章 2: Chapter 2
The sun is shining today and many students are enjoying themselves. It's always like this, well not everyday, but mostly, students are getting excited about the upcoming summer camp next month.
But not Kael, he doesn't have any friends to talk with and he's always alone in the corner, staring at the students while they're talking. Shin is the closest person he ever talk to,but it is a fever dream being friends with the student council president.
He rest his head on the table, thinking about whether he should eat the lunch that he cooked earlier in the house or not.
"No, I don't want my hair to get all silky."
Shin is talking to her friends in the front seat of the class, her voice carrying across the room. Kael couldn't help but listen as she laughed lightly at something one of her friends said. He admired her from afar, her confidence and grace captivating him.
Kael's stomach growled, a reminder of his lunch waiting in his bag. It was a simple homemade meal, something he prepared every day with care, an omelette rice. He glanced at Shin again, wondering what she had for lunch. Probably something delicious and worthy enough to post in the social media, he thought.
Shin glances at Kael who is now putting his lunch on his table, she stands up from her chair to approach Kael's table. But she tripped on something, making her stumble on the ground beside Kael.
As she fell, Kael immediately jumped up to help her. "P-President!"
Shin winced in pain as she touched the ground, causing a few students in the class to turn around at the commotion.
"Hehe, this is normal." Shin shrugs with a smile.
Kael quickly offered his hand to help Shin up, feeling a rush of nervousness at her proximity.
The other students in the class started to go back to their conversations, the small incident quickly forgotten. Kael felt a mix of emotions swirling inside him, grateful for the chance to interact with Shin but also unsure of what to do next.
Shin noticed Kael's hesitation and decided to break the awkward silence. "Hey, do you always bring your lunch to school? That looks really good," She said, pointing at the omelette rice on Kael's table.
Kael blushed, feeling his cheeks warm up at Shin's compliment. "U-Uh, yeah, I like cooking so I usually bring my own lunch."
"That's cool," Shin replied, a warm smile on her face. "I wish I could cook like that. Maybe you can teach me sometime."
Kael's eyes widened at the suggestion, his heart beating a little faster. "W-What?!" He managed to say with nervousness.
"I'm just teasing." Shin chuckles, "But that looks really good, can I have some?" She asked, drooling at the tasty omelette.
Kael's heart skipped a beat at Shin's request. He couldn't believe that she was showing interest in his cooking. "Y-Yeah sure." He said, trying to contain his nervousness.
Handing a portion of the omelette rice to Shin, Kael watched nervously as she took a bite. Shin's eyes widened in delight as she savored the taste. "Wow, this is amazing!" She exclaimed between bites.
The classroom fell silent for a moment as Shin's praise echoed through the air. Kael's heart swelled with happiness at her genuine appreciation for his cooking.
"Th-Thank you," Kael stammered, feeling a sense of pride welling up inside him.
Shin smiled warmly at Kael, her eyes twinkling with delight. "You're really talented, Kael. You should consider joining the school's cooking club or something."
"I...I've never really thought about it," Kael admitted, feeling a surge of emotions inside him.
Shin is about to say something but the bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch period, Shin gathered her things and walked back to her seat, throwing a casual wave at Kael. "See you around, Kael!"
Kael sat back down at his desk, a warm feeling of contentment spreading through him. For the first time in a long while, he felt a glimmer of hope and a sense of belonging in the world he once felt so disconnected from.
...
The bell rang, indicating the end of the school. The sunset is gleaming by the window where Kael is sitting, the students are packing their things, getting ready to leave.
By the moment everyone is gone, Kael is left inside the classroom, still cleaning up and fixing the chairs. Kael couldn't shake off the smile that had been lingering on his lips since his encounter with Shin during lunch. The feeling of warmth and happiness stayed with him, brightening his usually mundane days.
Then he stops at a certain chair. There's still a bag on the chair, he stares at the book on the table, wondering whose book is on the table.
