Your Name?

Oh? A new classmate?

He saw the new boy coming in, wearing a cap and a hoodie, his hands in his pockets. "Welcome!" said the teacher. "How about introducing yourself to your new class?" She smiled warmly.

"Sanchou Mao..." he said dryly, averting his gaze from the class, "9 years old..."

Oh? His voice is kinda...

"Good job, Mao!" praised the teacher. "Now, class, please greet your new friend!"

"Welcome, Sanchou!" they all said in unison.

"Now, Mao, I should have warned you earlier not to wear so many clothes to school. We need to see your uniform to know you're from our school, okay?"

He zipped up his sweatshirt and showed his uniform. The teacher smiled understandingly. "I know you're from our school. But you need to show your uniform at all times."

"I don't wanna," he said, looking away and pouting.

"I'm sorry, Mao, but it's in the rules. I'll let it slide this time, but don't come with a hoodie tomorrow, okay? That goes for your cap too."

"Hmph..." he looked down, defeated.

"Now, please choose a place to sit."

Hmm... he seems so frail and weak... I bet he doesn't like Physical Education, just like me!

He grinned at the new boy, wiggling his ridiculous round glasses like an evil genius.

We're going to get along so well!

The boy fixed his gaze on him, walked to his desk, stared at him, and then sat down at the desk next to him.

I can finally have a new friend! Someone who matches my genius!

He started laughing loudly, like an evil scientist. The teacher looked at him, confused. "Sorry..." he murmured.

"Now, class, how about we all introduce ourselves for the first day? Some of you already know me, but for those who are new, my name is Sugihara. Please call me Sugihara-sensei, understood?"

"Yes, Sugihara-sensei!" everyone said, besides him, who was staring at his new potential friend.

His hair is red... I like that color. It resembles evilness, just like my personality! Hahaha!

Some of his colleagues looked at him, confused by his meaningless muttering. He closed his mouth again and tried to act naturally. More awkwardly, actually. Mao stared at him with a penetrating gaze.

"Yuri."

Oh no! Have I already scared him with my genius? Well, I think I'd better stop being weird...

"Yuri?" the teacher asked, looking directly at him.

"Eh? What did I do wrong?"

"It's your turn to introduce yourself."

"I-Introduce myself? Oh, right!" He stood up abruptly. "I'm Sukina Yuri, I-I'm also 9 years old! I was born here!"

Taking advantage of his opaque glasses, he glanced at the new student, expecting some reaction. Mao, however, merely stared at him, impassive, but not uninterested.

"Good job, Yuri. Now, Tanaka."

He sat down, trembling with nervousness. Oh, how I hate introducing myself...

He tried to calm down, but Mao's gaze began to bother him. "Class, please pay attention when someone else is talking!" They looked at the student who was introducing themselves, but they were thinking about something else.

Yuri's legs swung back and forth as he impatiently waited for recess. He held his chin, yawning and dying of boredom. Come on, why do we need to waste so much time in class? I can learn all this in a few weeks...

The clock kept ticking rhytmically.

But I don't like Physical Education either... I wonder if Mao is smarter than me...

Mao frequently glanced at Yuri, both unable to concentrate in class.

Smarter or dumber than me, he seems cool. He doesn't care about seeming uninterested... Good thing my glasses hide my eyes, so I can sleep... of course not. I'd save so much time if I could sleep in class...

The school bell finally rang, waking everyone. The students left the classroom, one by one, all tired, even though only a few hours had passed. When Yuri picked up his lunchbox and stood up, Mao also stood up, looking around. "Mao," the teacher called, "don't be afraid to make friends. They may seem unapproachable at first, but they are friendly."

He didn't respond. Instead, he waited for Yuri, who also expected him to leave. They exchanged glances occasionally for a while, until Yuri decided to walk past him. What's gotten into him? Is he bewitched by my wickedness?

Mao followed him a few steps behind. Is he following me? What does he want? Yuri stopped. Mao also stopped. Yuri walked a few steps. Mao also walked a few steps. Is he mimicking me? There's only one way to know!

