I sat at the same desk as usual, hoping to get the window seat I wanted, but to my surprise, Akame Ai was late to class. When I talked to Akame Ai yesterday, did she take it too seriously? If so, I should apologize for what I said to her. I'm not always angry, but now I'm angry because what if her beauty had charmed Arata? What if our friendship wasn't important to him?
The second-period bell had already rung.
The classroom was halfway into a boring history lecture when the door suddenly slid open with a loud clack.
Everyone's heads turned at once — even the teacher stopped mid-sentence.
There she was.
Akemi Ai.
Panting slightly, hair a little messy from running, her blazer unbuttoned, her bag hanging carelessly off one shoulder.
Her sharp pink eyes swept across the room without a hint of apology.
Ai (casually):
"Sorry. Train was late."
The teacher opened his mouth, probably ready to scold her, but when their eyes met — her cold, daring stare against his tired one — he hesitated, then just sighed and waved her in.
Teacher (muttering):
"Just... sit down."
Without a word, Ai walked straight to her seat — next to Isamu — her shoes making soft taps against the floor.
As she passed the rows of stunned classmates, a few boys whispered behind their hands, smirking.
A few girls glared openly.
But Ai didn't care.
Not even a little.
She walked like she owned the room.
She dropped into her seat next to Isamu, threw her bag down with a thud, and leaned back in her chair.
Without looking at him, she muttered under her breath, just loud enough for him to hear:
Ai (whispering):
"...Miss me, loner?"
Isamu kept his eyes glued to his textbook, heart thudding loudly in his ears.
He didn't answer.
He couldn't.
He was too busy pretending he wasn't smiling.
The two didn't say anything during class, but Ai came to the Isame desk at lunchtime and took him to the roof. Everyone in the school gasped in surprise. Why would such a beautiful girl be interested in him?
The sun was strong but the breeze was cool.
Isamu and Ai sat on the edge of the rooftop, their lunchboxes between them.
The city stretched out below, endless and noisy.
Up here, though, it was oddly quiet — like they were in a different world.
Isamu fidgeted with the strap of his bag, struggling to find the right words.
He cleared his throat awkwardly.
Isamu (hesitant):
"Uh... about yesterday... at the restaurant..."
Ai (brightly, cutting him off):
"You don't have to thank me. I wanted to work there."
Isamu (shaking his head, rushing):
"No, that's not it! I mean — I wasn't ignoring you or anything. I just... didn't know what to say."
Ai (tilting her head, puzzled):
"...What do you mean?"
Isamu (looking down at his lap):
"I thought maybe... you were uncomfortable, working at the same place as me. I didn't want to make it weird."
[Ai blinked at him, confused. Then her face slowly shifted — misunderstanding dawning in her expression.]
Ai (voice rising slightly):
"...Wait. Are you saying you don't want me there?"
Isamu (panicking):
"No! No, that's not what I meant!"
Ai (narrowing her eyes):
"Then what? You think my cooking's bad or something?"
Isamu (completely thrown off):
"What? How did we get to that?!"
[Ai huffed, crossing her arms tightly.]
Ai (grumbling):
"You're acting like it's such a big deal to eat the lunch I made. If you don't want it, just say so."
Isamu (quickly, desperately):
"I do want it! It's not about the food — it's not —!"
[Ai glared at him for a second longer, searching his face. Then, without warning, she slammed her lunchbox into his hands.]
Ai (half-muttering, half-pouting):
"Then shut up and eat it, idiot."
[Stunned, Isamu looked down at the neatly packed meal she had made — careful portions of rice, tamagoyaki, karaage, and even a small piece of strawberry cake tucked in the corner.
It was way too much effort for a "casual" lunch.]
[He felt something tighten painfully in his chest.]
Isamu (softly):
"...Thanks. Really."
[Ai turned her head away quickly, hiding her face behind her hair.]
Ai (quiet, almost embarrassed):
"...You better finish it. Every bite."
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Above them, clouds drifted slowly across the blue sky.
Between them, something fragile and real began to grow.
We two completed our lunch and headed back to the classroom. But remains silent the whole time
The bell rang.
Students poured out of the classrooms like a flood, chatter and laughter filling the halls.
Isamu slung his bag over his shoulder, ready to slip away quietly —
But he froze when he saw the crowd gathering.
At the center of it all — Ai.
She was pinned against the lockers, a flurry of curious classmates buzzing around her like bees around a flower.
Random Boy 1:
"Hey, Akemi-san, do you have a boyfriend?"
Random Girl 1:
"Your hair's so cute! Do you dye it every month?"
Random Boy 2:
"Can I get your number?"
Random Girl 2:
"Where do you buy your uniform? It fits you so perfectly!"
[Ai's hands were tightly gripping the strap of her bag.
Her face was a little red — not from shyness, but from frustration boiling under the surface.]
Ai (muttering, teeth gritted):
"...Too loud."
Random Boy 3 (smirking):
"Come on, don't be shy! You're the cutest girl in school now!"
[Suddenly — snap.]
You could practically hear it.
Ai's whole body twitched slightly, like a cat flicking its tail right before it pounces.
AI (voice dangerously low):
"I.
Said.
TOO.
LOUD."
[The crowd froze.]
Ai (exploding, cheeks bright pink from anger):
"SHUT UP, ALL OF YOU!
YOU'RE LIKE A BUNCH OF STARVING PIGEONS!!
GIVE ME SPACE OR I'LL SMACK EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU WITH A BROOM!!"
[Dead silence.
Everyone jumped back three steps instinctively.]
Random Boy (whispering, terrified):
"...She's scarier than a teacher..."
[Isamu couldn't help it — a small, startled laugh escaped him.
Ai whipped her head around and spotted him immediately.
Her angry face softened — just a tiny bit.]
Ai (grumbling, stomping toward Isamu):
"...You.
Come with me."
[Before he could react, she grabbed his sleeve, dragging him down the hallway.]
Isamu (half-stumbling, half-laughing):
"W-where are we going?"
Ai (muttering, cheeks puffed up):
"Somewhere peaceful.
I need... to detox from idiot energy."
Isamu let himself be dragged along, a soft smile tugging at his lips.
He didn't say it out loud, but he kind of liked it —
being the only one she reached for when the world got too noisy.