Madoka walked down the street, the crisp fall air flowing against his skin. Focusing on the sidewalk before him, thoughts racing through his mind. Madoka didn't know why any of this bothered him. Maybe he should just turn around and go home. He definitely could use the rest. With how much his body started to feel like it was on fire.
Maybe I am getting sick. That thought crossed his mind as a gust of ice cold air blew across his skin. Sending shivers down his spine. Forcing him to pause for a moment as the sidewalk turned blood red for a split second.
Rubbing and blinking his eyes multiple times. Madoka did a double take. Seeing that the ground was in fact. Normal.
Hallucinations? Check. Feeling hot? Check. The signs of something being absolutely wrong. Black Plague maybe?
It wasn't until he had gotten to the railroad crossing when he finally learned how to look up from the ground. Dragging himself from his thoughts long enough to see that there was someone in front of him.
Standing in front of him was a brown haired girl wearing his school's fall uniform, she looked like she must've been waiting for the train to pass. Standing in front of the guard rails as the bells sounded, signaling the train would be passing any second.
There was nothing about the girl that seemed familiar to Madoka. From as far as he could tell from behind. But if he were to guess based off of the sigil he could barely make out on her shoulder. If he were to guess. He'd say she was a second year.
The train's horn roared louder as it grew even closer. Drawing his attention from the girl to where the sound was coming from. In the distance he could see the ever approaching smokestack.
When Madoka finally looked back at the girl. She had begun crossing the tracks. Having climbed over the divider meant to keep people off of the tracks. Preceding to walk into the middle of the tracks with the train barreling down at her.
"Hey what are yo-" He barely managed to finish speaking as the train raced past. Covering his mouth as he watched. Madoka wasn't sure if the train had killed the girl, or barely missed her.
That was, until he focused on the gaps between the train cars. Where he saw the girl standing on the other side of the tracks, staring right at him.
Madoka stared eyes wide trying to calm the momentary panic from watching the girl almost get hit by a train. Letting out a relieved breath once there was a moment to regain his composure.
Once the train finished passing by. The safety rails lifted back up allowing him to pass. To his surprise he couldn't see any sign of the girl, it was like she was never there.
"What is up with me today?" Madoka asked himself. Muttering as he tried to make sense of what he had just witnessed. And what he ultimately chalked up to blind luck, in an attempt to push the moment from his mind.
Madoka let out a small yawn as he crossed the threshold of his high school. He took a moment to catch his breath by leaning against the lockers that held his slippers and outside shoes once he changed between the pairs.
For some reason. He couldn't help but let his mind focus on the girl he had seen. Remembering that she wore the same uniform. Maybe there was a chance he could spot her. But then again, he wasn't so sure if he should.
"Hey, Ma-do-ka" His best friend Yuichi said, wrapping an arm roughly around Madoka. A bright smile lighting up a face of blue eyes and artificially blonde hair.
"Hey Yoichi." Madoka said in a low tone, shrugging off his friend's arm. Shooting a peeved stare at his friend. "It is far too early for your rough housing."
"Something the matter? You seem moodier than you usually do at school." Yuichi said with a frown. Placing his fingers at the edges of Madoka's mouth pushing them up into a smile. "Ya gotta smile more man! It'll lead to a long and prosperous life!"
"Just tired. Didn't sleep too well, and I'm pretty sure I'm coming down with something." Madoka said
"Yeah, now that you mention it. You look like someone truck-kun tried to send to an isekai" Yuichi said. Not missing a chance to mention his current infatuation.
Rolling his eyes. Madoka finally managed to slide his slippers on. "Say, has there been any news about any new students?" Madoka finally asked.
"New student?" Yuichi murmured thoughtfully. "No, not since we got the new girl over a year ago. But she's more of the quiet type."
That's right, there had been a new girl sometime ago. Maybe that was the reason he didn't recognize the girl he had seen?
"Do you know what class she's supposed to be in?"
"Rumors say that she is in our very own class 2-C" Yuichi said with a mischievous smile. His bangs falling in front of his eyes.
The look of surprise on Madoka's face couldn't be more evident if it were written all around the school grounds. Heck, or even if it were broadcasted throughout the entire world.
"What's her name?" Madoka asked as he and Yuichi walked through the bustling hallways. Trying their best not to get caught up in the flow of students trying to make it to their classes on time.
"No clue, It's one of those names that you don't really remember until it slaps you in the face." Yuichi said with his hands behind his head.
"I wonder if she's the same person I saw earlier..." Madoka muttered to himself, as they continued up the stairs to the second floor where their classroom resided. Class 2-C.
"Looking to hook up with the quiet kid?" Yuichi teased his friend by nudging Madoka in the side.
"I swear that's all you ever think about man. You really need to get a hobby." Madoka said, grabbing Yuichi's shoulder, pulling him to a stop to allow a group of girls into the classroom.
"I have a hobby! It's called manga and anime!" Yuichi whined while being held back.
He hadn't paid much attention to his friend's words. As he picked up on some of the girls' conversation. It wasn't his intention to listen in on their conversation as they passed. But a few choice words they said were enough to catch and hold his attention.
"Did you see the quiet girl by the teachers lounge?" One girl said.
"Yeah, her brown hair looked amazing. I wonder what her routine is." Another said.
"You didn't notice her eyes? They seemed weirdly empty." A third spoke as they walked past the two boys and into the classroom. Unwittingly answering the few questions that Madoka had just asked.
