[Third person POV]
"Awww," Lala cooed, clasping her hands together as her eyes sparkled with genuine excitement. She was completely captivated by Haruna's story, the romantic tale tugging at her heartstrings. "That's so sweet! It really sounds like you like him a lot. I guess he doesn't sound so bad now that you've explained everything like that. He actually sounds… kind of charming."
Haruna's cheeks turned bright red, a deep blush blooming across her face from embarrassment. She had never opened up like this before—never shared the story with anyone, never admitted out loud that she was interested in someone. Her fingers fiddled with the hem of her shirt as she tried to play it cool, but the awkward smile on her face betrayed how flustered she truly was.
"But wait," Lala asked, tilting her head slightly, her curiosity piqued. "If he doesn't like interacting with people the way you said, then how is he with someone else?"
"That's what I'm trying to figure out myself, honestly," Haruna muttered, a crooked smile tugging at her lips. Her tone was wistful, as if she herself wasn't quite sure what to make of it. "He's a bit of a mystery. It's really confusing."
She sighed and shook her head, forcing herself to move on. "But enough about me. Come on, let's continue with the tour."
Lala fell into step beside her, marching just a half step behind, but not before saying with a note of pity in her voice, "It really is a shame your love wasn't reciprocated. From what I've seen so far, you seem like such a lovely girl."
Haruna glanced sideways at her, offering a small, half-hearted smile. "Thank you… that's kind of you to say."
Without hesitation, Lala hooked her arm with Haruna's and gave a confident little nod. "We'll just consider it his loss, then."
That made Haruna chuckle, the laughter bubbling out softly as she raised her hand to cover her mouth. The two girls continued walking through the school grounds, talking more freely now. As they walked side by side, the initial awkwardness between them began to melt away, and they gradually started to enjoy each other's company. It wasn't long before they were fast friends, drawn together by shared stories and laughter.
. . .
Soon after, it was time for Gym period. The students gathered outside in the large yard behind the school, the sun high in the sky casting long shadows across the track. Clark stood silently among the crowd, dressed in the standard gym uniform: a simple white shirt and red shorts for boys. The girls, on the other hand, wore form-fitting red bloomers and white T-shirts.
Gym classes were conducted collectively, meaning multiple classes of the same grade were grouped together, creating a sea of unfamiliar faces. Clark hated this class more than any other. Not because of the activities themselves—but because he knew all too well how many eyes were constantly on him.
His tall, muscular frame was impossible to hide beneath the loose fabric of his school uniform. Now, in gym clothes, there was no hiding it at all. He stood out like a sore thumb.
He shifted his gaze uncomfortably to the side, trying to ignore the whispers and stares. But one particular gaze cut through the rest with laser-like intensity.
It was her.
Nino Nakano.
The very same girl he had crossed paths with all those years ago in Kyoto. She hadn't changed much, but she had grown older, more striking. Her soft pink hair was clipped back on each side with butterfly pins, the kind she always used to wear. She stood with her four sisters in a cluster, but her sharp gaze was focused entirely on him—eyes narrowed in suspicion, her brow slightly furrowed as if trying to puzzle out where she knew him from.
'Great…' Clark inwardly groaned, dragging a hand down his face. 'I seriously hate it here…'
He scanned the yard quickly, looking for an escape, for anything to take his mind off the situation. That's when he spotted Komi. The shy girl was glancing around nervously, clearly unsure of who to partner up with.
Clark took a breath and walked over. "Want to work together?" he asked, keeping his voice casual though his expression remained mostly indifferent.
Komi's reaction was the exact opposite. Her eyes lit up, and she nodded her head excitedly, clearly relieved and grateful. Soon enough, the two had begun stretching together, starting with Komi's flexibility training.
Clark stood behind her, gently pressing against her back to help her into a split position. He was careful, looking away the entire time to give her a sense of privacy. But out of the corner of his eye, his attention flicked to one of the gym instructors.
Sasuga-sensei.
He wore a green and black tracksuit and had neatly combed gray hair. But that wasn't what caught Clark's attention.
'That guy… he's definitely not human,' Clark observed silently. His enhanced senses picked up on the irregularities—the strange way Sasuga moved, the faint energy signature he gave off, and the complete lack of human scent. 'He's disguised… could be an alien. Maybe here for Lala? Doesn't matter. As long as he doesn't do anything suspicious, I'll leave him alone… for now.'
They switched roles, and now it was Clark's turn to stretch. Komi stood behind him, placing her hands on his back and gently pushing him downward. But as her fingers made contact, she froze slightly.
Clark's back was broad and muscular, and she could feel every detail through his shirt—the strength, the warmth, the sheer density of him. It felt like pressing against a wall. Her cheeks flushed instantly.
