MUNDANE HURT: Chapter 2

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As soon as the bell marking the end of class rang, the study freak was on his feet. As usual, Nagano swiftly packed his textbooks and notebooks into his bag and left the classroom. Nishizaki followed quietly. When dealing with a challenging target, the first rule is to understand their behavioral patterns.

Given Nagano’s over-the-top look-how-much-I-study aura at school, Nishizaki assumed he attended one of those prestigious cram schools. But instead, Nagano walked into the public library. Seriously? Nishizaki felt a bit let down. In a corner of the reading room, where private study spaces were available, Nagano immersed himself in his reference books until the library closed at 7 p.m., not once noticing Nishizaki sitting two seats away. After two days of observation, the post-school routine was clear as a copy-paste script: school → library → station. No detours.

Nishizaki started paying close attention to Nagano during class and breaks, becoming something of a Nagano expert. One thing he’d discovered was that Nagano only spoke to Kitao or teachers. In fact, he’d never seen him talk to anyone else. As the top-ranked, lone-wolf type of the grade, he seemed almost off-limits to his classmates, who mostly left him alone.

Even with Kitao, it was rare for Nagano to initiate conversations. In 90% of their interactions, Kitao would approach him first, with Nagano simply responding. Kitao often hung out with three other quiet guys in class, but he’d always go to Nagano’s side for stretching in PE class or call him over when forming small groups for assignments. Occasionally, they’d even talk during breaks.

The fastest way to establish a natural connection with Nagano would probably be through Kitao, but Nishizaki honestly found him hard to deal with. Kitao was the type who got along well with teachers and couldn’t even dream of skipping class. Conversations with him lacked humor and were no fun. Plus, guys like him, who were always at the top academically and knew it, could be insufferably self-righteous. Their social circles and interests couldn’t have been more different. They probably saw each other as “people from another world.” It was something you could just sense.

So while he wanted to get closer to Nagano, trying to cozy up to Kitao wasn’t appealing. Maybe there was an easier way, he thought, making an effort to strategize. Imagining different scenarios, predicting Nagano’s reactions—he found it surprisingly fun. It felt a bit like crafting the perfect approach for a high-maintenance, self-assured girl who knew she was attractive.

With their math teacher absent on bereavement leave, the fourth period turned into a self-study session. After attendance was taken by the substitute head teacher, Nishizaki quietly slipped out of the classroom and headed to the old school building. It had been preserved despite the construction of the new school, supposedly for its unique architectural style. However, due to its age, it was off-limits to students.

The doors were usually locked, but he’d secretly swiped a spare key during a visit to the teachers' office, when he was returning a key for the special study room. Since then, he’d been using it as his private hideout. The dusty room, smelling of aged wood, held a gray swivel chair with torn upholstery. Sitting down, he felt a wave of exhaustion. He’d been up all night gaming and had only gone to bed at dawn. He passed out, his head on the desk, waking only when the fourth-period bell rang.

Yawning, he left the old building. It was the start of lunch break, so the schoolyard was empty. However, he noticed a figure near the flowerbeds outside the main building. It was Nagano. Nishizaki quickened his pace and approached him.

“What are you doing?”

Nagano, who’d been standing as still as a statue, turned around slowly, almost like someone had flipped a switch. His expression was cool, unreadable. He stood a good 10 cm (4 in) taller than Nishizaki, probably over 180 cm (5’9).

“I’m looking for something.”

“What’re you looking for?”

“A mechanical pencil. I dropped it.”

Now that he mentioned it, Nagano’s seat was by the window. His gaze returned to the shrubs, shifting from side to side.

“Want me to help look?”

Without looking at him, Nagano replied curtly, “No need.”

“Don’t be shy.”

As he took a step forward, Nishizaki noticed something glinting beside a patch of weeds.

“Is this it?” He picked up a silver mechanical pencil and held it out. Nagano’s eyes widened in surprise. He took it, saying, “Thank you.”

“Can’t have your partner running off on you.”

