Sunlight flooded into Class 2-A, washing down the new order of the classroom with warmth. Murmurous voices from students resounded in the room as they took the assigned seats.
Among them, three now-familiar faces-Aoi, Ren, and Emi-occupied the same compartment.
For Emi, this was a delightful surprise.
For Ren, it really did not matter.
For Aoi, it was yet another day, until she noticed what she thought were two unfamiliar names on the attendance sheet.
David and Everlyn.
The introduction was made and entered, two new figures into the classroom.
David's Presence
The first was David; an exceedingly cool gentleman that is 20 years old, foreign by all accounts.
Fine posture, defined face, and calculated steps marked him as the kind of man who could go anywhere he wanted. His analytical gaze passed over every inch of the room, observing in silence yet remaining steady as if unnaturally unconcerned with whether it truly mattered.
He made no effort to cut the air or impress anyone. He was watching.
And then his gaze fell upon Aoi.
For an instant, he hesitated.
A quick flash of something foreign crossed his face, almost as though he had not meant to be attracted to her. A pull-a totally unexpected one.
His fingers lightly tapped against the desk. Why her?
He was not one to linger on emotion; more like struck with the thought that all was against it: there was something unusual in the way she was carrying herself. Where all the others roamed, fidgety, whispering, or glued to their phones, she remained absorbed in another world: her sketchbook.
David wasn't used to being caught off guard.
But here we are.
Aoi's Reaction
Aoi was used to being an observer, not one being observed.
But this day...everything felt off.
A seemingly endless stare.
A silent presence unbent by distraction.
She halted mid-stroke, pencil above the paper. She slowly raised her eyes.
And she caught David's gaze.
There was no immediate shift, nor hurried away glance. He just looked her. Not with glances of casual curiosity, not like most people-but as if he were trying to make sense of something about her.
Aoi did not understand why but a slight sense of discomfort was creeping into her heart.
She looked away, back to her sketch. What that was, she would not waste her time deliberating.
Yet even as she began to work again, she could still feel him watching.
So much for feeling disturbed."
Everlyn's Presence
The second newcomer, Everlyn, was completely opposite.
In contrast to David's austere, observant attitude, Everlyn was bright, confident, and effortlessly charming.
She walked into the classroom, light on her feet, acknowledging friendly smiles from everyone. In the next several minutes, she was well into animated exchanges with classmates sitting near her.
It appeared to everyone that she just could not stop talking: "Nice to meet you all! Let's make this year fun, okay?" Her voice was warm, her laugh pure.
To the random observer it seemed as Everlyn wore her heart on her sleeve-expressive, friendly, overflowing with energy.
In reality, she was simply too good at blending in.
She knew exactly how to put people at ease: when to laugh, when to listen and when to speak.
For now, she was playing her part so well.
And no one suspected a thing.
A New Beginning for the Class
As the lesson got under way, the classroom grew slowly into new dynamics.
But veiled beneath the surface, subtle shifts had begun already.
David found himself drawn towards one person-who, for one reason or another, he could not quite fathom.
Aoi felt for the rare occasion that she was being watched instead of watching.
And Everlyn? She was continuing to play her part, fitting in perfectly waiting to strike.
None of them knew yet, but it would be this class that would be the crucible for everything that lay ahead.