Chapter Text
" Bet we get at least three confessions before lunch break. " Riku said with a grin, nudging Jaehee's arm as he continue,
" Last week someone left a love letter taped to my locker and a box of imported macarons. "
Jahee chuckled, tucking a strand of hair behind Riku's ear. " Did you eat them? I told you not to take food from strangers. "
" Of course not! I gave them to the first-years. They looked like they needed a treat more than I do. "
Riku then turned to Sion, prodding his shoulder. " Hyung, you have been staring at the same page about 10 minutes. You okay?? "
Sion closed his book with a soft thud.
" I'm fine. Just, thinking. "
Before anyone could say more, the classroom door creaked open. The teacher walked in, clapping her hands to get the students attention. " Alright everyone, settle down. We have a new student joining us today. Please be kind, show him around and help him get used to things here okay? "
The room fell quiet as the teacher step aside. A figure stepped through the doorway, and every single head turned at once.
He looks small.
Probably the shortest among all of them.
His shoulder hunched slightly like he was trying to make himself even smaller. He wore his uniform neatly, but his sleeves rolled up just a little too far, and his fingers twisted nervously together. He lifted his head to say something.
His eyes are large round eyes.
Shiny.
Warm like polished amber that it caught the light. and for a second, no one blinked.
" Uhm.. h-hello, " his voice.
So gentle, soft, comforting and slow.
It almost lost to the hum of the air conditioner.
" My name is Tokuno Yushi, please... Please be nice to me. "
Whispers rippled through the room instantly. ' He's so pretty. ', ' look at those eyes. ', ' can you even hear his voice ?? '
Riku's elbow dug onto Jaehee's side. " Look at Sion hyung. " Jaehee followed his gaze. Sion was leaning foward slightly, his elbow on his desk, eyes fixed entirely on the boy infront of class. He wasn't blinking. He wasn't glancing around like he usually did when somone new came in either. He just... stare. Like he'd found something he has been looking for without knowing. Jaehee snapped his fingers right in front of Sion's face. Sion jumped a little, but his gaze didnt leave that figure a little.
" Ouu shiii , someone has fallen hard already. " Jaehee said as he chuckled.
Riku nodded vigorously. " Total heart eyes. Sion hyung is doomed. "
" Shut up." Sion muttered, ears turning red as he shot them a sharp glare. But the warmth didn't fade from his expression when he looked back at him.
" Quiet please! " The teacher called out. " Yushi, you can take any empty you like. "
Yushi nodded shyly, glancing around the room. Most of the empty seats were right at front or sandwhiched between groups of chattering students. His eyes landed on the far back corner.
One seat left, next to Sion. Completely quiet and out of the way. He hesitated, biting his lower lip. Yushi walked towards the older and looked at him questioningly. " Hi.... Is it okay if i want to sit here? " Yushi let out a sigh after saying that, not believing what he just did.
Sion look back up at the younger, lost in the light that caught the gold in his irises.
Riku coughed. A fake one.
Sion is finally back from his own world. He adjusted his posture and moved his bag off the empty chair beside him.
" Y-yeah. Go ahead. It's–uh–free. Yeah , free. "
Jaehee and Riku turned to each other
He's acting weird...
Yushi smiled. He pulled the chair beside Sion, " Thank you. " He whispered quietly that only Sion could hear.
The couple infront of them both turned to talk and introduce their self to the new student and get to know more about Yushi.
" Hi Yushi! I'm Maeda Riku! This is Kim Daeyoung, or you can call him Jaehee , he's my boyfriend , hehe. Anyway, the guy sitting next to you is Oh Sion. He looked mean but trust us, he's really clingy. Also, We've been friends since middle school! "
Yushi nodded politely, glancing at each of them as Riku introduced one of each in. turn. " It's nice to meet all of you. Thank you for letting me sit here. "
Sion tried to speak up, trying to introduce himself properly like he should have. But the moment Yushi turned those eyes on him, he went blank. He opened his mouth, close it again , then shot Riku a desperate look. ' Help me out of here !! '
Riku snickered. " Sion's usually way more talkative, I promise. You just make him nervous. "
Okay that did not help a bit.
" He did not make me nervous! " Sion protested, though his face was definietly redder now.
Yushi tilted his head, curious. " You don't have to force yourself to talk if you don't want to.. " He said gently.
" I don't mind silence "
For a moment, nobody said a thing. The, Riku leaned in foward, hands on his chin.
" Okay but seriously—Yushi, you are so pretty! Like, really pretty. Are you sure you dont have a boyfriend or girlfriend yet? That is actually dissapointing and such a waste! "
Yushi fiddled with the hem of his blazer. his cheeks flushed faintly. " Um... I don't really know actually. Maybe I just..... born with it ? "
He said in the softest voice like he was sharing a secret.
" Valid. "
" Okay but why no partner then? " Riku asked again.
" You're sweet, You're beautiful—anyone would be lucky to be with you! "
Yushi smile faded , just a little and he looked down at his fingers fidgeting.
" Because... I'm not good at showing love and I just think I don't deserve love. "
" I get that. " Sion started speaking.
Quiet but sure.
All three of them looked at him, suprised—he rarely talk about this topic.
Sion continued, " I know what it feels like to think that you don't deserve to be loved and it's.... yeah. Sad honestly. "
Riku and Jaehee exchanged a look, grinning at each other but stay quiet, letting them talk. For the rest of the lesson, even when the teacher started writing on the board, Sion couldn't help but kept glancing over and over towards his seatmate. Yushi's neat handwriting, the way Yushi tucked his hair behind ear, at the way his eyes lit up when he heared somthing new, or understood something, and the way he blinks fast if he's lost.
And for the first time in two years, Sion didn't mind at the thought of him falling in love.
Not if it was with someone like Yushi.