Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Light strays through the windows of 6-A’s classroom,soft brightness occupying the room.Students’ backs slouching, no longer straight as their eyes are focused on the ticking clock.The clock’s hand slowly ticks away as [name] fingers silently taps the table in anticipation.

As the clock strikes 12, the bell rings, sound vibrating to every corner of the school dancing with the excitement of every pupil present as they impatiently packed up their school bag to go back home with their friends before enjoying the holidays with their families.

“Alright everyone,that’s all for today.Make sure to finish all your homework before you enjoy the holidays!”
Some students affirmatively responded to the teacher while some were too busy to care as they stuff their belongings into their bags.

“Hey,[name]! Are you ready to go?”

Called out a student with a chirpy voice wearing a primary school uniform along with other students beside them,each and every one of their faces unfamiliar to [name]. Despite that,smiled as she buckled her bag and went towards them with a bright smile on her face.

“Sorry for making you guys wait.Let's go!” [name] beamed as she skipped to her friends,seamlessly joining their conversation.Though she couldn’t make out their faces no matter how often she saw or interacted with others, she had learned to recognize people by their habits, body language and how they engaged with others.

The voice that seems to fill in every single classroom with her loud and cheerful voice belongs to none other than Miyo.Kaido, a selfless boy who’s always making sure everyone else gets inside first before him.Sato, who is always making silly comments and jokes that always seem to lighten everyone's mood no matter how bad the situation is.

[Name] and her friends barely took a step before Akari was pulled over by none other than Mr.Jokichi, their homeroom teacher. "[Name], can I have a word with you?”

[Name] glances towards her classmates before Mr.Jokichi continues
“Your friends can wait.Come on, do a favor for an old geezer will you?”

[Name] faces her classmates before scratching her neck in a nervous manner, her eyes flickering of confusion and guilt for making them leave without her.

“Hey, guys.I have to help the teacher with something.You guys go ahead”
Disapproval murmurs spewed from her friends’ lips before they eventually caved in as they started hesitantly walking away.

[Name]sighs as their figures slowly fade away from her sight.
“Alright what is it, Mr.Jokichi? I don’t have all day.”

“Sorry for the inconvenience Ms.Inoue.”
His tone is polite but firm.

“But could you possibly help send this certificate to uh…Sakura Haruka? He’s not in your class but.. no harm could be done with helping deliver a certificate,no?”
Mr.Jokichi negotiated, his tone almost desperate.

“No. I’m sorry, teach,but delivery is kinda not my thing- and I don't even know where he lives!”
[Name]retorted, making excuses as to not be burdened with the task of delivering a certificate to some guy that wasn’t even in her class-let alone having to talk to him.

“By the way, Isn’t he the guy who picks fights with anyone who even looks at him? Just because I didn’t do well in your class,you wouldn’t plan my death like that,would you?”

“Listen [name], you’re the only one I know who can do this. Everyone else immediately turns this down without thinking twice and you’re the last student in my class- my last hope!” Mr.Jokichi stops for a moment before continuing,his expression softened.

“He’s a good kid,[name].He’s just..haven’t met people who- appreciate his presence yet.”
The homeroom teacher gently pulls out a cylindrical tube holder before handing it to [name] as she reluctantly takes it.

[Name]observed the holder as she fiddled with it.

“All I’m saying is-”

“I get it, teach.No need to tell me twice”
[Name]groans in defeat

“Alright, I’ll take it to him.But before I do, do you know where he lives? I don’t wanna end up lost because of some kid who couldn't be bothered to take his own paper of appreciation.”

“Ah,how ignorant could you be Ms.Inoue? He’s your neighbour from the left.”

Are you serious?

Chapter Text

[Name] walked sluggishly, taking the usual route to her house,as if someone strapped dumbbells to her legs. However this time, her destination wasn’t at her house,instead,next to it.

“Okay,just give it to them and go back home.Easy right?”
She sighed,hoping that delivering this certificate wouldn’t take too much of her time.

’Who knows what dad would do if he knew I'm late to practice’

Her eyes landed on the embossed metal letters beside the gate. ‘Sakura residence’. The surname of her schoolmate who she’d never spoken to or seen before.Even if she had seen him before, she wouldn’t remember what he looks like regardless.
She took a deep breath as she walked towards the door before gently knocking the door.

