Chapter : 2 First Day at Elementary school

The classroom was alive with the lively chatter of children, each engaged in their animated conversations and gossip. Suddenly, the door slid open gracefully, revealing a young lady with spectacles perched on her nose and neatly tied chestnut hair. She donned a cream-colored pair of loose trousers and a pristine white top, exuding an air of quiet authority.

"Silence, class," she gently but firmly called out. With a subtle sway of her "wiggle wiggle," she continued, "Today, we have new friends joining us." The lady moved gracefully to the front of the classroom and positioned herself by the teacher's desk.

"Come in," she motioned to a boy with striking dark silver hair as he entered and stood beside her. "Introduce yourself," she encouraged.

"I am Vali Shiroyoku," Vali stated with a solemn expression, "and I like noodles and chocolates." The teacher nodded in approval and gestured for him to take a seat in the side row near the window.

As Vali was about to go to his assigned seat, there was a knock on the door, and Vali's mother, holding his school bag, stood there. That's when Vali realized why he couldn't find any more chocolate in his pocket because they were all in his bag.

As the teacher approached the door, Sarah apologized with a smile, "I am really sorry; I totally forgot to give his backpack at the school entrance."

The teacher smiled back and replied, "It's not a problem even I didn't notice that he didn't have his bag." As Sarah waved goodbye, Vali made his way to his seat.

With Vali settled at his desk, the class resumed with the teacher delivering her lesson. Vali's eyes were fixated on his backpack, although to onlookers, it might have seemed like he was paying full attention to the board.

Time passed, and the lunch bell rang, signaling the break. The teacher left, and the classroom filled with the buzzing of children. Vali made a move to reach for his backpack but found himself surrounded by a group of girls who chattered excitedly around him. Vali's patience showed as he tapped his fingers on his desk, waiting for the crowd to clear.

Finally, as the space around him cleared, he swiftly reached for his backpack. He searched it meticulously, extracting a cup of noodles and a small metal container filled with hot water. He deftly opened the cup noodles and poured the hot water, closing the lid as he patiently waited for it to be ready.

Vali sat in his seat, patiently watching the clock on the wall, waiting for the seemingly endless 5 minutes to pass. Suddenly, a hand tapped on Vali's shoulder, and he turned to see three kids, with a chubby boy in the center, flanked by two supporting friends.

"Hey, I'm Kaito," the plump kid introduced himself, while Vali's mind drifted to his ready-to-eat noodles.

"We can be friends, you know," Kaito proposed, but Vali remained focused on Kaito's hand, which inched from his shoulder toward the desk, sliding ever closer to a tantalizing cup of noodles. Just as it was on the verge of reaching the prize, Vali swiftly placed his palm above Kaito's, locking gazes with the plump boy. Simultaneously, the two lean children by Kaito's side grabbed both of Vali's hands, enabling Kaito to seize the cup of noodles.

"Hehehe, you can't take food from me," Kaito jeered, wearing a mischievous smirk as he teasingly peeled the top lid.

As Vali found himself sandwiched between two of Kaito's companions, a dilemma brewed within him. "Should I beat him up? But his Mom's words echoed in his mind – 'Make friends, not fights'," he pondered, hesitating. Meanwhile, Kaito's deliberate, painstaking progress in peeling the lid of the cup noodles played out before Vali's eyes.

Amidst the tension, Vali, held by two kids, wrestled with his inner turmoil. The thought, slowly dissipating, weighed heavily on his mind:

"I have to make friends...

I have to make a friend...

I have to make frien...

I have to frie...

I have to fri...

I have to f..."

As the word dissolved into his subconscious, Vali made his choice, and the scene transitioned.

In a climactic shift, without the need for words, the scene transformed. Kaito and his three companions found themselves in a heap beneath Vali, who now sat comfortably atop them. With a satisfied smile, Vali murmured, "Itadakimasu," and began to savor his noodles.

Meanwhile, Kaito's eyes welled up with tears.

"Why are you crying?" Vali said as he got down from them as the three finally stood up, trying to hold back their tears.

Suddenly, there was a sound of the door as the teacher entered the classroom and immediately went towards Vali and Kaito while their friends stood nearby.

"Why were you guys fighting?" The teacher leaned in as she spoke.

Vali's expression was like he was in trouble, even though he didn't beat them up, just made them his chair.

"No, teacher, I just fell on the floor, and Vali was helping me," Kaito said, leaving Vali shocked. The teacher, on the other hand, appeared bewildered for some unknown reason.

"This guy is different from other kids," Vali thought to himself as he complimented Kaito for lying, even though he was the culprit.

"Is he lying? But that wasn't what she told me. Maybe she mistook the situation," the teacher thought as she told them to eat their lunch and began to walk away but stopped. "Vali, you can't bring instant noodles into the classroom and cook them. Next time, I will take them," the teacher said before leaving.

Vali was pondering a new thought. How did the teacher know? He examined the classroom, and there weren't any cameras. "How did she know?" Vali wondered aloud.

"It must be her, the classroom spy planted by Miss Yuria," Kaito said, looking towards a small girl sitting at the front desk.

"This guy is different. I knew it," Vali thought, finally finding someone worthy of being his friend.

As time passed, the class ended, and it was time to go back home. Vali reached the school exit where his mom, Sarah, was standing.

"So, how was your first day of school here?" Sarah asked as she bent to check his backpack. Vali replied, "It was not bad," about to chew on a chocolate bar but had it taken away by Sarah, who said, "No more chocolate today."

Vali jumped to try to get it back, but a sudden call of his name distracted his attention. He saw Kaito waving at him, saying goodbye.

"My son has finally made a friend," Sarah said, shedding some tears.

"Mom, let's go and stop crying," Vali said as he held Sarah's hand and started to walk away.

"Sniff, sniff. My son finally made a new friend. It's a celebration day. What do you want to eat for dinner today?" Sarah asked. Vali immediately replied, "Let's have ramen," excited.

"No," Sarah said.

"Why?" Vali asked, but suddenly, he heard a ringing sound. He turned toward the church, which was a bit far away on a hill, and a shiver ran down his spine.

"What happened, Vali? Are you okay?" Sarah asked, panicking as she saw Vali shaking.

"I'll be fine, Mom, if you get me ramen," Vali said. Sarah sighed and gave in.

Meanwhile, as Sarah and Vali made their way home, Vali's gaze remained fixed on the church as he felt some unknown sensation and It wasn't the first time he felt like that...

To be continued....