𝓑𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓘𝓷 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓥𝓮𝓲𝓷𝓼

↳004

Yachi's face brightened when she saw him, her anxious demeanor softening slightly. She waved back, her smile small but genuine. As Hinata approached, she tilted her head, a curious glint in her eyes.

"Morning, Hinata," she greeted softly. "You okay? You look... tired."

Hinata shrugged, forcing a faint smile. "Yeah, just another late night, I guess. What about you? Ready for another thrilling day of high school?"

Yachi gave a weak laugh, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Sure, if 'thrilling' means cramming for that history quiz during lunch."

Her attempt at humor made Hinata's smile feel a little less forced. Yachi had always been like that gently trying to lift his mood without pressing too hard. She never pried, and he appreciated that more than he could say.

As they walked toward their classroom, Yachi shot him a sidelong glance. "Are you really okay, though? You seem... off today."

Hinata hesitated, his fingers tightening around the strap of his backpack. He considered brushing her off with a quick excuse but caught the genuine concern in her eyes. "I'm fine," he said eventually, his voice quiet but steady. "Just tired, that's all."

Yachi frowned slightly but nodded, seeming to understand he wasn't ready to say more. "Okay. But, um, if you ever want to talk... you can. Anytime."

"Thanks, Yachi," he murmured.

Yachi smiled gently, though the worry in her eyes didn't fade completely. "Okay," she said softly. "But you know I mean it, right? Like, really mean it. I'm here, even if it's just to sit and listen."

Hinata gave a small nod, adjusting the strap of his bag again. "I know," he replied. "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks."

For a moment, neither of them spoke, the quiet stretching between them as they walked. Hinata focused on the scuffed tips of his shoes, the rhythm of their steps oddly comforting.

Yachi broke the silence, her voice lighter this time, as if trying to shift the mood. "So, uh... did you finish the history homework? Because I'm pretty sure I got at least half of it wrong."

Hinata blinked, startled by the change in topic, before giving a faint chuckle. "I finished it, but don't ask me if it's right. I'm just hoping for partial credit at this point."

Yachi groaned dramatically, throwing her hands in the air. "Great. We're doomed. Maybe we can convince Sensei that the textbook is wrong and we're the misunderstood geniuses."

Hinata snorted, the mental image enough to break through some of the fog clouding his thoughts. "Good luck with that. Sensei barely believes us when we say we did the work."

"Fair point," Yachi said, her lips twitching into a smile. "Guess I'll just accept my fate as a history quiz casualty."

The classroom buzzed with idle chatter, but it quieted down as their teacher, Mr. Tanaka (NOT THE TANAKA YOU KNOW), stood up from his desk. He adjusted his glasses, his usual stern expression settling on the class like a heavy blanket.

"All right, everyone, settle down," he said, his deep voice cutting through the remaining whispers. "We're starting with the history quiz today. Take out a pen, and no, you cannot borrow one from your neighbor. If you forgot, that's on you."

A collective groan rippled through the room, followed by the shuffling of bags and notebooks. Hinata reached into his backpack, pulling out a pen and staring at it for a moment as if willing it to magically supply the answers he hadn't studied.

Yachi glanced over her shoulder from her seat ahead of him, her eyes wide with exaggerated panic. She mimed flipping through a textbook frantically, and Hinata stifled a laugh, shaking his head at her antics.