Nagano tilted his head slightly in confusion. Seriously, even this mild joke went over his head?

"I mean the pencil. It’s like your study partner," Nishizaki explained, immediately regretting how lame it sounded. Nagano finally seemed to get it, nodding with a simple "Oh."

“You’re always studying, even during break. That’s impressive.”

Nishizaki made no mention of the fact that he usually called him “the study freak” behind his back. To keep the conversation pleasant, flattery was the best strategy… but Nagano didn’t look pleased or embarrassed as he’d expected. In fact, he didn’t even respond.

“With how smart you are, you probably don’t have any trouble figuring out your future, huh? You could get into any university, no problem.”

Despite the lack of sarcasm, Nagano’s expression hardened. Is he suspicious of me? When Nagano abruptly turned away, his irritation clear, Nishizaki felt a sudden tension, unsure of what had triggered it.

"I've been advised to look for a university with a strong scholarship program and opportunities for honor students. My family can't afford the tuition."

Nagano spat out the words briefly and brushed past Nishizaki. Scholarship… money problems… Did I just step on a landmine trying to find a conversation starter? Hastily, Nishizaki followed his retreating figure.

“Hey!”

Nagano stopped and turned around, his face void of any expression, as if his facial muscles had shut down.

“Sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?”

“Because I thought I might’ve brought up something you didn’t want to talk about. And besides, you look kind of mad.”

Nishizaki caught up and walked alongside Nagano, who kept glancing around nervously, likely worried about their classmates staring, but he didn’t seem inclined to brush Nishizaki off. If future plans and studies are no-go topics, then what’s safe to talk about? His gaze drifted to Nagano’s shirt sleeves, which stuck out oddly from his uniform jacket. It looked too small for him. Now that he thought about it, he’d noticed that Nagano, despite being so prim and proper, often left the front of his jacket open lately.

“Your uniform doesn’t fit you, does it?”

Nagano’s face flushed instantly.

“…It’s a hand-me-down.”

The pieces fell into place. Nagano didn’t have money, which meant his uniform was a hand-me-down. He’d outgrown it, but there wasn’t money for a new one. He’d noticed before how the elbows and back of Nagano’s jacket had an unusual sheen from wear. Wow, he’s seriously broke. Still, pointing that out would only ruin any rapport. The key was to shift the focus.

“Well, there’s nothing wrong with that. It means you take good care of things. Eco-friendly, you know?”

Nagano didn’t reply. He looked like he wanted to say something but was struggling to find the words. Maybe he’s not that great at talking, Nishizaki thought.

“You’re not much of a talker, huh? But being quiet is a good thing. A chatty dude is just annoying, y’know? Like me. With this personality, if I tried to suddenly act cool and quiet, everyone would just assume I was sick or something.”

Nagano’s lips turned up just slightly. A faint smile. His face regained some life.

"You’re funny, Nishizaki," he said, almost to himself, before walking off ahead into the school building.

Nishizaki felt his legs go weak, like they’d lost all strength. Why the hell am I so ridiculously excited just because some guy called me funny?

◇:-:◆:-:◇

The day after Nishizaki had spoken with Nagano during lunch, the midterm results for the second semester were announced. Nishizaki, who had never cared about such things before, eagerly made his way to the front of the teacher’s room where the rankings were posted. There, he saw that ‘the study freak’ had crushed the second place by over ten points, achieving a near-perfect score to secure the top spot in their grade. Even though it wasn’t his accomplishment, Nishizaki couldn’t help but think, Wow, that’s seriously impressive.

He hurried back to the classroom to find the top-ranked student using every spare second of the ten-minute break to pour over his beloved reference book. Their brief exchange yesterday by the flowerbed eased his hesitation a bit, making it easier to talk to him now.

“Did you check your midterm results?”

Nagano looked up.

“No, I haven’t.”

Guess he just assumes he’s first, Nishizaki thought, finding the unbothered attitude cool. Still, he felt an overwhelming urge to mess with him, just to see that composed face twist in frustration’.

