Friendships and Concerns

*

As the days passed by and the warm spring breeze continued to follow the students of J.S University, a week had already gone by, and soon classes would be starting. This change was accepted by the students with mixed reactions, but under a well-lit lamp, one particular student made sure he was ahead in any way possible.

“Good morning, class. I’m Mr Zen and I’ll be your lecturer on the Theories of Communication. Now, I’m sure in your first year you must have been taught the concept of communication, so I have a simple question I’d like to ask to start.” The teacher said this, earning loud groans from his students.

“The question is…” He said ignoring their protests, “How does the Transactional Model of Communication differ from earlier linear models, and what insights does it offer into the nature of communication?” The hall fell into silence for a full minute, and just as the teacher was about to give up, a student raised his hand.

“Yes, you!” He said excitedly.

The young man stood up and began, “The Transactional Model of Communication, proposed by Barnlund and later expanded by Dance, departs from earlier linear models such as Shannon-Weaver's by emphasizing the dynamic and interactive nature of communication. Unlike linear models, which view communication as a one-way process from sender to receiver…” He continued leaving the class dumbfounded.

“...suggests that communication is not merely about transferring information but also about building relationships and co-creating meaning through interaction. Thank you.” He finished, thankful for burning the late night's candle.

The next moment, the entire class was in an uproar of applause, they were all impressed, so much that the teacher had to shout at the top of his voice to calm them down.

“Young man, that was incredible. Can you tell us your name?” The teacher asked, the curiosity betrayed in his voice.

“Thank you, sir. My name is Kyo, Yukino Kyo.” Kyo said, with a dashing smile. The girls began to squeal at the back of the class, and the guys nodded in jealousy and admiration.

Aoi had finally found himself settling into a routine at J.S. University, trying to balance his relationships with others and college life with a mix of excitement and trepidation. His interaction with Kosuke continued to grow steadily with each passing day as they spoke, studied, and explored the campus together.

However, amidst the hustle and bustle of school life, Aoi also found himself making uncommon and unexpected connections with other students, he was always there to help when someone needed it and quickly made friends.

On the first morning of classes, Aoi made his way to his first class of the day, nervous about what the day had in store for him, plus he was late. Getting closer to class, Aoi felt his stomach sink as he heard the lecturer’s voice coming from inside the hall. He quickly hurried into class and sat on a random seat at the back.

Aoi got out his materials quickly but accidentally fumbled with them, and they scattered all over the floor. He tried picking up his things when someone helped him pick up a pencil.

“Thank you, so-uh?” Aoi stopped mid-sentence, and the boy in front of him also looked surprised.

“You?” The boy said, loudly.

“It’s bad enough that you both came late, but now you’re disturbing my class. Unless it’s something you want to share with the rest of us, I strongly advise that you remain silent.” The two tensed up before apologizing to the teacher.

They looked back at each other and giggled lightly like little girls when the teacher turned around, Hinata smiled before turning his book over to write something, He moved the book to Aoi, not looking at him.

“I’ve been looking for you; who would have thought we would be in the same class?” Hinata scribbled, and Aoi could not help but smile as he responded.

“I asked Megumi about you but he only told me you were alive. I’m glad you look healthy.” Aoi wrote back.

For the next 30 minutes of class, they kept exchanging notes and receiving occasional warnings from the teacher and eventually, after another hour, the class was over, and the two finally had a chance to talk.

“Oh my, it’s nice to finally meet my saviour,” Hinata said as soon as they left the class.

“Don't say that out loud; people might hear you.” Aoi held his hand up over the other boy’s mouth.

“Fine, but thank you so much, Aoi; I’ll forever be grateful.” He paused, scratching the back of his neck, Aoi noticed his discomfort, but before he could ask, Hinata stretched out his hand, bowing.

“Aoi, Please, can you be my friend!” Hinata said at the top of his voice, inviting curious stares from people passing by. Aoi felt his face hurt from embarrassment, but at the same time, he thought about how Hinata must feel in this situation.

