Accident!

The morning air was crisp as Seraya walked toward school, The air was cool, the sun barely rising above the buildings, casting soft golden hues over the streets. It should have been a comforting sight, yet an uncomfortable weight settled in her chest.
Yesterday had gone by in a blur. New faces. New teachers. New classrooms. But even in a new place, she still felt the same.
She exhaled softly.*Just get through another day.*
“Seraya!”
She flinched at the sudden call of her name. Turning slightly, she saw Noah jogging toward her, his uniform tie slightly loose, his schoolbag slung over one shoulder. Unlike yesterday, he was alone."Morning!" he greeted, his tone light, as if they'd been friends forever.
Seraya nodded, her fingers curling into her sleeves. She wasn’t sure what to say.
"Walking alone today?" he asked, matching her pace.She nodded again.
Noah stuffed his hands into his pockets, glancing up at the sky. "Man, I almost overslept. My sister had to kick me out of bed."
Noah grinned. "Older sister. She acts like I'm five."
Seraya hummed. 
Noah didn’t seem to mind her short responses and filling the silence with little stories about his morning, his sister’s nagging, and his struggle to finish his breakfast.
Seraya listened, her hands gripping her bag tighter.*Why is he talking to me?* She didn’t understand. People didn’t usually stick around her for long.Yet, Noah didn’t seem to expect anything from her.
As they reached the school gate, a cheerful voice called out, "Seraya! Noah!"
It was Yuki, waving at them with an excited grin."We have PE today. I'm overjoyed!"
P.E.? Seraya’s stomach twisted. It's not that she wasn't good at sports. She just hated gym class—too many memories of junior high.
She pushed those thoughts away and followed Yuki and Noah to class. Shortly after, their homeroom teacher entered, confirming Yuki’s excitement. "As announced, today’s P.E. class is free choice. You can decide among yourselves what you’d like to play."
Later...
The gymnasium smelled of polished wood, rubber shoes squeaking against the floor as students shuffled into position. The fluorescent lights overhead cast a bright glare, bouncing off the waxed surface. 'Majority vote decided on volleyball.'
Seraya sat against the gym wall with the other girls, watching the boys set up the net. Yuki sat beside her, chatting with some classmates and occasionally cheering for the players. Some girls cheered when Noah spiked the ball during practice. "That was awesome!" 

Yuki, turning to Seraya. "You ever played before?"

Seraya hesitated. "...No."Yuki tilted her head. "You okay? You look a little tense."Seraya nodded. * You're in high school. The past is past.*
The match started off with friendly competition but quickly escalated. The boys were relentless, spiking, diving, and blocking with full force. The ball zipped back and forth.“That was an insane save!” girls exclaimed, clapping.Another girl nudged, “Did you see that? Itsuki’s crazy fast.” 
Seraya’s gaze flickered toward him. Itsuki was moving effortlessly across the court, sharp eyes locked onto the ball, his reflexes precise.
Then, in the blink of an eye—.
A loud thwack. A miscalculated hit sent the volleyball soaring in the wrong direction. Before Seraya could react, it struck her squarely in her face.A sharp ringing sound filled her ears. Pain shot through her forehead. The world blurred.
A rush of voices.
Her heart pounded.
—She was in junior high again.
The gym echoed with laughter. The dodgeball struck her—once, twice. No matter how she tried to dodge, they always aimed for her. She fell, knees scraping against the hard floor. The pain didn’t matter. What hurt was the ridicule.
"Weakling."
"Crybaby."
"Just quit if you can’t handle it."
Her breath turned shallow, vision tunneled. Her body collapsed. 
Yuki, who had been sitting beside her, immediately panicked, calling out Seraya’s name. Noah, who had been on the court, rushed over without hesitation, he scooped Seraya up in his arms, his expression unusually serious as he and Yuki hurried toward the nurse’s office.
Meanwhile, Itsuki stood frozen in place. His breath hitched,. His hands trembled at his sides. *Not again…* The sight of someone collapsing, because of him—it clawed at his chest, suffocating.
In the nurse’s office,...
The school nurse carefully checked Seraya’s condition. After a moment, she let out a relieved sigh.
“She’s okay,” the nurse assured Yuki and Noah. “No serious injuries… just fainted.”

When Seraya stirred, a dull ache throbbed in her forehead. The room smelled faintly of antiseptic, the lights dimmer than the classroom’s harsh fluorescents.

A soft voice broke the silence."Seraya!"
She blinked, her vision clearing to reveal her mother’s anxious face. The moment she saw her, a deep sense of relief settled in her chest.
Her mother leaned in, wrapping her in a hug. "You scared me," she whispered. "The school called and said you fainted!"
Seraya hesitated before returning the hug. "...I’m sorry."
Her mother pulled back, brushing Seraya’s bangs aside with a gentle touch. "No, sweetheart. How are you feeling?"Seraya’s gaze shifted to the bedside table.
A bottle of water, sports drink, and… a small can of strawberry milk. One still had condensation on it, as if it had been placed there just moments ago.Her chest tightened.
 "...These?"
Her mother followed her gaze and smiled softly. "Oh, those? Two students brought them, they came to check on you while you were unconscious."
Seraya’s fingers curled slightly against the blanket. "...Who?"
" They told me they were your friends, Yuki and Noah." Her mother’s voice carried warmth. "They seemed like good kids. They were really worried about you."
Seraya lowered her gaze. *They came for me...? And fri..ends? *She lowered her gaze, processing the thought when her mother, as if suddenly remembering, added, "Oh, and there was one more."
Seraya looked up. "...One more?"
"Yes. When I first arrived, there was a boy sitting beside you. He looked... worried" 
Seraya blinked."He just sat there, staring at you—his expression… it was hard to watch." Her mother’s gaze softened, "When he saw me, he immediately apologized and left."
Seraya didn’t respond.
Her fingers lightly traced the edge of the blanket.
She had a feeling she knew who it was.A flicker of confusion ran through Seraya, but before she could dwell on it, the door burst open.
"Seraya!"
Her father, panting from running, rushed to her side, hugging her. "Are you okay?! Do you feel dizzy? Should we take you to the hospital?"
Seraya let out a small laugh. "I’m fine, Dad."
He sighed in relief but still looked unconvinced. "You’re coming home."
That night...
Seraya lay in bed, the dim glow of her phone screen illuminating her face.
A message from Yuki popped up.
Yuki: Are you okay?
Then another.
Yuki: Noah and I went to check on you after class, but you had already gone home.
Seraya hesitated before typing back.
Seraya: I’m fine. 
There was a brief pause before Yuki replied.
Yuki: Itsuki was worried too. He stayed with you even after the teacher said you were okay.
Seraya froze.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, but she didn’t know what to say.Instead, she placed the phone face-down on her chest and stared at the ceiling.
That strange feeling from earlier— she never experienced anything like that before.But a small warmth bloomed in Seraya’s chest.Maybe... she could trust Yuki.