A Change of Air – Act Two

Wednesday, 04/25/2001, 8:07 a.m.

The sky was blue, cloudless.

Sunlight poured intensely over Domino City.

Movement and bustle were constant everywhere.

The smell of asphalt and burnt rubber drifted through the city in sync with the traffic smog.

Inside a large white classroom on the second floor of Domino High School, more and more students dressed in dark blue sailor uniforms gradually gathered. Some moved quietly and alone, others whispered in groups. The seats were filling little by little as seconds passed...

Standing behind a desk in front of the students, a short, thin old man wearing a dark green shirt and black trousers organized some papers.

In the second row near the windows, there was a young man of average height and slim build with long, messy white hair, gray eyes, and a serene expression on his face. He was currently resting his head between his arms on the desk, his gaze lost on the chalkboard. Further back in the room sat a tall, thin boy with unkempt medium-length blond hair, brown eyes, and a bored expression, seated at the end of the class, away from the windows. He was currently toying with a pencil over a green notebook. Next was a tall, slim boy with short, flat, spiked military-style hair, hazel eyes, and a lively look on his face. He sat right next to the blond boy but closer to the windows, in front of a large world map. He was currently looking between the teacher and the board, pencil in hand, book and notebook open, back straight. Then came Anzu, sitting in the middle of the class, with an absent expression and eyes wandering over the blank pages of her pink notebook. Lastly, there was the spiky-haired boy and Anzu's friend, sitting in the center of the room, closer to the door than the windows, with a look of discomfort on his face. He was currently rummaging through his black backpack...

While the students prepared their things for the start of class, the old man walked until he stopped in front of the board. Then, he spoke in a kind tone. His lips showed a faint smile.

"Hello everyone, good morning."

Following the old man's greeting, the students echoed his gesture, some more enthusiastically than others, like Anzu's disheveled-haired friend and also the boy with the military haircut.

"Good morning, Professor Yamahara!"

Once the chorus of greetings ended, Professor Yamahara continued his words. His eyes narrowed, then swept over his class.

"I hope you all had a nice weekend. Now then, today we're going to—"

Knock, knock!

Just then, the dry sound of wood being struck echoed from the entrance.

All eyes in the classroom shifted.

At the classroom doorway, two people stood side by side, one slightly ahead of the other.

The one in front was an elderly man with graying hair, black eyes, and wrinkled features, dressed in a brown suit and red tie. His expression showed discomfort.

The one standing slightly behind was Shin Osako, wearing a dark blue sailor uniform, exactly like the other students. His expression was serene as he glanced sideways at each person in the classroom. His eyes occasionally lingered on certain figures among the crowd of students, before finally returning to the back of the man in front of him. Several of those students returned his gaze, some with clear curiosity, others with apparent indifference. But only one of them showed recognition in her eyes. That was Anzu. A surprised murmur escaped her lips upon recognizing Shin.

"It's him! Shin Osako!"

Meanwhile, Vice Principal Anzai was speaking with Professor Yamahara. His tone was polite.

Professor Yamahara's gaze shifted between his superior and Shin, visibly intrigued.

"Hello everyone! Very good morning… Professor Yamahara, good morning again. I hope I'm not interrupting anything important, but I need to inform you of something quickly. I apologize in advance for any inconvenience. I'm in a bit of a hurry. Miss Chono has expelled another student, and, well, you know how these things go, right...? Let's talk outside for a moment, please. Young Osako, come with us too, this concerns you directly."

Shin nodded calmly, his expression serene.

Professor Yamahara responded, nodding with a serious face.

"Of course, go ahead, Vice Principal Anzai."

Vice Principal Anzai walked out of the classroom into the hallway. Shin followed close behind.

Professor Yamahara was the last to exit.

With the three figures gone from the classroom, whispers began to spread throughout the class. The place turned into a hive of activity...

Ignoring the growing noise around him, the white-haired boy lowered his head onto his desk...

A small group formed around the desk of the military-haired boy. It included the disheveled-haired boy, Anzu, and the blond boy. The military-haired boy himself was speaking. His comment was barely audible amidst the classroom noise.

"Did you see that? Looks like we're getting a new classmate soon."

As soon as he finished, the blond boy followed up, wearing a disdainful expression.

"Yeah, a new classmate, great... Although… I wonder who joins a new school in late April? I mean, there's barely half a term left, right? Bet he's a troublemaker. Best if we—"

Interrupting the blond boy, Anzu shouted out loud. Her face was twisted in fury, red, and her breathing was agitated.

"Troublemaker?! Look who's talking, huh?! Osako is NOT a troublemaker! I—I! Jonouchi, you idiot!"

Jonouchi and the disheveled-haired boy stepped back a few paces from Anzu with perplexed expressions on their faces. Jonouchi was pale, one hand on his chest. The military-haired boy had his eyes wide open. He was half-standing from his seat. Some students shifted their attention to the group.

"Humph!"

Snorting, her back stiff and face red, Anzu turned around and stomped back to her desk, gritting her teeth. Then, she buried her head in her arms and let out a silent scream.

Looking at each other and shaking their heads, the disheveled-haired boy, Jonouchi, and the military-haired boy sat back around the desk. Their postures were noticeably stiff...

Jonouchi spoke, his face pale. His gaze didn't leave Anzu.

"What the hell...? What's wrong with Anzu today, eh, Yugi? She said Osako? Do you guys think she already knows that new guy?"

The other two boys shook their heads. Jonouchi raised an eyebrow. Doubt crept into each of their expressions. Several sideways glances drifted toward Anzu's back at the same time. Yugi touched his chin, a pensive look on his face. A murmur escaped his lips.

"Who is that boy and what's his relationship with Anzu?"

AN/One chapter per day. 100 power stones today means one extra chapter the next day. Each chapter is made up of four acts, plus a prologue and an epilogue, and finally a special act — each ranging from 800 to 2000 words. Leave a comment and report any issues below. You can buy me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/s/8e7c3d4725