It had been a few days since they began class. The main school still wasn't open yet but the cram students were hard at work already. In those few days, [Y/n] had become closer to Bon, Rin, Yukio, Shima and Konekomaru. He had introduced himself to Kamiki, who just seemed like an overly self-confident bitch, and Paku, who actually seemed really nice. However, he still hadn't said a word to Yamada or Takara.
As the students talked among themselves, the door was abruptly swung open. [Y/n] looked up from his seat beside Bon as Yukio stepped into the room with a short girl with shoulder-length blond hair. [Y/n] raised an eyebrow in confusion as he looked over her outfit. Instead of the school uniform, the girl was wearing a traditional kimono.
"This is your new classmate, Shiemi Moriyama." Yukio announced, gesturing toward the girl.
"I-It's a pleasure to meet you all!" Moriyama greeted anxiously with a bow. [Y/n] took note of how nervous she seemed to be. Not that he could blame her. Everyone watched her in a mix of interest and confusion as she hastily shuffled to the seat beside Rin. As she took her seat, Yukio said his hellos and left, letting the teacher for the first period take over. The teacher quickly set out his instructions, letting the students read at their own pace.
"Check her out." Shima muttered, turning back to face Bon and [Y/n] as he excitedly elbowed Konekomaru while smirking. He was staring at Moriyama with a sly smile and a perverted look. Bon and Konekomaru both groaned in annoyance while [Y/n] just stared at him with a blank expression.
"Seriously?" He asked monotone turning toward Bon, who looked ready to slap Shima.
"Knock it off, Shima." Konekomaru sighed, shaking his head at the pink-haired boy's antics. Shima waved him off as he continued to stare at Moriyama.
"He has no shame, huh?" [Y/n] sweatdropped, keeping a blank stare as he watched Shima shamelessly gawk at the new girl. Bon let out a defeated sigh as he shook his head.
"Nope." He replied, a disappointed tone in his voice.
"And he's supposed to be a monk." Konekomaru added, shoving Shima lightly in an attempt to get him to stop gawking and pay attention to class.
"Oh, lighten up a little." Shima brushed off their complaining, shrugging his shoulders. Bon continued to glare at Shima while [Y/n] and Konekomaru gave him a disappointed look.
"Okumura. Okumura." The teacher suddenly pulled their attention from Shima's perversion to the sleeping student. "Okumura!" The teacher yelled, finally succeeding in waking the boy. Rin woke up in a panic, almost throwing his book into the air in the process.
"Sukiyaki!" Rin exclaimed as he woke up, quickly wiping the drool from his chin. [Y/n] sweatdropped.
'He was dreaming about food?' He thought silently, raising an eyebrow while letting a small yet amused smile cross his lips.
"If you don't intend to pay attention, you're free to leave anytime." The teacher offered, causing Rin to shrink awkwardly in his seat.
"Yes, sir. Sorry about that." Rin apologised, trying to find the page that he was supposed to be on. To his left, [Y/n] heard an annoyed growl from Bon.
"Why is he even here?" Bon complained, glaring at the back of Rin's head. [Y/n] assumed that Rin must have felt Bon staring because he flinched slightly before slowly turning round to them. Rin glanced at [Y/n], who gave his dormmate/friend a small smile and a nod before his eyes fell on Bon, who death glared at him. "Piss off!" Bon sneered, making the other boy raise an eyebrow in confusion. Rin just stared at Bon for a couple more seconds before turning back around. Just before he did, [Y/n] could have sworn he saw the faintest blush on his cheeks. He snicked quietly while elbowing the still-irritated Bon.
"Looks like someone made a new friend." [Y/n] teased, earning a glare and an eye roll from Bon.
"Shut up." Bon replied, turning back to his book before he started scribbling down notes in his workbook.
"Okumura!" The teacher suddenly called out again, this time failing to wake up Rin, who had somehow already fallen back asleep. [Y/n] sweatdropped as he watched Rin sink further and further into the chair while the teacher attempted to wake him up.
