Chapter 3: Same Bench
Morning – Classroom 8-1
(Students file in. The new seating chart is posted on the board.)
Sōta: "This is it. The big day."
Hiroshi: "It's just seats."
Sōta: "You're sitting next to Yuki-chan. All day. Every day."
Hiroshi: "That's what the chart says."
Sōta: "And me! Don't forget me. I'm on the same bench."
Hiroshi: "How could I forget? You talk constantly."
Sōta: "I'm the buffer. The emotional support."
Hiroshi: "You're a distraction."
(Yuki arrives. She sees the seating chart. Her face lights up.)
Yuki: "We're on the same bench!"
Rin: "All three of you. Lucky."
Yuki: "I can't believe it."
Rin: "You've been staring at the chart for thirty seconds."
Yuki: "I'm memorizing it."
Rin: "You're blushing."
Yuki: "I'm warm."
Rin: "It's winter."
Yuki: "The heater is on."
Rin: "The heater isn't on."
Yuki: "Then I'm sick."
(Yuki walks to the bench. Hiroshi is already there, reading.)
Yuki: "Good morning, bench neighbor."
Hiroshi: "Morning."
Yuki: "I'm sitting here." (She points to the spot next to him.)
Hiroshi: "I know. The chart says so."
Yuki: "Aren't you excited?"
Hiroshi: "It's a seat."
Yuki: "It's our seat. Together."
Hiroshi: "You're making this weird."
Yuki: "I'm making it special."
(Sōta slides in on Hiroshi's other side.)
Sōta: "Don't forget me. I'm part of this bench too."
Yuki: "Of course, Sōta. You're the witness."
Sōta: "The witness to what?"
Yuki: "History."
Hiroshi: "Please stop."
Homeroom
Teacher: "Good morning. You've all seen the new seating chart. No complaining."
Class: "Yes, sensei."
Teacher: "Asagiri, Hoshino, Kisaragi. You three are on the same bench. Try to focus on the lessons, not on each other."
Sōta: "Yes, sensei."
Yuki: "We'll behave."
Hiroshi: "I always behave."
Teacher: "Asagiri, that's true. The other two..."
Sōta: "Ouch."
First Period – Mathematics
Teacher: "Today: linear equations with two variables. Solve this system: x + y = 10, x – y = 4."
(Students write.)
Teacher: "Asagiri?"
Hiroshi: "Adding the equations gives 2x = 14, so x = 7. Then y = 3."
Teacher: "Correct. Next: 2x + y = 11, x – y = 1."
Yuki: "From the second equation, x = y + 1. Substitute: 2(y+1) + y = 11 → 2y+2+y=11 → 3y=9 → y=3, then x=4."
Teacher: "Perfect. Last: 3x + 2y = 18, x = 2y."
Sōta: "Plug x into the first: 3(2y) + 2y = 18 → 6y+2y=18 → 8y=18 → y=2.25, then x=4.5."
Teacher: "Correct, Kisaragi. You're improving."
Sōta: "I had help." (He glances at Hiroshi, who wrote the answer on a scrap of paper.)
Hiroshi: "I didn't give you anything."
Sōta: "You left your paper where I could see it."
Hiroshi: "That's your fault."
Yuki: (leaning closer to Hiroshi) "Can you help me with number five? I'm stuck."
Hiroshi: "Show me your work."
(Yuki slides her notebook toward him. Her shoulder touches his arm.)
Hiroshi: "You're very close."
Yuki: "I am?"
Hiroshi: "You made a sign error here. It should be minus, not plus."
Yuki: "Oh! You're right." (She fixes it, then stays close.)
Hiroshi: "You can move back now."
Yuki: "I'm comfortable here."
Hiroshi: "You're in my personal space."
Yuki: "We're bench neighbors. This is normal."
Sōta: (from the other side) "It's really not."
Yuki: "Quiet, witness."
Second Period – Science (Physics)
Teacher: "Free fall. A ball is dropped from a height of 45 meters. Gravity = 10 m/s². Time to hit ground?"
Hiroshi: "Using s = ½gt², 45 = ½×10×t² → 45 = 5t² → t² = 9 → t = 3 seconds."
Teacher: "Correct. Next: Same ball, what is velocity just before impact?"
Yuki: "v = gt = 10×3 = 30 m/s."
Teacher: "Good. Last: If the ball is thrown downward at 5 m/s instead of dropped, new time?"
Sōta: "Uh... s = ut + ½gt² → 45 = 5t + 5t² → divide 5: 9 = t + t² → t² + t – 9 = 0. Then quadratic formula... t = about 2.7 seconds?"
Teacher: "Correct, Kisaragi. You actually solved it."
Sōta: "I'm a new man."
Yuki: (whispering to Hiroshi) "You helped him again, didn't you?"
Hiroshi: (whispering back) "He looked at my paper."
Yuki: "You let him."
Hiroshi: "He's hopeless."
Yuki: "You're nice."
Hiroshi: "I'm not."
Yuki: "You are. You just don't admit it."
