Zero Expectations

A Chance of Happiness Chapter 0: Zero Expectations

The floor of the hospital hallway was illuminated by the faint glow from the streetlights. Dark and gloomy rain clouds cover the sky as the rainfall forms a melodious pattern against the windows.

A figure sat in one of the waiting chairs on the side of the hallway, slouching over, drenched in their black hoodie. The ticking sound of the clock on the wall seemed to increase with their anxiety, almost fighting with the melodious rain over control of the ambience in the hallway. The figure turns towards the operating room at the end of the hallway, tightening their grip on their black and red phone. Over the doors of the operating room the neon sign read, ‘Operation in Progress’. As the figure continued to stare at the doors of the operating room the minutes began to pass like days. The neon sign felt like it was on for an eternity, until suddenly, it wasn’t.

“The world is a harsh, cruel, and unforgiving place. It can take, take, and keep on taking… never giving anything in return. Something I’m sure everyone is all too familiar with.” The hospital hallway darkened as the Figure finally spoke.

The pouring rain fell with the dark and gloomy rain clouds covering the sky again. Under his umbrella, Jin Rento approached his new school, Chiyofumi High, and as per tradition, he plans to start the same way he always has. With zero expectations.

“Nothing ever seems to change.” Jin looked up towards the gloomy, darkened sky. “Even the weather’s the same.”

Jin traversed through the crowd of students, heading towards his very first student orientation at the gymnasium. Even though school hadn’t officially started he could see people grouping up with their friends, catching up after their summer breaks. Hearing glimpses of their conversations as he passed by it was nothing out of the ordinary. Casual conversation, stories about how they spent their break, and stories about others. Or rumors rather. Something Jin is all too familiar with. After all, he’s been chased by them for a long time

Jin pulled up his hood as he continued towards the gym, attempting to ignore all the conversations around him. He entered the gym, seeing students filling the bleachers surrounding the court. In the center of the court there was a platform and podium where teachers began to gather, taking their seats. Jin walked up the bleachers, taking a seat in a fairly isolated corner next to a girl in a black and purple hoodie. He looked over to see the girl engrossed in a game console paying him no mind. Returning his focus to the court, he watched as students continued to slowly fill up the rest of the bleachers.

As the students continued to make their way into the gym, Jin spots another boy with dark blue hair bobbing up and down appearing to be looking for someone. The boy finally spots Jin in the corner of the gym.

He raises his hand and waves in Jin’s direction. “Hey!” As the boy speaks, Jin notices the girl next to him tense up in surprise, nearly dropping her game console. The boy begins to move up the bleachers moving in between and around others. He slips on one of the bleachers falling forwards just before Jin.

“Ouch, ah, Jin, buddy, little help? Please?” The boy pleaded as he reached out his hand, struggling to get out of the gap between the bleachers. Jin looked back at the girl briefly to see her already refocused on her game console before turning back to the boy. “Any day now, but honestly now would be great.”

“That’s certainly one way to make an entrance, Vernon.” Jin reaches out his hand to help him up, getting his leg out from the hole between the bleachers.

“You know me, always a flair for the dramatic.”

“More like pathetic.” Jin retorted, casting a slight grin.

“Uncalled for, but fair enough.” Vernon took a seat next to Jin. “So what happened to the meeting by the front gate?”

“Too loud. Plus, you were late.”

“You call it late, I call it punctual.”

“If you even knew how to use the word properly you’d know you just contradicted yourself.”

“Whatever, at least I made it here. What would you do without me?”

“Not sure, maybe I’d have some peace and quiet though.”

The two laughed as they heard feedback from someone tapping on a microphone. Looking down at the podium they saw a young teacher with lighter brown hair and glasses on the stand.

“Welcome students to another start of the year at Chiyofumi High. My name is Katsunori Hayase, I’m currently the principal here at the school. Behind me you will find some of our incredible staff and faculty who will be teaching you throughout your time here. First of all, I would like to welcome you all back and welcome all the new students who are starting their first year to Chiyofumi High’s community. We hope each and every one of you will enjoy your time here with us. Next, for those who aren’t aware yet, this orientation will take the place of your homeroom class for today. Unfortunately, most of you will have to wait to meet your homeroom teachers until tomorrow. At the end of this assembly, please head to your next class…”

Katsunori continued his speech, introducing himself, the other teachers, school policies, expectations, and class schedules. Jin took the piece of paper with his schedule on it from his pocket and unfolded it. He looked at his schedule to see his next class:

Homeroom | Teacher: Suzume Conway

Science - Physics | Teacher: Okimi Hirata

Mathematics - Algebra | Teacher: Ryuji Chino

English | Teacher: Eric Conway

Japanese | Teacher: Suzume Conway

P.E. | Teacher: Tora Kimura

“Physics.” Jin looked over to see Vernon peering over his shoulder.