"That was fast." [Y/n] muttered under his breath, chuckling quietly to himself as he watched Bon snap his pencil in his hand before turning back to the work that they were assigned.
~*~
The next two classes played out the exact same. Demon Classification and Grimoire Literature both consisted of everyone else taking notes and listening intently while Rin slept sitting up, only waking up for a brief second when called upon by the teacher before immediately falling back asleep. [Y/n] cringed at his behaviour, although he did find it pretty funny, maybe even a bit endearing. Meanwhile, Bon looked ready to break him in half.
"All right everyone, I'm going to hand back your quizzes now." Yukio announced as he shuffled through the paper in his hands. [Y/n] was impressed that he had them all corrected already. "Shima." Yukio stared, calling the pink-haired boy to collect his test.
"Coming." Shima replied, sliding out of his seat before strutting up to the front of the class. Yukio gave some quick feedback before letting Shima head back to his seat.
"How'd you do?" Konekomaru asked as Shima sat down beside him. Shima smirked, hiding up his paper in response. [Y/n] saw that he got 76 out of 100 marks. "Not bad." Konekomaru praised, giving Shima a small smile.
"How'd you forget aloe vera?" Bon asked, genuinely surprised by such an easy mistake. Shima looked hurt by the tone and question.
"[L/n]." Yukio suddenly called on him. [Y/n] nodded as he stood up.
"Yes, sir." He replied, making his way toward his instructor, who held out the page for him to take.
"You definitely meant what you said about the theory." Yukio announced with a smile as he handed [Y/n] the paper. The [h/c]-haired boy looked down and let out a breath of relief when he saw his score. All those hours he spent reading in Mabaa's library were definitely paying off. "Very well done. Just watch out for number 7. You mixed up the dosage amounts of marigolds and dandelions. It's a very common mistake, though." Yukio praised before giving his brief bit of advice.
"Right. Thank you." [Y/n] replied, flashing Yukio a quick smile before walking back to his desk.
"How'd you do?" Konekomaru asked excitedly as [Y/n] sat down. [Y/n] just imitated Shima's previous action, holding up the paper for all of them to see. Shima's eyes went wide while Bon and Konekomoru raised their eyebrows in surprise.
"You got a 99?!" Shima shrieked, staring at [Y/n]'s test in bewilderment. A few of the other students turned toward them at the sudden noise. [Y/n] just gave him a quick wink as he stuck his tongue out playfully.
"Nice work, man." Bon congratulated, raising his hand for a fist bump that [Y/n] happily accepted.
"Thanks." [Y/n] replied as they tapped knuckles.
"You thought you had it nailed!" Rin's voice was heard as everyone turned to see him playfully teasing Moriyama over her test results.
"Okumura!" Yukio snapped, handing Rin his paper. The second Rin saw his result, his laughter died down. "You're giving me an ulcer." Yukio groaned as his right eye twitched, a deathly aura surrounding him. Rin's happy attitude deflated instantly.
"Sorry, teach." He apologised, looking down at his test in remorse. [Y/n] felt bad for him but couldn't stop the quiet snickers that escaped his lips.
"Karma's a bitch." [Y/n] teased quietly, thinking about how Rin was laughing one second and on the verge of crying the next.
"Suguro." Yukio called out, gaining everyone's attention again. Bon nodded as he stood up.
"Yes, sir." He responded before sliding past [Y/n] and heading to the front of the class. As he passed Rin, [Y/n] could hear Bon mutter something to him. "I couldn't get a 2 even if I tried." Bon commented in a pretty rude tone, sending Rin a side glare as he walked by him. Rin raised an eyebrow, confused by Bon's random announcement. "It's 'cause you keep flirting with that girl, jackass." Bon sneered as Rin began to glare at him.
"Oh year, rooster boy? What makes you think you'll do any better?" Rin asked, galling his hand into fists as he took a step forward.
"All your hard work paid off, Suguro." Yukio praised as he handed Bon his paper. Suguro smirked as he held up his result so Rn could see it plain and clear.
