Yory was confused as he looked at the girl in front of him.
It was as if something inside him was trying to remember... but couldn't.
Without realizing it, his lips moved before he even thought:
— Lua...?
Anano widened her eyes, surprised, and immediately turned to him, indignant.
— What do you mean "Lua"?! Do you know her to use that kind of name?!
Yory kept looking at the girl, still in disbelief, as if trying to piece together something that didn't make sense.
— I... don't know...
Before the moment could drag on, the teacher lightly tapped the desk.
— Sit down. Let's continue the class.
Anano and Yory returned to their seats in silence.
Luara looked around the room for a few seconds, then spoke with slight disappointment:
— I think... there's no chair for me to sit...
The teacher quickly scanned the room until spotting a chair in the back.
— You can sit over there.
Yory lowered his gaze to the open book in front of him.
But he wasn't reading.
A phrase echoed in his mind, repeatedly—
"I am... your childhood friend..."
A chair was pulled beside Yory.
He turned his face — and when he saw the girl sitting to his right, he was completely in disbelief.
She noticed his gaze and smiled shyly, a bit awkward.
— What a coincidence... isn't it, Yoy...?
Yory frowned, confused.
— Yoy...?
"Y-YOY???!!"
Anano practically shouted in her mind as she watched the two talking beside her.
— Yes... — the girl continued, with a slight nostalgic smile. — That's what I used to call you back then. You used to call me Lua... and I used to call you Yoy...
She tilted her head slightly.
— Don't you remember...?
Yory stayed silent for a moment.
Then, his expression changed.
Something heavier. More closed off.
As if a bad memory had crossed his mind.
He looked away, staring at the front of the room, and answered in a cold tone:
— I don't know what you're talking about. I think you confused me with someone else... let's pay attention to the class.
— Hoo... — she let out, with a corner smile. — So you're going to pretend you forgot, huh?
Her eyes shone with a slight challenge.
— Then I'll make sure to remind you properly about me... just wait and see.
Anano watched everything in silence.
She looked at Yory's face — serious, closed... as if he was irritated about something.
For a moment, she decided to ignore it.
She turned to the front and focused on the teacher.
— "I don't care about their relationship... Whether they are childhood friends or not, whatever..."
She lowered her gaze to the book on the desk.
But her mind didn't follow the class.
A strange discomfort tightened her chest.
— "Then why...?"
She frowned slightly.
— "Why do I feel so bothered...?"
Time passes and the afternoon bell rings, and everyone starts getting up.
Yory takes a deep breath, as if he were tired.
Then, someone stops in front of his desk.
He looks up and sees Anano, arms crossed, glaring at him.
— I want explanations about that friend of yours.
— Huh...?
She steps closer to him and continues in a threatening tone, looking into his eyes:
— Don't come with that "huh". Tell me your relationship with her! Not that I care, of course... I just want to know, as the class vice-representative.
Just as Yory was about to respond, someone hugs him from behind, startling both him and Anano.
— If you're that interested about me, I'm Yoy's childhood friend. Nice to meet you! I'm Luara Silva~
Anano takes a step back and says, stuttering:
— Hey, what are you doing, huh?
— Me? I'm just hugging my friend I haven't seen since we were 10 years old~
Luara replies, still hugging Yory.
Anano is surprised once again by that information.
— 10... 10 years old?! That was about 5 years ago! It hasn't even been that long!
Luara quickly turns toward Anano and responds with anger in her voice:
— Of course 10 years is a long time! I missed him all those years... but I finally managed to come back to Brazil...
Yory quickly stands up and leaves the classroom while speaking seriously:
— Excuse me. If you want to talk, feel free. I'm out.
He leaves the room and closes the door.
Anano and Luara remain in a tense atmosphere, unable to say anything.
After a long silence, Anano asks while looking at the classroom window:
— You've known each other for a long time, right?... So... how did you meet?
— Me and Yoy? Ah, that was a long time ago. I even remember that long hair of his covering his face, hahaha.
Anano gets irritated and responds:
— I don't need to know that kind of detail! Just tell me how you met!
But inside, another part of her was completely embarrassed, screaming that she wanted to see Yory as a child.
— "Hair covering his eyes... that must've been so cute... I want to see it..."
Luara begins to say, with a smile on her face:
— 5 years ago, we met at a river. I was walking along the banks and saw him from afar, so I decided to get closer. But back then...
— I swore he was a girl, hahaha!
— I always teased him, calling him a little girl and saying he wore dresses at home... it was really fun to see his reactions back then. It was fun.
— I used to visit that river a few times a week, and he was almost always there.
— But there was a day when I had to travel to the United States...
Anano puts her hand on her chin and asks, confused:
— You traveled there? Then your family isn't poor financially... by the way, why did you have to go there? It seems like Yory was really surprised to see you...
Suddenly, Luara makes a sad face and answers quietly:
— It was because of that man...
— What did you say? — Anano asks, doubtful.
Luara laughs to change the subject and asks in a careless way:
— I didn't say anything, hahaha... And you? What's your relationship with Yoy?
Anano turns her face and responds firmly:
— Hmph! As if he and I have any kind of relationship beyond classmates.
