Unifying Reflection

“Does that mean it's okay if I claim him for myself?” She suddenly cupped my face in her hands, playfully squishing my cheeks. “After all, we're besties, right?”

“...”

Cloey appeared to be searching for the right words, her eyes sweeping the floor in a frantic search. She briefly glanced at Viveka, as if seeking something in particular.

I see…

I extended my hand with a smile, greeting her as I introduced myself.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Anon Kadekaru.”

⏣⏣⏣

“Me? You're curious about little ol’ me?” She jokes shyly, tapping her finger to her cheek, her drowsy expression never fading. “Well, I'm Kira Hanazono. Nothing too special about me, just a fan of studying, I guess.”

“Give yourself some credit,” Cloey added. “You've topped every school in the district.”

"Really? That's honestly pretty impressive," I said.

“Hehe. You're both too kind.” A slight blush tinged Kira's cheeks as we both complimented her.

“With the introductions out of the way, what does my schedule look like for today?” I asked, glancing between the two of them.

“If I remember correctly, our classes are scheduled as follows,” she said, listing them in order before Cloey's interview.

“But don't worry, Anon. The classes aren't all that difficult, to be honest.”

Following up on what Cloey had mentioned, I asked a question that had been on my mind. “Are you two actually friends? You both have the same classes and seem pretty friendly with each other.”

They exchanged a glance before awkwardly laughing it off.

“Sorry to disappoint you, but we're more like acquaintances than actual friends.”

“Exactly what Kira said. We've had a few casual conversations, but nothing too significant.”

“I see. So, why did you decide to help us, then?” I asked.

“Hmm. I-I suppose it's because…”

Her eyes flicked between the two of us, a sly smile spreading across her face before she simply shrugged.

“Because I thought it might be fun, I guess.”

“Guess you're the type to just go with the flow on most things,” I replied, sharing the first impression I got from her answer.

“Maybe. But honestly, you two seem much closer than Cloey and I.”

This made Cloey and me lock eyes for a moment before quickly looking away.

“Cloey did loudly declare our friendship to her father,” I teased.

“After everything we've been through, I'd say we've turned out to be pretty good friends.”

We really did go through a lot in such a short time. Maybe our friendship was a bit unexpected, but we both took what was handed to us and did what we thought was best. Interuniversal friends who just happened to meet through a barrier, like a pond, overnight. Honestly, I can see that making for an intriguing plot.

My eyes widened slightly as I realized a particular choice of words I hadn’t given much thought to. It had all happened so quickly, but now, it left me questioning my thoughts more than anything.

“Just friends, huh?”

Kira covered her mouth, quietly muttering to herself, when suddenly a high-pitched voice rang out. Three girls appeared before Cloey and Kira’s homeroom.

“Hey, Cloeyyy! Why don’t you stop hanging out with Kira and come join us?” A bit of extra sass slipped into the way she said Kira’s name as she made her way toward us. Meanwhile, Kira froze at the sound of the voice. Her previously cheerful and curious expression shifted to one of gloom.

Noticing the sudden shift in mood, I glanced at Cloey, who seemed even more reluctant than anything. Her eyes were on the ground, much like Kira’s, but there was a conflict in her expression with every word that escaped her mouth.

“Who are they?

“She’s–”

“I’m the beautiful, man-killer herself, Viveka Amajiki,” she declared, resting her hands on her hips as she stopped a few feet in front of me. Her friend leaned casually on her shoulder, while the third girl stood off to the side, watching silently with an expression much like Kira’s.

“Hey, short stuff,” she teased, barely two inches taller. “I didn’t think you’d be Cloey’s type, honestly. Me and her go way back, but I’m always discovering new things about her.”

“We’re just friends,” Cloey muttered, her hands gripping her clothes tightly.

“Just friends?” She reached over, taking my hands in hers as she licked her lips. “Then it’s fine if I snatch him for myself, right? Sharing is caring, after all.”

She pulled my face closer to hers before glancing at Cloey. “We're besties, after all.”

Cloey’s expression said it all. She looked completely stunned by Viveka’s actions, even going as far as to clench her fist while gripping her shirt. It was the complete opposite of Kira, who seemed to want no part in the confrontation.

