Sakura arrived earlier than usual, when the hallway was still quiet enough that his footsteps sounded louder than they should.
He slipped through the door of 2-B and into his seat by the window, setting his bag down and leaning back with his hood halfway over his eyes. Outside, the sky was pale, the sun not quite awake yet.
Perfect, Good. No one's here yet. No noise. No eyes, Just me.
He could almost imagine a whole day like this. But, of course, the peace didn't last. It never did.
Sugishita was the first to arrive, a ball of noise and energy, crashing through the doorway with a dramatic yawn and a grin that was way too big for this early.
"Well look at that! The new guy's already here,"
Sugishita called, loud enough for everyone still in the hall to hear.
"What's the matter, couldn't sleep? Or just scared someone was gonna steal your seat?"
Sakura didn't look at him. Didn't even blink.
Not worth the effort. You're just another voice I'll forget.
Sugishita snorted, flopping into his seat next to Kirita, who came in quietly behind him.
Kirita didn't say a word, but his eyes met Sakura's for a long second - sharp, assessing, like a blade glinting in the light - before he finally sat down.
One by one, the others filtered in. Kaji, all heavy shoulders and silence, claimed his usual spot, tilting his chair back until it nearly fell.
Nirei walked in with a sketchpad already in his hands, head down, pencil moving like the room didn't even exist. Kiryu arrived last, silent and smooth, his eyes cold and distant, like he was already bored of Sakura before even saying a word.
Then she walked in.
Kotoha entered with her head high and her ponytail swinging behind her. There was nothing loud about her, no forced grin like Sugishita's, no predatory weight like Kirita's. But the air shifted anyway.
Her eyes flicked over Sakura as she passed.
Sakura caught himself watching her too long.
She's already decided what she thinks of me. Just hasn't told me yet.
Kotoha felt his gaze and didn't bother to hide the faint smirk that tugged at her lips.
So he came early. Good. Maybe he's not just another coward in a clean uniform.
She slid into her desk, opened her book, and let the smirk fade.
By mid-morning, the air in the classroom was thick - partly from heat, partly from the unspoken weight of everyone waiting for something to happen. Sakura rested his chin in his palm, eyes half-lidded, when a shadow filled the doorway.
Umemiya.
He leaned against the frame like he owned the world, smile as easy as the sunlight spilling through the window.
"Alright," he drawled, voice cutting through the buzz of whispers.
"Since we got a new face in here, I guess it's time to go over the rules. For those of you who keep forgetting."
He stepped inside, hands in his pockets.
"Furin's simple. We don't start fights - we finish them. We protect this place and everyone in it. And we don't back down. Not ever. Doesn't matter if it's five guys or fifty - you stand. Got it?"
The room answered with a mix of nods and murmurs.
Umemiya's eyes landed on Sakura. "You got it, transfer student?"
Sakura held his gaze, unblinking. "Got it."
From the back, Sugishita made a choking sound, nudging Kirita and whispering something. Kirita just smirked faintly, arms crossed.
Sakura ignored them, fingers drumming against his desk.
So that's how you justify it. A pack of wolves with a leash tied to a flag.
Kotoha watched the whole exchange from her corner, her eyes narrowed in thought.
He didn't flinch. Not bad. But he's thinking too much. Dangerous type. With that look in his eyes? He's already picking this place apart.
When Umemiya finally left, the whispers picked up again. But Sakura stayed silent, and so did Kotoha.
When Kotoha opened the rooftop door, she wasn't surprised to find him there first this time. Sitting against the fence, hood half-up, eyes fixed on some invisible point in the distance.
She leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed.
"Oh, look at that," she said lightly. "You came back."
His eyes flicked to hers, steady and flat. "Didn't realize I needed permission."
"You don't," she said, pushing off the door and walking over to sit near him.
"But most don't come back twice. Too windy up here for some people."
The wind tugged at her hair as she watched him unwrap a sandwich. He took a bite, silent as always.
"So. The rules," she said after a moment. "You believe in all that crap?"
He didn't look up. "Doesn't matter if I do. Everyone else seems to."
Kotoha tilted her head, studying him.
"Smart answer," she murmured. "But this place... it's more than fists. You'll figure that out."
He finally met her gaze. "What's that supposed to mean?"
She didn't reply. Just let the wind answer for her.
Then she asked, voice softer now, "Why'd you really come here?"
His jaw tightened. He stared down at his hands.
"Didn't have anywhere else to go," he said finally.
For a flicker of a second, her eyes softened. Same as everyone else, she thought. Running from something. Or to something.
He noticed her staring and raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"Nothing," she said, smirking again to cover it. "Eat your sandwich."
---
The final bell rang and students spilled into the hallway, their voices bouncing off the walls. Sakura moved slower than the rest, letting the crowd thin before he stepped out.
Sugishita and Kirita were waiting near the lockers, whispering and glancing at him every few seconds. Their grins were sharp. Sugishita even gave him a little mock salute as he passed.
Kiryu was leaning against the far wall, arms crossed. His eyes were unreadable, but Sakura could feel them on his back all the way down the hall.
So that's how it is. Everyone watching. Everyone waiting. Like a pack of dogs sniffing out weakness.
Outside, the city was drenched in gold. He took the long way home, weaving through narrow alleys where the air smelled like asphalt and dust. He passed the boarded-up arcade again and stopped to look at it.
Behind him, a faint scrape of shoes on concrete.
High above, Kotoha stood on another rooftop, watching him disappear into the shadows of the streets.
Not bad, transfer, she thought, her hair catching in the wind. Not bad at all.