Nakamura bit her lip, waiting for an answer.
"Nice to meet you, Nakamura," I said, like this was the first time we'd ever spoken.
Well… technically, it was.
She let out a small breath through her nose—half relieved, half unsure how to take it.
"…Yeah," she said after a moment, relaxing a little. "Nice to meet you too, Shiba-kun."
A short pause followed as she shifted her weight, glancing away toward the classroom door like she was already thinking about something else.
"…Don't worry," she added more quietly. "I won't assume stuff about you just because other people do."
I exhaled, a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.
"Thanks, I guess. Can't say I'm not used to it, though."
A dry chuckle slipped out, but it didn't carry much warmth.
"It's like all of a sudden I'm… redeemed or something," I said.
Nakamura frowned slightly at that.
"…That's not what I meant," she said, a bit quickly.
She hesitated, then added in a more careful tone:
"I'm not saying people were right or wrong before. I'm just saying… I don't think I really knew you before."
A short pause.
"And I still don't, honestly," she admitted. "But I'm not going to just repeat what everyone else says either.
Nakamura worked diligently, wiping down the board while I dragged the mop across the floor.
Every now and then, we traded a few meaningless lines—nothing worth remembering.
"Oh… by the way," she said at some point, glancing over her shoulder, "you work part-time, Shiba-kun?"
I blinked.
"…Yeah. I guess."
She froze for half a second, like she'd just realized what she asked.
"Ah—um, sorry. I just overheard your call earlier… your phone was on speaker," she added quickly, a bit flustered.
Right.
Living alone does that to you.
"Yeah, that checks out," I said, scratching my cheek. "I work at a bar."
Nakamura let out a small laugh.
"Yeah… that kinda suits you," she admitted. "So, what kind of place is it?"
"A place shady enough to hire minors to serve drinks," I said flatly.
She snorted before she could stop herself.
"Well… I'll technically be an adult in a week," I went on, half to myself. "Still won't be allowed to drink. Amazing system."
I sighed.
"Why can't Japan just be normal like the EU and drop the drinking age to 18 already?"
Nakamura laughed like I said the funniest thing in the world.
Then her expression suddenly brightened.
"Wait, so your birthday's coming up soon? When? When is it?""
"November 2nd."
She blinked.
"And you haven't told anyone?"
I shrugged, dragging the mop lazily across the floor.
"Didn't have friends until recently, so no one ever asked."
She went quiet for a second, her expression softening just a bit.
"Well… you're pretty close with Yamashita-san and Suzuki-san," she said. "I mean, everyone can see that."
A small pause.
"And Mika-chan too. She had your back a lot in class."
Another beat.
"Even Mori-kun… kind of respects you, I think."
I let out a short laugh.
"Mori? Yeah, no shit. He's my biggest fan," I countered.
Nakamura laughed under her breath, shaking her head.
"…You're kind of impossible," she muttered.
We fell into a quieter rhythm after that, the kind that didn't need filling.
By the time we finished, the sky outside already darkened, streaked with deep red clouds stretching across the horizon.
The classroom door slid open.
"Harunaaa~! Let's hang out! I'm bored as hell— my stupid boyfriend's out with the boys again and I'm not about to just sit aro—"
Inazuki stopped mid-sentence, eyes landing on me.
"Ehh?! Shiba-kun?! You're actually doing cleaning duty?" she blurted, tone jumping up.
I yawned, not even trying to hide it.
"Yeah, guess so. Normally I'd just sweet-talk someone else into doing it," I said with a heavy sigh. "But the homeroom teacher said if I pull that again I'll get suspended."
Inazuki and Nakamura exchanged a look, then turned back to me.
"…Wait," Inazuki said, raising a brow. "You mean you usually make someone else do it for you?"
"Depends how you phrase it," I replied. "I don't make people do things. I just… give them options."
Nakamura shifted slightly, a bit unsure now.
"Um… do you get into fights a lot?" she asked.
"Most of the time they start it," I answered flatly. "I only finish what they start."
Inazuki burst out laughing.
"C'mon, Haruna! Shiba-kun's totally harmless next to my boyfriend," she said, flipping her hair with a cheeky grin.
