Obstructed

The moment Sera Yukishiro's gaze met Ryo's, the classroom felt… different.

Not physically_ nothing had changed. The hum of conversations remained, the occasional sound of a pencil tapping against wood, and the soft rustle of pages turning.

Yet, for Ryo, the world had shifted.

He had lived his life in absolute control_ every movement calculated, every step planned, every interaction premeditated.

And yet, in this moment, he felt something rare.

A variable. A piece on the board he hadn't accounted for.

Sera wasn't just looking at him.

She was examining him.

Tearing through the layers he had carefully built.

It was only for a split second, but for a mind like his, that was an eternity.

She sees me.

That thought alone was enough to ignite a quiet alarm in the depths of his mind.

The moment passed, but something had already changed. The game had begun.

Sera leaned back in her chair, twirling her pen between her fingers. To the untrained eye, she looked indifferent, almost bored.

But Ryo wasn't an untrained eye.

Her body language betrayed her thoughts.

Her posture was too relaxed. A feint.

Her fingers tapped against the desk in a rhythm, not a random movement. A pattern.

Her eyes flickered between him and the front of the class. Watching, calculating.

She wasn't just staring at him out of curiosity.

She was testing him.

It was subtle. Barely noticeable. But Ryo could feel the shift.

Most people wouldn't even recognize when they were being observed. But Ryo had spent his entire life in the shadows, unseen, unnoticed.

And now?

For the first time, someone was looking directly at him.

Not just at his face.

At him.

This is interesting.

He resisted the urge to smirk.

A battle had begun_ a battle of minds.

The bell rang.

Students rushed out of the classroom, eager for their break. But Ryo didn't move.

Neither did Sera.

The classroom emptied, leaving behind only a few students scattered across the room. Yet, the silence between them felt loud.

And then, Sera did something unexpected.

She smiled.

A soft, knowing smile. The kind that spoke of amusement, curiosity, and challenge.

"I've never seen you before," she said, her voice smooth and precise. "And yet, you sit in the same class as me every day."

Ryo met her gaze, his expression blank.

He could respond in multiple ways. He could feign ignorance, dismiss her, or respond with equal intrigue.

But he did none of those things.

Instead, he simply tilted his head slightly and replied:

"And yet, you noticed."

Her smile widened just a fraction.

"I notice everything."

That wasn't a boast. It was a statement.

A fact.

Ryo leaned back, his fingers tapping against his desk. "Is that so?"

Sera's eyes flickered with something unreadable.

"You're interesting."

There it was. The hook.

Ryo had been avoiding attention for years, making sure that no one ever looked twice at him.

But now?

Someone was looking too closely.

And in that moment, he knew_ this wasn't going to end here.

The school was vast_ a labyrinth of hallways, staircases, and hidden places where students formed their own invisible hierarchies.

It was a world ruled not by physical strength, but by something much more dangerous.

Influence. Power. Control.

Ryo had long since learned how to navigate these waters without making ripples.

Yet now, he felt something shifting.

As he walked through the hallways, eyes followed him.

Not from everyone_ just a select few.

It was subtle. A glance here. A whisper there.

And at the center of it all_ Sera Yukishiro.

She had said nothing else after their brief conversation in class. She hadn't approached him again.

Yet somehow, in the span of just one day, Ryo could feel the weight of her presence spreading.

She had noticed him.

And now, others were beginning to notice because of her.

He needed to disappear again.

Ryo moved to the rooftop, a place where few ventured during lunch. He preferred silence, a place where he could observe without being observed.

But today, that silence was broken.

A voice called out.

"You really don't like people, do you?"

Ryo didn't turn. He already knew who it was.

Sera.

She approached with deliberate steps, her expression neutral but her eyes filled with interest.

"I was right," she continued, standing beside him. "You're avoiding attention. But ironically, that just makes you more interesting."

Ryo sighed inwardly.

"You're persistent."

Sera shrugged. "I like puzzles."

"I'm not a puzzle."

"That's exactly what a puzzle would say."

Ryo finally turned to face her. "And what do you gain from solving them?"

Sera smiled. "Satisfaction."

Her confidence was impressive. She was someone used to getting what she wanted.

But Ryo?

He wasn't something to be 'solved.'

"I'm not interested in games," he said, his voice devoid of emotion.

Sera tilted her head. "Then why are you playing?"

Ryo narrowed his eyes slightly.

A subtle, calculated exchange.

Neither backing down.

Neither looking away.

A clash of presence.

For the first time in years, Ryo felt something close to amusement.

This was going to be very interesting.

Sera left first, her footsteps light against the rooftop floor.

Ryo exhaled slowly.

She was dangerous_ not because of power, but because she understood.

Most people only saw what was in front of them. But Sera?

She looked deeper.

She saw the strings behind the curtain.

And that meant only one thing.

She was either a threat.

Or she was an opportunity.

For now, Ryo would watch.

Because in this game, only one rule mattered.

The one who controls the board… wins.