The morning bell rang through Hijikara High, signaling the start of another bustling school day. Serena had already made her way to her classroom, her usual calm and composed aura contrasting sharply with the excited chatter of students. She glanced at her classmates, mentally noting the familiar faces—and the new ones she hadn't seen before.
Meanwhile, Yuma followed Ms. Ayane Tatsuki, his homeroom teacher, up the stairs toward the classroom. His heart thudded nervously as the teacher's cheerful voice filled the corridor:
"Hello, Yuma! I'm Miss Ayane Tatsuki, but please call me Miss Tatsuki. I'll be your homeroom teacher," she said warmly.
"Nice to meet you, Ms. Tatsuki!" Yuma replied, bowing politely.
"Please wait here for a moment, Ikaragi-kun. I'll call you when it's time to introduce yourself to the class," she instructed, stepping into the room. Yuma nodded, trying to steady his racing heartbeat.
Inside the classroom, Serena was reviewing her notes when the teacher's announcement startled her:
"Today we have a new student joining us, so please be quiet as he introduces himself."
Serena froze mid-thought. No… it can't be him… please… not here… Her chest tightened as she glimpsed Yuma walking in confidently, waving politely at the students.
"Hi there! It's nice to meet you all! I'm Yuma Ikaragi from the Philippines… I hope we can all be friends!"
The class cheered enthusiastically. Serena quickly hid her blushing face behind her notebook. What did I do to deserve this? All I wanted was to focus on school!
After the introduction, Ms. Tatsuki guided Yuma to his seat. "Ikaragi-kun, you'll be sitting next to Ms. Yuuki," she announced. Serena raised her hand, a hint of reluctance in her eyes, signaling her seat.
Yuma's heart thudded as he slowly approached her desk. He could hear the whispers of his new classmates:
"Damn, that transfer student is lucky to be sitting next to her."
Little do they know… she's not just any classmate… he thought, a mixture of admiration and nerves washing over him.
Serena's sharp gaze met his briefly. Rules, Yuma. Here we're classmates. At home, different. Remember that.
Yuma nodded quickly, cheeks heating. Understood…
The bell rang for lunch. Yuma had been about to head toward the cafeteria, eager to figure out the school's lunch system when Serena suddenly grabbed his arm.
"Wait! You're not going to the cafeteria," she said firmly, dragging him toward an empty classroom nearby.
"Uh… what?" Yuma stammered, surprised.
"Explain yourself! Why are we in the same class? How did this happen?" Serena demanded, shutting the door behind them and leaning against it with crossed arms. Her face was a mixture of disbelief, frustration, and the tiniest hint of panic.
Yuma raised his hands defensively. "I… it was my uncle! He… he set this up! I didn't have any say in it!"
Serena's eyes widened in disbelief. "What… God… what did I do to piss off the universe this badly?! Why am I cursed to have you in my class?! My parents… they're behind this too, aren't they?!"
Yuma winced, muttering, "Well… yeah. Sort of…"
Serena threw her hands in the air, pacing. "Unbelievable. Just… unbelievable! I came here to focus on school! I came here to study! And now… now I have my husband sitting next to me at every turn. What the hell did I do to deserve this?!"
Yuma scratched the back of his head, looking sheepish. "I… I didn't ask for this either, Yuuki-san. I just… came here and… it all… happened."
Serena groaned dramatically, plopping into a chair. "Ugh… my life is officially ruined. Mom, Dad… seriously, I'm going to hold you accountable for this one. All of you!"
Yuma's expression softened. "I… I'll behave, I promise. Just… maybe don't curse me?"
Serena crossed her arms, staring at him suspiciously. "…Fine. But remember the rules, Ikaragi-kun. At school, we are nothing. Strangers. Classmates. Nothing else. You break that, and I swear—"
"Understood, Yuuki-san," Yuma said quickly, nodding.
Serena let out a frustrated sigh and finally stood. "Good. Now… let's go meet my friends. Maybe if I socialize, I'll forget this nightmare for a little while."
Satisfied, Serena finally led him out of the classroom, toward the shaded lunch area behind the school building. A soft breeze rustled through the trees as two familiar figures waved at them from a blanket under a tree.
"Ikaragi-kun?! What are you doing here?" Lily Tatsuki called out, her brown eyes bright and playful.
Serena smiled lightly. "This is Yuma Ikaragi. He's my classmate. Today's his first day."
"Oh! Nice to meet you, Ikaragi-kun. I'm Lily Tatsuki," the girl said, bowing politely.
"And this is my boyfriend, Kura Aizen," the black-haired boy added, grinning and gesturing toward himself.
