Was it meant to be?

Play date

Y/N's POV:

"Hey Near, can I come in?" I ask, my voice soft as I knock gently on his door. There's a brief silence, long enough for me to wonder if he heard me, before I hear a shy, almost quiet response.

"Okay."

I slowly push open the door, stepping into Near's room. It's like stepping into a small toy store—action figures, puzzles, and other toys are scattered across the floor and shelves. His room is messy, but not chaotic; it has a strange sense of order. Near himself sits in the middle of the floor, focused on stacking cards into a delicate tower, his pale fingers moving with careful precision.

"Hello, Y/N," he says without looking up from his task. "Do you need help with something?"

I hesitate for a moment, feeling a bit awkward. "No, I just thought... maybe you'd like to hang out for a bit?"

Near pauses briefly, as if considering the idea, then returns to his card tower. "I'm playing here," he says in his usual monotone voice. "Feel free to join me."

I smile, a little relieved, and sit across from him on the floor. The atmosphere is quiet but comfortable, like being in the presence of someone who doesn't mind silence. Near's card tower is almost finished, but he suddenly knocks it down with a flick of his hand, not even reacting to the collapse. He moves the cards aside and reaches for a plain white puzzle, laying the pieces out between us.

"I can only stay for an hour, though," I mention, trying to sound casual, though I feel nervous. I'm supposed to meet up with Matt, Mello, and Shine later, but I want to spend some time getting to know Near too. I can't help but feel that he's used to being on his own, and maybe this is a chance to show him he doesn't have to be.

Near doesn't acknowledge my comment with words, but he nods slightly, still focused on fitting the puzzle pieces together. His face remains blank, his gray eyes cool and distant. I wonder if he ever feels lonely in this room, surrounded by all these toys but not many people.

I join him in working on the puzzle, the quiet between us almost soothing. As we piece the puzzle together, I sneak glances at him, trying to figure him out. He's hard to read—he doesn't show much emotion, and his voice is always flat. It must be difficult for him to express himself when he isn't used to being around people. I want to believe that, deep down, he's happy to have someone here with him.

Near's POV:

I sense Y/N shifting beside me as she finishes placing a piece of the puzzle. She has been here for an hour now, and I can tell she's about to leave. People always leave.

"It's been an hour, so I'm going to go now," she says, her voice bright but tinged with something else, maybe guilt for leaving. "It was nice playing with you. I had fun!"

She stands up, smiling as she waves goodbye. I watch her for a moment, then give her a small smile in return—a gesture that's rare for me. I raise my hand in a small wave, signaling my thanks.

As she leaves, the quiet returns, and the room feels a little emptier than before. I turn back to the puzzle, but my thoughts keep drifting to Y/N. She's different from the others. She doesn't ignore me or look at me like I'm strange for keeping to myself. She actually wanted to spend time with me, even if it was just for a short while.

But deep down, I know how this will end. It always ends the same way. New kids are nice to me at first, maybe out of pity or curiosity, but as soon as they find their real friends, they stop coming around. They start listening to the whispers from others, telling them I'm weird or that it's better to stay away from me. It's happened too many times for me to care anymore. Worrying about people who don't stick around is a waste of time.

Still, Y/N was the first person to genuinely want to hang out with me. Maybe she isn't like the others after all. Maybe... but I won't get my hopes up.

Y/N's POV:

I step out of Near's room, closing the door behind me, and pause for a moment in the hallway. Despite Near's quiet nature, I feel like our time together wasn't a waste. I might not have cracked through his stoic exterior, but maybe I made a tiny difference. It feels good knowing I was able to spend time with him.

I glance at the time on my phone—there's still a bit before I'm supposed to meet up with Matt, Mello, and Shine. I wonder how that will go. Mello is a mystery I haven't quite figured out yet, but I'm determined to make a better impression this time.

Maybe, just maybe, today will be a turning point.