HEATED RIVALRY • 𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐱 𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

SIX.

After a few hours, you awoke from your nap. It was an ungodly hour—but you tended to work better at such off timings. It was currently four in the morning, and classes started at eight. Which meant you had four hours to do some class prep.

This time, your class was apparently analyzing The Merchant Of Venice—the one with Portia and the ring, if you remembered correctly. It was quite a stabilizing, relaxing environment—rain poured outside, its tiny droplets dripping off the window in a slow motion. Lightning and thunder reverberated outside, and paired with the earbuds plugged in your ears playing New Jeans, you felt completely at ease for the first time since you had arrived at school.

In fact, even your home hadn't been as relaxing as this. You were thankful you could be away from home at such a moment—you heard that your mother was getting sent death threats from a very enraged neighbor who had played Dream songs as revenge. If you didn't know what the definition of torture was, now you knew.

"Write a paper on Portia's character..." you mumbled under your breath, "wait, pair work?"

Another issue: you had made absolutely zero friends since you had arrived. You told yourself comfortingly it was by choice; and you were ready to act mysterious and a cold, brooding loner, but damn, your cover was already blown.

"I can't even ask Jun. He hates me, and he's a level above me. So are Daichi and Saito..." you groaned, biting your lip so hard blood started to trickle out.

And why would you ask Saito, who had seemed so friendly at first glance before he had gone and pulled off that trick? Again, it had been nostalgic to you, but very, very annoying to clean up after. Plus, your fingers throbbed ever so slightly whenever you wiggled them.

I'll get a drink, was your final, defeated thought. Some caffeine would be good right now to make it through the day.

Making as little sound as possible, you grabbed a jacket, throwing it over your body before zipping it up. Jun was sleeping soundly—he looked relaxed, dare you say beautiful—and calm. He looked good, you couldn't deny, and it was his irritability and the constant fake smile on his face that threw you off. If only he was this cordial or calm when you two were talking, then you would have willingly become friends with him.

But as of now, the hatred—though subtle, and barely simmering—was still visible on his expression when he spoke to you. He disliked you, probably as you two were polar opposites. Jun had a strange fixation with rules that was made apparent, while you didn't care much for them. Of course, you knew there was a line you wouldn't cross, but silly rules never did much to stop you.

Maybe if I bought breakfast back for him, he wouldn't be so grumpy, you wondered. I wonder what he likes? Bagels? French toast? Donuts? To be frank, he seemed like the kind of guy who would go by a strict meal plan that only consisted of extremely well balanced meals. His physique was muscular, and when you glanced at him moving around, you could see his back muscles ripple.

Nevermind. You didn't wish to bring yourself to care for such a blatant asshole. The whole student council was radiating off fakeness; with deceit falling from their empty smiles, and indecipherable emotions swirling in their eyes. You would have rather not associate yourself with them, but it was too bad. They were after you, for whatever reason you just didn't understand.

The door closed with a small thud sound as you looked around the hallways. It was quiet outside, safe for the sound of tiny crickets outside the windows, and the pattering of rain. New Jeans's Ditto played in your ears. Gosh, you just loved their songs.

A small cafe was in the corner. Almost like it was a sign of just how prestigious Daisei Institution was, instead of the usual vending machines, there were twenty four hour cafes littered around the school. They served the usual—cappuccinos, frappes, but for now, all you ordered was a simple black coffee. It was an acquired taste, after you had destroyed your sleeping schedule by watching reruns of Modern Family.