Chapter Text
Bungo Academy: a place not for the faint of heart, both physically and socially. Unfortunately for the introverted Poe, the academy is a place for connections and friendships. After his two and a half months of rest and relaxation during summer vacation, he walks through the academy’s halls, reluctantly gripping the left sleeve of his shirt, trying to avoid any social interaction in any way he can. God, this place is so ASS-
His thoughts are interrupted by a crowd of students walking by him. He recognizes a few of the kids, vaguely remembering some of their names. He’s not looking for anyone in particular, but his gaze unavoidably falls on one boy. Ranpo.
Ranpo skips through the hallways, a lollipop in his mouth and a mildly restless expression on his face. When will this day be less boring? He then pauses, getting an idea to taunt and tease a specific someone in particular. He stops skipping, now just sprinting, to Poe’s locker. Ranpo had to keep this day interesting, otherwise he would probably lose his mind.
Ranpo shuts Poe’s locker and spins around in front of him.
“Poe! Hey, Poe! What’s up? Check it out! The secretary in the principal’s office gave me a lollipop!”
Poe is surprised but not shocked by the sight of Ranpo— he’s known him for a while now, and knows how spontaneous he can be. Poe mutters a weak hello in response to Ranpo’s greeting.
Ranpo merely grins at the sight of his timid rival’s greeting. He takes out his lollipop from his mouth and puts one hand on his hip.
“Whatcha up to nowadays? Still writing murder mystery novels or whatever?”
Ranpo was one of the few people who had read Poe’s novels, and definitely the only one ever to had solved one. Poe had spent his summer writing novels, hoping to finally write one that would stump Ranpo.
“Yes,” Poe said in response to Ranpo’s earlier question, reopening his locker, “and you?”
Ranpo’s grin turns into a sly smirk. What he did, eh?
“Candy marathons,” he states. “Absolutely scarfing down gallons of candy. You know, stuff some esteemed writer would never even dream about ‘cause it’s too fun to comprehend.”
“Really…?” says Poe says absentmindedly. His mind is already on where to go for the next class.
Ranpo scoffs. What could Poe possibly be thinking about that’s more important than him and his life?
“Tch. Yes, really! Anyways, I’m going to that new candy shop that just opened. There’s a bookstore right next to it, if you wanna go together.” He says with a grumble.
This catches Poe’s attention. His eyes widen slightly. Was Ranpo… indirectly asking him on a date?! As close as they were, they didn’t spend all that much time together in person, and they hadn’t seen each other once over the summer (Poe lived in the US during school vacations). Even when they did see each other out of school, they were usually joined by at least one other friend (who was usually Mushitaro).
“Oh, um, sure,” Poe says, blushing slightly. He’s much better on picking up on subtle nuances in wording than Ranpo.
“Why aren’t you excited?! Aren’t you dying to get out of this stupid school? Also, I haven’t seen you in forever! Everything’s so boring! The classes are super draining, the teachers are so tiring, it just sucks!” Ranpo continues on his usual anti-school rant.
Poe merely rolls his eyes. He was used to the candy connoisseur’s whiny antics, but he wasn’t exactly disagreeing with what he was saying, and happy that Ranpo actually wanted to spend time with him. “Yes, Ranpo. The teachers are insufferable, the food is atrocious and whatnot. I’m well aware, you know.” He pauses for a moment before sighing. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to try… going out, as you call it.” Poe ducks his head slightly to hide the small smile on his face.
The bell rings and Poe closes his locker for the final time.
“I should head to my next class. It’s English Lit, and I would rather not miss out on some time to revise my work. And I got into the advanced class too…”
“Revise?! The summer vacation writing thingy? I haven’t even started it! I’m glad I don’t have to be in an advanced class like you! Well anyway, see you later!”
Ranpo runs away to his class, waving. Poe walks slowly in the opposite direction, definitely not looking forward to having to introduce himself to his class. He knows he has to meet his classmates, and has to sit with someone he doesn’t know — none of which sounds half as interesting as staying at home writing novels or occasionally going out to the nearby bookstore and to check if his favorite author had released a new volume of his favorite series.
He walks past kids talking in small groups, remembering some of their names (pretty sure that was Kenji that just walked by— or was that Kunikida?), generally trying to draw as little attention to himself as possible. Finally, he reaches his classroom and takes a seat. Poe can’t name any of the students, but at least the teacher is okay— he introduces himself as Oda Sakunosuke, but one of the students calls him “Odasaku”, and it sticks.
Suddenly, Poe spots three faces he did not want to see at all… Fyodor Dostoevsky, Nikolai Gogol, and Sigma. Sigma was stuck for the ride, but when he listens into some gossip, he dives in like a sinkhole. Nikolai was the biggest gossiper out of the three, spilling rumors and tea about everyone and anyone. Finally, there’s Fyodor, who can and would manipulate anyone he wants.
