[Chapter 13: More Than He Seems]
After returning from the school trip, things didn't quite go back to normal.
The once-familiar hum of routine now carried a different undercurrent—curiosity, speculation, even envy. Whispers trailed Takumi and Yuri like shadows as they walked down the halls, subtle but constant. They hadn't officially said anything, but it was obvious to anyone paying attention: something between them had changed.
They stood closer than before. Their eyes lingered on each other a little too long. And the way they smiled—genuine, brighter, a little softer—it was the kind of happiness that didn't need to be explained.
Still, Takumi tried to keep things low-key, slipping back into his usual quiet habits: dozing in class, avoiding unnecessary attention. But of course, that peace didn't last long.
A week after they returned, their homeroom teacher made an announcement. Their class had been selected to represent the grade in the upcoming school-wide academic relay—a major event that combined logic, math, and critical thinking into fast-paced team rounds. It was a school tradition, competitive and prestigious, and every student knew what it meant to be chosen.
Yuri was immediately selected for her perfect grades. The second pick?
Surprisingly—not Minato, or any of the usual overachievers.
But Takumi.
"Wait, Tachibana-kun?" one of the girls whispered. "Isn't he, like, super lazy?"
"Yeah, he sleeps through class. Does he even study?"
Haruto just smirked. "Watch and learn."
The day of the relay arrived quickly. The school auditorium buzzed with energy. Students from every class sat in their designated areas, cheering for their representatives. Teachers lined the sides, clipboards in hand, ready to judge.
Takumi, as usual, looked unbothered. He leaned back lazily in his chair, stretching with a yawn as the first buzzer rang.
And then it began.
Rapid-fire math problems. Intricate word puzzles. Trick logic questions designed to trip up even the smartest students.
Yuri worked quickly and efficiently. But the real surprise was Takumi.
He didn't just solve the problems—he glided through them. Calm. Unflinching. Like the answers were simply waiting for him to write them down.
While his teammates fumbled or hesitated, Takumi quietly explained solutions with concise clarity, even pointing out a miscalculation made by one of the judges—a mistake no one else had caught.
By the end of the round, their class had the highest score. The room buzzed with disbelief.
"Takumi-kun's actually… a genius?"
"Why's he been hiding it all this time?"
"He looked so cool when he solved that riddle... like it was nothing."
From the audience, Yuri watched silently, hands folded in her lap, her lips curved in a quiet, proud smile. She'd always known there was more to him. Now, everyone else was beginning to see it too.
Later that afternoon, in the gym during break, something else happened.
Takumi found himself accidentally bumping into a loud third-year boy, Ryo, known for being cocky and competitive.
"Watch it, sleepyhead," Ryo muttered, brushing off his shoulder.
Takumi simply nodded. "Sorry."
But Ryo wasn't done. He turned toward Yuri, who was standing nearby.
"You're Yuri Shinomiya, right? Heard you've been hanging around him lately. You sure that's your type?"
Takumi's eyes narrowed.
Yuri stepped forward. "Let's not make a scene."
But Ryo smirked. "Just saying. If you ever get bored of a half-asleep guy like him—"
Thud.
Before anyone could blink, Takumi had grabbed Ryo by the collar and pinned him against the gym wall with surprising strength.
His voice was low. Calm. Dangerous.
"Say another word like that and I'll stop holding back."
The entire gym fell silent.
Ryo tried to brush it off, but Takumi had already let go and walked away, not even looking back.
Yuri followed him out, heart pounding.
"You didn't have to do that."
Takumi gave a tiny shrug. "He insulted you."
"You scared everyone."
"Good."He said
That evening, the school's usual gossip lines exploded with a new name.
A transfer student.
Reika Mizusawa.
Rumors spread fast: she was tall, elegant, with silver-dyed hair that shimmered like frost under the lights, and sharp blue eyes that didn't miss a thing. Her reputation preceded her—daughter of a prestigious family, fluent in two languages, top marks abroad, and athletic enough to challenge the school's best.
Some said she was the only girl who could rival Yuri in beauty and poise.
The next morning, Reika entered the classroom with confident strides, her presence immediately commanding attention. Conversations stuttered. Eyes followed her as she scanned the room—measured, composed.
Then she spotted Takumi.
She stopped, a slow smile curling across her lips.
"Oh?" she said, brushing a strand of hair behind one ear. Her voice was smooth, teasing. "You must be the one everyone's been whispering about."
Yuri frowned slightly.
Reika's eyes gleamed with curiosity, her gaze lingering on Takumi with unmistakable interest.
"This school," she said, her voice light but layered with something more, "might be a lot more fun than I thought."