Classroom 101.
11:02 AM
Senkai had arrived two minutes late, slightly out of breath.
The door was already open.
Inside, a few first-years were seated, murmuring quietly. Papers shuffled. A projector screen glowed faintly blue at the front.
it's my first time in Art's building. He thought, it is definitely different from the architecture one. It's smell really good here. The air around here, maybe I should request a switch.
I'll sit here, he thought looking at the seat in the corner, as his eyes goes at the Senna munching a protein bar already sitting there. "Oh, Oops," She got chocked by his gaze. "Heyy!" He gets the water bottle out and give's her from his bag as fast as he could. "You should eat a proper breakfast you've know," He said.
Embarrassed, putting her actor face unflawed and unembarrassed back she greeted him, "Ah... hello," by bowing her a head a bit. "And thanks for the water."
"Wow... finally a causal tone. He replied. Huh?" She started munching her protein bar back. "I don't know anyone else here he said. So can I sit next to you. She noded. "Okay...
Mami walked through the front door thinking. Ah... I'm tired, geez... I only took the online classes to save the time, So, why is there a group assignment now. I only took this course because, Rina said it was credits free.
"She remember's her word's...
Mami, can't you trust me?" Rina said. "Come on, it's really a good opportunity, you are an idiot if you don't listen to my advice."
"back to present:
Hm... She looked at the Senna and the senkai exchanging chewing gums. Senna takes this class too she thought, Uh... and yeah it's that weird guy, Reze Senpai just got in.
She hug's her from back. "You're taking this class too... Mami said, rubbing her head against hers. "Arugh!" Startled Senna looked back. "Ah.. Hello senpai." Mami chucked. He–he... can i sit here?" Senna replied. "Sure."
Senkai looked over her and thought—
Don't know why, but she glared at me. "And you, Mami continued. Hey, schooch over..." He said, "You're not gonna greet me? Senpai, that's saddening also I already had this seat."
"If you want a greetings sure, she said. Hi than now can you move I can't sit on your laps." He replied, I don't mind that. She glared at him. "Are you out of your mind!"
Senna giggles at them in silence.. as a silent laugh slipped out of her mouth...
———
Sigh...
He says changing his seat, "You are that kind of type that has to always have to be in the middle of the friend circle right. And don't like being alone either..."
"Oh.. Thanks, she said, you are nice. But how did you know that?" She asked while sitting. Is it like a personality trait or something...?" He said, "It's nothing I'm just good at reading people's."
Senna went, "Oooh....
"Anyway, Mami continued locking her hands with her. I want to be partner with you Senna—"
"Hahah.. Senna said, Same here senpai."
"Me too girls, Senkai says.
———
Footsteps echoed from the hallway.
Then— Just as professor Yumiko walked in. From the doorway, a slow clap echoed once.
Every head turned.
She was in her early thirties, composed, wearing a long beige coat over a simple black blouse. Her presence wasn't loud, but it commanded attention. "Good morning," she said calmly, placing her folder on the desk. "I hope everyone read the message."
Soft murmurs of agreement.
Senkai leaned back slightly in his chair.
The door behind him opened again, a subtle shift in the air followed. He didn't turn immediately, But he felt it immediately, The quiet changed.
Professor Yumiko looked up and smiled warmly. "Ah... Perfect timing, Reze." Senkai stiffened very slightly. Not visibly, but just enough. Reze stood there, framed by the faint blue light of the projector screen.
Her expression was calm and almost amused as if she had walked into a stage scene she already understood. Slowly, he turned. Reze stepped inside. And as she gone and stand besides the professor.
"She was not in a last night's dress, Or not in a something flashy. She wore a fitted white blouse tucked neatly into high-waisted black trousers. Her hair was tied back this time, revealing her face completely, a Minimal makeup, and no performance's this time but Just an sharp elegance.
A few of the first-years straightened instinctively.
She didn't look at him.
Not yet. "Already lively all of the first years, she said smoothly, that's promising." Professor Yumiko continued, "Everyone, this is Reze, and I believe most of you might already know her."
"The president of the Theatre and flim Club of our college. She will be assisting me for this project and the class this year — and gonna be helping me choose the final performance that will be displayed for next year's orientation."
A faint ripple of whispers spread through the room. He blinked once, Assisting? "You've got to be kidding me. Reze walked to the front calmly, her heels clicking softly against the floor.
She gave a polite nod to the class. "I'll try not to be too harsh," she said lightly. Her voice was too smooth like always. Controlled and Professional. No trace of the last night, their eyes met for half a second.
No lingering feelings.
Nothing obvious.
But still something passed between them.
