“Why are you sitting there?”

Mirai asked when she entered the classroom. Yuri was sitting at the middle of the room when she knew that he sat at the back.

Yuri shrugged. He was about to answer but a noise in the middle of the room prevented him from doing so.

“Saaya! What sticker would you like? This angel one or the demon?”

Mirai’s eyebrows lifted. What was this angel and demon business Mariya was asking? She walked closer to Mariya and noticed she was holding a piece of paper. When she got closer she realized it was a seat plan.

“The angel one!” Saaya said. At the same time, Mariya turned to Mirai while placing the sticker on the piece of paper.

“What about you Mirai, angel or demon?” Before Mirai could answer, Mariya spoke once again. “Oh! We’re out of demon stickers! You really are an angel Mirai!” Mariya smiled. She placed an angel sticker where Mirai would be sitting.

Mirai looked closer at the paper Mariya was holding. She was seated at the middle. At the 4^th row and she was sitting next to Shougo. Behind her, Yuri was seated and next to Yuri was Saaya. How fast. It was only the second day of school and they already had a seat plan. Her bag with her, Mirai walked over to her seat. Shougo wasn’t there yet but Yuri and Saaya were already sitting behind her.

“Mariya moves fast ne.” She commented. “She already made a seat plan for us.”

“She’s excited.” Yuri said laughingly yet annoyed at the same time.

Both Mirai and Saaya looked at the guy. Saaya spoke first. “Why do you say excited?”

“Look at the seat plan…” Yuri stated.

Slowly Saaya stood up while Mirai looked on. The former borrowed the seat plan from a happy looking Mariya. When Saaya came back, all three of them looked at the piece of paper.

Mirai couldn’t see anything that Mariya would be excited about until she saw the top most part of the paper. Mariya was destined at the front, by the teacher’s table, Ryosuke was sitting next to her.

“There, she seated herself beside Ryosuke.” Yuri said. He shook his head and fixed his position while looking boredly at his phone.

Mirai loked at Saaya’s reaction and saw that the latter was amused.

“Nande?” She asked also smiling.

Saaya covered as she continued laughing before answering. “It’s Mariya. Now it’s obvious that she has a big crush on Ryosuke. But she only knew him yesterday.”

Mirai doubted that Mariya already had a decent conversation with Ryosuke. The latter was too shy but once you got to know him, he’ll warm up to you. The classroom was still noisy when the door opened and Ryosuke entered. It was obvious he was surprised since he saw how people had their own seats. His eyebrows furrowed. “Is there a seating arrangement?” He asked Rina who was sitting up-front.

Rina mischievously smiled at him. “Guess who you’re sitting next to…”

Ryosuke chuckled. “Why, who am I sitting next to…Mirai?”

Mirai’s eyes rolled but she didn’t let anyone notice. Mariya’s friends laughed. “Poor Mariya, it’s Mirai who Ryosuke thought of first!”

If it was allowed, Mirai would’ve wanted to be eaten by the earth. It’s embarrassing! She tried hiding herself, bowing her head and acting as if she was messaging someone on her phone.

“You sit at the front Ryosuke!” Saaya said, gesturing to the front. “You sit next to Mariya.”

With no words, Ryosuke placed his bag by the front chair and sat down. Later he pulled out a book from his bag and started reading.

Mirai sighed and turned back to her phone when she felt someone looking at her and when she lifted her head, Saaya was looking at her.

“Saaya?”

“Don’t you and Ryosuke have something going on between you two?” The girl suddenly asked.

Mirai shifted. “Something? What something?”

“Nothin.” Saaya answered mischievously smirking. Saaya faced Yuri and whispered something to the guy. What was she saying? Mirai shook her head. She continued reading. She grabbed a book from her bag, she was excited since she was almost to finishing this book. But then she was feeling the weight of yet another stare. She lifted her head and saw Ryosuke looking straight at her.

So it wouldn’t be too awkward, she sent him a smile then returned to her book. Whatever was Ryosuke’s reaction she saw no longer.

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“Hi Mirai!”

Mirai looked at the one calling her and saw that it was Nozomi. They were eating at the canteen, she was with Suzuka and Umika when Nozomi approached them.

“Hi Nzoomi.” She also greeted along with a small smile.

Nozomi sat next to her while Suzuka and Umika waved to Nozomi. “Mariya is in progress ne? Imagine, she seated herself next to Ryosuke.”

Suzuka and Umi laughed but Mirai stayed quiet. She didn’t know if she was annoyed or what. She just stayed quiet.

“It’s alright Mirai, we all know that you’re the one Ryosuke would still go to.”

“Ha?” She was surprised at what Nozomi said. “I don’t have business if they sit together.”

“Playing hard to get eh!” Suzuka laughed.

Mirai repeated to herself; I don’t like like Ryosuke; he’s just my friend.

They were finished with eating that’s why they went straight to the classroom. If they were late the teacher would lock the doors. What were they junior high? Still locking doors?

Mirai threw the candy wrapper in her hands when she noticed someone beside her. She glanced and almost yelled when she realized it was Mariya. “Mariya! You scared me.”

Her classmate only grinnedthen followed her as she walked. “I’d like to ask something Mirai-chan.”

“Nande?” Mirai asked. Suzuka saw them talking and saw gestured that they’d go on ahead.

“Are you close with Ryosuke?” Mariya suddenly asked.

It was a good thing Mirai wasn’t eating anything or she would’ve spit it out. “Ryosuke? Close? Not really, he’s just a friend.”

Liar. Her brain said but she didn’t mind this.

“Ah souk a… I was going to ask for some tips on what his likes are.” Mariya laughed. She smiled before gripping Mirai’s shoulder comfortingly then walking back to the classroom.

Mirai’s forehead furrowed. Why did Mariya ask that? And why of all people her? But she stopped with thinking and headed back to the classroom.

Thankfully Sakamoto-sensei wasn’t at the classroom yet. Some of her other classmates were still palying outside. It was like they weren’t seniors. She sat in her seat and saw that Shougo wasn’t there yet. He was probably out visiting his girlfriend from the other class.

She thought she would be able to relax but Sakamoto-sensei had already entered. Like running cockroaches, her classmates went inside quickly, one of them was Shougo who was almost slammed shut by the door.

“Good morning class!” Sakamoto-sensei greeted. “Today, I will group you into four.” The students groaned, this subject was so boring.

“Okay, Yamada, Irie, Maeda and Ayano, you’ll be the leaders of each group.”

Mirai looked at Ryosuke and saw the guy groan. Goodluck to his group mates, he didn’t like being a leader that much.

“The four I just called, come up here to the front.” Sakamoto-sensei said. “One by one you’ll choose your members.”

The four stood in-front al looking at each other. No one really wanted to be a leader in all honesty.

“Yamada, pick a member.”

All straightened up. This was just like a game.

“Ne he’ll choose Mariya!” One of Mariya’s friends teased.

“Pick Mariya, Ryosuke so she’ll go home happy.” Yuto laughed.

Mariya jokingly scowled at them even though it was obvious she was getting excited. Just her name and Ryosuke’s being in the same sentence was alright with her.

Ryosuke smiled. “Alright, Mariya.”

“Oho!”

“Nice one!”

Mariya stood up and stood beside Ryosuke.

Even Sakamoto-sensei was laughing. The choices came one by one. Saaya was one of the leaders and she quickly chose Mirai.

At this moment, Mirai saw Ryosuke looking disappointed. What was his deal? He chose Mariya first right? Hmpf. Mirai smiled to herself and joined Saaya, feeling Ryosuke looking straight at her.