✧˚ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒅𝒐𝒍

12

y/n could feel the weight of the world on her shoulders as she walked into akademi high school. her head felt heavy, her body sluggish, and her throat was sore from the illness creeping in, all thanks to the stress she had been under. she had debated whether to stay home—after all, she had every reason to. but missing more lessons only added to her anxiety, and the last thing she wanted was to fall behind. so, despite feeling terrible, she forced herself to come to school.

the moment she stepped onto the grounds, she felt it. the stares. the whispers. they crawled over her skin like ants, making her feel more exposed than she ever had before. being an idol, y/n was used to attention, but this...this was different.

it was suffocating. she could hear snippets of conversation as she passed by groups of students, their voices hushed but not nearly enough to keep her from hearing. "didn't you hear...?" a girl whispered to her friend, who glanced over at y/n with wide eyes. the embarrassment hit her like a tidal wave. of course, they must have seen the interview! everyone had probably seen it by now, the way those interviewers had prodded and pried at her personal life until she broke.

her cheeks burned with shame, and she ducked her head, avoiding eye contact as she quickened her pace, her heart pounding in her chest. she didn't stop until she reached the sanctuary of her classroom. the room was still mostly empty, and for a brief moment, she let herself relax. she slid into her seat, hoping for just a second to gather her thoughts. but her peace was short-lived. she barely had time to exhale before she heard footsteps behind her, and another presence entered the room.

y/n turned slightly in her seat, looking over her shoulder to see aishi ayato. he moved with an easy grace, his expression calm, but his eyes lit up the moment he noticed her sitting there. "おはようございます," y/n greeted him formally, her voice sounding weaker than usual. she sniffled, trying to mask her discomfort but it was clear that something was gnawing at the back of her mind. "good morning."

the dark-haired boy smiled softly at her greeting, though he looked slightly amused. "you don't have to be so formal with me, s/n," he said, his voice gentle. "but...hello." he replied.

y/n blinked, a little caught off guard. they'd had a few conversations, sure, but were they really close enough to drop formalities? she wasn't sure how to feel about that. her brows furrowed as she turned her gaze away from him, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her desk. "are you sure you won't mind?" she asked, her voice small and uncertain. after all, trusting almost a complete stranger is hard to do—what made ayato so different from the rest, how can she know for certain that he's not just using her?

ayato moved to his seat behind her and sat down, shaking his head. "not at all." he said simply, leaning back in his chair. there was something about his casual, easygoing tone that made y/n's nerves ease slightly. still, the uneasiness lingered, and she wasn't quite sure what to make of it. she felt the weight of his gaze on the back of her head as if he was studying her. "you're sick, aren't you?" ayato asked, his voice softer this time.