“You were ranked in the hundreds.”

“…What?”

Nagano shot up so fast he nearly knocked over his chair. The way he looked about ready to bolt toward the teacher’s room was so hilarious that Nishizaki couldn’t help but place both hands on his shoulders, like calming an overexcited horse. "Whoa, whoa, calm down. I was just kidding. You’re safely in first place, as usual."

“…Jus… kidding?”

Nagano glared at him with a face like a wrathful demon, and Nishizaki laughed awkwardly. "Sorry, sorry!" He gave Nagano a firm push back into his seat.

"I was just jealous of your grades," Nishizaki admitted. "The one in the hundreds? That’s me. I’m an idiot."

Nagano frowned slightly but didn’t say anything harsh. Instead, he let out a small sigh and returned to his reference book, flipping it open as though trying to regain his composure..

“What’s it feel like to be at the top of the rankings?” Nishizaki asked, pressing on despite Nagano’s earlier annoyance.

Nagano replied without looking up. "What do you mean, ‘what does it feel like?’"

“Does it feel like conquering the world?”

Nagano’s shoulders shook slightly, and then he let out a soft laugh—a real one. For a moment, his serious expression melted, revealing a surprisingly youthful face beneath his usual stoic exterior. When he’s not wearing that mask of indifference, he actually looks pretty young.

“Nagano!”

A distinct, low, raspy voice called out. Kitao was weaving his way through the desks toward them.

“The midterm results are up. You took the top spot again with no problem.”

“Ah,” Nagano murmured, acknowledging with a slight nod. “Nishizaki just told me,” he added.

“Oh… right. I see,” Kitao replied, looking mildly surprised, as though he’d only just noticed Nishizaki standing there.

“By the way, Yasukuni-sensei said to go to the teacher’s room after school.”

“Did he say why?”

“No, nothing in particular. Oh, and there’s a question I wanted to ask you from the last class…”

Kitao’s disregard for Nishizaki’s presence grated on his nerves, so Nishizaki stomped his right foot heavily on the floor on purpose. Finally, Kitao glanced at him, as if suddenly remembering the “other guy” there. “Oh, sorry, you were talking with Nishizaki, weren’t you?” Kitao scratched his head.

“It’s fine. We were just chatting.” Nishizaki stepped back, and Kitao gave him a quick nod of apology. Nagano pulled a textbook from his desk. The pages were densely filled with tiny, ant-like notes, and just looking at it made Nishizaki feel dizzy.

Realizing he was no longer part of the conversation, Nishizaki returned to his own seat. He watched from a distance as Nagano and Kitao talked until the break ended.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

As Nishizaki was killing time playing a game on his phone in the classroom, Yuzuki sidled up to him and asked, “Aren’t you heading home yet?”

“If you’re bored, wanna go to the karaoke? We’re talking about getting the gang together for the first time in a while. You’re great at singing Tartan Hopper. There’s someone who really wants to hear you.”

It was obvious Yuzuki was trying to hype him up just to get him to cover the karaoke bill. Normally, Nishizaki wouldn’t mind if he felt like singing, but today he wasn’t in the mood.

“Pass. I’m playing a game,” he replied.

Yuzuki’s tone dropped slightly as he muttered, “Ah, okay.” When Nishizaki continued to focus on his game, Yuzuki eventually drifted off.

Nagano, on the other hand, had left the classroom right after school ended, but his worn-out school bag was still sitting in the locker at the back. He’d definitely come back once his talk with Yasukuni was over

One by one, the few remaining classmates left, and before Nishizaki knew it, he was alone in the room. From outside, he could hear the sports teams practicing on the field. He glanced out the window to see a boy in a tracksuit gracefully leaping over hurdles at the far end of the field. It reminded him of Nagano’s perfect form during the sports festival.

If parallel worlds actually existed and I could swap places with someone for an hour, I’d love to trade with Nagano during that race. What’s it like to overtake everyone and cross the finish line first?