"What the hell?!" Rin exclaimed as he read the result with wide eyes. "Seriously?! How could a punk rock reject like you get a 98?!" Rin shrieked, glaring at the taller male. Bon growled at his comment.
"What'd you say?! Listen, you loser, I came to this school because I'm serious about becoming an exorcist!" Bon replied, his answer seeming to shock Rin. "And everyone here is studying hard because they want to become exorcists too!" He added, gesturing toward the rest of the students. [Y/n] quickly glanced toward Takata, who seemed to be talking to his puppet, and Yamada, who was playing some kind of handheld game. He sweatdropped at the sight. Maybe Bon's last comment wasn't the most accurate. "You're not serious about it so drop out and get lost!" Suguro finished, shaking his head dismissively. That only seemed to annoy Rin even more.
"Hey, who the hell do you think you are telling me to get lost?! Believe it or not, I'm here 'cause I wanna become an exorcist too!" Rin snapped back, letting out a low growl of irritation as he grew angrier and angrier by the second.
"Oh yeah?!" Bon snapped back, his glare hardening even further. "How?! By studying between your naps?!" He asked, taking a step toward Rin with his hands balled into fists. In a second, Konekomaru and Shima were out of their seats.
"Bon, take it easy!" Konekomaru panicked, grabbing Bon's arm in an attempt to pull him back.
"C'mon, Bon, we're in class!" Shima added, pulling Bon away from Rin while Yukio held his brother back.
"Maybe you'd do better if you actually paid attention in class!" Bon screamed as he was pulled away, pointing toward Rin. [Y/n] just looked completely deadpan while they argued.
"I should record this if they're about to fight..." [Y/n] muttered under his breath, watching the whole scene unfold from the comfort of his desk as he quietly whipped out his phone and hit the record button. Kamiki seemed to be enjoying the show while Moriyama and Paku looked worried that they were going to start a physical fight. Meanwhile, Yamada and Takara still looked completely uninterested.
"I learn by being out in the field!" Rin argued, explaining his preferred method of education. "It's hard for me to sit around all day memorising stuff!" He added, gritting his teeth in frustration.
"You've got the right idea, Suguro. Go ahead, tell him off some more." Yukio encouraged and [Y/n] sweatdropped. Rin looked utterly betrayed as he pulled himself out of his brother's grasp.
"Whose side are you on anyway?!" Rin asked, staring at his younger twin in betrayal.
"Wanna take a quiz and find out?" Yukio asked in a deathly serious, putting his hands behind his back. Before anyone could continue the argument, the familiar sound of the bell pulled all of their attention toward the time. "And, as if on queue, that's it for today, class." Yukio announced as he stepped back, quickly handing out the remaining papers while everyone headed their separate ways for lunch. [Y/n] sighed as he grabbed his bag and case. He was supposed to have lunch with Yukio and Rin today and, from the looks of it, Moriyama was probably going to join them too. He grabbed the last of his stuff before heading to the door, silently hoping that whatever happened after lunch would be less annoying than watching Rin and Bon fight over their studying methods.
~*~
[Y/n] stood leaning against the centre post of the fountain in the centre of the campus with Yukio, Rin and Shiemi as they waited for the next class to start. They had already eaten lunch and were now just trying to waste time.
"What's up with that guy? Is he really that smart?" Rin asked out of the blue, gaining the other three's attention. [Y/n] rolled his eyes, already knowing who Rin was talking about. He'd already had enough of him and Bon's arguing all day.
"Oh, you mean Suguro?" Yukio asked, earning a nod of agreement from Rin. Yukio crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned back against the smooth stone. "He's a prodigy. He's attending the academy on a scholarship like I am." He explained and Rin turned to him with a surprised expression.
"Seriously?" Rin asked, genuinely shocked by the announcement. [Y/n] nodded in confirmation before speaking up.
"He's also the heir to a temple in Kyoto." [Y/n] added, propping his chin in his hand as he sat cross-legged on his case. It was sturdy so he didn't need to worry about denting it. Shiemi seemed interested in the news while Rin just scoffed.