His stomach sinks in mild panic. Why did he have the top three biggest gossipers in his favorite class? Life must be sadistic…
Poe then freezes in his tracks. Time itself feels like it’s stopped when Ranpo (who just asked him out! Kind of!) walks straight into the room nonchalantly, with a stupid, cocky grin on his face and a cherry lollipop in his mouth.
“Hey, Poe! Turns out we’re in the same class after all! Who’re these weirdos? Oh yeah! I managed to get a lollipop for you too! Eat it! Now,” He states the last part as more of a command than an offer.
Poe quickly gestures at the empty seat across from him for Ranpo to sit down and motions for him to be quiet. Everyone’s looking at the two of them, some laughing at Ranpo’s ridiculous choice of clothes; the top of his pants are oversized and look like they fit someone at least two sizes bigger. He strides into class annoyingly slowly and greets the teacher and a few of the students. Poe is about to say something to Ranpo to make him shut up, but is interrupted by Odasaku who begins talking again.
Nikolai in particular stifles a snicker, nudging Fyodor, who calmly observes. Sigma, on the other hand, watches with a disgruntled expression, pretending not to be interested in the gossip, though he does perk up every once in a while when Nikolai whispers to him.
After class, Ranpo runs off again, waving. It draws attention to both Nikolai and Sigma, but as much as Poe hates to admit it, the action was pretty cute.
To his dismay, they don’t have any more classes together, and he ends up sitting next to Dazai (the teacher gets their names mixed up more than once), Kunikida (very meticulous, he notices; at the start of class, he lines up all his pencils in a row. Poe’s pretty sure he was student council president last year), Louisa (who, thankfully, makes no attempts to talk to him), and Chuuya (Dazai sat across from them, and the two were so disruptive the teacher rearranged the entire seating plan, just so they wouldn’t be next to him each other).
Between navigating classes and meeting people, by lunch Poe is completely exhausted. Entering the cafeteria, he looks for the nearest empty table at the edge of the room, sits down, and starts reading a book. It’s an old favorite of his, and he smiles a bit as he skims the pages for a good place to start. But, for the first time in two and a half months, he can’t seem to focus on the words. He keeps thinking about Ranpo, what they’re going to do that afternoon, literature class, his earlier request.
Poe spaces out for a bit, staring at his book, only to be snapped out of his stupor than none other than the boy he was just thinking about.
“It’s you again! Do you plan on sitting by yourself during the whole of lunch? What’re you reading? Oh yeah! It’s that one, right? You know, that one from that thing… yeah! Anyway, I’m here to sit with you.” Ranpo sits down in the chair next to Poe and begins to eat his lunch.
Ranpo, as always, is well equipped with an arsenal of new complaints— this time about his classmates, his teachers, the curriculum, everything from the way the classrooms are organized to the books they’re required to read for literature class. Poe intervenes with his own commentary from time to time, but, as always, is surprised by Ranpo’s ability to memorize the names of his classmates, his schedule, everything. It’s like he can perfectly evoke the image of a certain moment in his mind and pick out what he likes and doesn’t like about it. Poe can’t blame him for being bored; he’s sure that Ranpo could easily learn the curriculum in half the time it would take everyone else.
Ten minutes before the end of lunch, the cafeteria is practically empty. The two exchange goodbyes and head in opposite directions, Ranpo to meet up with his other friends and Poe to take a walk around the school to make it seem like he has something to do. in opposite directions: Ranpo to meet up with his other friends, and Poe to walk around the school and act as if he has something to do. Poe finds himself smiling as he walks away, excited to see Ranpo again after school.
After class, Poe makes his way to the outer courtyard, where he sits down on a bench and waits for Ranpo (who he’s about to go on a date with… sort of.)
He suddenly spots Ranpo coming out of the building. He’s seemingly talking with four people at once and is simultaneously waving and saying goodbye to ten others. Poe waits a little longer, feeling a little envious about his friend’s popularity. ‘Urk… why am I unable to summon the courage to talk to others more frequently?’, Poe asks himself.
Ranpo hops down the stairs of the school’s entrance casually yet energetically. His emerald eyes glance around for Poe, until he spots him, grinning and rushing up to him. “Oi! Poe! How’d your day go?”
“Ranpo!” Poe stands up at the sight of him. “Horrible. I don’t understand how in the world we’re supposed to live like this! It’s a disgrace! It’s agonizing!”
“Yeah, boring, right?“ Ranpo replies with his usual dry, snarky and sarcastic quipping wit.
Poe looks around and realizes that most of the kids in the courtyard have left.
“Would you like to get going?”
Ranpo laughs heartily out loud, slinging an affectionate arm around Poe’s shoulders. “Of course!” He exclaims excitedly, then starting to almost march away in a happy yet goofy manner. “Let’s go, good ol’ pal of mine.”