✧˚ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒅𝒐𝒍

2

as y/n and saikou stepped out of the headmaster's office, she noticed how the boy beside her's posture was rigid, his movements precise, almost mechanical. y/n couldn't help but notice the subtle tension in his shoulders and the slight furrow in his brow. she wondered if he resented being pulled from his usual duties to babysit her. the new girl. she tried her best to push this silly thought away, but it still lingered in the back of her mind because of the substance that it held.

aside from that, their walk was mostly quiet, the only sounds being the murmurs of other students and the rhythmic tapping of their shoes against the polished floor. y/n kept stealing glances at saikou, trying to gauge his mood without being too obvious. the silence felt heavy, but she couldn't find the words to break it. "so..." megamo's voice cut through the quiet, startling her slightly, "what are you? some sort of...exchange student?" he questioned.

y/n was both taken aback and relieved. it dawned on her that saikou didn't know who she was, a famous idol thrust into a new environment. she smiled sheepishly, feeling a strange sense of anonymity wash over her. "something like that," she replied, her tone hesitant. "i, uh, had to leave my old school because of some drama."

"ah," saikou replied, his tone curt and noncommittal. he didn't probe further, seemingly content with her vague explanation. y/n let out a quiet breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. they continued their walk in silence, but it felt less oppressive now. saikou's pace remained steady, his eyes focused ahead as they navigated the labyrinthine corridors.

before long, they arrived at a door labeled 3-1. saikou stopped, turning to face y/n. he towered over her, his presence imposing yet not entirely unfriendly. "here," he said, his voice softer now. he bent down slightly to grab the handle. "let me get that for you." he offered, despite being standoffish, he was still a gentleman.

y/n watched as he opened the door, the gesture unexpectedly kind. she nodded her thanks, feeling a little more at ease. as the door swung open, the classroom's chatter reached her ears. students turned to look, curiosity and surprise flickering across their faces as they recognized her. saikou stepped aside, allowing y/n to enter first as he stood by the door, as this wasn't his class; he was in classroom 3-2.

the teacher, a tall woman with straight, shoulder-length orange-light hair, light crystal-blue eyes, and thin-frame glasses glanced off to the side from her podium in the front of the class, momentarily taken aback by the new arrival since she— hanabusa karin— wasn't expecting y/n so soon. "ah, you must be the new student," she said, standing up. "thank you, saikou," she said, her tone formal yet appreciative.

"it was nothing," megamo replied coolly before turning and leaving, the door closing behind him with a soft click. the sound seemed to echo in the suddenly quieter classroom, drawing the attention of a boy in the back. aishi ayato, who had been resting his head on his arms, lifted his gaze with a tired curiosity, his dark eyes observing the new student with mild interest.

y/n stood uncertainly at the front of the classroom, feeling the weight of dozens of eyes on her. she shuffled slightly, unsure of where to position herself. the teacher gestured for her to come closer, and she took a tentative step forward, standing beside the instructor. "class," the teacher began, her voice carrying authority and warmth, "this is s/n y/n. you may know her from her music, but even though she is quite...popular, that does not mean we shouldn't treat her with the same respect we offer every student." unfortunately, before mrs. hanabusa could even begin to continue, there was a sudden commotion.

a boy near the middle of the room, guramu horo, shot up from his seat, his face flushed with excitement. "i love you so much!" he shouted, his voice ringing with fervor. the outburst took everyone by surprise, including y/n.

the teacher's eyes widened for a moment before she regained her composure. a ripple of murmurs and giggles spread through the classroom, students turning to look at their classmate with varying expressions of amusement and disbelief. y/n felt her cheeks heat up, a mix of embarrassment and awkwardness washing over her. she managed a small, polite smile in guramu's direction, trying to handle the situation with as much grace as possible. she needed to be careful though. after all, her reputation was everything to her. "どうも ありがとう ございます." y/n said softly, not quite sure what else to say. "thank you so much."

the teacher cleared her throat, her gaze sharp as she looked at guramu. "that's enough, guramu. please sit down."

guramu, still flushed, sank back into his seat, but his eyes remained fixed on y/n, a wide grin plastered on his face. the teacher turned back to y/n, offering her an encouraging smile. "now, y/n, why don't you take that empty seat over there?" she suggested, pointing to an unoccupied desk near the middle of the room. right in front of ayato.

y/n nodded, grateful for the direction. she made her way to the desk, feeling the eyes of her classmates following her every move. when she finally reached her seat and sat down, she tried desperately to focus on settling in and ignoring the curious looks.

unbeknownst to her, ayato's eyes remained fixed on her. positioned directly behind her, he had a clear view as she took her seat. his head was still resting on his arms, his face partially hidden, but his gaze was intense. he watched the way her hair swayed gently with each breath, how it shimmered in the soft classroom light. his eyes traced the curve of her neck and the way her shoulders tensed slightly as she adjusted to the new environment. every fidget, every small movement she made, seemed to captivate him. and he didn't know why.

ayato's expression remained stoic, but inside, he felt a strange sensation he couldn't quite place. his stomach felt as if it had been twisted into knots, a tight, uncomfortable feeling that made him slightly uneasy. there was a weight on his chest, pressing down in a way that made his breaths feel shallower. he didn't know what it was, but it was unfamiliar and unsettling.

'i must be getting sick,' he thought to himself, trying to dismiss the feeling. his logical mind grasped for an explanation that made sense, something that fit within his understanding of the world. he convinced himself it was just a passing ailment, nothing more.

as the teacher resumed the lesson, ayato's eyes reluctantly drifted away from the supposed popular girl in front of him. he— much like saikou megamo before him— somewhat lived under a rock and has never heard of the name s/n y/n before today. famous or not, ayato didn't seem to care at the moment. he was too damn tired to give a rat's ass. so, he nuzzled his face back into the crook of his arms, seeking the comfort of darkness and solitude. the noise of the classroom faded into a distant hum, and he closed his eyes, willing himself to ignore the strange feelings that had surfaced.

y/n, oblivious to the attention she had garnered, focused on the teacher's instructions and tried to absorb her new surroundings. she scribbled notes in her notebook, her fingers tapping lightly against the desk as she concentrated.

the dark-haired boy behind her, meanwhile, slipped back into a light slumber, his mind restless despite the calm appearance. the image of y/n lingered in his thoughts, a soft, persistent presence that refused to fade. he couldn't understand why she had this effect on him, but for now, he pushed it to the back of his mind, attributing it to nothing more than an off day. and as the class continued, the atmosphere gradually returned to normal, students shifting their focus back to their lessons.

yet, for ayato, the quiet connection he felt toward the new girl remained, a silent thread weaving its way through his subconscious, tying him to her in a way he didn't yet comprehend.