Despite trying to focus, Komi's heart raced. Her hands trembled ever so slightly as she pressed down on him, and before she realized it, her entire body had leaned forward. Her chest softly pressed against his back, and her breath hitched in her throat.
Clark was no better. He could feel her delicate frame against him, her gentle touch, the rise and fall of her breath. He quickly shut his eyes, calling upon his meditation technique to calm himself.
'Stupid teenage hormones…' he thought, forcing his breathing to slow, willing his body not to react.
Afterward, they went on to try a variety of other exercises together.
Komi knelt down and gently held Clark's shoes in place while he performed sit-ups. She sat quietly, focused on her task, occasionally sneaking glances at him as he rose and fell in rhythm. The movement was effortless for him, his body moving with fluid strength and practiced discipline. It was like watching a finely tuned machine.
Meanwhile, off to the side, Nino Nakano was still staring at him—unable to tear her eyes away. A storm of uncertainty and nostalgia brewed behind her narrowed eyes.
'Is that really Clark?' she thought, biting her lower lip. 'It's been so many years, but it really looks like him… I know his name is Clark too, and I heard he's in Itsuki's class, but what if it's just a coincidence? What if it's someone else entirely? I can't just walk up and ask him if we knew each other in Kyoto…'
Her fingers nervously fidgeted with the ends of her butterfly hair clips as the thoughts spiraled.
'But seriously, who else has such a Western name? It's not like there's another tall, muscular foreigner with those piercing eyes walking around here wearing glasses like he's trying to blend in. But what if he doesn't remember me?'
Before she could tumble any further down that mental rabbit hole, Yotsuba's voice broke through her reverie.
"Nino, you've been staring at that guy over there the entire period," Yotsuba teased with a cheeky grin. Her short orange hair bounced with each movement, tied up with her signature green ribbon. "You've barely even stretched!"
"I have not!" Nino snapped defensively, her face flushing pink. "And the period has barely started! Don't lie."
Yotsuba laughed. "Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that."
"You're interested in Ayase?" Itsuki asked, genuinely confused as she glanced between Nino and Clark.
"I'm not interested in him," Nino muttered, crossing her arms and turning away slightly. "He just looks familiar, that's all…"
"Well, he's definitely your type," Itsuki said with a sly smirk. She and Miku were seated back-to-back on the grass, arms interlinked, as they worked on a partner lift exercise. "Tall, snarky and full of attitude. You always go for those types."
"I thought Nino liked delinquents?" Ichika chimed in. She and Yotsuba were mirroring the same exercise nearby. "That guy seems more like the 'hot athletic nerd with a 4.0 GPA and a six-pack' type. Honestly, he's more Yotsuba's or even Miku's type than yours."
"Correction," Itsuki added smugly, "Nino isn't into delinquents. She's into guys with strong personalities. It's just that a lot of delinquents fit that mold. Ayase is just… scowls and glare unpleasantly at everyone. In other words—exactly her flavor."
Nino's eyes widened slightly, a rare flicker of nervous energy crossing her usually confident face. "S-Should I approach him?" she asked hesitantly, her voice much softer than usual. "Just to be sure that he's the person I know?"
Everything around them seemed to freeze. Her sisters all turned to look at her in synchronized disbelief. Nino Nakano—hesitating? That alone was enough to make the world tilt.
"No!" a sharp voice rang out.
All heads snapped toward Miku, who had spoken a little too loudly. She was looking at the ground, her expression unreadable, her face turning red under the attention.
"Uh…" Ichika blinked, confused. "Miku?"
Noticing their stares, Miku quickly gathered herself and sat up straighter. "I mean," she began coolly, trying to sound indifferent, "from what I've heard, he already has a fiancée. So, approaching him would only embarrass you. You'd just be setting yourself up for rejection."
"He does?!" Nino exclaimed in disbelief. Her mouth dropped open slightly as she looked toward Itsuki for confirmation.
Itsuki nodded and gestured casually toward the track field, where Lala was jogging alongside Momo and Haruna, the three of them chatting and laughing together between laps.
"The pink-haired one. That's her," Itsuki confirmed. "Apparently, she and Clark have a thing."
"No way, I refuse to believe that" Nino muttered under her breath. She clenched her jaw, biting her thumbnail in frustration. Her eyes returned to Clark, and as she glared at him across the yard, she caught his lips twitching.
His eyebrows twitched too.
Like he knew she was watching.
Her eyes narrowed.
"Ugh, this is annoying," Nino groaned, crossing her arms again and looking away in irritation. "Why is it always the interesting ones that are taken?"
"Maybe that's what makes them interesting," Ichika said with a knowing smile.
********************************************
Read More advance Chapters on: patreon.com/Shadow_D_Monarch3