(2) to the new norm

We just introduced ourselves and that was it, the teacher didn't want to start teaching on the first day of school so he just told us to befriend each other. For the whole three hours." Luke explains, "that's what all teachers should do on the first day." He was explaining to Airi what happened in the first period as they were walking along the hallway, on their way to their next class.

"It's also because of it that we met Zoey," he continues. Zoey was apparently too preoccupied with searching for Airi, to the point of panic. Marie initiated the conversation with her out of concern, and asked her if everything is alright. And Zoey, in the midst of breaking down, told her everything and asked for her help.

"Luke told her you can handle yourself, and she just exploded. You should've seen it!" Marie says. It was not something to say to a person on the verge of losing it.

"If she was there, she wouldn't explode like that," Neil pointed it out, and Marie pauses, gasps and laughs awkwardly as if the thought never crossed her mind, "oh yeah...!" she sticks out her tongue.

"Anyway, after that, the teacher called them off and she calmed down," Neil continued. Airi was already frowning at this point, realizing the trouble she caused them. She apologizes to them for the trouble she caused. They shrugged it off and says it was okay, accepting her apology just like that. It somewhat baffles her that they would accept it without as much as an explanation. They didn't seem curious enough as they shifted to different topics like hoping the next classes won't do lectures on the first day, the cafeteria food then back to the pass she got from Nathan and what she's going to do with it.

Luke and Neil were urging her to use it, "it's not every day you get something like that." Luke urges, it was a good point so it got her thinking, trying to seriously consider it. Her thoughts were cut short when she felt the intensity of Zoey's glare piercing her as if saying 'don't you dare'. Zoey's current demeanor seems calm, but bubbling on the surface was her extreme displeasure. When she gets angry it would be a challenge to soothe her, it is gonna take more than a week of buying lunch for Zoey to forgive her. Marie stays cooly silent, watching her friends.

"It would be a shame not to use it," Neil smirks in her direction which only served to irritate Zoey further, if this keeps up, Airi isn't the only one in trouble. "I told you I'm not gonna use it for that." she settles for. Because Zoey would kill me, she liked to add, but dare not say out loud.

"What's our next class again?" Luke then asks, changing the topic.

"I think we're having English next", Marie replies, "it's a joint class, apparently."

"A joined class? Like with another department or something?"

"Yeah, I don't know what department though."

”Probably mine, since it’s my next class too.” Zoey pipes in, reminding everyone that she is in a different course— Journalism. However, before the trio could react, Airi throws herself at her, glad to be sharing the same class again. It’s been so long after all. Airi then notices Zoey become oddly quiet against her, she turns to Zoey so she could meet her eyes, and asks what’s wrong.

Zoey's frown deepens and confesses that she feels partly responsible for Ren transferring here. He came up to her one day and asked suddenly what university she was going. This caught her off guard, to have the avoidant Ren walking up to her and initiating conversation. However, she didn't want to get involved with him or get caught talking to him so she answered him, short and brief (with a hint of disgust) before walking away without another word.

She didn't want to involve Airi in any way with him (and vice versa) since she felt it wasn't the right time for them to. Little did she know her answer would be the reason for them to meet prematurely like this. Airi says that it might be a coincidence, trying to cheer her up and Zoey shakes her head, "it can't be."

"It's okay," Airi then says, trying to lift her spirit and pull her into a side-long cuddle. Zoey's mood lightens at this; she embraces her back, appreciating the gesture.

Zoey mentions that Ren might be taking up an engineering course, remembering the time she overheard him talking with a few friends from school. It got Airi thinking about the likelihood of them meeting in a university a large as this one. She had not toured the whole university to know where the engineering department is located and had no plan to initially, but this changed everything. She wanted to avoid him at all costs, trying not to cause any trouble for him, since all her existence ever brought him was pain.

She remembers Ren's smile at her earlier, warm and gentle as if he has not changed one bit. The same pure-hearted person he was as if he has already forgiven her and wanted to start anew. She wants to smile at him with the same feeling, it upsets her that she knows in her heart she couldn’t. It wouldn't be solved just like that.

They hear a shriek, familiar and close. It catches them off guard that it was all coming from the new female friend they made— Marie. It seemed out of character from her cool appearance, coupled with her black tank top and baggy jeans. Not that they suspected that there was no shred of femininity in her, it's just that they never expected it to this level. "Oh, she's feminine," Neil confirms, "More than you two combined."

"She gets like this when she sees her favorite Korean actors," Luke comments.

"And when she sees her high school crush, apparently," Neil adds, staring ahead at the guy walking along the hallway. Airi and Zoey followed his gaze and frowns. To be honest, they are not that surprised at who they saw. At some point, they should have probably expected this to happen, after all, Ren has been that popular since middle school. It's still amazing to think that even across all schools, he is still well known.

Airi swiftly hides behind Neil while Marie grabs Luke's arm, holding it tightly out of excitement. She was a typical Ren fan girl, squealing at the very sight of him. The stark contrast between her behavior then and now made them question what was real. Luke says they get used to it.

Airi is hyperaware of his presence as they approach closer to her. She steps further in as if she couldn't hide herself enough.

Every encouragement she told herself went down the drain, what remains was the shame, and fear of being seen, confronted with her faults laid bare. Because even she won't forgive herself for everything she did. She hopes he would just ignore her, like he doesn't give a damn, and he shouldn't. She thinks of his smile at her earlier and closes her eyes shut, it upsets her to think he must be forcing himself to smile like that.

She breathes deeply, wishes to be just as composed as Zoey as she nonchalantly ignores him. "His friends haven't changed from high school." she observes, "You remember them don't you?"

Airi has been avoiding looking at him, or his friends for that matter. However, now that she mentions it, they seem to have that deep familiarity with each other, something long-time friends could only share. She and Ren were in different classes in middle school all throughout their first year in high school. Although they go to school and eat lunch together, during class hours, he is with his own set of friends. Despite his quiet demeanor, Ren is actually very sociable and had his own life outside of their friendship, unlike her who revolved her world around Ren exercising her brand of faulty justice.

She hears laughter in their direction which only highlights how popular they are from the looks of everyone else turning to them. Surely, they know what happened, she thought, so they probably hate her guts. She realizes that she will have to apologize to them too for putting their friends through so much. She groans, she wanted to punch her past self for putting her through all this.

Although to be completely honest, she never really found any of them worth her time back then. Aside from the only girl in their circle, Nina, the guys did not interest her in the slightest since they really didn't pose any threat to Ren.

Finally, he notices them and pauses in surprise. Airi averts her eyes and scoots closer to the corner. She feels Neil move to the opposite, covering her more. Airi looks up at him in concern and he only stared ahead as if he doesn't notice her, Faintly, she could sense that he was trying to support her.

Ren meets eyes with Zoey and Luke and nods. He glances at Airi still avoiding eye contact and maintains a straight face. He enters the classroom in front of them quietly with his friends.

Airi gapes, Zoey widens her eyes, and Marie squeals louder. That is their room for their next class. They just entered that same room, Ren and his friends. She clenches her fists anxiously.

They are classmates.