Suddenly, the sound of the sliding door opening broke his thoughts. He spun around, expecting Nagano, but instead, there stood Kitao dressed in his tracksuit. Nishizaki turned his gaze back to the window. Kitao made a bit of noise as he moved, then came over to the window near Nishizaki, peering down at the field and clicking his tongue.

“Those guys are slacking off,” he muttered.

Following Kitao’s gaze, Nishizaki saw four or five boys in tracksuits lounging around the base of a tree at the edge of the field. Among them was the boy who’d been practicing hurdles earlier.

“You’re in track and field?” Nishizaki asked.

“Yeah,” Kitao replied.

“Then you’re fast, right?”

Kitao gave a halfhearted shrug. “Depends. Track has different events. I’m more of a long-distance guy, so I’ve got decent endurance, but I don’t have the explosive speed of sprinters.”

“Speaking of speed, Nagano was amazing at the sports festival.”

“Right?” Kitao’s eyes sparkled as if Nagano’s achievement were his own. “He was famous for being fast even in middle school, though we went to different schools. I used to run sprints too, and I kind of saw him as my rival. Not that I ever came close to beating him. I tried a few times to recruit him to the team, but he never wanted to join.”

“So he’s wasting his talent?”

Kitao looked down, giving a bitter smile. “He’s got his own circumstances. Since he’s on a scholarship, his grades have to stay high no matter what.”

After twisting his body to stretch, Kitao grabbed his sports bag and left the classroom. Nishizaki looked up at the ceiling and murmured, “So he’s broke, huh.”

The pieces started falling into place: the shiny, threadbare elbows of Nagano’s ill-fitting, secondhand uniform; the battered old school bag. Nishizaki had never wanted for money. From kindergarten, he’d gone to private schools, so he’d never had a friend who was so poor they couldn’t afford a new uniform. The idea of being poor felt unreal, like something distant and abstract. When he saw homeless people in the city, they were nothing more than an unpleasant background that drifted past, forgotten seconds later.

As dusk settled and the classroom darkened, Nagano finally returned. He noticed Nishizaki but didn’t say a word, simply grabbing his bag from the locker and began silently cramming his textbooks into it.

“So, Nagano, which university are you aiming for?”

Nagano froze, slowly turning around.

“…I still haven’t decided. There are a lot of conditions I have to meet.”

“Must be tough.”

“Wanting to go is just my selfish wish.”

Compared to lunchtime, Nagano’s speech was surprisingly fluid.

“Heading to the library now?” Nishizaki asked.

“How do you know that?”

Nishizaki stood up from his chair and slowly approached him.

“Keep this between us, but…” He leaned in close, his lips almost brushing Nagano’s ear as he whispered, “I’ve got a special ability. If I look into someone’s eyes, I can see exactly what they’re thinking.”

Nagano’s eyes darted back and forth like a pendulum, and when their gazes met, he quickly looked away.

“Really…?”

His voice trembled. Nishizaki, who had been expecting to be mocked, couldn’t hold back his laughter at the fact that Nagano was actually spooked.

“No way. Don’t take it seriously,” Nishizaki said, grinning. “I just saw you at the library the other day.”

“Oh, that’s what you meant…” Nagano let out a sigh of relief, pressing a hand to his chest. With the conversation fading, a sudden quiet settled over the room. From far off, the voices of the sports teams on the field could be heard. Their two shadows stretched long and distorted across the classroom floor like some kind of monsters. Suddenly, loud, slapping footsteps approached, and the sliding door of the classroom flew open. Yasukuni stuck his head through the gap.

“You two still here? Get going already,” he ordered.

“Got it!” Nishizaki replied cheerfully, while Nagano apologized, “I’m sorry for staying late.”

“Nishizaki and Nagano, huh? That’s an unusual pairing.”

“What’s that supposed to mean, Teach?” Nishizaki retorted, faking offense. Yasukuni gave a slight laugh through his nose and then closed the door. Spurred on by the teacher’s order to leave, Nagano headed out, and Nishizaki quickly caught up with him, walking alongside him in the hallway.

