章節 9: A New Beginning New Troubles

Yasushi's new week started like a slow river, its gentle flow barely noticeable as he woke. He felt the pull of sleep, still heavy on his limbs, a leftover from a weekend of unexpected calm. He had hobbies others would find boring, but they were his solace. His home, with potted plants everywhere, showed his dedication, each one cared for with quiet attention, a silent expression of his passion for living things. He loved the plants like children.

His mornings were a set routine. He sprinkled water on the leaves, tending to each plant, making certain they had what they needed. He surveyed his place, finding comfort in the space he'd arranged, control in the placement of things. It was all his, and he took pride in it.

He put on a thick coat, preparing for the day's cold. A scarf, snug around his neck, showed he was ready for the season. His inner strength was clear in his movements, the way he carried himself. He knew he had a world to face, and he would, with a quiet assurance that went against his gentle nature. He was strong despite his outward softness.

A white puff left Yasushi's mouth, joining the cold air as he moved outside. Snow covered everything, turning the world into a place of white and ice. He couldn't help but smile a little, a wry twist of his lips, despite the cold cutting at his cheeks. It was always like this in the winter season, and he had to endure it.

"Here we go, eight months of winter," he said to himself, his voice a mix of giving in and amusement. He started the walk to school, the sound of his boots on the snow marking his way, a steady beat against the quiet of the morning. It was a sound that resonated with his own internal rhythm.

He glanced at his knuckles, the faint marks there reminders of old fights. His body felt out of use, not so accustomed to struggle, but the small aches were a sign of life. The discomfort served as a reminder that he was still real, still breathing, still strong. This feeling was a clear counterpoint to the ice surrounding him, the starkness of the landscape. He would not break.

Halfway to school, Yasushi heard a voice cut through the quiet of the morning.

"Good morning," Jingliu said, lifting her hand slightly in greeting. She was usually quiet and distant, but she seemed relaxed when she saw Yasushi. He noticed the change, a loosening of the usual tension he observed in her.

"Morning. Winter's coming hard," Yasushi answered, falling in step beside her. They walked on, the snow crunching softly. He noticed her looking at the flakes falling around them.

"This is my first winter here. The weather feels different," she stated, watching a snowflake fall. "But I don't hate it. It's… sort of comforting."

They continued to walk, their steps matching, their presence creating a small world in the snowy landscape. Yasushi was interested and asked, "Comforting? How?" He wanted to know what she felt, intrigued by the unusual sentiment.

Jingliu became quiet, thinking. The world was still, their breath fogging in the cold, before they arrived at the corner they had passed the week before. "I like the winter. It's comforting to me, especially when it snows. It reminds me of when I was younger," she whispered, a hint of old feelings in her tone. Her words were soft but weighed with importance.

Yasushi felt the weight in her voice, not knowing what to say. The topic felt fragile, like it held secrets he could not touch. He nodded, letting her know he heard her, but choosing not to push.

"I feel the same about winter," Yasushi said then, his voice gentle. "It has something special, doesn't it? It changes things in a way that makes it… unique." His words hung between them, an understanding of the connection they shared with the season's feel. It was as if the snow was an invisible thread tying them closer.

The traffic signal turned green, they stepped with the flow of people moving across the road. The crowd was composed of people rushing to work, people wandering without aim, and students from different schools in the city of Ginsukimura. Two high schools and two popular colleges drew students from all over Japan, making the area a place of different people and dreams.

They walked through the streets, Yasushi and Jingliu making their way towards the hill where their school stood. The sounds of people walking, and the cars in the distance created a backdrop of noise. Then, Jingliu's voice broke through the sound.

"Oh, Yinhaie made this for you," Jingliu stated, pulling out a lunchbox from her bag. "We're friends now, so she had to make one for you. She was really excited about it," Jingliu added, her voice showing a slight smile. It was a change in the way she usually presented herself.

"This is a surprise," Yasushi replied, taking the food with a smile of curiosity. "I guess I'll find out what's inside when it's time for lunch," he said, Jingliu nodding in response. She had brought him this gesture of goodwill, something he wasn't expecting.

Their climb up the hill ended their talk, Jingliu moving slightly away from him, a cold feeling taking over her again. Furuya was not with them, creating a sense of something being off, but Yasushi tried to put the feeling aside. He moved forward, his focus on his own actions.

Yasushi walked into his classroom, noticing the quiet of the room, and the eyes of his classmates on him. He raised an eyebrow, trying to find out why, but everyone remained quiet. Yasushi decided he'd find out later, and settled at his desk, the odd silence hanging around him.

Some time went by, with Yasushi's classmates watching both him and Jingliu. Then, Furuya came into the room, looking around until his eyes found Yasushi. He grabbed Yasushi and pulled him away, taking him to a place in the school where no one ever went.

"What is it?" Yasushi asked, his face showing both confusion and interest, as Furuya released his arm.