Brown hair. Just like the girl he had seen earlier.
Madoka wanted to speak up, to ask for every detail they could make out. But he knew better than that. The last thing he wanted was to be seen as a creep, or desperate.
"So she has brown hair. We're making progress on the mystery!" Yuichi said with a tad too much excitement in his voice as they entered the classroom and made their way to their desks.
"Don't gotta be so loud about it…" Madoka said pointedly.
"Fair. But we can now cut out all other possible hair colors. Like blonde, black, ginger." Yuichi said with a smile. "I say if she is someone with brown hair and emotionless eyes. I am going to guess that her name is Yui."
"As in the female half of your name?" Madoka asked somewhat perplexed at what goes on in his friends mind..
"I did not think about that angle." Yuichi said now, seeming to grow deeper into thought. "Was I really meaning the better half of my name? Or was I truly wanting to reference Evangelion? The world's greatest mystery is at play here."
Madoka however. Stared at his friend with a dumbstruck expression. Listening as Yuichi started to dive down the rabbit hole.
And there was only one sure fire way to draw Yuichi back from the infinite spiral of his mind. Mentioning any school related topic.
"Have you studied for the midterms at all?" Madoka asked.
Yuichi frowned as his eyes soon went wide from the sudden realization. "When are midterms again?"
"Next week." Madoka said. Watching as his friend began to have a mental meltdown. One that lasted a grand total of thirty seconds. So close to a new record. So close.
"Say. Wanna go and grab a bite to eat after school today?" Yuichi asked. His one track mind quickly finding purchase on its rails. "We could continue to hypothesize about your mystery girl."
"Sorry, the Midterms are worth a bunch. I'll be studying in the library after school." Madoka said simply. Though he was tempted to go down that deep dive with Yuichi.
"Oh come on man." Yuichi whined.
"After midterms, we can do anything we want. Do you really care so little about your future?" Madoka said. Firing off the usual litany which got Yuichi to back down. During this time of the year.
"Oh come on! You can't use that against me! Of course I-" Before Yuichi could finish his sentence. The teacher walked into the room.
"Good morning class." The voice of their teacher rang through the room as every student stood up. "First we're going to start with attendance, then move onto a few morning announcements, and a brief study hall to end it all off. That sound good to you guys?"
"Finally some free time before lunch for a change." Yuichi muttered under his breath from behind Madoka, earning a stern look from their teacher, along with a few snickers from nearby students. Even though they were both sure she hadn't heard what he had said. It was scary how perceptive she could be.
Madoka listened in silence as the teacher spoke out every student's name. Only speaking when his name was called by their teacher.
"Nema Yoshizawa." The teacher called out looking around the classroom. "Has anyone seen Miss Yoshizawa this morning?"
other students muttering to each other as the teacher stood there for a long awkward moment.
Which continued as a moment of silence that felt like it dragged out for much longer than it should've. Even the teacher shifted awkwardly at the moment.
"Miss Yoshizawa?" The teacher asked, walking and looking through the door closest to her, as the other door at the far end of the room opened up as a young woman with short brown hair, fair skin. And those emotionless green eyes he had heard about.
For some reason he couldn't put his thumb on. She seemed familiar to him. Like they had met before, but he couldn't recall where. But it was obvious by the way those empty eyes scanned the room. That she knew someone here. It wasn't until her eyes landed on him. That he noticed, she seemed to recognize him. And he recognized her.
She was the girl from the tracks.
"I'm right. Here." Nema said in a low tone after a moment. She continued standing in the doorway. Her eyes seemingly locked with Madoka's. Students muttering about the intensity of the current situation.
"Seems like she has the hots for you with how hard she's staring." Yuichi muttered.
"Oh shut up Yuichi." Madoka said as he finally manage to look away from the girl. The entire situation was so out of the blue. That it not only took Madoka a moment to realize, but the entire class to realize. She had entered the class from the wrong door.
"Why didn't you come through this one?" Their teacher asked. Not bothering to hide her confusion at all.
"It was closer to my seat." Nema said simply indicating the only empty seat in the room. One typically used for punishment whenever one of the students got on a particular teacher's nerves. A seat often given to Yuichi.
"T-that's fair enough.?" The teacher stammered.
"I am. Here." Nema said, giving a small bow to the classroom, before going over to the empty desk taking a seat. Pulling a couple of books out. Placing them on top of her desk.
Madoka heard various muted conversations going on throughout the classroom. Most of them commented on just how weird the girl seemed to be. Yes, while it wasn't common that a student entered from the back of the room during attendance. It wasn't something that felt like it was deserved. Even if she did seem just a bit out there.
Maybe she was someone that Yuichi could get along with. Which was a sobering thought to have.
After the last of the announcements were finished. The class was released to their study hall. Most students opted to take the chance for free conversation and anything other than studying.
Madoka once things had calmed down a bit had failed immensely on getting any studying done. All because he couldn't keep himself from looking to the back of the room where Nema sat. Couldn't keep his mind from wandering back to when she first entered the room.
Where she had stared directly at him. Madoka had felt that something had been shared between them. He just didn't know what.
Everytime Madoka looked back at the girl. She was either studying or staring out the window.
It was such a feat that he found enthralling. Just being able to live in your own world. And tune out the noise of everyone else.
Madoka truly wondered what that was like.
After a while, he found himself staring at her longer than he intended to. Only noticing when she soon looked up. That she looked right at Madoka. Tilting her head slightly