(She smiles. Hiroshi looks away. His ears are slightly pink.)
Third Period – English
Teacher: "Write a short sentence using a simile. Asagiri?"
Hiroshi: "The computer processed data like a calculator on overdrive."
Teacher: "That's... technically a simile. Hoshino?"
Yuki: "His smile is like the sun after a week of rain."
(She looks at Hiroshi. He does not smile.)
Teacher: "Very poetic. Kisaragi?"
Sōta: "She runs like a cheetah with sore feet."
Teacher: "That's... unique."
Yuki: (whispering to Hiroshi) "Did you hear my sentence?"
Hiroshi: "Yes."
Yuki: "Who was I talking about?"
Hiroshi: "I don't know."
Yuki: "You."
Hiroshi: "I don't smile."
Yuki: "You will. Someday."
Hiroshi: "Unlikely."
Fourth Period – History
Teacher: "World War II. What year did Japan attack Pearl Harbor?"
Sōta: "1941."
Teacher: "Correct. What was the date?"
Yuki: "December 7, 1941."
Teacher: "Good. What happened on August 6, 1945?"
Hiroshi: "Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima."
Teacher: "And August 9?"
Hiroshi: "Nagasaki."
Teacher: "When did Japan surrender?"
Yuki: "August 15, 1945."
Teacher: "Excellent. You three know your history."
Sōta: "We're a good bench."
Yuki: "The best bench."
Hiroshi: "It's just a bench."
Yuki: "You keep saying that."
Hiroshi: "Because it's true."
Yuki: "You're wrong."
Hiroshi: "I'm rarely wrong."
Yuki: "You're wrong about this."
(She pokes his arm. He flinches.)
Hiroshi: "What was that?"
Yuki: "A poke. To get your attention."
Hiroshi: "You already had my attention. We're having a conversation."
Yuki: "Now I have more of your attention."
Sōta: "This is painful to watch."
Yuki: "Then close your eyes."
Lunch Break
(The three eat at their desks. The teacher allowed them to stay in the classroom.)
Yuki: "I brought extra onigiri. Hiroshi, want one?"
Hiroshi: "I have my own lunch."
Yuki: "Take mine anyway."
Hiroshi: "That's wasteful."
Yuki: "Then trade. Give me one of yours, I'll give you one of mine."
Hiroshi: "That's the same amount of food."
Yuki: "It's the principle."
Hiroshi: "What principle?"
Yuki: "Sharing."
(She holds out an onigiri. He stares at it.)
Sōta: "Just take it, man. She's not going to put it down."
Hiroshi: "...Fine."
(He takes the onigiri. He gives her one of his in return.)
Yuki: "See? That wasn't so hard."
Hiroshi: "It was unnecessary."
Yuki: "But nice."
Hiroshi: "Inefficient."
Yuki: "You say that word a lot."
Hiroshi: "Because it applies often."
Yuki: "You should try being inefficient sometimes. It's fun."
Hiroshi: "Fun is subjective."
Yuki: "Then subjectively, this is fun."
(She smiles. He takes a bite of the onigiri.)
Sōta: "I feel like a third wheel on a tricycle."
Yuki: "You're not a wheel. You're the seat."
Sōta: "I don't know if that's better."
Fifth Period – Computer Science
Teacher: "Write a program that prints the Fibonacci sequence up to 100. Asagiri, demonstrate."
Hiroshi: "a, b = 0, 1\nwhile a <= 100:\n print(a)\n a, b = b, a+b"
Teacher: "Perfect. Hoshino, write a program that asks the user for a number and prints whether it's prime."
Yuki: "n = int(input())\nif n < 2:\n print('Not prime')\nelse:\n for i in range(2, n):\n if n % i == 0:\n print('Not prime')\n break\n else:\n print('Prime')"
Teacher: "Good. Kisaragi, same program but add an optimization."
Sōta: "Uh... check only up to square root?"
Teacher: "Yes. Write it."
Sōta: (typing) "n = int(input())\nif n < 2: print('Not prime')\nelse:\n for i in range(2, int(n**0.5)+1):\n if n % i == 0:\n print('Not prime')\n break\n else:\n print('Prime')"
Teacher: "Correct. You three are the strongest bench in this class."
Yuki: "Told you."
Hiroshi: "Correlation, not causation."
Yuki: "Stop being logical."
Hiroshi: "I can't."
Yuki: "Then be logical about this: sitting next to me improves your performance."
Hiroshi: "That's unproven."
Yuki: "Then let's test it. Stay next to me all year and we'll collect data."
Hiroshi: "That's not how science works."
Yuki: "It's how I want it to work."
Sōta: "I'm collecting data too. In my notebook."
Hiroshi: "You don't have a notebook."
Sōta: "I started one. It's called 'The Hiroshi-Yuki Romance Log.'"
Hiroshi: "Delete it."
Sōta: "It's paper. You can't delete paper."
Yuki: "I want to read it."
Sōta: "Later."
Sixth Period – Physical Education
Teacher: "Today: basketball. Form teams of five."