I see…then it’s probably best if I-

Cloey released her grip, prompting me to take hold of Viveka’s hands. I smiled in response to her actions before letting go to properly extend my own hand. Both Cloey and Kira seemed taken aback by my actions, while Viveka’s friends appeared more watchful, even confused.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name’s Anon Kadekaru.”

She seemed taken aback at first, but quickly regained her composure.

“Your boyfriend is more of a gentleman than I gave him credit for,” she said. “Did my beauty leave you with a good impression of my character?”

“One could put it that way, but I’m actually more curious about Cloey’s friends than anything else.”

Cloey was watching my every move, which honestly made everything a lot more difficult. I couldn’t quite make out the expression on her face, but the situation made it clear, it was definitely unfriendly.

Just a bit longer. I never imagined I’d have to play so fake just to help someone out. I’m usually the one who gets ignored or talked about behind my back, not the one being spoken to. Yet, this woman’s pain has become my first real challenge.

It made me realize that life was finally starting to pick up for me. Emi and Nova approached to talk, giving me the chance to make friends I never had in high school. Then there’s Cloey, with whom I’m building an interesting relationship, and Kira, someone I’ll at least become acquainted with.

Compared to the past day or so, I’d almost forgotten that people like her existed. I had to bite my tongue to keep from showing or saying anything out of annoyance.

“Wanting to know more about me, huh? Should we find somewhere more private?” she asked, pointing behind her with a clear hint of innuendo.

That’s when Cloey stepped between us, facing me but looking over her shoulder at Viveka. I couldn’t make out any expression on her face.

“We’re going to be late to homeroom,” Cloey muttered.

She grabbed my wrist and pulled me along, with Kira following right behind.

I turned back to Viveka with a forced apologetic look. “Apologies, but I’ve got strict instructions from the big man himself.”

The door to the classroom shut, leaving the trio to their own devices.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

The door shut behind them as the other two stood by my side.

"What a total bitch," Tana muttered, leaning off my shoulder. "Thinking she can look at us like that."

Yoruko, on the other hand, remained quiet as usual, simply standing nearby while everything unfolded. However, she did glance in my direction before letting out a sigh.

“Looking at us with that kind of expression…” I muttered under my breath.

“Exactly. Does she really think she’s all that after what she did to us?” Tana muttered, her voice slightly louder than before. “Especially when you're someone everyone knows.”

“What she did to us…”

I clenched my sleeve, my gaze fixed on the classroom door before I let out a sigh.

“Who was he, anyway, that Anon kid?” Tana asked, glancing back at Yoruko, who avoided eye contact. “What do you make of him, Yoruko?”

“...” Yoruko seemed to think for a moment before speaking. “He seems very similar to Cloey. Even Kira was more talkative, so I assume both he and Cloey are easy to talk to.”

She then looked over at me, her expression as neutral as ever.

“Judging by all that, it’s probably best to play it by ear and see what he’s like for ourselves…right, Viveka?”

Her eyes darted to the floor, not so much avoiding eye contact, but more of a natural response as she relaxed.

“R-right,” I replied quickly.

Tana scoffed at the response before playfully pushing me toward our homeroom. Yoruko followed behind as I took a moment to listen to my own thoughts.

Anon Kadekaru? Cloey Sebastiane and Kira Hanazono? Does that mean both Anon and Cloey are going to meet him? She’s slowly making new friends after everything we’ve been through.

“Everything we’ve been through?”

A sudden spike of pain shot through my head, a sharp ringing filling my ears as I felt my strength waver.

“You okay, Viveka?”

Tana paused, concern crossing her face, while Yoruko watched from a distance.

"I’m fine, just a sudden migraine, I guess."

I steadied myself, pushing through the pain as I reached my homeroom. I opened the door, only for Tana to sneak past me. Yoruko, however, lingered by my side for a moment before whispering in my ear.

“Your thoughts are really all over the place,” she whispered.

With that, she walked past me, leaving me to ponder her words for a moment.

It’s your words that are all tangled up in my mind!

A slight wave of annoyance washed over me.

“Just watch,” I muttered.

The classroom door closed behind me as homeroom officially began.