Carry Me (Ushijima x Reader AU)

Chapter 03

Once you had gotten over the surprise of finding the guy in your class, you went over and sat next to him.

You didn't want to waste this opportunity to thank him properly.

"Hey, I don't know if you remember me, but I wanted to thank you." You called out to him and he turned to face you.

"I remember you." He told you matter-of-factly.

"You do? From the horses? Anyway, thank you for helping out with Shoji..., the black horse, the other day. If you hadn't come looking for me, who knows what would have happened. We might have been too late." You trailed off before catching yourself and getting back to the point.

"So yeah, thank you... uh- I don't know your name." You said, feeling embarrassed.

"Ushijima Wakatoshi." He said dryly and for some reason, he seemed a lot more intimidating now than he had that night with Shoji.

You bowed your head and were finally able to properly thank him. "Thank you, Ushijima."

"It was no problem." He said, in that sober tone of voice again. Any further chance at conversation was interrupted by the teacher clapping her hand and telling everyone class was now in session.

You scrambled to the seat next to Onishi Haruka, one of your friends from last year, and watched as a guy with dark brown hair sat down in the seat next to Ushijima that you had just vacated. They greeted each other and it seemed like they already knew one another before, probably from the previous year.

Sugimoto Yui, a girl who had been in the same class as you last year, sat down behind you. She was often described as the class diva or a spoiled princess, but you just thought of her as someone who was bored and had no real passion in life.

"Eww, what's that smell?" Was the first thing she said after taking a seat, waving her hand in front of her nose while giving her friend a pointed look.

Before her friend, Takahashi Chiyoko, could add to the insult however, you had already turned around.

"It's probably horse poop." You said dryly and turned back to face the blackboard. The students who had been in your class before chuckled and snickered. You had never known if they laughed at Sugimoto's jabs or at your responses, but you didn't want to stop and think about it.

Even if they were making fun of you, it wouldn't change the fact that you spent your every waking moment at the barn, so why worry about it in the first place?

The students who had not been in your class last year looked at you wide-eyed. Some seemed shocked, while others looked to be more interested. For some reason, you couldn't help but sneak a peek at Ushijima.

You didn't know what else you had expected, but he was just looking ahead of him listening to the teacher who was taking attendance. 

His friend, however, shot you a grin. You felt your face heat up at both the charming gesture and the fact that he had caught you looking. As the teacher finished taking attendance you learned that his name was Yamagata Hayato.

At the first break, Haruka turned to you and in a subdued voice asked you: "Do you know Ushijima?"

"Not really..." You replied after which you fished a notebook out of your backpack to get ready for the next class.

"What were you talking to him about then?" She pressed further and you wondered what the sudden interest was all about.

"I just thanked him for helping out with Shoji last year." You told her nonchalantly.

"Shoji...? Oh! The horse with the tummy ache?" She recalled and you couldn't but chuckle at her choice of words.

"Yeah, the horse with the tummy ache." You confirmed and Haruka nodded. She seemed to be about to drop the subject when her eyes suddenly widened.