Professor Yumiko began explaining the project. "You'll be divided into each into the groups of four. Each group will select a short scene — either original or adapted — and reinterpret it record it onto a camera and summit it.
The focus is going to be emotional authenticity, and a pause. Deliberate Romance. "No overacting or exaggeration."
Emotional authenticity. Romance?
Senkai almost laughed under his breath. Of course, he said coldly.
"Reze, Professor Yumiko added, would you like to say something?" She thought than stepped slightly forward. "Acting, she began, isn't just about pretending to feel something. But It's about allowing yourself to feel it… the story, the world, and the characters in the script, without hiding."
Her gaze drifted briefly across the room, and Paused. On him, Only for a second. Then moved on, "If you can't be honest with yourself," she continued calmly, "your audience will always know."
Silence filled the classroom.
Senkai's his gaze and jaw tightened slightly, somewhere last night's words echoed again.
"I want you to walk toward me... "I don't do this anymore Senkai."
"Don't hide, He muttered to himself in his thoughts.
Professor Yumiko clapped her hands lightly. "Alright! Than I'll announce the groups." and we be choosing it By drawing the names out of this Box." She said putting a box onto the table.
"There no way we be choosing the names by drawing the names out of that box, Right?" He said. "Nah, Mami said, no way, that system is ancient, even my mom would make the group chats with a computer." Senna says don't know maybe she is just too old school?"
Professor continued, "I texted you so we could meet up and make the group together, like I'll have mentioned the midterms are getting replaced with this project."
"We do it like this...
*One summer night dreams, Watching and analysis*.
1. Group mates watch the skrit* one summer night dreams" Together. / tickets are provided.
2. Write a reflection and summit it.
3. Select any scene of the skrit and mimic the end of it, should be second act. Record it, than summit it. / you can record with any device you want, Like phones example.
"The theme of this script and play is Romance, and sorry, I changed the format of the medterm so suddenly, I know you must be curious..."
A sudden mumbles went through the class, a guy said, "have you ever acted before?" Yea to get out of a class in high school," Someone said.
She coughed. "There's no solid reason. She said, but... Professor Yumiko continued quietly. "I just wanted to see the younglings in thier early 20s to be romantic with each other."
"I'm sorry, and why don't most of you guys date at your age...?" The students look at her in anew. Than she continued. "And It's definitely not because, I have watched a romantic flim yesterday!"
"That was a joke, don't worry, you see there's a very big difference between learning about the acting and actually doing it. That is why I asked the best aide possible out there. The president of our college theater club. Who can be a better candidate than her."
He muttered. "Wow, I think she is being serious. Mami said. "Great has she never heard that we all complain about her classes to the school?"
Professor continued, "it'll be a good chance for you to learn further about the acting and feel good about. it is my intension that you all will experience that and you kid's doing the romance play, might get some of you into the relationships, Who knows?"
"Bullshit, Mami said. "Ah, vice president, why do you look so Upset?" he said. "Because I am."
"Hey professor but I'm already taken," a guy said. "Really I'm jealous than," she replied. "Hey stop wasting time of the class man," Another dude said from the side.
"Alright than, she continued, I give you the good Marks so let's get started!" This is gonna be so much fun, right." Professor Yumiko shouted. "Please come up and take slip of paper each from the box." It was hard folding all these papers up, she thought in her mind.
"Yo, vice prez! We're doing what you said exactly even your mom wouldn't do?" A dude said, of a theatre club sitting behind them. "Wow that teacher is really behind... Why does she act so old?" Mami said. Senna says "I saw her eating Candy's"
"Candy?" Mami said, that box was a candy box!" He short back, "What wrong with a candy box?" Getting up from his desk. Senkai said, let's just write the reflection senpai." Chairs scraped softly as the people's rearranged into clusters in front of the box.
"Ah.. This is boring Mami said, resting her head at Senna's shoulder. He thought quietly, It would be nice if I pair up with someone I know, like Senna or Vice presi—
"What? Mami glared at him, Why?" He thought, "yeah. It would be best if I get to pair up with the Senna. Plus She seems like she be very good at acting too."
"Never mind my words I was just hungry, senkai said. "Do I look like a tasty food." Mami short back with an such a serious and uninterested face. He replied. "Stop trying to seduce me,"
The person with the same number as you, is your partner. Professor Yumiko announced.
Than looking at the register... She said. "And why are you all girls so cute." Senkai shouted. "Number 12! Who has the number 12!" While swinging his hand in the air.
Reze walked down the aisle, not rushed, nor hesitant, and stopped beside his desk. "Mind if I sit?" she asked politely. Her tone was neutral and professional like usual. "Sure, Mami said, do you even need to ask senpai." He met her gaze and replied evenly. "Do I have a choice, Reze Senpai?"