“Let’s head out together.”

Nagano glanced down at Nishizaki, hesitated, and then muttered, “I guess that’s fine.” Nishizaki intended to stroll and chat, but the moment they left the school gate, he realized Nagano’s strides were huge, cutting through the air at a brisk pace. Trying to keep up, Nishizaki found himself nearly jogging.

“Hey, you walk fast!”

“I’m late for the library.”

Breathless, Nishizaki was barely able to hold a conversation.

“I’m starving. How about grabbing something to eat?”

“My mother’s cooking dinner at home.”

“Oh, come on, just a quick bite with me. You’ll still have room for dinner.”

“No.”

“Don’t be like that! Hey, what about grabbing a burger at Nishimura’s? My treat.”

Nagano looked back at him, mouth pressed tightly in an irritated frown. If it were Yuzuki, he’d be all in for a free meal, Nishizaki thought, sensing that pushing further might backfire, so he looked off in another direction. “Actually, I just went to Nishimura’s the other day. It’d be boring to go there again so soon.”

Nagano stood silently, rooted to the spot. Guess he didn’t like being offered a free meal. Probably. It was that high pride of his—he may be broke, but he’d never accept charity. Handling him was a real pain.

Nagano started walking again, and they continued in silence. Nishizaki wracked his brain, trying to think of something to talk about, but the air was heavy as if they were at a funeral. He was seriously considering making up an excuse to part ways when they passed into the shopping arcade. From an open storefront, familiar music drifted out. It was a popular tune by a mixed-gender trio: upbeat, catchy, yet with surprisingly downbeat lyrics. It was really catching on lately.

“I like this song,” Nishizaki said.

The hard-to-please guy next to him asked, “Who sings it?”

“Tartan Hopper. They use the chorus in that commercial, you know?”

“I wouldn’t know. I don’t watch TV.”

“I’ve got their album. Want me to burn you a CD if you have a player?”

“No.”

“Don’t be shy.”

“I don’t have time to listen to music.”

Nishizaki thought he was joking, but Nagano’s face was dead serious. Not even five minutes for a song? What kind of insane schedule is he living on? Does he study every waking second outside of eating and sleeping? Near the end of the shopping arcade, they approached a main road with cars rushing past. To the right was the station; to the left, the library. Nishizaki had no intention of tagging along to study, so this was where they’d part ways. He had just a few more minutes.

“You know, Nagano, you’re pretty cool.”

The compliment seemed to come out of nowhere, and Nagano stared at him in surprise.

“Like, you’ve got that lone wolf thing going on. Hasn’t anyone ever said that?”

“Not really…”

“Silent types like you are kind of… stoic, you know? Kind of admirable.”

He’d intentionally rephrased Nagano’s lone-wolf, unapproachable nature as a positive trait, but Nagano turned around abruptly and, with a simple “See you,” started walking in the direction of the library. The coldness stung, spreading a wave of doubt in Nishizaki’s chest. Had he somehow hit a nerve?

“Hey, are you mad?”

Nagano’s back remained turned as he replied coolly, “Not really.”

“But you’re kind of strange,” Nishizaki continued, moving in front of him. Stopping in his tracks to avoid bumping into Nishizaki, Nagano’s face was flushed bright red all the way to his ears. Covering his face with his right hand, he muttered, “I’m leaving,” and dashed off. In no time, his figure grew smaller in the distance. Was he just embarrassed? Running away out of shyness? He’s like an elementary school kid!

Still, discovering that this difficult guy was unexpectedly weak to compliments felt like an unexpected breakthrough, something that might come in handy for future “strategies.”

◇:-:◆:-:◇

Even the guy whose schedule was so rigid he couldn’t spare five minutes to listen to J-pop would set his reference books aside at lunchtime—for the sake of nutrition, if nothing else. There was no way Nishizaki was going to let that opportunity go to waste. Nagano always brought his own lunch and ate alone in the backyard, sometimes with Kitao for company.