Yuma bowed quickly. "It's nice to meet both of you. I hope we can all get along."
They sat down, and immediately Yuma noticed Lily and Kura constantly teasing each other, feeding little bites of their food, laughing softly, and leaning into each other as though the rest of the world didn't exist. Yuma's shoulders tensed, awkward and unsure where to place himself.
He leaned slightly toward Serena, whispering, "Uh… what's happening with them? Are they… dating?"
Serena smirked, shaking her head. "Ever since they started dating, I've been the third wheel. Every day, they act all lovey-dovey, and I just sit here, eating and watching."
Yuma's cheeks heated. "Third wheel… wow… that's… rough."
Serena shrugged. "Believe me, it is. Every bite they share, every laugh… it's torture."
Before Yuma could respond, Lily leaned forward with a mischievous grin. "You know, Serena… maybe your future boyfriend could be sitting right here."
Serena froze mid-bite, her mind racing. Oh no… oh no no no… she's joking… but Yuma's right there… I can't let her think anything…
"Absolutely not!" Serena snapped, voice loud and firm. "He is not my boyfriend! Never say something like that again!"
Yuma flinched, cheeks red, while Lily laughed softly, clearly amused. "Wow… someone's feisty. Didn't know you'd get so worked up!"
Internally, Serena panicked. Focus, Serena… act normal… keep it together… don't let her guess the truth…
Finally, Serena exhaled and muttered, calmer but still firm. "I said it. He is not my boyfriend. Understood? Good. Now let's eat."
As lunch progressed, Serena slowly opened up to Lily and Kura, laughing more freely as she shared small jokes and stories about her school life. Yuma, still awkward, watched her with a soft expression, occasionally answering Lily's questions or making small jokes himself. Despite his nervousness, a small bond was forming—not just with Serena, but with her friends too.
"You know," Lily teased gently, "Ikaragi-kun seems pretty reliable. You two might get along really well."
Serena gave her a sharp look, suppressing a blush. "I said he is not my boyfriend, Lily. Pay attention."
Yuma snorted quietly, making Serena glance at him with exasperation.
As they all sat on the blanket behind the school building, eating and chatting, Lily glanced at Yuma with a mischievous smile.
"So, Ikaragi-kun," she asked casually, twirling a strand of her ribboned hair, "what kind of girl do you usually like?"
Yuma blinked, caught off guard. He hesitated, scratching the back of his neck nervously.
"Well…" he began carefully, "I guess… someone responsible, kind, smart… and um… very determined. Someone with long hair, sharp eyes, and a strong sense of justice. Oh, and… someone who can handle a bit of teasing but doesn't lose her temper easily."
Lily's eyes widened as she tilted her head, a sly grin spreading across her face. "Wait a minute… that sounds a lot like Serena!"
Serena nearly choked on her food, cheeks turning crimson. "Absolutely not! That's… that's impossible! Never! Not ever!" she shouted, waving her hands in denial.
Yuma froze, unsure whether to laugh or explain. Lily, however, burst out laughing, clearly delighted. "Oh my gosh, Serena! You're blushing! You've been called out without even realizing it!"
Serena groaned, hiding her face behind her hand. "I'm not blushing! And I'm definitely not the type he described! Forget it, Lily!"
Kura, sitting next to Lily, chuckled softly. "Looks like someone's flustered. Yuma, you're causing quite the stir."
Yuma muttered quietly, almost to himself, "I didn't mean to…" but Serena's glare made him fall silent immediately.
Serena's face was still bright red from Lily's teasing, and her fists tightened slightly. She leaned closer to Yuma, her voice barely above a whisper.
"You're dead when we get home…" she hissed, her sharp eyes narrowing at him.
Yuma froze, a nervous smile creeping across his face as he realized he'd been caught. "Uh… I… maybe I should've kept my mouth shut," he muttered quietly, scratching the back of his neck.
Serena's glare didn't soften. "You're so dead"
Yuma gulped, nodding miserably. "Y-Yes… ma'am… I-I mean… yes," he stammered, his heart racing.
Lily and Kura, oblivious to the whispered exchange, continued their playful banter, leaving Serena and Yuma in a tense, silent bubble for a moment. Yuma quietly thought to himself, I really should've kept my mouth shut…
Serena finally sat back slightly, though her glare lingered, as if warning him silently that this conversation was far from over.
Despite the teasing, the moment brought a little warmth to the group. Serena, though flustered, found herself smiling secretly, realizing that even with all the teasing, these friends were beginning to accept both her and Yuma in their little circle.