Between Class And Heart Beats (chapter)

The morning sun filtered through the tall windows of Sakura High, casting warm light across the bustling hallway. Students chattered, their voices mixing into a chaotic symphony of laughter, footsteps, and locker doors slamming.

Among the sea of uniforms, Yui Matsumoto walked gracefully, a stack of books pressed tightly to her chest. Heads turned as she passed, she was hard not to notice. Her long black hair shimmered with every step, her pale skin contrasted with her piercing blue eyes, and her figure carried an elegance that didn’t belong to a girl her age.

But Yui wasn’t interested in the stares. Her eyes searched for only one person.

And there he was.

Yuto Takahashi.

He leaned lazily against his locker, one earbud in, flipping through a comic book as if the noisy hallway didn’t exist. His hair was messy, falling into his eyes in a way that made him look effortlessly cool. A faint smirk tugged at his lips, the kind that always made girls whisper and giggle behind their hands.

Yui’s heart skipped.

You’re here… like always. Do you know I look for you every morning? Do you realize how many times I dream of you before I even step through these doors?

Her grip on the books tightened. She knew his habits by heart: he always leaned on that same locker, always put his left earbud in first, always smiled at the page before flipping it. She noticed everything about him.

She wanted to know more. She wanted to know everything.

But before her thoughts could spiral further, her heel caught the edge of the floor tile.

“Ah!”

The books slipped from her arms, scattering toward the ground.

A hand shot out, catching the top one just before it hit the floor. Yuto’s voice, light and teasing, followed:

“Careful, Matsumoto. You almost made a scene.”

Yui’s cheeks burned as she looked up at him. His grin was playful, almost mocking, but his eyes held an odd kindness.

“I-I’m fine,” she stammered, clutching the remaining books tighter. “Th-thank you.”

Around them, a few students chuckled, amused by the flustered Yui Matsumoto, the usually composed, admired girl reduced to awkward fumbling. Yuto didn’t seem to care. He handed the book back with a shrug, slipping his hand into his pocket.

“See you around,” he said casually, walking toward the classroom.

Yui’s lips parted slightly as she stared after him. The sound of his voice lingered in her ears, the warmth of his hand still imprinted on her book.

See you around? You will. You’ll always see me. Even if you don’t realize it yet.

The classroom smelled faintly of chalk and sunlight when Yui entered. She slid into her seat near the window, her blue eyes drifting unconsciously to Yuto, who lounged three rows away with his chin propped in his hand. He was laughing at something one of his friends said, carefree and bright in a way that made Yui’s stomach twist with longing.

The teacher clapped her hands to quiet the class. “Alright, everyone, listen up! The school festival is coming soon. Each of you will be paired with a partner for a class project.”

The room buzzed with groans and whispers. Yui sat up straighter, her pen poised.

“Pairings are already decided,” the teacher continued, reading from a list. “Matsumoto Yui… Takahashi Yuto.”

The words rang in Yui’s ears like a melody. For a heartbeat, she couldn’t breathe. Then her lips curved into a soft smile she tried to hide.

It’s fate. It has to be. Out of everyone in this class, out of everyone in this school… it’s you. It’s always been you.

Across the room, Yuto blinked in mild surprise. Then he smirked, tilting his head toward her.

“Well, looks like we’re stuck together, Matsumoto,” he said, his voice carrying that same teasing lilt. “Don’t slow me down, okay?”

The class chuckled. A few students whispered things like, “Lucky,” and “Those two would actually look good together.”

Yui’s polite smile never wavered, but under the desk, her nails dug lightly into her palm.

Slow you down? No. I’ll be the only one who keeps up with you. I’ll be the only one by your side. I’ll make sure of it.

When the bell rang, the class emptied in a rush of footsteps and chatter. Yui lingered just long enough to let Yuto leave first, then followed at a measured pace.

As they stepped through the doorway, their elbows brushed.

“Oops. Sorry,” Yuto said casually, bending down to pick up a pencil she had dropped. He held it out with that infuriatingly charming grin. “Try not to lose all your stuff today.”

He winked before walking ahead, hands in his pockets, his silhouette catching the afternoon light.

Yui closed her fingers tightly around the pencil. Her heart thudded as if it might burst. She slipped it into her pocket carefully, like a secret.

This is mine now. A piece of you. Just like how you’ll be mine, too.

Her steps were quiet as she followed him into the sunlight, her sweet smile hiding the storm swirling in her heart.