[1] Thus, Boy Met Girl

It's morning in Sophis High, and class is about to start.

A shrill, sob-stricken voice could be heard from outside classroom 3A.

"I-I can't... You're the worst! I-I hate you!"

The sliding door slammed open and a weeping girl fled the scene, eyes puffy and whimpers evident.

[The Ice Prince strikes again...]

[How many has it been already?]

[Seriously, what a mood killer.]

[Can't they do that somewhere private?]

Isao entered the room, dragging a heavy hand through his brown mess of hair, and sighed.

"Seriously, Kota. Not another confession," he groaned, tired of his best friend's headaches.

"It's been 2 years and that's the fifth one already! You'd think that maybe one of them could thaw your frozen heart?" Isao drawls, right hand on his heart, left hand beckoning to the heartbreaker, dramatics befitting the wannabe writer.

The culprit, sitting with his legs on his table and his chair on its hind legs, snapped the chocolate pocky stick in his mouth and held the remainder to the brunette like a microphone.

"You already know I don't do girlfriends. They're lucky I'm not a horrible person who accepts even if I had no feelings for them, right?"

"Yep, so lucky to be heartbroken by you," Isao breathes, exasperated, plopping down onto the seat to his right. With that reply, Kota tosses the remaining pocky stick in his mouth and places his legs and chair back on the ground. He fishes his books out of his bag and prepares for the first class, continuing the conversation absent-mindedly.

"They knew what they were getting into. I tell every single one I don't believe in love."

"Why do they still ask, again?"

Kota fetches his sharpener and tends to his pencils. He lifts one to the light and eyes its sharpness.

"They all say it's some front I put up or some trauma I have. Something about changing me or making me believe.

Whatever it is, they just don't back down."

"Gah, stubborn people everywhere, I tell you," Isao laments, laying his head down for a nap. To his chagrin, the morning bell rings, and the teacher walks in, accompanied by an unfamiliar female student. The class, quieted down by Kota's earlier scene, buzzes with whispers of excitement and curiosity.

[I told you I saw a new girl!]

[Transferring a few weeks before midterms? Is she crazy?]

[Ahh, I owe you 5 bucks...]

The talk of the class had her head down, a bit longer than shoulder-length black hair covering her left eye, shoulders bunched. The very epitome of nervous, you'd think.

"Good morning, class. We have a transfer student this year. Please introduce yourself."

At the cue and with a deep breath, she looked up and squared her shoulders. Her single visible eye, iris as dark as her ebony locks, seemed to swallow all light. Still, a small warm smile graced her lips as she made a cursory bow. Despite how she had appeared, her voice was nothing but calm.

"Good morning. My name is Chikako Chiyo, and I am very pleased to meet you all. Please take care of me."

[Ohhh, she's cute!]

[Right? The class is lucky!]

[I wonder where she's from... ]

"Settle down. Chiyo, please sit to the left of Kota."

"Yes, teacher."

The clack of the school's cleats against the classroom tile was loud amidst the murmuring. Kota scrutinised her every move, in contrast to Chiyo's gaze, focused on the seat.

She slid into the seat gracefully, setting her sling bag by the open side. The plastic buckles clicked in protest as she took out her stationery and prepared her things for class.

Chiyo's head snapped up as her body lifted her until she was sitting straight. She caught his eye contact. She gave him a small smile before returning her focus to getting ready.

Kota continued to stare unabashedly. If she noticed, she gave no indication.

Her skin exhibited a fading tan, like an otherwise pale complexion having retreated indoors for a few weeks. Her eyes expressed double eyelids and a deep natural cat's eye. Despite being short, she held herself with a quiet confidence, back straight and face relaxed.

He moved his eyes away, chin in hand.

She didn't seem much different from the rest of the girls, and he didn't expect her to be. Not that he was responsible for another heart.

He would just act as he normally did.

_____________________________________________

The bell ringing for lunch couldn't have come any sooner. Students were quick to rush to the cafeteria. Isao had long left the classroom for food, as usual.

Kota rose out of his seat, fishing his wallet out from his pocket. His new seatmate didn't rouse from her book-induced trance.

He had observed her switching between the three of them out of the corner of his eye; book to notebook, notebook to second notebook, then back to the book, mixing and matching the order.

