Hope They're Okay

"Did little Yuka eat dinner last night?" Kotomi Izumi asked while multitasking, chatting with Yui Yuigahama as she hurriedly copied her homework. Clearly, she was experienced at this kind of "borrowing."

"If I didn't know she ate a whole box of takoyaki on the way home, Mom and I would've thought she was sick. Normally, she eats two full bowls at dinner," Yui replied.

"She's at that age where she's always hungry," Kotomi nodded knowingly. When she was Yuka's age, her appetite had started to grow as well.

"Yesterday evening, Ms. Shirou-sensei called and told me and Mom most of the details. I didn't realize Yuka and you got along so well."

Kotomi smiled, feeling validated. She had guessed correctly—Shirou-sensei had indeed made another call to the Yuigahama household.

"Maybe it's because Yuka and I are both big eaters," Kotomi joked.

Just like how Stand users are drawn to each other...

Sitting nearby, Megumi Kato narrowed her eyes, her usual calm gaze hinting at something deeper. After a few moments of silence, she finally spoke up, her tone light but suggestive.

"It seems like you and Yuigahama-san have become quite close. While the rest of us are still addressing each other formally, you two are already on a first-name basis with 'Kotomi' and 'Yui'," she said with a subtle, meaningful chuckle.

"You're right, I didn't even notice," Yukino Yukinoshita added, chiming in from her seat.

Kotomi thought for a moment, then replied, "Yui and I decided yesterday to drop the formalities. We've known each other for a week already, so why not switch to first names? Using 'san' all the time makes us feel distant."

"Oh~ so that's what it was! Great! Then I'll follow Yuigahama's lead and call you 'Kotomi' from now on. Yui, is it okay if I call you that too?" Megumi asked, flashing a bright smile.

"Of course, that's fine!" Yui nodded enthusiastically.

Kotomi then turned to Megumi with a grin. "How about I call you Megumi? What do you think?"

"'I'd be happy if my friends called me that," Megumi responded warmly.

"I guess... in that case, you can all call me Yukino from now on," Yukino said after a moment of hesitation.

"Hehe, but I think I'll stick with calling you 'Yuki~'," Yui teased with a playful grin.

Yukino sighed but couldn't help smiling as well. Ever since meeting Kotomi, Yui, and Megumi, she'd found herself smiling much more often than before. She had once thought making friends would be difficult, but now… maybe not so much.

A small but genuine smile tugged at the corners of Yukino's lips as she looked at Yui. "Yui, class is about to start soon. Are you sure you're going to finish your homework in time? Megumi lent you her work, and Kotomi's almost done with hers."

Yui, suddenly realizing how little progress she'd made, panicked. "Ahh! There's only fifteen minutes left, and I haven't even finished one page! Kotomi, you're so sneaky, getting so much done without me noticing!"

"I was just writing while we chatted," Kotomi replied, her tone casual but amused.

With a final burst of energy, Yui raced through the remaining questions. Just in time—she finished her work with only half a minute to spare before the bell rang.

Both Kotomi and Yui breathed a collective sigh of relief. The thrill of doing last-minute homework was no less exhilarating than extreme sports. Red Bull should sponsor this kind of intense, high-stakes endeavor!

"Finally! Thanks so much, Megumi!" Yui said, standing up and stretching.

"Don't forget to do it on time tonight," Megumi reminded her gently.

"Don't worry, I definitely will tonight!" Yui declared confidently.

But this wasn't the first time she had made that promise…

Megumi smiled and switched back to her seat. Just as she sat down, the bell rang, signaling the start of the first period. It had been a close call, but they had made it through unscathed.

The first class of the day was math. However, their usual teacher, Nakamori-sensei, was away at a meeting, so the school had sent in a substitute: Tomoko Hayakawa, a notoriously strict math teacher.

Even though Nakamori-sensei wasn't there, and math was as dull as ever, no one in the class dared to slack off or doze during Hayakawa-sensei's lecture. Her reputation preceded her. She was known for her precision and deadly accuracy with chalk—capable of hurling a piece with pinpoint precision from sixty meters away. Rumor had it that even the slightest whisper or the passing of a note would result in a chalk missile to the head.

As the class dragged on, Kotomi glanced at her empty neighbor's seat.

"Where's Kirigiri-san today?" she asked, curious.

"She had something to take care of at home," Yui whispered back, leaning slightly toward Kotomi.

Almost as if summoned by their conversation, Hayakawa-sensei's eyes locked onto Yui with the intensity of a hawk spotting its prey. Her fingers curled around a piece of chalk with a well-practiced grip, honed over years of experience.

"Yuigahama!" Hayakawa's voice boomed. "Pay attention!"

With a swift motion, she launched the chalk across the room. It sliced through the air in a perfect arc and struck Yui squarely on the head.

"Ow…" Yui whimpered, clutching her head.

Kotomi cringed. If not for Hayakawa's terrifying accuracy, she would've burst out in laughter.

Nakamori-sensei could throw workbooks like ninja, but Hayakawa-sensei wielded her chalk like a sniper rifle. The math teachers at this school were terrifyingly talented in their own way.

As more students fell victim to Hayakawa's airborne projectiles, the class finally ended with the blessed sound of the bell. As soon as Hayakawa-sensei announced the end of the lesson and left the room, the students erupted in cheers.

"Ah, I'm so late!" Seiko Kirigiri entered the classroom just as the math teacher exited. She looked around sheepishly before making her way to Kotomi's group.

"Kirigiri-san, you're really late today," Kotomi remarked.

Seiko smiled apologetically. "Yeah… my sister's got a fever, and with our parents not home, I stayed to take care of her this morning."

"Your sister's sick? Is it bad?" Kotomi asked, her tone concerned.

"It's not too serious. She didn't wear her pajamas properly last night and caught a chill. Her temperature was about 38.5 degrees, but I made sure she drank plenty of water and took her medicine. I'll probably head home at lunchtime to make her some porridge."

"Autumn's coming soon—it's definitely the season for catching colds," Yukino commented.

Seiko nodded, looking guilty. "She hasn't had a fever in over a year… it's kind of my fault for…"

Her voice trailed off, becoming too quiet to hear.

"Hmm? What was that?" Kotomi asked, leaning in slightly.

"N-Nothing," Seiko quickly waved it off, steering the conversation away.

Before she could change the subject, her eyes fell on Yui, who was slumped over her desk, still nursing her head. Seiko gasped, her expression one of genuine concern.

"Yuigahama-san! What happened to you? Are you hurt?"

"Well, it's more like she took some heavy damage," Kotomi chuckled. "Today's math class was taught by Hayakawa-sensei."

"Hayakawa-sensei? Oh no… you mean the one they call the walking artillery cannon?" Seiko's eyes widened in horror.

"That's the one."

"How terrifying. I hope she survives," Seiko clasped her hands together in mock prayer.

"Ugh… I finally understand why she's earned that nickname. That chalk really packs a punch!" Yui groaned, still rubbing her head.

Kotomi chuckled awkwardly. She was lucky she hadn't been hit herself, having employed some stealthy tactics to avoid attention.

"Thank you, Shizuka Hiratsuka-sensei," Kotomi muttered under her breath, feeling grateful for the advice she had received on classroom survival tactics.