Nakamura didn't hesitate.
"Your boyfriend is really scary, Mika-chan. I don't like him at all," she said, puffing her cheeks a little.
"And he always ditches you to hang out with the guys too...," she added under her breath.
"Harunaaa! It's not always…" Inazuki shot back, dragging the word out. "He's just… really loyal to his crew," she added, the last part quieter, like she was trying to sell it more to herself than to us.
Haruna didn't look convinced.
"He can be loyal and still make time for you," she said, folding her arms. "Those aren't mutually exclusive."
Inazuki puffed her cheeks slightly.
"Ugh, you sound like my mom," she complained, flipping her hair back. "It's not that deep. I'm fine."
Haruna gave her a look—the kind that said you're obviously not, but okay.
"Sure you are," she muttered.
I leaned back against the desk, watching the exchange without saying anything.
…Yeah.
Definitely not my problem.
Still, I found myself exhaling quietly, like I'd just walked into something I wasn't supposed to hear.
"Well, ladies," I said, pushing myself off the desk, "as much as I'd love to hang around and do absolutely nothing, I've got a boss who'll kill me if I'm any later than this."
I grabbed my bag.
"So I'm gonna head out and catch a ride."
You two have no idea how literal that is.
Inazuki blinked, then let out a short laugh.
"Damn, your boss sounds intense," she said, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "You always talk like you're working for the mafia or something."
I didn't answer that.
Nakamura glanced between us, a little unsure whether to laugh or not.
"…At least get home safe," she said instead, a bit more serious than before. "It's already getting late."
Inazuki nudged her lightly.
"He'll be fine," she said, waving it off. "Shiba-kun's tougher than he looks."
I snorted under my breath.
Yeah. Sure.
"I'm not even heading home," I added over my shoulder. "Probably won't be done until midnight."
I shrugged lightly.
"Yeah, it sucks. But hey—rent doesn't pay itself. Perks of living alone."
I was already halfway to the door when I glanced back.
"Have fun, you two."
Inazuki blinked, caught off guard for a second.
"Wait—midnight?" she repeated. "That's kinda insane, Shiba-kun. You're still a student, you know?"
She clicked her tongue, folding her arms.
"Don't overwork yourself, seriously. You'll end up collapsing or something."
Nakamura looked a bit more concerned, her brows raising slightly.
"…Living alone must be rough," she said quietly. "Just… make sure you eat properly, okay?"
A small pause.
"And text someone when you get back. I mean—not me, just… someone," she added quickly, a little flustered.
Inazuki snorted.
"Wow, Haruna, that sounded way more caring than you meant it to," she teased.
"Shut up," Nakamura muttered, nudging her back.
I didn't stick around long enough to hear whatever they said next.
The hallway was already half-empty, lights dimmer than usual, footsteps echoing in that hollow, after-school way.
By the time I stepped outside, the air turned colder.
Night settled in properly now—streetlights on, the sky still faintly red at the edges before completely fading into black.
I pulled my phone out, ordered an Uber, and leaned against the gate while I waited.
Five minutes.
Ten.
A black car rolled up.
I slid into the backseat without a word.
The city blurred past the window—neon signs, convenience stores, people moving like an army of background characters.
I didn't bother looking.
Didn't feel like thinking either.
The car stopped in front of the usual place.
Fading lights. A narrow entrance. Nothing that screamed illegal, but nothing that felt clean either.
I stepped out, shutting the door behind me, the faint bass of the music bleeding through the walls as I made my way towards the entrance.
Home sweet home.
I pushed the door open.
Warm air tickled my nostrills—a mix of smoke, alcohol, and dirty bills.
Voices layered over each other, laughter too loud, glasses clinking somewhere in the back.
The usual mess, poisoned with the same people, drowning in the same noise.
Tetsu spotted me first, already posted up at the counter with a glass of whiskey in hand.
"Yo… look who finally showed," he drawled, smirk curling slow. "What, school got you scrubbing floors today, Forsaken?"
He took a sip like he had all the time in the world.
The manager didn't share the amusement.
"About time," he muttered, voice flat. "Since you're here, get to work."
Yeah.
…This is my life now.