“Stop it, Hinata; please stand up,” Aoi said, taking Hinata’s hand. Hinata felt his face turn red from making contact with Aoi; his hands were unusually soft, but in a good way.

“You didn't have to ask, you know; you’re already my friend,” Aoi said with his breathtaking smile.

Hinata couldn't help but stare and after a few minutes of silence, Hinata had realized he hadn't said anything back to Aoi; his face flushed pink, and it didn't help that Aoi tried to check his temperature.

“Hinata, you're burning up; do you want me to go with you to the nurse's office?” Aoi offered, really worried about his friend but he shook his head vigorously, pulling away from Hinata.

After a few back and forths between the two, Aoi finally dropped following Hinata to the clinic and waved as Hinata walked away to the campus clinic. But even as Hinata disappeared around the corner, Aoi couldn't shake off the feeling of concern for his newfound friend.

Although Aoi was confused about why Hinata wouldn't let him come with him, he made a mental note to check up on him later just to make sure everything was okay.

After a few more classes, Aoi was on his way back to his dorm after classes, his thoughts drifting back to Hinata, hoping he could visit Hinata at the clinic He was worried about the way he ran off, and hoped it was nothing serious.

Lost in thought, Aoi took a corner and found himself passing by the campus sports complex, filled with sounds of laughter, grunts, and the clatter of equipment. It was a familiar sight, one that brought back memories of countless afternoons spent watching Yukino practice for his dance performances.

Just as Aoi was lost in thought, a familiar voice called out to him, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Hey! Aoi! Is that you?"

Turning around, Aoi's eyes widened in surprise as he spotted Yukino jogging towards him, a bright smile lighting up his face. Aoi couldn't help but return the smile, feeling a rush of warmth at the sight of his best friend.

"Yukino! What are you doing here?" Aoi asked, shocked to run into Yukino so randomly.

Yukino came to a stop in front of Aoi, his breath slightly rising from his jog. "I just finished dance practice, and I saw you passing by; I couldn't resist saying hello," he answered, flashing Aoi a playful grin.

Aoi chuckled, grateful for just getting to see Yukino. "I'm glad you did. I needed something to distract me."

The two continued to walk together as Aoi filled Yukino in on his day, his classes, and his encounter with Hinata. Yukino listened as attentively as always; his genuine interest was evident in the way he hung on to Aoi's every word.

When Aoi mentioned Hinata's visit to the clinic, Yukino's expression grew concerned. "Is Hinata okay? Do you think he needs any help?" He asked, his voice projecting Aoi’s initial worry.

Aoi shook his head and smiled, reassured by Yukino's concern for Hinata. "I'm not sure, he insisted on going alone, but I'll check up on him later to make sure he's doing alright."

Yukino nodded, his features softening with empathy. "That's very thoughtful of you, Aoi. I'm sure Hinata will appreciate your concern."

As they continued their walk back to the dorms, Aoi couldn't help but feel grateful for Yukino's continuous support and friendship. Even in life's uncertainties, it was comforting to know that he had someone like Yukino by his side, ready to offer a listening ear and a shoulder to lean on whenever he needed it.

As they reached the familiar surroundings of their dorm, Aoi couldn't help but feel a little bit better about the future, knowing that with friends like Yukino, Kosuke, and Hinata, he wouldn’t feel alone anymore.

As the blue skies turned into hues of orange, and though he couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the back of his mind, Aoi took comfort in the knowledge that no matter what challenges lay ahead, he would always have Yukino by his side.

From a distance, a familiar figure watched Aoi’s interaction with Yukino; it was freer and less stressful, something their friendship had yet to have, Kosuke had been watching their interaction from a distance, and he felt something as he watched Aoi and Yukino together.

Though he pushed aside the pang of awkward feelings he felt in his insides, Kosuke couldn't help but wonder about the nature of their relationship and the feelings he felt watching them.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***