The bell signaling the end of morning classes rang out loudly. Holding the lunch his housekeeper had prepared, Nishizaki approached his target.

“Hey, you got a bento today?”

Nagano, as if he’d already forgotten about yesterday’s blushing dash, simply nodded with a neutral expression. Nishizaki held up his own lunch bag in an inviting gesture.

“Me too. Let’s eat together.”

Nagano’s gaze flicked toward a far-off seat. “Kitao might join us, if that’s okay.”

So it’s a package deal, Nishizaki thought with an inward sigh but decided to put up with it for today.

“Fine by me.” He gave a thumbs-up.

“I’ll head down first, Nagano. Catch you there!” Kitao called, apparently assuming Nagano was in the middle of a conversation and exited the classroom.

Nagano got up, grabbed the jacket draped over his chair but quickly put it back. It was unusually warm for November, with sunshine and no wind.

“Backyard okay?”

“Yeah, wherever’s fine.”

Carrying a faded blue plaid lunch box, Nagano led the way. The white shirt across his back stretched over his shoulder blades, creating small bumps. His neck was pale, his shoulders slightly slouched. Lean and neat, his back line was surprisingly nice. Nishizaki didn’t usually notice these things, but with Nagano, he felt curious, wanting to see him run. Shirtless.

“Hey.”

Nagano stopped walking and turned slightly.

“You’ve got a good-looking back.”

“My back?”

Nagano twisted his neck to look, though of course, he couldn’t see it.

“Kind of like a wild animal’s. Hasn’t your girlfriend ever told you?”

Immediately, Nagano’s shoulders slumped in embarrassment. So easy to read.

“Come on, I’m giving you a compliment—stand up straight.”

Nishizaki gave his rounded shoulders a light pat, and Nagano’s posture straightened as if a rod had been inserted.

“You’re pretty strange, Nishizaki,” Nagano said, his voice coming from just above Nishizaki’s ear due to his height.

“What’s strange about me?”

“You say weird things.”

“I’m just honest with myself.”

Nagano’s mouth twitched into a small smile.

“That’s what makes you strange.”

As they continued chatting, they arrived at the backyard. Kitao, already sitting under a tree, noticed Nishizaki and tilted his head as if to say, Wait, why is he here?

“Nishizaki brought his lunch, so he’s joining us.”

Kitao didn’t seem thrilled, but he gave a reluctant nod. Kind-hearted like Nagano, he wasn’t the type to exclude anyone. If it had been Nishizaki in his place, he would’ve just said “no” outright if a disliked acquaintance wanted to join. Be nice to everyone? Save that for elementary school ethics classes.

The three of them formed a small triangle under the tree and opened their lunches. Glancing at Nagano’s bento, Nishizaki noticed it was filled mostly with simmered dishes in dull, leaf-brown tones, with a bright yellow sprinkle of furikake on the rice that only made it look worse.

“That looks good,” Kitao said, peeking into Nishizaki’s bento. With its greens, reds, and yellows, it was colorful, packed with hearty portions of meat. Though it was made by the housekeeper, Nishizaki said, “My mom just likes cooking,” to avoid flaunting wealth that might trigger Nagano’s obvious insecurity about money.

Nagano glanced at Nishizaki’s bento but made no comment, silently consuming his drab-colored meal. He was so intent on eating that Nishizaki couldn’t find a moment to talk. Thinking he’d wait until after they finished, he was surprised when Nagano lay down by the tree the moment he was done. In less than a minute, soft breathing signaled he’d fallen asleep.

Kitao, unfazed, clearly used to Nagano’s quick naps, didn’t bat an eye, while Nishizaki, stuck alone with Kitao, whom he disliked, felt lost. He sighed in frustration.

“Let him rest. Lunch break’s a precious nap time for him,” Kitao said, pointing at Nagano lying beside them.

“So he studies so much he even cuts into his sleep time?”

“Yeah, that’s part of it. But he’s also got a morning paper route, so he has to get up early.”