"Figures. He's just some rich kid." Rin muttered, turning up his nose.
"He's an exceptional student, an accomplished athlete and he pays attention during class." Yukio shot back, glancing at Rin from the corner of his eye. Rin flinched at his comment, turning away in embarrassment.
"He's actually a really good guy." [Y/n] added, gaining Rin's attention. "He just really values education and his goals so seeing you slack off in class irritates him." He explained, watching Rin's expression carefully to make sure he didn't piss him off. Rin remained silent before letting out a shallow sigh, turning his head toward the water. [Y/n] frowned at the reaction.
"You're pretty high up on class listings too." Yukio spoke up, pulling [Y/n]'s attention from the older Okumura to the younger one. "I can see that you did a lot of research when you lived in the library." Yukio praised with a small smile while [Y/n] gave a nod of gratitude, scratching the back of his head.
"I was surrounded by books 24/7 so it wasn't like it was hard. Plus, Mabaa was always on my case about studying." [Y/n] replied awkwardly, embarrassed by the praise. "Now if only I had the same knack for general studies, I could have gotten that scholarship too..." He added at the end, hanging his head as he muttered to himself about how close but how far he was to getting a free ride through his studies. Yukio flashed him a small smile before gesturing toward Rin.
"Maybe you or Suguro could tutor Rin sometime?" He suggested and [Y/n] tilted his head to the side in confusion. Rin snapped his head back toward his brother with a mortified expression on his face.
"Wait, what?!" He shrieked, looking from Yukio to [Y/n] and back. [Y/n] sweatdropped at Rin's reaction while Yukio completely ignored him.
"He could definitely use the help." Yukio announced, earning a loud string of protests from his twin that he continued to ignore. "If he won't listen to me, one of you might be able to get through to him." He suggested, explaining his reasoning while his brother glared at him and [Y/n] shifted awkwardly as he sat between them.
"If you want. I don't really mind." [Y/n] mumbled out, trying to ease the tension. He could tell that Moriyama was just as uncomfortable as he was. Yukio let out a sigh of relief as he put his hand on [Y/n]'s shoulder.
"Perfect. Thank you so much." He thanked and [Y/n] just nodded in understanding, glancing back to Rin, who was still pissed off.
"Don't I have a say in this?!" The older Okumura asked in a frustrated tone.
"No." Yukio replied, not even looking at him. Rin groaned but Yukio paid him no mind as he turned his attention toward the blonde girl that sat beside them. "So anyway, how are you doing?" He asked and Moriyama jumped slightly, surprised by the sudden attention. "Have you gotten used to school yet?" He continued, giving the girl a reassuring smile. Moriyama shifted uncomfortably as she sat on the edge of the fountain. Letting out a sigh, she shook her head.
"Not really... No." She replied sadly, looking down at the fish in the water as she tried to distract herself. Yukio gave her a soft smile as he put his hand on her shoulder.
"If you ask me, you look like you've gotten more confident than you were before. You look like a different person now." Yukio replied calmly. Shiemi gasped in surprise. "Take it easy and just do your best." Yukio advised, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. The small action seemed to help her as a wide smile took over her face.
"Okay." She replied confidently with a determined look in her eyes. "Thank you for the tip, Yuki!" She thanked him, giving the teacher a wide closed-eyed smile. Yukio nodded as he pushed himself off of the fountain.
"Well, I better go. I've got another class to teach." Yukio announced, brushing down his coat as he landed on the ground. [Y/n] and Moriyama nodded in understanding while Rin just ignored him. [Y/n] assumed that he was still pissed off about the tutoring situation. "Good luck with the rest of your day. Have fun and don't be late to your PE class." Yukio waved as he walked off. [Y/n] gave him a half-assed wave while Moriyama said goodbye. The remaining trio fell into silence for a couple of minutes before Rin and Shiemi began making small talk. [Y/n] decided to stay out of it, letting them have a bit of privacy. He opted to make himself busy by scrolling through his phone, trying to ignore the conversation that the other two students were having. The conversation seemed to be getting pretty intense.
