Genshin Impact School AU (OC)

Chapter 7: New Friends

Kanae sat inside a private karaoke room surrounded by nothing but students from either the same class or different class. The only ones he was familiar with was Miko, Ei and Sara.

"This is really awkward... I don't know how to approach people..." Kanae thought while the group talked to each other excluding him.

A few hours earlier, Kanae quietly sat in the corner of the classroom since Xiao and Ganyu hasn't arrived yet then Miko approached him.

"Hey, Kanae! Let's go karaoke later. I somehow felt like eating and singing there later, so let's go together with Ei and Sara We're also bringing some other friends later." Miko invited him out of the blue.

"Sorry, I have to come home as soon as school ends since I have to cook dinner for my sister before she gets home." Kanae said without even moving his eye away from the textbook he was answering.

"Come on. It's just once. Plus, I heard their food is good there." Miko pouted and Kanae could only react with a creeped out face.

"What's that face for?" Ei asked while she and Sara just watched the two with a deadpanned face.

"No idea." Sara replied.

"I really can't. I have responsibilities." Kanae said while trying to look away from Miko who tried to get in his view.

"It's such a waste that you can't come with us. I heard they had unlimited wasabi there." Miko stood up and sighed in disappointment.

"I'll ask my sister what time she's coming home tonight." Kanae said and messaged his sister while the teacher hasn't arrived yet either.

"She really knows how to exploit him, does she?" Sara asked and Ei only nodded.

"It'll be a great opportunity for you to make more friends, Kanae. It's hurting me from the bottom of my heart that you only have us as your friends." Miko said with her hand on her chest and the usual smug smile that pisses Kanae off.

"You don't look like it..." Kanae thought, stopping himself from covering Miko's face with the textbook he was holding.

"Oh, your sister said she might be late and get dinner outside with her friends, so you can go with us." Miko said, reading the text message on Kanae's phone.

"How are you reading it upside down?" Kanae asked with an irritated tone.

"So, it's a plan then. You're coming with us later then." Miko said with a smile and Kanae just gave her a small nod before she went back to her seat when Ganyu and Xiao arrived.

After classes and the club, Kanae stood at the school gate with Miko and her friends-waiting for the other students Miko told them would come with them.

"Oh, Itto and Shinobu is here with Heizou. Ayaka also came with Ayato and Thoma." Sara said while pointing at the group of people walking towards them.

"You brought a new friend, Miko. Mind introducing him to us? I'm sure we'd be great friends." A blue-haired man with a beauty mark on the side of his mouth asked.

"Gah-! Who invited this kid?" Miko grabbed Kanae's shoulder and hid behind him with an irritated look on her face.

"Don't be like that, Miko. Ayaka invited me here after you invited her. She and Thoma heard the boba from that karaoke place was good so I had no choice." He replied with a completely unbothered face.

"I didn't know someone who irritates people can also get irritated." Kanae sweat dropped at the two.

"Anyways, this is Kiritani Kanae. A friend and classmate of mine. Also Ei and Sara's." Miko introduced Kanae who gave them a small wave and a wry smile.

"This thing is Ayato. The one beside Ayato is Thoma. Next to Thoma is Ayaka—Ayato's sister. Then Shinobu and Heizou. I'm sure you know Itto." Miko said as she pointed at her friends who also gave Kanae a bright smile.

"Ah, I remember you now. You're the small dude that sits between Xiao and Ganyu." Itto laughed while he shook hands with Kanae.

"Boss, he looks mad to me." Shinobu sighed while Heizou nodded beside her.

"Don't rub more of your stupidity on Kiritani." Sara said while separating Itto and Kanae's hand from each other.

"Anyway, let's go before we run out of rooms. I heard that place was popular." Ei suggested and they finally decided to go.

They arrived just on time before the karaoke place was about to run out of private rooms. The group entered their private room after ordering some food and start singing.

"Miko, where's the unlimited wasabi here in the menu?" Kanae asked and Miko sat next to him with a smile that tells Kanae he was played.

"There's no unlimited wasabi. I knew you love wasabi so much that I could exploit you with unlimited wasabi. But, worry not. I'll buy you wasabi ice cream." Miko said with the teehee face.

"No thanks. I'm not a fan of wasabi ice cream." Kanae said shocking Miko who actually thought he'd like it.

"Let's start singing then!" Itto shouted joyfully as the boys could dryly laugh at him while Shinobu and Sara just sighed in disappointment.

"This is so awkward... I don't know how to approach people... I'm just gonna eat what I ordered." Kanae looked around and saw them listening to Thoma and Itto sing together. Not a single person interacting with him yet.

"How do you feel?" Ei suddenly moved next to Kanae and asked him.

"I want to say I'm uncomfortable around many people in enclosed and small spaces, but that might ruin the mood in the room." Kanae thought and he ended up telling Ei everything feels new to him since there aren't a lot of these in the countryside.

"You should go for a sing." Ei suggested, handing Kanae the songbook and remote.

"Huh? Are you sure? I can't really sing that well." Kanae said.

"The others are still eating. And I thought it'd be great if you were to try singing here just once. I'm quite sure you can sing well judging by your voice." Ei said. Somehow, those words felt genuine and unauthentic to him at the same. Perhaps it was because of the unlimited wasabi scam he fell for.

"I'll sing with you. If you feel uncomfortable singing alone." Ei also added.

"I'm probably uncomfortable because I'm singing in front of people I barely know... I would sing if it was just me and my sister here." Kanae had no choice, but he had to since this might be once in a while for him.

Kanae and Ei ended up singing a j-pop song chosen by Kanae. Both of them somehow got a 100 despite Kanae's shaky voice.

"Kanae, you have a great voice! We should try singing together!" Itto praised Kanae while giving him a thumbs up.

Kanae might not be able to show it, but he was feeling some undescribable warmth inside of him from the words of praise they said to him after he sang.

"So, how do you feel?" Miko asked as she sat down next to Kanae.

"I feel a bit more comfortable around groups now." Kanae said while scratching the back of his head.

"I told you this was a great opportunity. If I hadn't faked that unlimited wasabi, you wouldn't experience something like this." Miko giggled.

Their time ended and they had to go home, but before that, the others made sure to add Kanae's LINE ID so they could get connected anytime.

Kanae returned home the same time Sanae arrived.

"Aww... My little brother finally has friends! I'm so happy since you never had any friends in the past." Sanae exclaimed while pulling her younger brother's cheeks.

"Please don't bring that up..." Kanae sighed while the two of them entered inside the apartment.