The words “paper route” hit Nishizaki like a punch. A high schooler delivering newspapers… seriously? That’s dumb. There are plenty of easier, better-paying jobs out there. Besides, technically, the school forbids any job outside the approved list, but no one actually follows that rule. The bottom line is: don’t get caught.

“It sounds tough, but I think he’s doing great,” Kitao continued, his gaze full of benevolence—until it shifted to Nishizaki, at which point it sharpened slightly.

“It’s Nagano’s choice who he hangs out with, and I don’t have a problem with that. But don’t go dragging him into anything bad.”

The assumption that hanging out with Nishizaki meant “falling” irritated him. Suppressing his annoyance, he put on a jokey front, saying, “Oh, come on. ‘Bad stuff’? Isn’t that a bit harsh?” Sure, his own behavior wasn’t squeaky clean, but he wasn’t getting into wild parties or drugs these days.

“Unlike you, Nagano’s on a scholarship, so missing even one class could mess things up for him. He’s got goals, and he doesn’t have time to waste on pointless detours.”

“Goals?”

Kitao hesitated a beat before answering, “Nagano wants to be a lawyer.”

Nishizaki whistled, shrugging, but the glib reaction only deepened Kitao’s frown.

“He’s not the type who can juggle a bunch of things at once. It’s better for him to focus on one thing at a time.”

“Yeah, I get that he’s not exactly ‘flexible.’”

Despite their conversation, Nagano remained peacefully asleep. Nishizaki stood up and casually brushed the grass off his pants in Kitao’s direction.

“But, you know, if he busts his butt studying and makes it as a lawyer, and his only high school memory is eating lunch in the courtyard with you… isn’t that kind of sad?”

Kitao’s face turned red, his mouth quivering. Got him, Nishizaki thought, feeling the power shift.

“Friends are important, sure, but we’re not in elementary school. Being overprotective can be suffocating, you know? I think a little ‘fun’ is necessary for a well-rounded life.”

With that, Nishizaki walked back to the classroom, leaving Kitao to stew in his defeat. As he stashed his empty lunchbox in his locker, Yuzuki sidled up like an annoying fly.

“Hey, I saw you in the back garden with Nagano.”

“Kitao was there too.”

“That thing you said about trying to win him over—are you serious?”

Feigning mockery, Yuzuki’s eyes flickered uncertainly.

“Honestly, it’s kind of gross.”

“Come on, if anyone’s serious here, it’s you. I told you from the start—it’s just a game. Admit it, you’re just getting cold feet about losing those shoes.”

Why did people like Kitao and Yuzuki always go silent when he called them out?

“You’re so smug, but you’re as cheap as they come, you know that?” Yuzuki muttered before leaving, tail between his legs. Bored, Nishizaki got absorbed in his game, so much so that he didn’t notice Nagano’s arrival until he spoke.

“Sorry about lunchtime.”

Still groggy, Nagano blinked heavily, his eyelids drooping.

“I lay down out of habit and fell asleep before I knew it.”

“You fall asleep so fast. Got an off-switch on your back or something?”

Though it wasn’t particularly funny, Nagano chuckled. Even with his loosened tie, he didn’t look sloppy, probably thanks to his good posture. There was even a hint of an odd allure about him. Nagano’s intense focus on studying often masked the fact that he was actually pretty good-looking.

“Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something…”

Nagano looked apologetic, murmuring, “Sorry about that.”

“No worries. How about after school?”

“Sure,” Nagano agreed, returning to his seat by the window. Sensing eyes on him, Nishizaki glanced back to see Yuzuki stealing glances his way from within his friend group. He’s so curious about my progress. Hilarious. It might be time to make a real move. Knowing Nagano’s soft spot for compliments, a straightforward confession of “I like you” might work best. Even if Nagano pulled away in disgust or said, “I can’t think of guys that way,” Nishizaki could easily laugh it off as a joke.

The bell for the next class sounded, signaling the start of another boring stretch. Glancing at the odd tuft of bedhead sticking out from the back of Nagano’s head, Nishizaki couldn’t help but smirk.

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