chapter 02 : road

– FUYU's

 Spending the night excited for the next day, she slept like a baby and missed the right time to wake up. She pulled herself out of bed, stretching lazily as the morning sun filtered through her bedroom's peachy coloured curtains. A delightful scent of breakfast wafted through the air. Her father was preparing breakfast, and the thought of him cooking brought a sense of warmth and comfort. She felt pleased that he was here.

A gentle knock on the door interrupted her thoughts, and her father stepped inside just as FUYU was sitting up in bed. She looked at him with drowsy eyes and greeted, "Good morning, Father."

"Good morning, love. I thought it would be best for you to get some extra rest. I will drive you there."

FUYU pouted slightly. "Ugh, I really wanted to take the bus with the others."

"There is always the return trip. Now come on, breakfast is ready."

She sighed but let it go. It was not worth arguing over. She picked up her phone and texted her new boyfriend, MOON-HAE, to let him know she would not be on the bus after all.

As she typed, she thought about their relationship. It was still new, and she was not sure how to define it. MOON-HAE was kind and thoughtful. Despite being new to the area and feeling a bit alienated, he showed a wholesome attitude towards everyone. FUYU had met him outside of school, and they had instantly clicked. She had become his unofficial tour guide, showing him around the city and introducing him to new places. Less than a month later, they had started dating. It had felt like an impulsive decision at first, but standing there together,toe to toe , both out of breath from laughter, MOON-HAE had smiled at her and said in the most cliché way possible, "I want to be with you more and more."

She nodded, and that was how it all started.

"We are still discovering things, I cannot really define what we are at the moment," she thought to herself.

She got up and headed to the dining area. Her father had already set the table. She took a seat and started eating. He joined her and started a conversation, making sure to repeat his usual warnings: be careful, do not wander away from the teachers, eat well, and if anything happens, call him immediately. At this point, she had memorised every single word of this lecture.

Yet, something was still on her mind. She had not told her beloved father that she was dating someone. What would his reaction be? Would he be upset? Worried? Protective? The thought made her uneasy.

– YURI's

 Sat next to AKANE, as expected. They had been chatting non-stop since the bus started moving. YURI was feeling heavy-hearted, and he thought talking to AKI would ease his mind. He looked around and saw no sign of FUYU or QUINN. He had already noticed their absence before getting on the bus.

"Is she not coming because of me?"

"No, that is nonsense. Do not be so full of yourself," he told himself.

AKANE, however, brought it up. "QUIN is not here, is he?"

"Nope, he is not. Did he change his mind?"

"I have no clue. I thought until yesterday that he was coming. HANS told me so, at least."

"Quite the source of information, huh?"

YURI stood up and tried to reach HANAMI. He tapped the shoulder of a student in front of him and asked them to call for her. The message passed along until HANAMI finally turned to look at him. YURI waved for her to come over, but she frowned and gestured for him to come to her instead. Irritated but resigned, YURI made his way towards her, stepping over AKI's seat in the process.

Leaning towards her, he asked, "Seriously? Never mind. Have you seen QUINN?"

"Yeah, he is not feeling well. He will not be coming. FUYU is going to meet up with us at the resort."

YURI flinched. He realised he had not even asked about FUYU, and the fact made him feel slightly uneasy. Still, he managed to control his expression and not let it show.

MOON-HAE had been observing the entire interaction. YURI could sense his gaze, which made him feel even more uncomfortable. Using his peripheral vision, he noticed MOON-HAE staring at him and HANAMI. Instead of reacting, YURI decided to ignore him and return to his seat.

"What a weirdo," he thought.

As he sat back down, he nearly fell over, obstructed by AKI's legs. They both flinched, but it was a close call. If not for AKI holding him back, YURI would have taken a full tumble. He laughed, turned to AKI, and gave him a grateful nod.

– MAKI's

 The ride was not long, but it felt endless. MAKI had told his mother he was heading to the library to study. He wanted to go alone, but MAYA insisted on driving him over there.

Silence filled most of the journey. The only sound came from the window as MAYA occasionally rolled it down to let in some fresh air. She asked a few questions now and then, but MAKI answered in short, unwilling to engage in conversation. He had been like this for a while now—quiet, withdrawn, simply observing the world around him.

MAYA did not like this trait. She had scolded him countless times before about the importance of socialising. "It is a necessity for someone your age," she often reminded him.

But whenever she brought it up, their conversations turned into a one-sided lecture, ending in frustration for both of them. MAKI contributed little, letting his expressions speak for him. Eventually, MAYA would give up and drop the subject.

MAKI did not understand why it was such a big deal. Why could he not just sit in silence without being forced into conversation?

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, MAYA pulled up to the library.

"We are here," she said.

MAKI blinked, snapping out of his overthinking session. He glanced at his mother and mumbled, "Oh, yeah... Alright then. Thanks. See you."

"Take care. Call me when you are done, and I will pick you up," she replied.

"Oh... mmm... I will just take the bus. You do not have to."

"No, I am fine. Unless you do not want me to?"

He stayed silent. MAKI could not physically lie, so he would just be quiet and move on, His mother sighed, understanding his reluctance.

"Fine then. Just do not be late."

"Okay. See you."

"Bye."