah," Tyler replied without hesitation. "You go check out your drama club first. Auditorium's that way. We'll meet directly at the soccer field after."
Noah hesitated, then shrugged. "Fine. But don't disappear on me."
Tyler smiled faintly. "I won't."
Noah jogged off toward the auditorium, already waving at someone he recognized from primary school.
Tyler turned back toward the stairs.
The hallway on the second floor was quieter than the ground level, the noise from below fading into a distant hum. Posters lined the walls, some freshly printed, others peeling slightly at the corners. A small sign taped near a door read Photography Club, with an arrow pointing inward.
Kai stood just outside the entrance.
His bag hung from one shoulder, posture straight, expression calm but guarded. Two second-year students stood in front of him, blocking the doorway without touching it. Their arms were crossed loosely, confidence casual but deliberate.
"Photography club's full," one of them said, glancing down at Kai.
Kai didn't flinch. "The club guide says it's open."
"That guide's outdated," the other replied. "We were here first."
"I just want to check it out," Kai said evenly. "I'm not signing anything yet."
The first second-year scoffed. "First-years really don't listen."
Tyler reached the top of the stairs and slowed.
He didn't step forward immediately. He didn't need to.
The thoughts coming from the second-years were already shifting. Confidence thinning. Recognition sparking. A sudden awareness of presence behind them.
One of them glanced over his shoulder.
His eyes landed on Tyler.
The reaction was subtle but immediate. He straightened slightly, then turned back to Kai with a forced smile.
"Well," he said, voice lighter now, "looks like a misunderstanding."
The other nodded quickly. "Yeah. No issue. You can go in."
They stepped aside and moved off down the corridor without another word, their footsteps a little faster than before.
Kai exhaled quietly and turned just as Tyler approached.
"Why are you here?" Kai asked. "Aren't you going to the soccer field?"
"I forgot something in class," Tyler replied. "What were they saying?"
Kai shrugged. "Nothing serious. They thought the club was closed."
Tyler nodded, already knowing better. He had read the argument from the stairwell below. The hesitation. The pressure. The familiar pattern.
Sunny.
"Alright," Tyler said. "See you later."
Kai nodded once. "Yeah. Later."
As Kai headed inside the club room, Tyler turned back toward the stairs.
"Tyler."
He paused.
Eris was halfway up from the first floor, moving faster than usual. She spotted him and immediately increased her pace, stopping on the same landing with a short, breathless laugh.
"Easy," Tyler said. "I'm not going anywhere."
She smiled. "Good. Because I was."
"What are you doing up here?" she asked. "Aren't you supposed to be on the soccer field?"
"I forgot something in class," Tyler said. "What about you? You were running like someone stole your bag."
Eris clenched her right hand into a fist and tapped it lightly against his shoulder. "School management is incompetent."
"Ouch," Tyler said, exaggerating the wince. "That hurt."
"Don't act," she replied. "The club guide says literature club is on the first floor. Guess what. They moved it to the third floor this year."
"And no one told you," Tyler said.
"And no one told me," she repeated. "And don't call me an idiot."
"I said management," Tyler replied innocently.
She stared at him for a second, then shook her head, a smile breaking through. "I'm going up, See you later."
She took one step.
"Do you need company?" Tyler asked from behind.
She turned. "Aren't you going to the soccer field?"
"I'll check it out later."
"Noah's waiting."
"I sent him to the drama club first."
Eris laughed quietly. "Figures."
She started up the stairs again, and Tyler followed.
"Since when did you get interested in literature?" she asked without looking back.
Tyler glanced at his watch. "About a minute ago, maybe."
She smiled. "Don't create trouble there."
"Yes, ma'am," Tyler replied.
They climbed in easy rhythm, steps falling into sync.
"So," Eris said after a moment, "you really forgot something in class?"
Tyler considered the question. "Does it matter?"
She thought about it. "Not really."
