Chapter Text
As Laurell K. Hamilton has once said, “There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds.”
Why is it that people seem to never look deeper than the surface of the lake?
In Kyan Reki’s case this is all too true. People judged based on what they first saw- a bright smile, a happy family, decent grades, it was the perfect life!
☆ミ☆ミ☆ミ
On a particular Friday morning, the bell rang and students sat impatiently in their chairs, waiting for the lessons to start (and more importantly, to finish). The teacher walked into the room with a teenager trailing behind her, clad in the school uniform.An excited buzz of whispers rushed around the rectangular room as the new student stood in the front of the class.
The boy stood quietly at the front of the room, waiting to be introduced by Ms. Anderson. His bright blue eyes roamed the room, taking in the classroom with little to no expression.
“Class, quiet down.” The teacher stated, clapping her hands to silence the students. “We have a new student joining us today,” she said with that enthusiasm only teachers have about school. “Everyone, this is Langa. Langa, everyone. I know you’ll all get along very nicely.”
Undisturbed by the lack of reaction from the class, Ms. Anderson continued. “Langa, you may go sit in the empty seat by the window.” She let the blue-haired student walk over and sit down before settling at her own desk and flipping open a textbook.
Langa pulled the chair from where it sat, a horrible screeching noise filled the already-back-to-chattering classroom. The boy next to Langa winced. “Sorry.” Langa apologized, giving the boy a sympathetic look. The unknown boy gave Langa a smile and shut his notebook, leaning towards the other. “I’m Hasegawa Langa.” Langa greeted, giving the boy a smile. I may as well try and make one friend. He looks nice enough.
His seat partner had brilliant red hair spewing in all directions, only partially held back by his headband. He smiled back. “I’m Kyan Reki. Nice to meet you Langa.”
“Okay everyone, open your math books to page 57 please!”
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As the lesson ended and the bell rang, some students filtered from the classrooms, filling the long hallways, and others ate in the class. It was the same for Reki and Langa’s classroom. Pleasant chatter filled the halls as two bright haired boys strolled calmly. Reki led Langa to the rooftop, it was a sunny day so Langa had to squint as he stepped through the door onto the concrete floor. Reki bounded over and plopped down against the fence surrounding the entire platform and opened his lunch. Langa followed.
Reki and Langa sat side by side, enjoying the comfortable silence that settled on the rooftop. The day was warm with a wonderful breeze that would blow through the two boy’s hair. “The rooftop is the best place to eat.” Reki said as he took a bite of his lunch, breaking the silence. “It’s nice up here.” Langa replied, turning his head to gaze at the view the rooftop presented to him. What seemed like endless rows of neighborhoods and tiny dot people reached as far as the eye could see.
A beautiful view.
Behind him, Reki was rustling around in his backpack, apparently searching for something. There was clatter of wood against the concrete floor of the roof. This made Langa turn to see Reki standing next to a skateboard. The skateboard itself was a dingy thing with scratches and chips everywhere. But compared to the sad looking piece of wood, Reki’s smile when he looked at it was comparable to the sun itself.
Reki hopped on and skated around making it look entirely easier said than done. The mesmerizing movement of Reki to and from the ends of the rooftop has Langa curious. “It looks kind of like snowboarding but without the snow…” “You wanna try?” Langa was startled from his thoughts to see Reki standing in front of him, offering the skateboard. “Hm?” Langa questioned. “Am I supposed to take it?”
Reki snorted and shoved the skateboard into my chest, motioning Langa to follow him. Langa walked over and stood awkwardly, holding the piece of wood. “Well put it down!” Reki teased as Langa blushed in embarrassment, turning his pink-cheeked face away from the red head.
Langa awkwardly set the skateboard down, looking at Reki in anticipation, what was he supposed to do next? “Hop on!” Reki said with a grin, Langa placed one foot catioustly on the thing and then the other.
As soon as he put his entire weight on the board, it began to wobble to no end, flailing his arms about to keep his balance. The blue-haired teen’s knees trembled trying to support his weight. He finally steadied, freezing, arms straight out and legs shaking. After about thirty seconds of this awkward balancing Langa began to straighten out a bit more, rising closer to his regular height. He didn’t fall. “Ha!” he huffed out the tension leaving his body, before he promptly shifted his foot and lost his balance, toppling backwards.
His eyes squeezed shut waiting for the impact of the hard concrete…but it never came. Instead he toppled into Reki’s waiting arms who chuckled, and asked if he was alright. Langa looked up through his bangs at the red-head smiling cheerfully down at him and cracked a grin “How did you skate around like that? You made it seem so easy!” Reki let another light chuckle escape before letting go of Langa and settling down next to him. “It took me a lot of blood, sweat, and some tears but eventually you can make it there if you put the effort in!” he said, punching a thumbs up into the other’s chest.
They continued chattering about skateboarding and getting to know each other until the bell rang signaling the end of the lunch period, “Come on Langa! Let's go!” he cried, packing his things away and rushing to the exit door of the rooftop. Langa followed and they rushed to their class, making it just in time.