I. Sae x [Y/n] | Muslim girl AU

Chapter 6°•°•°

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ೋ| The next morning arrived, bright and full of promise. [Y/n] woke up early, excitement bubbling inside her as she remembered the day before— exploring the city, trying new foods and seeing so many interesting things. Her tanuki plush sat next to her on the bed, a reminder of her little adventure and she reached out to hug it close before getting ready for school.

Her parents prepared her for the day, packing her lunchbox with a mix of familiar food and a few new snacks they'd discovered at the grocery store.

[Y/n]'s mother helped her tie her hair back with a new pink ribbon, and her father checked her little backpack to make sure she had everything she needed.

Before they left the house, her mother bent down and kissed her on the forehead, smiling warmly. "Have a wonderful day at school, habibti. And don't forget, you can always ask Sae for help if you need it."

[Y/n] nodded eagerly, clutching her plush tanuki in one hand, not having taken Basmah today, as she walked out the door. (Let's just say she got accompanied by some other kid of her neighborhood.)

When she reached the school gate, Sae was already waiting there, bouncing on his heels with a grin on his face. He waved when he saw [Y/n] approaching with a new plush and she waved back, her heart lifting at the sight of her friend.

Sae jogged over to meet her, noticing the tanuki she held. "Oh, you buy tanuki !" He exclaimed, pointing at the plush toy. "It's so cute ! You get yesterday ?"

[Y/n] nodded, holding it up proudly. "Yes ! From the... the mall !" She stumbled a little over the word, but Sae gave her an encouraging smile, not minding the imperfect pronunciation.

He reached out a hand to her, just like the day before and [Y/n] took it without hesitation. The two children chatted in their mix of English, simple Japanese and gestures.

[Y/n] and Sae made their way into the school building, her steps lighter than they had been the day before. Sae led the way confidently, pointing out different classrooms and hallways that he thought [Y/n] might find interesting.

As they walked, Sae tried to teach her a few more Japanese words like "sensei" for teacher and "tomodachi" for friend. [Y/n] repeated them as best as she could and when she stumbled, Sae just laughed and helped her try again.

When they reached their classroom, the teacher greeted them warmly, giving [Y/n] an encouraging smile before motioning for them to take their seats.

[Y/n] found comfort in the routine— the same desks, the same friendly faces. But what made it even better was knowing that she wasn't alone. Sae was right beside her, ready to explain things and share the little jokes and stories that filled the gaps in her understanding.