The Depth of Love

Chapter 6: Unspoken Connection

Returning to face-to-face classes after a week of online sessions brought a new energy to the room.

The familiar hum of chatter and footsteps filled the air as students greeted each other.

For Kai, the comfort of being back in the classroom was mixed with an odd feeling of anticipation.

As he sat down, he noticed something peculiar: no one had been assigned to the seat on his right. His seatmate on the left, Akira, was quick to introduce herself.

"Hey, I’m Akira. Nice to finally sit next to someone," she said with a casual smile, extending her hand.

Kai, still reserved but willing to be polite, shook his hand. "I’m Kai. Nice to meet you."

Though Akira seemed friendly, their conversation didn’t go much further. Kai wasn’t the type to strike up deep conversations right away, and Akira seemed content to let things stay at a polite introduction.

They worked side by side quietly as Ms. Takahashi asked each group to present their recent activity. The students moved to the front of the class one by one, showing their work.

Ms. Takahashi nodded in approval at each presentation, offering a few suggestions but mostly commending the effort.

When Kai’s group finished, Ms. Takahashi smiled. "Good job, everyone. You all captured the essence of the project well."

Once the presentations were done, the atmosphere lightened. Ms. Takahashi gave them some free time to relax before the next class started.

It was during this downtime that Haruto, the class president, decided to approach Kai.

Since no one was seated on Kai’s right, Haruto slid into the empty chair with an easy smile. "Mind if I sit here?"

Kai looked up, surprised, but nodded. "Sure, go ahead."

Haruto was the type of person who made conversation seem effortless. As they chatted, Haruto’s extroverted nature slowly began to draw Kai out of his shell.

They talked about random things at first: movies, video games, and their favorite classes.

Kai’s initial nervousness began to melt away, and he found himself laughing at Haruto’s jokes. It felt natural, and before he knew it, Kai was cracking a few of his own. His quiet sense of humor shone through, and Haruto laughed along.

"You’re funnier than I thought, Kai," Haruto said with a grin. "We should hang out more often."

Kai chuckled, feeling a little more confident. "Yeah, maybe."

Just as things were getting comfortable, the bell rang for break time. Haruto stood up, stretching. "I’m starving. Gonna grab something to eat. Want anything?"

Kai shook his head. "I’m good, thanks."

As Haruto left, Kai remained seated, his thoughts drifting back to Rina.

Break time was always a little strange for Kai. While most of the students rushed out to grab snacks or chat in groups, he usually stayed behind.

He didn’t eat much during break to save money, so he often found himself alone. Today, however, he wasn’t entirely alone.

Rina, who usually spent her breaks reviewing her notes or playing on her phone, was still at her desk.

Kai noticed her out of the corner of his eye, her head down as she scrolled through something on her phone. The classroom felt quieter, more intimate, with just the two of them there.