When the Universe Conspires

03: Cosmic Drift

The school corridors felt narrower than usual, crowded with the usual mix of rushing students and teachers barking final reminders for upcoming exams. Connie squeezed through the throng, waving at a few classmates but not stopping long enough for any real conversation. Her backpack thumped lightly against her back as she hurried toward the open-air courtyard, where she and Aki always met after their first class.

The sun was high, and the leaves from the acacia trees provided a patchwork of shade on the stone benches scattered across the quad. Connie found Aki already sitting at their usual spot, a notebook open on his lap, his head buried in a sea of numbers and equations.

"Guess who just barely survived History?" Connie said, plopping down beside him, the weight of her bag hitting the ground with a loud thud.

Aki looked up, raising an eyebrow. "It's only the first class. How do you already feel like you're drowning?"

"I'm not drowning. Just...floating aimlessly," Connie joked, leaning back on her hands, eyes drifting up to the branches above them. She closed her eyes, letting the soft, dappled sunlight dance across her face.

"Right," Aki muttered, returning his focus to his notes. "You'll be fine. You always manage to get by."

There was a casual ease to the way he said it, like Connie's habit of skirting through school by sheer charm was both infuriating and impressive. Aki, of course, had no such luxury. His grades were impeccable, not because he found everything easy, but because the pressure from home was relentless. Connie knew he spent hours at night studying, trying to stay ahead, because slipping behind wasn't an option.

Connie stretched out her legs, tilting her head toward him. "How's Physics?"

Aki sighed, closing his notebook. "It's alright. Just...you know. Another thing I have to ace."

She tilted her head to the side, watching him. Aki always looked composed, his face calm and focused, but Connie could see the tension in the way he held his pen a little too tightly or how his jaw clenched when he thought no one was watching.

"Hey," Connie said softly, nudging him with her shoulder. "Relax. You're already doing great. Don't let them get in your head."

He smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Easier said than done."

Connie leaned back against the bench, turning her gaze toward the sky. The clouds floated lazily by, like they had nowhere to be. She envied them sometimes, their freedom to drift with the wind. No expectations. No pressure.

She kicked at the dirt beneath her shoes. "You ever wonder if we're just...drifting through life? Like, maybe there's some grand plan we don't know about?"

Aki raised an eyebrow at her. "Are we really doing this right now? Astrology time?"

Connie laughed, but there was something wistful behind it. "I'm just saying. You believe in science and logic and all that, but don't you ever feel like there's something...more? Like we're connected to something bigger?"

Aki rolled his eyes, though there was affection behind it. "You know I don't buy into that stuff."

"Yeah, yeah." Connie grinned. "But you still support me anyway, which makes you a closet believer."

Aki opened his mouth to retort, but before he could say anything, a voice interrupted them.

"Hey, Connie, right?"

Connie looked up, blinking at the sight of a boy standing a few feet away. He had the kind of presence that was hard to ignore—tall, with a lean frame and tousled hair that looked effortlessly styled. His uniform was slightly askew, his tie loosened just enough to look casual, and there was a confident, easygoing air about him.