"Well, well." A familiar voice called out, causing Rin and Shiemi to jump apart. It was only then that [Y/n] realised how close they were while talking. [Y/n] turned his attention back to the voice that called them, seeing Bon, Shima and Konekomaru walking toward them in gym gear. [Y/n] grimaced at the sight. He had wanted to get away from Rin and Bon's bickering. "Look at these two lovebirds making out." Bon teased, chuckling as Rin quickly spun around to face him.
"We're not making out!" Rin snapped, stomping his foot on the ground. [Y/n]'s eyes rolled to the back of his head. All he wanted was a few minutes of peace.
"She's your girlfriend. Isn't she?" Bon asked cockily, raising a mocking eyebrow. Rin was taken aback by the question, his face erupting into a red blush. "And getting her into the most elite school for exorcists? You must be a big shot." Bon continued, doing his best to make the two uncomfortable. [Y/n] sighed at his behaviour.
"Bon, just knock it off." He complained, making his presence known as he stood up, standing behind Shiemi, who was just standing there silently. Koneko and Shima both waved at him but Rin and Bon completely ignored him as they continued arguing.
"You've got the wrong idea about us, man!" Rin snapped, growling lowly at Bon's comment. Bon raised an eyebrow with a smirk.
"So what are you saying? You two just friends?" Bon asked mockingly, glancing from Rin to Shiemi and back. Rin hesitated at the question before looking away in embarrassment.
"What? Are you kidding me?" He asked defensively, causing Shiemi to tense as she looked at him. "No." Rin answered, not even looking at Shiemi. The blonde girl visibly deflated at the question, looking down at the fountain below her as a sorrowful expression took over her face. [Y/n]'s eyes softened in sympathy.
"He didn't mean it like that." [Y/n] assured softly, placing his hand on Shiemi's shoulder. As she slowly turned back to face him, [Y/n] could see small tears forming in her eyes. He felt like someone stabbed him in the chest. Not knowing what else to do, he simply rubbed the distressed girl's back in reassurance as she tried to collect herself.
"Hey, [L/n]." Bon called out. [Y/n] turned to his friend to see him smirking up at him. [Y/n] narrowed his eyes in annoyance. Bon's behaviour was really starting to piss him off. "What are you going hanging around this loser?" Bon asked, gesturing to Rin. Before [Y/n] could even call Bon out on his behaviour, Rin growled, taking a step toward Bon.
"Who are you calling a loser, jackass?!" Rin snapped, balling his hands into fists while he glared at his classmate. "What's up with you, huh? You're always with your crew!" He asked, pointing to Shima and Koneko. Bon raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What's the matter? You afraid of being alone?!" Rin teased with a smirk. Bon's glare hardened as he took a threatening step forward before Shima suddenly burst out laughing.
"What's so funny, Shima?!" Bon snapped, whipping his head toward his pink-haired friend with a blush on his face.
"He's right! We're always together!" Shima replied through a fit of giggles. Bon's blush darkened.
"Hey, man, don't take his side!" The tallest male snapped before his head whipped back toward Rin. The two immediately began glaring at each other with such intense hatred that [Y/n] could have sworn they grew up despising each other.
"When you think about it, they're kinda the same." Shima thought aloud while he, Koneko, Shiemi and [Y/n] just watched the pair, worried that they were going to start a physical fight.
"They're so alike, they repel each other." Koneko added, glancing between the two as they began to growl at each other like animals. [Y/n] sweatdropped at the action.
"They're also both complete idiots." [Y/n] muttered under his breath, crossing his arms over his chest and shaking his head in frustration. The other three shared a collective nod of agreement. "Let's just get to PE before they kill each other." [Y/n] ordered with a sigh as he grabbed Rin by the back of the collar, pulling him toward the gym while ignoring all of his protests. Shiemi quickly jogged behind them to catch up while the other three trailed along a few meters back. "Or before I shoot one of them..." He added almost silently, grimacing as the arguing continued behind him.