02 | the striking difference

163 15 12
                                    

02 ☆ ( "I WAS PRETTY, FUNNY

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.

02 ☆ ( "I WAS PRETTY, FUNNY." )

"And I told Teacher Hiroto that there was simply no chance I could score a ninety on historical literature before midterms!" I sat in silence, staring at the speeding trees

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.

"And I told Teacher Hiroto that there was simply no chance I could score a ninety on historical literature before midterms!" I sat in silence, staring at the speeding trees. The train whirred and made heavy noises against the tracks, but the conversation was louder than that. Sunoo chuckled, and so did Jungwon, who heard this conversation live in the classroom. But, I wasn't bothered. Somehow, I wasn't. "I can tell you Teacher Hiroto was fuming. Anyway, enough about me. Rie, how was your time with Teacher Fujii?"

I faced the three. Hanae was sitting next to me, crossed arms, while Sunoo and Jungwon stood and held onto the bars, one expression curious and the other attentive. If it was just Hanae and me here, I think I would've spewed out the truth about Nishimura, but with his friends here, I drifted away from that topic. "It was okay. Teacher Fujii wasn't so instructional like you said," I explained. "He let us do as we please once he finished a few short lessons. He told us that we were smart enough to do well on our own."

"Lucky," The three said in unison, barely whispering. I winced, nodding slowly. Looking back at the scenery, I felt a tap on my shoulder, seeing that it came from Sunoo. "Hey, Sato."

"Hm?"

"Did you get to meet Nishimura? You know, Nishimura Riki?" I deflected that name from my eyes, casting my gaze on Hanae's cherry blossom keychain.

"Right!" Jungwon snapped his fingers, pointing at me. I finally gave them both a crossed expression, chewing at my lower lip, trying to shoo them away with my gaze. This could go two ways, I already anticipated it: If I told them yes, they might ask for more details (which I humbly do not have), and if I say no, they might force us to get closer together. "Well, did you meet Nishimura?"

Think, Rie. Think.

But, the train stopped, and that familiar stop saved me from a crisis just in time. "Sorry, let's talk later. I've arrived at my stop."

"Aw," Hanae began, holding onto my skirt. I clutched my bag closer to my chest although its strap hung over my shoulders, eyes questioning her motion. "You're not going to come with us to coin karaoke? Your nightly curfew isn't until dinner time, and it's the beginning of the school year!"

suspended. | 니키Where stories live. Discover now