Reincarnation of hearts. [BL]

Harumi

I was busy scribbling in my notes, the tip of my pen scratching across the paper, as I sketched absentmindedly. My ears rang with the constant noise from the others, their laughter and useless conversations filling the room. Typical humans—they couldn't stay quiet if their lives depended on it.

I muttered a curse under my breath, flipping the page and diving back into my half-finished drawing. The chaos around me dulled for a moment when the door opened. I glanced up, half expecting another late student, but instead, the teacher walked in with a boy beside her.

The first thing that hit me was the brightness of his grin. Short red hair framed his face, and he stood tall, with a lean build that looked like he spent most of his time working out. His brown eyes scanned the room, brimming with energy, like he belonged everywhere and nowhere at once.

I could already hear the whispers and gasps from the girls in the back. They were fawning over his looks. But as I stared longer than I meant to, something strange happened.

He caught me.

Our eyes met, his grin unwavering, almost as if he'd noticed me staring before I did. My heart skipped a beat. I quickly looked back down at my book, pretending to read, the usual calm slipping away for just a second.

Shit, I think I got caught, I thought, forcing myself to act unbothered. But even as I tried to focus on the words in front of me, I could still feel the weight of his gaze.

The teacher cleared her  throat, commanding the room's attention once again. "Nishimura Kai."she introduced, nodding towards the red-haired boy. "He's new here, so I expect you all to make him feel welcome."

I could still hear the girls whispering behind me, their excitement bubbling up as if they'd just seen a celebrity. I tried to block them out, returning to my doodles, though my hand wasn't moving as smoothly anymore.

"Kai, you can take a seat over there," the teacher said, pointing to the empty desk next to Airi.

As Kai walked to his seat, his presence seemed to fill the room, and I couldn't help but glance at him out of the corner of my eye. He dropped his bag beside his desk and sat down with a sigh, looking around like he was already sizing up the place.

"Alright, back to the lesson," the teacher continued, but I wasn't listening anymore. My attention drifted, the usual noise of the class fading as I flicked my eyes over to Kai again. I wasn't sure why I couldn't stop looking at him. Maybe it was the easy way he seemed to fit in without even trying. Or maybe it was the contrast—his brightness against my usual dark, brooding thoughts.

Before I could stop myself, I stared a little too long. And then it happened again—our eyes met.

His brown eyes locked onto mine, and this time, there was no looking away fast enough. He saw me. I swallowed hard, pretending to go back to my book, but I knew it was too late. The moment passed, and I couldn't shake the feeling that he noticed more than I wanted him to.

Great, I thought, scribbling more aggressively into my notebook. Now he knows I've been watching him.

My eyes darted back toward Kai before I quickly averted them again, this time determined to keep my attention on the page in front of me.

"You're so creepy, Harumi," I whispered to myself, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks. If anyone caught me talking to myself, I'd never live it down. But I couldn't deny that something about him was already messing with my head, and that was... annoying.

As the day dragged on, I found myself slipping into my usual routine—music in my ears and a book in hand. It was my escape, a way to drown out the world around me. But even with my favorite songs playing, I could still feel that persistent gaze on me. It didn't help that Airi was sitting next to Kai, chatting animatedly, her laughter ringing through the classroom like a chorus.

I want to punch his face, I thought, staring at the pages of my book without really reading.

Eventually, the school day came to an end, and I trudged to the bus stop, my mind still racing. I found an empty seat, sighing as I settled in. With a few taps on my phone, I plugged in my earphones and closed my eyes, trying to forget about the world.

But my peace was short-lived. I sensed a presence next to me. Slowly, I opened one eye, and there he was—Kai, sitting right beside me.

I kept my face straight, refusing to let my surprise show. I turned back to the window, my heart racing. What the hell is he doing here?! I thought, trying to act cool despite the heat rising to my cheeks. It was embarrassing enough that he was sitting next to me.

As the bus rolled to a stop, I jumped up, nearly tripping over my own feet. Gosh I'm so stupid.

We both got off at the same stop.

Great. Just great, I thought, glancing sideways at him as we walked in the same direction. I picked up my pace, hoping to put some distance between us.

With my heart pounding, I quickened my steps, eager to hide my embarrassment. The moment I turned a corner and he was out of sight, I practically sprinted to my house, throwing the door shut behind me and locking it.

Breathing heavily, I leaned against the door for a moment, trying to calm myself. "Gosh..." I muttered to no one, the flush on my cheeks betraying my attempt at nonchalance.

Maybe tomorrow would be different.