A flicker — just barely — of amusement touched her eyes. "No," she said softly, and took the seat beside him, Close, But not touching. Quietly she muttered to herself, "Senpai again huh..." Their classmates began discussing possible scenes, throwing ideas around nervously, But between them all noise of the crowd—
There was a quiet tension, controlled, careful. But at the same time professional. Until she leaned slightly toward him, just enough that only he could hear. "You're two minutes late," she murmured. He didn't look at her, and "You're early." A pause. Then—"Did you sleep?" she asked. Straightforward.
He glanced sideways at her. "Did you?" Her lips curved faintly. "Acting class," she whispered. "Remember?" And just like that—She put the piece paper of paper beside him, He looked at it.
"Number 12. What the?" But aren't you helping the students," he said. "I'm as the director, she said. "Than this?" He asked. She replied evenly. "This as the student."
From the side, Senna said, "I'm number 12 too." Than she looked at them the tension between them as surprised hearing Senna voice. Senkai replied. "Wow it's really good we are together." Breaking through the tension. "That's a relief... Really the relief."
Just as the class ended, he left in the hurry exchanging the contact information, without looking back. It wasn't avoidance. But it was something sharper now, maybe a test. Not of who could control the other, but of who would be honest first.
Across the room, Yui observed them quietly, and somewhere Kazama holding the last piece of a paper. Number 12! And outside the classroom windows, Tokyo moved as usual.
But inside Classroom 101— Something had shifted. And neither of them were pretending not to feel it anymore.
———
After the class...
"back In the clubroom."
Reze, lad onto the same Sofa of the clubroom, where they had spend their second night at. While scrolling her phone, looking at the group chat. This isn't even fun, is he avoiding me, "No he didn't avoid me it felt like he was just cold to me for a moment."
Voice of the footsteps, just as the door open bam. "It's me Rya!" Surprised "Shit," Reze said. "Hey be little subtle about it, please..." Rya laugh Ahaha... "Sorry — what it's only you in the room right now. she said, seating besides her, I came to have fun not to be bored to death."
"Sorry Reze said, but only it's me I guess." Rya continued. "Hey I like you too Reze, don't be too misunderstood you know. How I feel about you. Vinney is my number one, but I let you have the number two spot in my heart."
"Sure thanks..." Reze said. Hahaha... Rya chuckled "You know I'm just joking around right? By the way what are you looking at?"
"Nothing..." Reze said.
Rya leaned closer anyway. "You don't scroll like that when it's nothing," peeking shamelessly at the screen she said. "You scroll like that when you're stalking."
Reze locked her phone. "I don't stalk. "Mm." Rya flopped sideways dramatically, her head landing on Reze's lap without permission. "Then you obsess silently. Which is worse."
Reze didn't push her away.
The theater clubroom was quieter in the afternoon. Sunlight spilled through the tall windows, cutting across the old wooden floor in warm strips. The same sofa. The same faint scent of fabric softener and stage dust, The same place.
Her fingers paused unconsciously where his sleeve had been the other night. "He left fast," Rya said casually, eyes closed. "Class ended and whoosh. Like he remembered that he left the stove on."
Reze's expression didn't change. "He exchanged the contacts before leaving." Rya said. "Without looking at you. Silence. Rya added. That's new." Reze exhaled slowly. "He's not avoiding me. No? He's recalibrating."
Rya cracked one eye open. "That sounds like a something a villain says before the second act." A faint smile touched Reze's lips. "You watch too many dramas you know. No, I watch you. Reze."
That made her glance down.
Rya sat up slightly, resting her chin on the back of the sofa. "You don't like when people pull away first." Reze didn't answer, Because she knew it wasn't that he pulled away, It was how cleanly he did it.
No anger. No awkwardness. No visible emotion on his face. But just a distance, and controlled emotions, uncaring. In Classroom 101, when she leaned close and asked, Did you sleep? —
He didn't flinch. He didn't soften either, instead He met her tone, Professional just Like her, and that irritated her more than it should have. Rya nudged her shoulder. "You like him don't you." She muttered, "I don't."
Rya short back. "You're thinking too much for someone who doesn't. Now you are caring too much" Reze leaned back into the sofa cushions, staring at the ceiling. "I don't like losing control of the narrative," she corrected calmly.
"Ah." Rya grinned. "There it is."
Reze closed her eyes briefly.
The professor's words echoed in her mind. If you can't be honest with yourself, your audience will always know, Annoying she whispered to herself.
Because for the first time in a while—she wasn't entirely sure what she was feeling.
Attraction? Curiosity? Or a Challenge? Or maybe something softer.
