By Zephyria September was approaching, but the weather was still hot. The scorching sunlight from the sun, which had risen high in the early morning, was already hurting his eyes.
Koi was heading to school on his bicycle as always. In the past, he couldn’t help but feel depressed every time he went back to school after vacation. Going to school was no fun, he had to try his best to avoid Nelson and his gang who tormented him, and all he did was move from class to class alone and lonely in everyone’s indifference.
But now it was different.
“Hi, Koi!”
“Hi, Sarah!”
A student taking the same class greeted him first. Koi also greeted him happily. It was something he couldn’t have imagined in the past.
He parked his bicycle in the designated spot and exchanged greetings a few more times while heading to his locker. Koi was different from before. He was much more confident and natural. Of course, it was all thanks to Ashley.
He was organizing his locker when he sensed a commotion on one side. Koi reflexively turned his head and soon smiled brightly. Ashley was walking with the other ice hockey team guys.
The commotion of the kids, the fervent gazes towards them, and the team’s relaxed atmosphere were all the same as before the vacation. But only Koi was different. He didn’t avoid them like before, nor did he hide in a corner and dwell on his envy. He was just closing his locker and looking for the right timing to say hello.
Just then, someone made a joke, and a burst of laughter erupted. Ashley, who was laughing with them, suddenly turned his head. Then, his eyes met Koi’s, and Koi slyly raised a hand and waved. Ashley’s eyes narrowed further, and his smile grew bigger. Koi also smiled back before turning away first.
He was walking towards the building where his first class was when he heard footsteps running up from behind.
“Koi!”
“Whoa!”
Koi screamed when someone suddenly grabbed his shoulder. When he raised his head, it was Ashley, as expected. Ashley, who had his thick arm around his shoulder, ruffled Koi’s shaggy hair with his remaining hand.
“Stop it, I said stop it!”
Koi shouted urgently, but Ashley just laughed.
“It’s because you went off on your own.”
At his light accusation, Koi glanced at him slyly.
“We’re going to meet in the classroom anyway, since we’re taking the same class. …Besides, you looked like you were having fun with your friends.”
He wanted to hide his true feelings, but he blurted them out without thinking. Ashley, who was momentarily taken aback, made a meaningful sound, “Hmm,” and explained nonchalantly.
“We were just talking about how training is starting again.”
Well, there’s no point in talking to me about that.
It was a shame, but he couldn’t help it. Koi accepted it, but soon he was distracted by something else.
“You’re heavy, let go.”
Ashley was still walking with one arm around Koi’s shoulder. When he deliberately grumbled, Ashley chuckled and replied.
“I don’t want to.”
Koi frowned at the teasing words and tried to shake off his arm, but it was too heavy. It didn’t end there. Ashley instead tightened his arm, pulling Koi’s neck towards him.
“Ugh!”
Ashley burst out laughing at the strange scream Koi made. Koi glared at him but soon laughed along.
Starting with the summer vacation, Koi became rapidly closer to Ashley. Ashley often invited him to his house, and Koi gladly accepted. As Ashley said, the wonderful days had just begun. They went for drives together, ate hamburgers in the car, and even went to see the sea together. These sparkling days were a first for him.
Ashley, who had been walking side by side, suddenly put his arms around Koi’s shoulders from behind and rested his chin on his head.
“Ah, I wish it was vacation again.”
“W-wait, wait a minute.”
Koi shouted urgently, flustered by the weight pressing down on him. But Ashley swayed and walked to the classroom, matching Koi’s staggering steps.
“Oh.”
Koi barely reached the classroom and thought he was finally free, but he stopped with a short exclamation.
“What’s wrong?”
Ashley asked, still resting his chin on top of Koi’s head. Koi didn’t answer immediately and hesitated for a moment.
“There are no seats.”
Ashley finally took his body off after Koi’s muttering. Ashley, who had looked around the classroom once, said.
“There are some over there.”
There were only two empty seats in the place he pointed to. It was a seat in the very center, front and back, not the corner seat that Koi always sat in.
Ashley looked down at him with a puzzled face. As if to say what’s the problem. Of course, Ashley wouldn’t understand. It was ridiculous to explain it to him. Instead, he raised his hand and pointed to the empty seat.
“You sit there.”
“Where?”
“The back seat.”
Koi said.
“I can’t see if I sit in the back.”
Thinking about the time he had been tricked when he sat in the opposite direction before, he could never give this up. He absolutely refused to have his view blocked again by Ashley’s huge back. Although he had messed up the college entrance exam, it was also important to manage his GPA.
Ashley, who had no idea what Koi was thinking, tilted his head and soon moved to sit in the back seat that Koi had pointed to. Koi only took his feet after he had settled down and sat proudly in the front seat. Soon the class started, and Koi straightened his posture.
He was listening to the class seriously when Ashley suddenly spoke from behind.
“Koi.”
“Yeah?”
He fixed his gaze on the front and leaned back as much as possible to listen, and he said in a small voice.
“I can see well?”
Koi was dumbfounded and turned around. When their eyes met, Ashley grinned. For the first time, he wanted to punch that handsome but annoying face.
“Imagine a big guy like you blocking the front, you wouldn’t be able to see.”
When he whispered softly, Ashley smiled brightly and said.
“It’s a relief, I’m not as small as a peanut.”
“You!”
“Corner Niles, what was my question just now?”
Suddenly the teacher asked in a loud voice. Koi, flustered, blinked and stammered.
“Y-yes?”
The teacher looked at him with a stiff face. Koi didn’t know what to do and sweated profusely.
“Well, that, that, so.”
The teacher, seeing him flustered, gave him a stern warning.
“You have to concentrate on the class. Now, everyone look here.”
The teacher, who had once again drawn the students’ attention, continued the class. Koi quickly listened with a flushed face. Then he heard a snickering sound from behind. It was Ashley laughing.
Ash, you!
Koi immediately turned around, but Ashley was not at all intimidated by his glare and pointed nonchalantly to the front.
“You have to concentrate on the class, Koi.”
He was annoyed, but there was nothing he could do. Before he got another warning, Koi straightened his posture. He heard laughter again from behind.
*
“Really, Ash, you!”
As soon as the class was over, Koi rushed at him. He thumped his chest as if to show off, but Ashley just laughed. As if such a light punch didn’t even tickle him. He looked endlessly annoying, but there was no way Koi could ever beat Ashley in the first place.
When Koi turned away with a puffed-up face, Ashley soon followed behind.
“Koi!”
He heard him calling from behind, but he ignored him and walked on, and soon Ashley caught up with him and asked as he walked side by side.
“Are you going to the homecoming party?”
“No, I don’t like that kind of thing.”
I don’t have a girlfriend or money.
Koi asked slyly.
“You’re going, right?”
Ashley has a girlfriend and money, and he’s the king of the school, so it’s obvious. He probably attended the annual home party every year before. To Koi’s question, Ashley showed an unexpectedly indifferent reaction.
“Well, I don’t know.”
“Haven’t you been going all the time?”
“I have.”
Ashley roughly ruffled his hair.
“Well, I guess I’ll go. Al will be going.”
“Yeah…”
It’s natural that his girlfriend is his top priority. Koi convinced himself like that. He nodded, when suddenly Ashley, who had been walking side by side, put his chin on his head again from behind Koi.
“Stop it, I said stop it.”Koi struggled with all his might, but he couldn’t move an inch once Ashley placed both arms over his shoulders.
“Ah, this is nice.”
“You!”
It was when Koi shouted again.
“Ash!”
Suddenly, someone called him. Ashley, as well as Koi, stopped walking. Ashley said from above his head.
“Al.”