Sōta: "Hiroshi, you're on my team."
Hiroshi: "I can't play basketball."
Sōta: "You can stand there and look smart."
Yuki: "I want Hiroshi on my team."
Sōta: "Too late. I called him."
Yuki: "That's not fair."
Sōta: "Life isn't fair."
Hiroshi: "I don't care which team. Both are inefficient."
(The game starts. Hiroshi stands near the basket. A ball comes toward him. He catches it.)
Sōta: "Shoot!"
Hiroshi: "I don't know how."
Sōta: "Throw it at the hoop!"
(Hiroshi throws. The ball bounces off the backboard and goes in.)
Sōta: "You said you couldn't play!"
Hiroshi: "I calculated the trajectory. It was luck."
Yuki: (from the other team) "That was amazing!"
Hiroshi: "It was an accident."
Yuki: "A beautiful accident."
(She smiles at him. He looks away.)
Seventh Period – Art
Teacher: "Draw the person across from you."
(Hiroshi is across from Sōta. Yuki is diagonal.)
Yuki: "Hiroshi, look at me."
Hiroshi: "I'm drawing Sōta."
Yuki: "Draw me tomorrow."
Hiroshi: "The assignment changes tomorrow."
Yuki: "Then draw me after school."
Hiroshi: "I don't draw for fun."
Yuki: "Then draw me for practice."
Hiroshi: "I don't need practice."
Yuki: "Then draw me because I'm asking nicely."
(He looks at her. She has her chin in her hands, smiling.)
Hiroshi: "...Fine. One drawing. After school."
Yuki: "Promise?"
Hiroshi: "I don't break promises."
Yuki: "Good. I'll hold you to that."
Sōta: "Can someone draw me? Anyone?"
Rin: "I'll draw you, Sōta."
Sōta: "Really?"
Rin: "As a potato."
Sōta: "I'll take it."
Eighth Period – Social Studies
Teacher: "Government systems. What is a parliamentary system?"
Yuki: "The executive branch derives its power from the legislature. The prime minister is usually the leader of the majority party."
Teacher: "Correct. Example?"
Hiroshi: "United Kingdom, Japan, Canada."
Teacher: "Good. What is a presidential system?"
Sōta: "The president is separate from the legislature. Example: United States."
Teacher: "Correct. What is a semi-presidential system?"
Hiroshi: "Both a president and a prime minister exist. Example: France, Russia."
Teacher: "Excellent. You three are making my job easy."
Yuki: "We're a good bench."
Sōta: "The best bench."
Hiroshi: "It's just a bench."
Yuki: (poking his arm again) "Stop saying that."
Hiroshi: "You poked me."
Yuki: "Yes. To correct your behavior."
Hiroshi: "Poking is not an effective behavioral correction method."
Yuki: "It worked. You stopped talking."
Hiroshi: "Because I was surprised."
Yuki: "Then I'll poke you every time you say 'it's just a bench.'"
Hiroshi: "You wouldn't."
Yuki: "Try me."
(He says nothing. She grins.)
Sōta: "This is the best entertainment I've ever had."
After School – The Drawing
(The bell rings. Students pack up.)
Sōta: "You guys walking together?"
Hiroshi: "We live across the road from each other."
Sōta: "I know. I'm asking if you're walking together."
Yuki: "Yes."
Hiroshi: "We didn't plan that."
Yuki: "We're planning it now. Let's go."
(They walk out of the classroom. Sōta follows behind for a bit, then peels off.)
Sōta: "I'll leave you two. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."
Hiroshi: "That leaves a lot of options."
Sōta: "Exactly."
(Sōta leaves. Yuki and Hiroshi walk side by side.)
Yuki: "You promised me a drawing."
Hiroshi: "I did."
Yuki: "Where will you draw me?"
Hiroshi: "At my desk. At home."
Yuki: "Can I see it when you're done?"
Hiroshi: "I'll show you tomorrow."
Yuki: "What if I don't like it?"
Hiroshi: "Then don't look."
Yuki: "I'll like it. You're good at everything."
Hiroshi: "I'm not good at drawing people. I'm good at drawing objects."
Yuki: "I'm an object today."
Hiroshi: "That's not what I meant."
Yuki: "I know. I'm teasing."
(They reach the bus stop / their street corner.)
Yuki: "This is my stop."
Hiroshi: "This is also my stop. I live across the street."
Yuki: "Right. Same as yesterday."
Hiroshi: "And tomorrow."
Yuki: "And the day after."
Hiroshi: "Probably."
Yuki: "I like that. Knowing you'll be there."
Hiroshi: "I'm not going anywhere."
Yuki: "Promise?"
Hiroshi: "I don't break promises."
(She smiles. Her eyes are soft.)
Yuki: "Goodnight, Hiroshi."
Hiroshi: "Goodnight."
(She crosses the street. He watches her go. She waves before entering her building. He nods and walks into his own building.)
(In the elevator, he realizes he's looking forward to drawing her.)
(He doesn't know why.)
End of Chapter 3