Rya says well there goes my break, "I'll go and work again." Reze asked. So, why did you come again?" Rya said while getting up. "Ah I'll was gonna smoke, but than thought, I come here to vist you.
"Hey, Reze shouts, get rid of those pants they look like they're from a museum."
"There nothing better than these when I am working on art, Rya giggles, heehee... By the way Reze aren't you making it too obvious you had a late night with someone few days ago?"
"What are you on about?"
"Your neck, few days ago it had a mark on it. Rya grined. Your boyfriend's a little too aggressive leaving mark like that. Hmm? I'll go now!" I'm jealous for real..."
Reze shouted! "Get out you idiot! Bitch, throwing the pillow over her! "Why is she like this... And What did she mean by my neck...?"
She looks at the sofa's empty space...
She remembers. "You gonna regret seducing me Reze. He gets close to her neck, as he kissed onto it and bite it. "Ah... That... happen..ed."
She thought. .... I mean it was... good..? The sex was good... It filled me up. I want to... do it again... I might be into someone leading me... "
"Sigh...
"It was really nice. Than.. "AAH! "No, "No, you bitch, Bitch, she said slapping herself while roling onto the sofa...
"Ah... really. Than as she pulls the strands of her hair back. "Why do I keep thinking about him...
"Should I call him, to see him again..."
———
Buzz buzz, his handphone vibrates..
Message—
•••
I'm invited all of the members for the project tonight, Come and join in, meet at the club Aragon, private room number 502.
He breathe out, "this is unsettling, I don't think it's good to see her after having done all that."
He reminisce, the scenes of them meeting, Do you really want this?
She holding his collar than why did you have sex with me huh. Her words, her actions, the scene of the club them dancing together. Than simple her mysterious gray one. Her standing outside the club smoking... Maybe waiting for him Quiet, distant, and yet so damn beautiful.
Message—
•••
...Others are coming too.
He replied "Sure I be there on a time."
———
"The morning next day..."
While walking, at the corridor of a college, as a voice came from behind, "Senkai!" Startled he turned around. "Ah... Yui, do you seriously want to die?" She said, "Why can't, I can't come to see my senpai's. Oh.. Senna hi...!!"
"Good morning, Yui senpai." Senna greeted, she was walking to the next class with me.
From behind, Mami jumped onto the Rina senpai holding her by the collar, "I didn't knew, i was going to have a group assignment in this class."
"Wow... now, now Mami calm down, calm down, she said, everything will be fine it's nothing that hard don't worry. While getting shaken by Mami senpai.
"What should I do. Mami said, resting her head onto her shoulder. "It's all your fault, You have to buy me something delicious later..."
It was Invitable.
"Oh...? Rina said. Isn't it our dear senkai, would you like to came and have lunch with us..."
He greeted them, "Morning senpai's and Yui." As the hanabi starts imitates her, "Oh heavens our dear Senkai bla bla bla..."
"Eh, Haha... so, funny, He replied in a sarcasm.
Senna trys to control her laugh... Once again.
Than Mami say's "I asked him earlier, but he said that I'm going to eat with some friends..." Huh.. Rina said. Why, come and eat with your senpai's, "If we don't hurry, it is possible we have to wait in queue, so let's hurry, Ok."
"Hm... Fine then, if you insist," Senkai said. "Vice President, buy me lunch."
"Why?!" Mami said. "Why me?"
Rina went, "Yeah! Those are the words I like to hear!" She said, "I brought some money with me today, so let me treat all of you juniors. Let's go."
Senna went, "Huh." Mami said. "Me too, please." Rina said. "Oh God, come on, come on. Your senpai's got the check."
He thought, Cella said she was going to have lunch too. I should message her to eat without me, I suppose, so I could go along with Yui and the senpais... I guess for now.
Suddenly, Yui grabbed his wrist, her voice low enough for only him to hear. "Who were you going to have lunch with? It's not like you have friends."
He scoffed in annoyance. "Hah... you really think that, I still don't have friends.. And I was busy aside having lunch doing a project job tonight Nothing more..." Is that so, she said, just your face looks weird, like troubled, if there is something you can tell me you know... He said. "No, there nothing, It's just...
"Oye, Yui do you want to get pizza, Mami said, There's a store on a corner that sells good pizza there."
"Oh.. Yepp of course senpai, Yui said, the damn pepperoni there is so delicious... "let's go there than... Rina said.
Than behind while walking quietly, Yui said. "You know senkai, there's something, I have to tell you. she said, Hm... Let's have talk after college whenever you are free."
"Sure, He said.
"Hey what are you two doing there walking slowly hurry up! Mami said. "Or you are getting no free pizza."
"Wait for us.... Senpai."
———
To be continue...
———