The classroom was alive with murmurs as the teacher began handing out the mathematics practice test. Papers rustled about the room; pencils scrambled softly against the desks.
Ren calmly sat at his desk, absorbing every detail of the problems presented on the paper. He wore a methodical approach toward the preparation of the test; to him, it seemed just like another chess match. Not surprisingly, Aoi's casual glance at him registered how relaxed he was compared with everyone else.
A sharp contrast displayed itself in that David seemed to take an almost unnatural time in finishing his test. There was efficiency in his every pencil movement; leaning back with a smirk, he awaited developments without any remorse whatsoever. Beside him, Everlyn was also working at an accelerated pace, but the slight irritation on her face suggested annoyance by David's supposedly early finish.
With the teacher grading and returning papers:
David: Perfect score (Full Marks)
Everlyn: Almost perfect (Just a few marks short of David)
Ren: Good A Grade
Aoi & Emi: Better than average but not as good as others.
Ren possessed a certain indifference to the matter; he regarded his own, blue-marked paper dispassionately and cast it aside. From across the room, however, reclined David with a flip of a pencil. He cast quick glances at Ren and thought, comparing results.
"He's good, but far from me," thought David.
Aoi, witnessing the two, felt a strange tension hanging within the classroom. There was no apparent hostility, but rivalry was clearly there—one unspoken by either of the two.
Art Class: The Moment of Vulnerability
Art class should have been a place of comfort for Aoi, but today she was suffering from a dull headache. Colors on the palette blurred together, and the sounds around her seemed far away.
She was concentrating hard with increasing dizziness, when all of a sudden, the world started tilting.
Blackout.
When she opened her eyes again, the sharp smell of antiseptic greeted her. She found herself in the medical room, and beside her sat David.
His blue eyes studied her intently; the usual smirk was absent. In its place was an expression Aoi had never seen before—far away, inscrutable.
"Why... is he here?"
"You fainted," David preempted her question. "Teacher asked me to bring you here."
His voice, smooth and calm, had an unusual warmth to it. David chuckled softly, noticing Aoi's puzzled expression.
"Guess you think I'm just the arrogant guy," he thought aloud. "Well, I suppose you're right... But every now and then I do have my moments."
Before Aoi could respond, David took her by complete surprise and kept on.
"I wasn't like this as a child," he said, his tone underlining some obscure melancholy. "Just a kid who longed for somebody to relate to... But to the world, I was a waste of time."
He leaned back on the chair and gave the ceiling an absent look.
"My so-called genius made me a tool, not a person. I was useful, nothing more. I guess that's why I understand you a little, Aoi... You lose yourself in your art. I lose myself in logic. Maybe we're not so different."
Aoi was at a loss for words. At that moment, for the first time, David appeared… human.
For a moment, she felt some pity.
But before she could comprehend it, the door opened abruptly.
Ren stepped inside.
He said nothing at first, eyes darting briefly to David, then back to Aoi. His face was an impassive mask; just his presence made the air heavy.
David realized tension was rolling in and smirked. His moment of vulnerability disappeared like a puff of smoke.
"A little late, aren't you?" David said offhandedly. "Weren't you worried about her?"
Ren ignored David, choosing to address only Aoi. "Can you walk?"
His voice was flat, almost indifferent, but Aoi saw through it.
Ren took her response for granted, without waiting another moment, walked up, and gently tugged her up. His grip on her wrist was firm, yet his touch was gentle.
David reclined with amusement.
"So, this is how it is," thought David. "No matter what I do, she only reacts to him."
Aoi, still slightly light-headed, had a lot to fog through. She could hear David's voice in her brain; she could feel Ren's warmth pulling her away; and yet, something about this all felt far too complicated.