Silence | Book 1

1-2: Hibiki Yukimura

As was usual for events, his family had arrived half an hour too early, which somehow left his parents plenty of time to enthusiastically brag about him to just about nearly every other parent in broken English – sometimes they got an equally broken answer back. Hibiki just let himself be dragged about, smiling whenever he was propped up like a rabbit for an elementary school show and tell: taken out of his cage only to have his IQ told to anyone willing to listen. He couldn't even share his misery with the bodyguards, as they were too busy staking out every single thing that moved as if it'd pull a gun on him and turn him into a very gifted rabbit stew instead.
The opening of the doors into the large auditorium relieved him from his good son duty, and he managed to get a seat next to the aisle in the middle of the second row, so at least one side of him would be safe from his parents. The other side still had his mother to deal with however, who defiantly continued to straighten out his attire in a stubborn bid for perfection he never wanted to achieve himself. At least he knew it didn't come from a bad place, and that this was their one chance to brag before they would leave for Japan again – it wasn't his right to deny them their pride, but he sure as hell would try to dodge it.

In the few minutes of silence as the hall filled before the presentation, he took out his phone and played a few levels of a rather mindless puzzle game. While he was distracted his mother fruitlessly tried to straighten a pluck of his hair.
When the hall was nearly full, his father leant in past his mother and gave his hand a disapproving tap with two fingers. Hibiki looked up from his game, and quickly caught on that his father wanted him to stop.
「I don't mind you playing that game, but not during the presentation.」His father whispered sternly as a warning. Both well aware of how anal his father got during anything remotely official, and that he had gotten away with his disinterest for a while already, he begrudgingly nodded and pocketed his phone.
Since there was nothing happening on stage yet, and he was pretty sure that even if there was it would be boring anyway, he let his gaze drift around the hall. Curious he took note of the people he could see in the rows behind him, past the bodyguards, and wondered how many of them he would see again in his classes. His mother tugged at his sleeve and pulled his attention back.
「They're going to start.」She pointed at the female announcer that had walked on stage. Hibiki sighed and nodded, accepting that he would have to sit through at least an hour of this.

The first speaker was announced as a representative of the debate union. Although he knew better, Hibiki's mind still imagined it as a bunch of nerds arguing amongst themselves – so he could only think of their representative as some sort of lord of the nerds. His imagination was proven wrong when a handsome, well-dressed student stepped on stage.
There was something about him that looked gentle, even if he walked on with confidence, but Hibiki couldn't quite place it. Maybe it was the way he smiled; soft and kind rather than forced or like a salesman he had seen many other people do. Perhaps it was that despite the enthusiasm he appeared genuinely patient and polite, thanking the presenter first. Or it could all be in his head in an attempt to find an excuse to look at this student even more – like he would figure out his secrets, instead of simply enjoying the view.

Why am I even fawning over him like some drooling idiot? Yes he's  attractive, but it would probably be way different when he's not on stage. That is if I'd ever meet him again – I can't even speak, so that's unlikely, and I can't go anywhere without guards either. Still... I'd like to? He probably wouldn't like me that way though, even if it was socially accepted...
Why am I even thinking about a stranger like that?
He puffed his cheeks a little and tried to look anywhere else, distracting himself from his own irrational attraction that he knew would be rejected before ever even meeting him.

The very present gravitas of their voice was just as bad for his mind as the view had been, and he couldn't look away from that. The words flowed like water in a gentle creek; patient, soothing, sometimes stirring and quick when needed, but never becoming disjunct or rushed. But he was sure they had never intended for it to make his heart beat faster or his stomach to tingle ever so slightly.
Just ignore it, it will be over in a few minutes and then you'll be gone forever.