Red in Different Shades

2. UA

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Edited 27.FEB.22

Edited 01.OCT.2024

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Niwa stood in front of the towering classroom door, its polished surface gleamed under the fluorescent lights. She didn't know what she was expecting when she first imagined her classroom, but this huge freaken entrance sure wasn't in that picture.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open, the soft creak echoing in the silence while she scanned the empty room. Even after fifteen minutes of aimless wandering through the unfamiliar halls, she was still the first to arrive. Maybe her eagerness had gotten the best of her again, but it sure beat wandering in town aimlessly like a lost puppy.

As she stepped inside, a rush of curiosity swept over her. The room felt open and inviting. The artificial glare of the fluorescent lights above couldn't compete with the warm shafts of sunlight spilling in through the tall windows, bathing the desks in an almost warm glow. Everything seemed pristine, like a blank canvas just begging to be scribbled on.

A flutter of excitement mingled with the unease in her stomach. A new school, a fresh start—another chance. With sure steps, Niwa strolled into the classroom, a glance at the chalkboard caught Niwa's attention. The seating arrangement, she noticed. Each small square was labeled with a desk number and a name. Desk One was nearest the door, with Two through Five just behind. Desk Six circled back to the front, beside One, and the pattern repeated.

Niwa checked the list again, her eyes scanning for her name. It was organized into alphabetical order from A to O, Ka to Ko, and so on through the hiragana alphabet. "Ni..." she mumbled to herself. Usually, her name would be somewhere roughly in the middle but not this time; apparently, she found her name at number Sixteen. The front desk of the final row.

Strolling over, her fingers carefully glided over her new desk. It felt cool under her fingertips, its surface smooth and polished like everything else in this pristine room. Niwa stashed her bag under as she sat, the chair's high frame felt like it was realigning her spine. She shuffled around, sinking into the chair with a content sigh.

The air was crisp, smelling faintly of cleaning supplies and chalk. She settled into the silence patiently, the peace only occasionally broken by the distant sound of footsteps echoing through the hall outside. It was the kind of quiet that made her feel like she didn't belong yet.

"Oh!" a light, almost soft voice came from the open door, "I wasn't sure anyone would be here this early."

The girl in the doorway smiled kindly. The newcomer had long, sleek black hair cascading down her back from a stylish ponytail and framing her face with soft, loose strands. Her large, dark eyes sparkled with intelligence as they lingered over the chalkboard for only a few brief moments. Clad in the U.A. uniform of a grey blazer over a crisp white shirt and red tie, this girl exuded confidence and poise. 

"Good morning!" Niwa greeted with a bright smile, burying her first-day nerves with her usual bravado. "Early birds of a feather, huh? Guess we're either too eager or just can't read the clock."

The girl approached her with a perfect posture and light sept filled with an airy kind of grace,  yet her arms clutching tightly to her bag. She stopped a few steps away from Niwa's desk, she bowed a little before gesturing to her self, "I am Yaoyorozu Momo. It's a pleasure to make you're acquaintance, please feel free to call me Momo!"

"I'm Niwa." she offered a small, toothy grin.

"It's quite exciting, isn't it?" Momo smiled with an eager gleam to her eye before looking back to the desk layout. "My seat is in the back, it seems. It's not where I prefer to sit, usually."