…
‘No one answered’
‘Maybe I didn’t knock hard enough’

…
‘No one answered..still’
‘Okay, a little bit harder now..’

She bawled her fists and knocked on the door but instead of someone opening it for her, the door creaked open on its own due to the impact of her knock.

The door creaked wide open,inviting her presence in as she internally contemplated her choices. The hallway stretched out before her as she opened the door wide.Glimpse of furniture came to view as she took another step.

As her foot made contact with the smooth wooden floor,she froze.

‘God,I’m in so much trouble if anyone finds out about me breaking in,but if I don’t do this then I’m still gonna be in trouble! ugh..’
Her heart pounds loudly against her chest as though she felt it was about to explode.

She ended up going inside

“Hello?”
Her voice echoed through the house without an answer.

‘Okay..you’re breaking in your neighbours house because you have to deliver some kid’s piece of paper of appreciation. Is this even worth it to begin with?’
She tip-toed towards the living room so as to not touch or leave a mark on any of the furniture in the house.She took note of the framed pictures on the walls.

“That’s him?..He looks like a kindergartener who just entered primary school”
She laughed at her own comment before momentarily stopping in front of the stairs.

She slowly made it upstairs where she didn’t wander further than the top,reluctant to explore such privacy.
She carefully made it to the bottom of the stairs before entering the kitchen.
‘Anyways,It’s past school time. Isn't he supposed to be at home or is he out somewhere at his friend’s house?’
[Name] wondered as she observed the kitchen counter.

‘…This is pointless’
[Name] sighed as her legs lead her back to the front door. Endless searching has brought her to internally giving up.

Her eyes landed on the entryway table and an idea was summoned in her head as if it came out of the depths of her thoughts.

‘I’ll just put this on the table and bail! Yeah. That'd do it!’
She slammed the certificate on the table and made her way out of the house.

Well, she was about to, before her eyes landed on the window exposing a shed beside the house.The plain shed looked.. out of place compared to the cozy detail of the house.From here, it looks like a piece of paper that someone forgot to color in.

The words of Mr.Jokichi echoed in her mind.There’s no harm done delivering a certificate for a friend,right?

Steps were made to the shed as she hesitantly observed the structure before her. Her hand wrapped around the doorknob full of curiosity before twisting. She sighed in disappointment as she realized the door was locked.She glared at the certificate before lashing out at the inanimate object.

“Dammit! Why should I be the one to go on errands for things like this?”
Her cheeks painted with red as her face twisted in childish anger

“Now I’m gonna be late to music class ‘cause I have to do that no good teacher’s chores and worst,dad's gonna yell at me!"

In a fit of frustration,she kicked the door of the shed with full strength.A deep thump could be heard.She pulled her leg back while she huffed to calm herself down.

Afterall, this isn’t her house for her to kick and jump to. Her steadily calmed demeanor didn’t last long when she heard shuffling and footsteps inside the shed,gradually becoming louder as it got closer.

Her eyes widened as she heard the doorknob turn.Her blood ran cold as her grip on the holder tightened. She had to get out.
Unfortunately,her legs stayed stiff as if frozen to the overgrown grass beneath her feet, which seems like it hasn’t been mowed in ages.

Her eyes stayed wide as the door completely slammed opened.She closed her eyes shut while she clenched her fist, bracing for whatever adult that was about to appear, was about to give her a scolding.

For a moment,she felt like her breath was vacuumed away from the individual before her,not from the fear of his presence but rather from his gaze.

When she opened her eyes,a boy who looked her age with mismatched hair along with strikingly diverse eyes appeared, his appearance unlike the previous boy that she saw in the picture.

Half of his hair was dark and black while the other was pure white,his right eye was a vivid shade of blue while the other held a bright warm yellow.His glare felt more like a work of art as if she was staring at a portrait that didn’t deserve to be seen by how captivating it is, the furthest subject away from insult.

[Name] has long made peace with her inability to remember faces but for the first time in forever, she felt jealous of being normal. She could only beg to let this alluring sight be burned into her retinas and sealed to her brain for all eternity.It felt like a sin if she were to forget such sacred artistry handcrafted by God himself.

Mr.Jokichi was right.

Delivering this stupid paper,is the furthest thing away from any threats or harm.