Just then, a footstep echoes in the hallway, Kael quickly turns around and saw Shin standing by the door, catching her breath. The beautiful glowing light of the sun is reflecting on Shin.
"Huh? You're still here?" Shin speaks up, snapping Kael back to reality.
Kael quickly shakes his head, "U-Uh, yeah.. I'm on the cleaning duty today." He says, feeling uncertain by his emotions.
"Where's your groupmates?" Shin asked, her expression is now serious and calm.
Shin's question made Kael gulp in nervousness. He glanced around the now-empty classroom, feeling a bit sheepish.
"Uh, well... They said they're on a hurry... So, I'm the only one here left cleaning." Kael replied, a touch of awkwardness in his voice.
Shin raised an eyebrow, glancing around the empty classroom. "That's not really fair. They should be helping you out," She remarked, a hint of disapproval in her tone.
Kael shrugged, trying to downplay the situation. "It's okay, I don't mind. I'm used to it," He said with a small smile, though there was a tinge of disappointment in his voice.
Shin shakes her head in disapproval and approach Kael. "It's not okay, Kael. They're taking advantage of you. The next time they do this, report it to me."
Kael was taken aback by Shin's assertiveness, he couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude towards her for standing up for him. Her concern and direct approach made him feel understood in a way that he rarely experienced.
"C-Copy that!" Kael says, anxiety building up inside him.
Shin gave him a small smile before glancing at the bag on the chair. "That's my bag.." She says, before walking towards it and lifting it up.
As Shin picks up her bag, Kael's eyes widen in realization. "Oh! I was just about to ask whose bag this was," He admits, feeling a mix of embarrassment and relief.
Shin chuckles softly, her eyes meeting Kael's. "I must have forgotten it while rushing to the meeting. Thank you for finding it," She says, her voice soft and sincere.
Kael nods, a shy smile forming on his face. "It's no problem at all. I'm glad I noticed it before leaving," He replies, feeling a sense of contentment at being able to help her.
Shin zips up her bag and slings it over her shoulder. "Well, I should get going. Thank you again, Kael," She says, giving him a warm smile before heading towards the door.
As Shin reaches the doorway, she pauses and looks back at Kael. "Hey, would you like to walk home together? It's getting dark outside, and it's safer to go in pairs," She suggests, a hint of embarrassment in her eyes.
Kael's heart skips a beat at Shin's offer, a rush of anxiety and nervousnesss flooding through him. "S-Sure, I-I'd love to." He stammers, a shy look etched across his face.
As Kael and Shin walked home together, a comfortable silence settled between them. The sun was slowly setting, casting a warm golden glow over the path ahead. Kael stole glances at Shin, admiring the way her eyes sparkled in the fading light.
The two of them chatted casually about their day, sharing small anecdotes and laughter along the way. Kael found himself enjoying Shin's company more than he had anticipated, feeling a sense of ease and warmth in her presence.
As they approached a fork in the road leading to their respective homes, Shin turned to Kael with a gentle smile. "Thank you for walking me home, Kael. I had a lovely time chatting with you," She said warmly.
Kael felt a rush of gratitude and happiness at Shin's words. "I-I had a great time too, President. Thank you for inviting me," He replied, a genuine smile lighting up his face.
"Just call me Shin, it feels weird calling me President outside school." Shin says, a warm smile etched across her face as she turns around.
Kael's heart fluttered at Shin's request, feeling a sense of closeness and camaraderie with her. "Okay, S-Shin. Thank you for tonight," He said softly, watching her walk away with a sense of longing.
As Shin disappeared around the corner, Kael couldn't help but feel a warmth in his chest. He stood there for a moment, savoring the memory of their walk home together and the connection they had shared.
Walking back to his own house, Kael found himself replaying the evening in his mind, feeling a sense of joy and contentment he hadn't felt in a long time. Shin's kindness and genuine interest in him had touched his heart in a way he couldn't quite explain.
Settling into bed that night, Kael closed his eyes with a smile on his face, looking forward to the next time he would see Shin and the possibility of more moments like the one they had shared.
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