'Amusing,' he mused as he turned to meander out the classroom. Through the same door that girl ran out of this morning.

He caught the sound of books closing and items rustling before the clack of school cleats was drowned by the thunderous skidding of the sliding door behind him.

He continued to walk, ignoring the screeching of the reopened and reclosed door. The telltale clack, increasing in volume with the decreasing distance.

Clack, clack, clack.

Would she call out to him from behind? Perhaps tap him to catch his attention? Wave her hand in greeting, or wave something in front of him?

Kota was curious.

Clack, clack, clack...

He could tell she was right behind him, and not slowing down.

He glimpsed her to his right as she passed him by.

Not an eye or care in his direction.

Clack, clack, clack.

That made him pause a bit in his casual pace, but he quickly resumed strolling.

A corner of his mouth perked up in a mix of humor and self-loathing, and he chuckled out a sigh.

'... This would be a nice breath of fresh air.'

_____________________________________________

Kota watched her coddle her lunch tray, a gleam in her eye, content in her little world.

The last girl, Miyuki Akemi, was like that too. She was a reader, always with a book in hand. She was reading some high school love story when he had first asked.

He broke out of his rumination watching her place her tray down on an unoccupied table in the cafeteria before pulling her chair out to seat herself, eyes not leaving her food for a second.

"Kota, just so we're clear..."

The clamor of the hard plastic lunch trays betrayed Isao's stealthy attempt to give Kota his lunch tray to return, but he didn't really mind.

"I beg you, not another one."

Kota turned to Isao, who was offering praying, pleading hands above his head, face plastered to the cafeteria table in desperate devotion. Kota rolled his eyes.

"That's not my promise to make," he said, standing up before Isao can answer him. His head in the clouds, he walked to the tray return.

Why couldn't he just walk up to a girl and make small talk, without it being screened as the start of a romance? So what if he found a girl interesting and fun to spend time with? With all these blasted shows, comics, and books running around, he just ends up breaking hearts.

Why did the world just hate- -

"Oof! I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

Lost in thought, he had bumped into the new girl. Fate just really had it out for him today. Fortunately, nothing had spilled or dropped.

"... Kota, right?"

"Yeah, Kota. It's no big deal, I wasn't paying attention."

He eyed her tray.

It looked spotless, as if there was never food on it to begin with.

How cute.

"Alright, that's great. Again, I'm sorry for bumping into you. Here, take these."

She dug into her pocket and unearthed two pieces of candy, and held them out to him. One was a popular brand, and the other one he'd never seen before. He used a hand to wave in refusal.

"Like I said, it's no big deal."

"Just take them as my introduction; You haven't fully met me until I give you candy," she said, matter-of-factly.

What an fun girl, he thought. He decided to take them, mindful of brushing against her hand. As soon as he did, she checked her watch. The black plastic shone like matte, on the slightly bulky side.

"Ah, I need to go. See you in class."

"Yeah, see you."

She stepped away with that same brisk walk, the tempo dying down in volume as she made for the classroom.

'Now that,' Kota thought, 'would be an easy love at first sight scenario.'

But this wasn't some cheeky romance novel.

He walked back to his table, seeing Isao pointing at where he once was, eyes jaded.

"What was that?"

"What was what?"

"What did I just ask you? Argh..."

Isao ruffled his hair in irritation. Kota grabbed under his arm and pulled him up.

"Come on, we'll be late for class..."

"Seriously, why can't the bestest friend in the whole wide world just catch a break?"

Kota was dragging Isao by the arm now, but with a regular exercise routine, it wasn't such a hassle. Isao let himself be ragdolled, lost in lamentation.

"And you never spend time with me anymore ;-;"

"Alright, alright. We haven't been to your favorite dessert place in a while. How's that?"

"And you promise me no girls?"

Kota sighs.

"None that I'm bringing, anyway."

"I swear, if I see a single pair of X chromosomes come anywhere near you..."

"I got it already, now pay attention in class. If you get singled out for extra period, they'll run out of strawberry cake by the time we get there."

Isao saluted with his free hand, but not like Kota could see.

"Sir yes sir!"

"Great, now can I let go?"

Now in front of the class door, Isao planted his feet on the ground, patted himself down, and put his game face on. For strawberry cake, he'll brave the last 4 hours of boring class. Kota just sighed and walked in after him.