Yuri turned around quickly. Mao didn't. They stared at each other for a while, until Yuri raised his hand. "Hi..." he said and laughed awkwardly. Mao did the same, but calmly.

"Did you know that... uhh... hi!" he stammered again, unable to form a complete sentence. Mao raised his hand once more. "Hi."

Did you know that more than half of humanity needs to drink water to survive?

Mao showed no reaction for a painfully long time. "Cool." Then, another long period of silence bothered Yuri.

"W-Well, I'm going outside now. Do you want to come?"

"Sure."

They went to the schoolyard. Yuri sat on a bench and opened his lunchbox. Mao stared at him, still standing. "Sit down," Yuri said with a smile. Mao followed his advice and sat on the edge of the bench. H-He's that afraid of me?!

"Y-You don't need to sit so far away... isn't it uncomfortable?"

"No. I'm used to it." Mao sat a little closer to Yuri, his hands resting on his own lap and his legs crossed.

I think he might be weirder than me...

"Do you want some?" Yuri offered Mao some of his food. Mao stared at it for a while, then frowned and looked away. "No."

"Are you sure? Didn't you bring yours?"

"No. I don't need to."

"We're still in the growth phase, remember? We need to eat regularly, otherwise our bodies will suffer the consequences."

Mao didn't answer. Yuri, annoyed by the silence, offered his food again, now with a smile. "Come on, take some." Why am I the one lecturing about healthy eating? Usually it's the other way around...

Mao reached out to grab the rice. "W-Wait, don't do that!" Yuri shouted, startling the boy, who recoiled, his eyes wide. "Uh... u-use this!" Yuri smiled awkwardly as he picked up some rice with his chopsticks and brought it to Mao's mouth.

He stared into Yuri's eyes for a moment, then ate the rice. "Does it taste good?" Yuri asked. "Hmm," the other agreed. "W-We can't eat things directly with our hands... it's not healthy."

"Why?" Mao replied. "I do it all the time and I am okay."

"Y-You always eat like that...? I mean, it's not like you're going to die, but..."

"Try it."

"Huh?"

"Use your hand."

"N-No way! I was holding a pencil minutes ago, and..."

"Do it," Mao commanded, staring intently into his eyes. "Please."

Yuri hesitated for a while, disgusted by the idea of infecting his food and then eating it. He then grabbed a few grams of rice and ate it.

"Did it hurt?" Mao asked.

"No..."

"See? I told you it would be okay."

"Germs can't be seen without special glasses or equipment..."

"But you can, right? With your glasses."

"M-My glasses aren't special..."

"Really? You look like a scientist."

"Heh. Everyone tells me that!" Yuri smiled proudly. Finally, someone recognizes me!

"But how does it work? Can I try it?" Mao reached out for Yuri's glasses.

"N-No, don't take it!" Mao recoiled. "I-It's part of my being... Who knows what might happen if it leaves my face? The world could end!"

"S-Seriously?"

"Y-Yeah! And I could lose my evil powers if you remove my special weapon!"

"Your special weapon...?" Mao frowned, surprised by his grand statement. Then, he began to laugh.

"I-I'm not kidding..."

"Then let me test them!" Mao reached out to grab the glasses, causing Yuri to recoil. Mao started chasing after him, who ran away scared. After a while, he stopped being followed. He stopped to look back; Mao was out of breath. He returned, worried. "Are you okay?" He reached out to help him up.

"Thanks..." Mao seized the opportunity and took Yuri's glasses, causing him to cover his eyes with his arm in embarrassment. "You... you betrayed me!"

"Oh, everything looks so... blurry."

"G-Give it back! If anyone sees my eyes, I might..."

"Relax, four-eyes. Here, take them back." Mao returned the glasses. "I didn't know you needed them so badly."

Yuri grabbed his glasses, still a little annoyed. "I can't see anything without them... Ah, I contaminated you with my germs! We need to wash our hands quickly!" Yuri stormed off to the bathroom.

"W-Wait!"