Anano says that with a firm posture, but then looks at Luara, who smiled while saying softly:
— So that's it?... that's good...
Luara stands up and leaves the classroom, smiling.
Anano just remains sitting there in silence.
She places her right hand over her chest and looks at the door where Luara left.
— "Why... why did that answer make my heart race like that?... could it be..."
Meanwhile, Yory was in a bathroom stall, leaning against the door.
His mind was a mess, thinking about his childhood friend.
— "WHY, WHY, WHY... WHYYYYYY?! WHY DO YOU JUST SHOW UP OUT OF NOWHERE LIKE THAT?! WHAT ARE THE CHANCESSSS?!"
BANG. BANG. BANG.
A boy knocks hard on the door while shouting to whoever was inside:
— HEY?! ARE YOU GONNA LIVE IN THERE NOW OR WHAT?! THERE ARE PEOPLE WANTING TO USE THE BATHROOM, YOU KNOW?!
— Huh... my bad, I'm coming out.
The boy spits on the floor and keeps complaining:
— Seriously... people stay as long as they want in the bathroom knowing others want to use it... I'm gonna say a few things to that kid, he'll see—
Yory comes out of the bathroom with a dark expression, while saying:
— It's free now, you can use it.
— FORGIVE MEEEEE!!!!
The boy kneels on the ground and runs away quickly.
Yory feels disappointed seeing that yet another person ran from him.
— Why does everyone hate me...? Am I really that bad of a person?
Yory leaves the bathroom and walks through the halls, looking at the floor. He walks while talking to himself:
— "Sometimes I don't understand what people around me think... sometimes I'm just afraid of how they think about me. This isn't because I want to... it's because of something else..."
Suddenly, Gigi comes from behind and slaps Yory's back.
— Hey, Yory!!!
Yory greets his friend, and both keep walking. Gigi looks at Yory, who had a pale face, and starts a conversation:
— Ah, man! Only two hours left before we can go home... too bad I can't say the same for you, huh? I heard you'll have to stay at school and clean the pool with Anano... lucky you, huh? Fu-fu...
— Only you would think like that...
Yory replies, unmotivated.
They enter the classroom, and then the second-to-last bell of the day rings.
A heavy math class begins. The students wrote down everything the teacher wrote on the board, marking the end of that long day.
— Finally overrrr!! — says Gigi, stretching in his chair.
Anano just rests her head on the desk and says, discouraged:
— Let's leave this torture of a class... for another torture now...
— This is completely your fault, you know?! — says Yory, irritated.
Both start packing their things to leave. When they were heading to the door, someone calls Yory:
— Yory!
He turns, and Luara asks:
— I heard you and Anano got punished... is it true you'll stay at school and clean the pool?
— Yeah... yeah, it's true. This crazy girl told the teacher I was using marijuana in class and we ended up at the principal's office...
Yory says, sighing.
Luara grips her bag strap and asks:
— Can I... go help you guys?
Yory thinks for a few seconds, looking at her, and answers:
— If you want, it's fine... but you don't have to force yourself.
Luara makes a surprised expression, but soon smiles:
— Alright! I'll go because I want to!
— Ugh! Why do you want to go so much, huh?! — Anano responds, irritated.
— If you're going to stay there talking, I'm going ahead.
Yory says, leaving the classroom. Anano quickly follows him. Luara stands still for a few seconds, then speaks softly:
— I definitely won't allow you to do that... I won't...
Already outside the school, at the gym where the pool was, Yory, Anano, and Luara held hoses, ready to clean the place.
Then Luara compliments Anano:
— Wow, you look really cute with your hair tied!! Let me take a picture!!
Anano gets embarrassed and looks around:
— Ah... th-thank you?!
Luara turns to Yory:
— Do we look pretty with our hair tied, Yory?
Yory's eyes shine as he looks at the two in front of him. He answers, looking away:
— In a way... maybe...
— What a horrible answer! — says Anano.
She grabs a squeegee and starts pushing the water angrily. Yory keeps cleaning his part, when Luara approaches from behind and speaks softly:
— Yory... do you still intend to keep doing "that"?
Yory stays silent.
Luara understands.
— Yory... everything comes back. Please... forget this madness. Just live your life...
Silence.
— Using people like that... it must weigh a lot on your mind...
Yory stops scrubbing the floor.
— I'm going to the bathroom... I'll be back.
In the bathroom, Yory almost falls as he enters. He leans on the sink, feeling nauseous. Then he stares at himself in the mirror.
Suddenly, everything darkens.
A familiar pressure surrounds him, as if something was crushing him. An unrecognizable shadow appears in the reflection.
— Are you really this weak...?
Yory stands still.
— Forget everything that "that person" did to you? Do you really think that's possible, Yory...?
The shadow approaches.
— You will never... live a happy life after all of that.
— SHUT UP!!
Yory shouts, covering his ears.
— I already know... I know my objective here...
I'll use everything within my reach to take revenge... on that person... even if it costs my life!
The shadow watches... and then responds:
— Good thing you still know your true objective... because...
It leans slightly.
— I myself... Yory Madeira... will not allow myself to forget what that bastard did to our life...