The morning sun shone brightly through the classroom windows, filling the room with warmth as students chatted before their first class.
For most of them, it was just another ordinary day.
But for Ria, something felt different.
Her gaze drifted toward the back of the classroom, where the new transfer student sat quietly by the window. Akira rested his chin on one hand as he stared outside, seemingly lost in thought.
Ever since he arrived, there had always been something mysterious about him. He spoke only when necessary, rarely smiled, and often seemed as though he carried a burden no one else could see.
"Ria!"
A familiar voice snapped her back to reality.
Lily waved a hand in front of her face, grinning.
"You're staring again."
Ria immediately looked away, her cheeks warming slightly.
"I-I'm not!"
"Oh? Then why were you looking at the new guy?"
"...I was just wondering if he's settling in."
Lily chuckled.
"Sure you were."
Before Ria could defend herself, Jas walked over with a curious smile.
"What are you two talking about?"
"Nothing!" Ria answered a little too quickly.
Lily couldn't help but laugh.
"Our Ria here has been secretly observing the new transfer student all morning."
"W-What? That's not true!"
Jas looked at Akira for a moment before turning back to Ria.
"Well... I guess he is kind of interesting."
Ria let out a small sigh, choosing not to argue anymore as the classroom slowly filled with students.
A few moments later, their teacher entered the room.
"Good morning, class."
"Good morning, ma'am," everyone greeted in unison.
The room quickly fell silent as the lesson began. Pens moved across notebooks while the teacher explained today's topic. Every now and then, Ria found herself glancing toward the window, only to realize Akira remained just as quiet as he had been that morning, listening attentively without saying a word.
Before she knew it—
Ding-dong. Ding-dong. Ding-dong.
The school bell echoed throughout the building, signaling the start of the lunch break.
Almost instantly, the once-quiet classroom became lively again. Students chatted excitedly as they stood from their seats and headed toward the cafeteria or the school grounds.
Ria, Lily, and Jas stayed behind for a moment, packing their things.
"Hey, guys! What are you going to eat for lunch?" Jas asked while slinging her bag over one shoulder.
"I don't know yet," Lily replied. "How about you, Ria?"
"I brought my own lunch," Ria said with a smile. "I made a little extra, so I thought we could share."
Lily's eyes lit up.
"Really? I've always wanted to taste your cooking!"
Jas rubbed her hands together dramatically.
"Looks like today is my lucky day."
The three laughed.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Jas said excitedly. "Let's go before someone else steals our favorite spot."
As they were about to leave the classroom, Lily suddenly stopped.
"...Wait."
She glanced toward the back of the room.
Akira was still sitting by the window, quietly reading a book while almost everyone else had already left.
For a brief moment, the three exchanged glances.
Then Lily smiled.
"Should we invite him?"
Ria hesitated.
"...Do you think he'd say yes?"
"I guess there's only one way to find out."
Before Ria could stop her, Lily started walking toward Akira.
"Hey," Lily greeted with a friendly smile. "We're about to have lunch outside. Would you like to join us?"
Akira looked up from the book in his hands. His eyes shifted from Lily to Ria, who quickly looked away when their gazes met.
For a brief moment, silence filled the room.
"...I don't want to be a bother," Akira replied quietly.
Jas laughed and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Come on, we're inviting you because we want to. Besides, eating alone every day gets boring."
Akira hesitated.
It had been a long time since someone had invited him so casually.
"...Alright," he finally answered with a small nod.
Lily smiled brightly.
"Great! Let's go before all the good spots are taken."
The four headed toward the school courtyard and found a bench beneath a large tree. A cool breeze rustled the leaves overhead, making the afternoon feel peaceful.
Ria carefully opened her lunchbox.
"I hope you don't mind sharing."
"What? You're really letting us eat your homemade lunch?" Jas asked dramatically.
"Of course."
The three eagerly helped themselves while Akira quietly accepted the food she offered.
"...Thank you."
Ria smiled warmly.
"You're welcome."
For the first time since transferring, Akira found himself sitting with people who treated him as if they had known him for years. He didn't say much, but listening to their conversations somehow made the silence around him feel less lonely.
Even Lily noticed.
"See? You're not as scary as everyone thinks."
Akira let out a faint smile.
"...Am I really that intimidating?"
"You always have this serious face," Jas answered. "People think you're going to scold them."
A small laugh escaped the group.
It wasn't loud, but it was enough to make the atmosphere feel lighter.
Before long—
Ring! Ring! Ring!
The afternoon bell echoed across the campus.
"Looks like lunch break's over," Lily sighed.
The four cleaned up their things before returning to their classroom.
The rest of the afternoon passed peacefully. Lessons came and went, and before anyone realized it, the final bell rang.
"Finally!" Jas stretched her arms. "My brain can't handle another lesson today."
The students began leaving the classroom one by one.
Since they all happened to live in the same direction, Ria, Lily, Jas, and Akira decided to walk home together.
The streets were busy with students chatting and small shops preparing for the evening rush. They talked about school, their favorite foods, and the teachers they found the strictest.
For the first time, Akira joined the conversation on his own.
"You guys really complain about homework every single day?"
Jas laughed.
"Of course! That's what friends do."
Akira remained silent for a moment before quietly saying,
"...I guess I still have a lot to learn."
The others smiled.
As they continued walking, they decided to take a quieter shortcut through a narrow street lined with old houses. The cheerful conversations slowly faded as the alley grew quieter.
Suddenly—
"Help!"
A frightened voice echoed from somewhere ahead.
The four immediately stopped.
Without wasting another second, they rushed toward the sound.
There, they found a girl about their age cornered by two men who were trying to snatch her bag.
"Hand it over!" one of the men shouted.
The girl clutched her bag tightly against her chest.
"N-No!"
Akira immediately stepped in front of Ria, Lily, and Jas, shielding them without hesitation. His sharp eyes quickly scanned the alley, studying the two men and every possible escape route.
"Stay back," he said calmly.
Just as one of the men lunged toward the frightened girl, Ria instinctively reached out her hand.
"No...!"
For a brief instant...
Everything became silent.
The wind ceased.
The falling leaves hung motionless in the air.
Even the two men stood perfectly still, frozen where they stood.
Ria's eyes widened.
"W-What...?"
She didn't understand what was happening.
Without thinking, she rushed forward, grabbed the girl by the arm, and pulled her away from the two men.
The very next second—
The world moved again.
The leaves continued falling.
The wind returned.
The men stumbled forward in confusion, as if they had lost a second of their lives without realizing it.
Nearby residents, startled by the girl's cries, began rushing toward the alley.
Seeing people gathering, the two men quickly cursed under their breath before running away.
The frightened girl collapsed to her knees, still clutching her bag tightly.
"T-Thank you..." she whispered, her voice trembling.
Ria looked down at her own hand.
Why... did everything stop?
Beside her, Akira remained silent.
His eyes never left Ria.
For just a single heartbeat...
He could have sworn the world itself had stopped.
...That wasn't my imagination.
Something impossible had just happened.
***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***
Download
Like this story? Download the app to keep your reading history.
Comments