"Did you hear?" Furuya's voice was strange, urgent, making Yasushi raise his eyebrow more.

"No, what is going on?" Yasushi's interest growing, Furuya pulled out his phone, the screen showing something that made Yasushi's eyes widen.

Yasushi's eyes grew big for a moment, then went back to their normal look. "Huh, so he did that. What a weirdo," Yasushi said, sounding like it wasn't a big deal. "Is that why everyone is acting strange?" he asked, making Furuya surprised at how calm he was.

Furuya couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You really don't care?" he asked, struggling with Yasushi's reaction. He found it difficult to accept Yasushi's indifference.

"No, not much," Yasushi replied with a sigh, turning to leave, but Furuya grabbed him, stopping him from going.

"Tell me it's real. Did it actually happen?" Furuya's voice was shaking, a mix of shock and interest pulling at his words. He needed the confirmation to know what to believe.

"Yes, it happened. Now, tell me I'm amazing," Yasushi answered, a playful tone in his voice, walking off and leaving Furuya standing there with his mouth hanging open, shocked. It was a reaction that Yasushi had expected.

The video Furuya had shown, the one that shocked him, showed Jishiha in his white underwear, kneeling and saying he was sorry. He spoke to Jingliu and Yasushi, apologizing for his actions and confessing his misdeeds.

Jishiha said he would face punishment in China, and that he was finished with his life in Japan, leaving behind a strange situation. This entire situation seemed dreamlike to many people in the school.

+-+

All day, people kept looking at Yasushi, talking quietly as he passed. When it was time for lunch, he was surrounded, classmates asking him what had happened. Everyone wanted to know the truth, and see what he would reveal.

"Yasushi! What did you do?" a classmate asked, which was what everyone was thinking, their eyes full of interest.

Yasushi, good at handling these things, gave measured answers that seemed to satisfy the questions. Slowly, the crowd broke up, moving away to tell the story to everyone in the school. They were like messengers spreading tales of an important event.

"Look at you, getting all the attention. How does that feel?" Furuya said, coming up to Yasushi as the crowd moved away.

Yasushi showed the lunchbox Yinhaie made, which made Furuya tilt his head. "That doesn't look like your normal boring lunchbox. It has pictures of cute cats all over," Furuya said, interested by the change from Yasushi's usual food.

"It does?" Yasushi said softly, looking at the lunchbox as if he hadn't noticed before. "You're right," he agreed, a small smile forming on his lips.

Furuya's eyes grew wide with a mix of surprise and fear. He pointed at Yasushi, his voice louder than normal, a mix of not believing and being thrilled. "You! When did you get a girlfriend?" he yelled, making his voice echo down the hall.

Yasushi blinked, surprised by Furuya's outburst. "What?" Yasushi's confusion was clear, his eyes going from Furuya to the lunchbox, then back again. "Girlfriend? Where did that come from? Just because of a lunchbox? Are you... are you being serious?" he asked, his eyes blinking faster than normal.

Furuya shook his head hard, his voice serious and sad. "Of course! That's how it works in real life! Only people with girlfriends or boyfriends get these things! We who are single can only dream," he stated, with a bit of drama, which made some nearby students laugh.

"That sounds very sad, dude," Yasushi stated, a bit of sympathy in his voice. "Are you saying that no one in your life, like your mother, or an aunt, or anyone you care about does these nice things for you? If that was the case I can understand, it would mean your life was full of neglect and pain. But your parents seem to care," he said, starting to eat his lunch, looking at it with appreciation.

The food was simple, but really good, showing that Yinhaie had put some effort into making it. He was satisfied, thinking about talking to Jingliu about his new friendship. Furuya, meanwhile, sat and watched with jealousy and a bit of anger, his own food not tasting quite as good.

"By the way," Furuya said, changing the topic of conversation, "I heard some of the Chinese students are glad you dealt with that guy. He was causing trouble for everyone." Furuya's jealousy disappeared for a moment, replaced by an agreement with Yasushi's actions, as he took the conversation from personal feelings to a shared victory.

"But…" Furuya's face became serious, stopping the conversation about lunch. "There are new rumors going around."

"Rumors?" Yasushi asked, his interest growing, Furuya nodding his head.

"Yes, word is more students are transferring to our school. One will be in our class, and others will go to the other first and second-year classes," Furuya explained, his voice a bit worried. He didn't like what he was hearing.

"Why is that bad? Weren't we happy about Jingliu coming here?" Yasushi asked, trying to understand the concern in Furuya's tone. He couldn't see why it was a problem.

"That's the thing," Furuya said, his voice now more serious. "They say the new kids are troublemakers, or at least, no one knows anything about them."

Yasushi was paying attention now, looking over at Jingliu, who looked as worried as him. She had stopped eating and held her food, not eating it. She looked like she was thinking hard about the topic.

Yasushi felt a sense of trouble coming. A dark feeling came over him, as he thought about the upcoming days. He had a feeling that bad times were approaching.