The First Day Ends, A Lonely Walk Home

The school bell rang, sharp and final, signaling the end of the day. The classroom erupted into movement—chairs screeching against the wooden floor, students stuffing books into their bags, and the murmur of conversations filling the air. Laughter rippled across the room, casual and carefree.

But Yusuke remained still.

His hands rested on his desk, fingers curled slightly, as if gripping onto something invisible. His eyes were locked on the scratched wooden surface, but his mind was elsewhere—stuck on that humiliating moment from earlier.

"I cried… I actually cried in front of everyone."

The shame twisted inside his stomach like a knot.

"Why did I do that? Why couldn't I just keep quiet? Now they're all going to remember me as the kid who cried over homework."

A sharp pat on his back jolted him out of his thoughts.

"Oi, newbie!"

Yusuke blinked and turned to his seatmate—the extroverted, illiterate-looking student who had been assigned to sit next to him. The boy grinned, his sharp, carefree expression making Yusuke's irritation bubble up even more.

"You seriously cried over homework? Man, that's the funniest thing I've seen all year!" He burst out laughing, doubling over dramatically.

Yusuke said nothing. He tightened his grip on his bag, staring at the boy's face. There was no malice in his words—just pure amusement. But somehow, that made it worse.

"You should've seen your face, man! Like—" The boy mimicked an exaggerated sobbing expression, rubbing his eyes like a child. "I didn't know about the homework!"

A fresh wave of snickers erupted from a few nearby students who had overheard.

Yusuke clenched his jaw.

"Ignore them. Just ignore them."

He quickly shoved his books into his bag and stood up, slinging it over his shoulder. He didn't want to be in this classroom for another second.

As he walked toward the door, he passed by Kenta, Daichi, and Satoshi. The three were standing near the entrance, engaged in conversation. Kenta had his hands in his pockets, looking unimpressed as Daichi animatedly explained something with wild gestures.

Yusuke glanced at them for a brief second.

None of them acknowledged him.

Not that he expected them to. But a small, strange part of him had hoped they would.

He sighed and stepped into the hallway.

---

The Walk Home

Outside, the school grounds were still buzzing with activity. Students flooded the streets, forming small groups as they chatted about the day, laughed, and made plans for the evening.

But Yusuke walked alone.

His house wasn't too far from the school—a twenty-minute walk, give or take. Normally, he enjoyed walking. It gave him time to think, to observe the world around him. But today, every step felt heavy.

As he walked past a group of students gathered near a vending machine, he caught a few whispers.

"That's him, right? The new guy?"

"Yeah, the one who cried in class."

A few muffled giggles.

Yusuke's hands curled into fists inside his pockets.

"They're still talking about it. Of course they are."

He forced his gaze forward, pretending not to hear, but his ears burned.

He passed by a convenience store where a few older students were buying snacks. They barely paid him any attention. A small bakery stood on the corner, the warm scent of fresh bread wafting through the air. Normally, Yusuke would have stopped to buy something, but today, he kept walking.

The streets gradually became quieter as he moved away from the school district. The tall buildings gave way to smaller houses, narrow alleys, and the occasional empty lot.

As he turned a corner, he spotted a small park. It wasn't much—just a few benches, a rusting jungle gym, and a lonely swing set. He hesitated for a moment before stepping inside.

The swing creaked slightly as he sat down. He let out a breath and leaned back, staring up at the sky. The sun was beginning to set, painting the clouds in shades of orange and pink.

For a moment, he allowed himself to breathe.

"It's just the first day. Things will get better… right?"

But doubt crept in, gnawing at the edges of his thoughts.

Would it, though?

Would things really change?

Or would every day be like this—sitting alone, walking alone, existing alone?

His fingers gripped the cold metal chains of the swing.

Back in his old school, he wasn't exactly popular, but he wasn't completely alone either. He had a few friends—people he could talk to, joke with, sit with during lunch. But here?

He was nobody.

Just the weird, nerdy new kid who cried on his first day.

Yusuke exhaled and ran a hand through his hair.

"Maybe I should just go home."

He stood up, brushing the dust off his uniform, and made his way back onto the street.

---

Home

By the time Yusuke reached his house, the sky had darkened, and the streetlights flickered to life. He stood in front of the door for a moment before finally pushing it open.

The familiar scent of home-cooked food greeted him immediately.

"Welcome back, Yusuke!"

His mother's voice came from the kitchen, warm and cheerful as always. She peeked out from behind the counter, smiling. "How was your first day?"

Yusuke hesitated for a split second.

"Should I tell her? No… she'll just worry."

So he forced a small smile.

"It was fine."

She nodded, satisfied with his answer, and returned to cooking.

Yusuke quietly took off his shoes and made his way to his room.

As soon as he shut the door, he dropped his bag onto the floor and collapsed onto his bed.

His arms spread out, and he stared at the ceiling, letting out a long breath.

"Today was horrible."

He turned onto his side, pressing his face into the pillow.

"Tomorrow will probably be the same. And the day after that. And the day after that."

His mind drifted back to the classroom.

Back to the laughter.

Back to Kenta's voice—calm, unreadable—telling him to "Sit down."

That moment stuck with him. It wasn't cruel, but it wasn't exactly kind either. It was just… there.

"Why did he say that?"

Yusuke didn't know. And for some reason, he wanted to.

As exhaustion slowly pulled him into sleep, one last thought crossed his mind.

"Maybe tomorrow won't be as bad."

Maybe.