“Aw man, we hardly have any classes together. Just Homeroom, English, and Mathematics.” Vernon whined.

“That’s half of the classes, I’d say that’s enough.”

“Enough?! How could you be satisfied with ‘just enough’?! Does our time together mean nothing to you?!”

Jin gave him a blank look.

“Ok, fair enough, that is pretty lucky.”

“It is.”

“Still, we could always spend more time together if you join up with the drama club. I’m stopping by to check it out once club recruitment starts so we should–”

“No.”

Vernon gives him a surprised and defeated expression. “At least hear me out! It’d be so much fun! Just think about it, you and me on stage, in front of the entire school.”

“I’d rather not.”

Katsunori finishes his speech as the bell rings. They both get out of their seats and walk down the bleachers with the crowd.

“Alright, I’m this way. I think.” Vernon gestures towards the back exit of the gym. “Think about the drama club! Think of all the fun you'll have!” he yells as he runs out the exit.

“I’d rather not. Besides, you look much better under the spotlight.” Jin thought to himself as he turned to exit the gym.

Jin makes his way out of the gym and follows the directions to get to his next class. He finds the class and walks through the door as he feels himself press down on something under the doormat. In that instant, an explosion of confetti and glitter spring out from above him.

Jin froze in place, shocked by what had just happened. “The hell–”

“WELCOME to Physics 101!” a voice yelled before Jin could even finish his thought. “The force you generated from stepping on the pressure plate released the celebration explosion you’re now covered in! What do you think?! Cool, right?!”

Jin turned to find a young woman on his left who was holding a pair of pom-poms with the widest grin on her face. He took a moment to look around the class to see most of the other students were still dusting themselves off from when they walked in.

“You gotta be kidding me.” Jin thought to himself, turning back to the young woman.

She put down the pom-poms and moved beside Jin, picking up a bottle filled with confetti and glitter. “Hello! Sorry about that, welcome to my class! You may call me Okimi-sensei or Okimi-san! No need to use my last name or any other formalities for that matter. Please take any available seat you would like! Do be quick about it, there are more coming!”

Jin moves out of the way as he watches Okimi start to refill her “welcoming contraption”. Dusting off the glitter and confetti on him he moves towards the back of the room to an open seat in the corner. As he sits down he sees Okimi quickly getting down from the chair and preparing for the next students to arrive. He hears the contraption go off again, followed by a couple girlish screams and laughter. Scanning the classroom once more, he confirmed two things. His teacher might be a ‘bit’ crazy, and that there were several people in the room looking at him with judgemental expressions.

“Seems like things really don’t change.” Jin thought to himself, laying his arms and head down on the table. “This is just how it’s going to be. How it’s always going to be…”

“Excuse me?” Jin heard someone call nearby.

Jin didn’t pay attention to the voice. Assuming it was someone else having a conversation in the classroom.

“Excuse me?” the same voice asked again.

He continued to pay it no mind until suddenly, he got a tap on the shoulder.

“Excuse me, sorry if you were sleeping, I just wanted to ask if this seat was taken or not.”

“No…” Jin began, picking himself off from the table. “But–” Jin stopped as soon as he made eye contact with the person who asked him.

Looking over from his resting position Jin found himself next to one of the girls who had just walked in. An extraordinarily stunning girl with long, light brown hair and blue eyes looking right at him.

“Sorry for waking you. My eyesights fairly good so I figured I’d take a seat further back so others could sit near the front who needed it.” She sat down and looked at Jin’s surprised expression. “Right, sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name’s Mina Yuriko. What’s yours?”

Before Jin could answer, the awkward silence was interrupted by more students walking through the door, setting off the ‘welcome contraption’.

“WELCOME to Physics 101!” Okimi yelled, followed by the surprised reactions of the students who had just walked in.