They reached the third floor, the hallway quieter, the air warmer. A handwritten sign pointed toward the literature club room at the far end.
Eris slowed. "Here."
Tyler stopped beside her. "After you."
She looked at him briefly, then nodded. "Thanks."
The literature club room greeted them with chaos.
The door creaked open just enough to reveal stacked cardboard boxes lining the walls, some half opened, others sealed with tape already peeling at the edges. Books spilled out in uneven piles, some stacked neatly, others leaning precariously against desks and chairs. A few shelves had been dragged in but not yet fixed to the wall, standing awkwardly like unfinished thoughts.
The air smelled faintly of dust and paper.
Tyler took in the scene in one glance. "Looks like I didn't even need to create trouble."
Eris shot him a look. "Shut up."
She stepped forward and raised her voice. "Is anyone here?"
For a moment, there was only the soft rustle of paper.
Then Tyler tilted his head slightly. "Look right."
Eris followed his gaze.
Between two tall piles of books, almost hidden, someone shifted. A girl's head popped up, hair slightly messy, glasses sliding down her nose as she pushed a book aside.
"Yeah," a voice said, a little startled. "I'm here."
Eris blinked. "You found her fast."
Tyler smiled lightly. "Instinct."
Eris shook her head but didn't comment. She stepped closer. "Hi. Sorry to interrupt. We wanted to check out the literature club."
The girl stood up fully now, brushing dust from her sleeves. "Oh. That's fine. I'm Hanna Moore. Class 2-A."
She glanced at Tyler briefly, then back to Eris. "Is he with you?"
Eris looked at Tyler.
He straightened slightly. "Tyler. I'm also interested in literature."
Eris smiled at that. "We both came to look. But…" She gestured vaguely at the room.
Hanna laughed awkwardly. "Yeah. We just shifted rooms. It's not… welcoming yet."
Eris looked around again. "Where are the other members?"
Hanna hesitated, then sighed. "After the third years graduated, most of our members left. No one from the current third year joined this club. Right now, there are only three of us. Jane, Layrus, and me."
"And you're all here?" Tyler asked.
"No," Hanna replied. "Jane and Layrus went to meet the teacher in charge. After that, they're going to look for first years who might want to join."
Eris frowned slightly. "Isn't there a minimum requirement for clubs?"
"There is," Hanna said. "We used to have around seventeen members. Mostly late third years. Now…" She shrugged. "Miss Hart said if we don't increase our members this year, the literature club might close next year."
There was a brief silence.
Hanna looked at them hopefully. "So… are you interested?"
Eris nodded without hesitation. "I was thinking of joining. That's why I came."
Hanna's face brightened a little. "You can look around. Most of the books are still in boxes, so just help yourself. I'll try to organize these piles."
She turned back toward the other side of the room, already pulling a stack of books closer.
Eris stepped forward, eyes scanning the boxes. Tyler followed.
She knelt and opened one of the boxes carefully. Inside were rows of books, their spines worn but well cared for. Titles ranged widely. Fictional worlds with unfamiliar names. Thin volumes of poetry. Old history texts with faded covers. Collections of essays. Language guides. Story anthologies.
"Oh," Eris said softly. "This is nice."
She pulled one out, flipping through pages. "Look at this."
Tyler leaned closer. "That one's about ancient trade routes."
"You actually know that?" she asked.
"I've seen it before," he replied.
She smiled, then grabbed another. "This is a collection of short stories. Different authors. Different eras."
They moved slowly from box to box, opening, closing, commenting. Eris grew animated, pointing out passages she liked, comparing themes, teasing Tyler when he lingered too long on historical sections.
"You're secretly old," she said.
"You're judging too fast," he replied.
On the other side of the room, Hanna paused in her organizing and looked up.
She watched the two of them quietly.
Eris talked with her hands, explaining something enthusiastically. Tyler listened, occasionally responding, occasionally just nodding. There was an ease there, unforced and natural.
Hanna smiled faintly to herself. That would make a good story, she thought.