Arashi roamed the wide and many halls, opening every library door coming into her sight and getting accustomed to the shock of giggles and murmurs every time the double doors swung open. At that point, she started opening any kind of doors in hope of finding a temporary sanctuary for her bookworm...-ness? She didn't know anymore.
Girls who lingered in the hallways waved and blushed when she politely returned the gesture as if her acknowledgement made them fantasise about their future together. Arashi held back a shiver. She was straight and that was one of the things she was absolutely sure of. However, appearing as an admittedly cute boy made it hard to suppress the urge to play with their feelings.
She didn't know when it started but she wore the male uniform because it seemed slightly more comfortable than those yellow dresses. They took up some much space when the girls walked in them and she just didn't like those kinds of dresses. For once, her father didn't care about what she did as though he had given up on her but she knew better.
Because of her short hair, her slightly masculine name and the male uniform covering her figure, not that she had any to begin with, people started referring to her using he and him and his. Did she bother to correct them? No, it was much more fun that way.
A series of squeals and giggles erupted behind the double mahogany doors of a music room she was just about to pass by. Curiosity fed on her mind and her hands itched to press on the handle. The elated shrieks and satisfied gasps had nothing to do with that; she heard those everywhere she went. But she heard china clanging, somebody talking about tea and cakes and a voice of a kid in there. Arashi, being easily-intrigued, pushed one of the doors open.
Right then, Arashi wished she never did.
Eye-stabbing rays pierced her one eye and somehow the other eye that was concealed by her hair and the overwhelming smell of roses hurt her sensitive nose. They were everywhere in vases on every table present in the room. Perfume merged with the scent and the strong fragrance of coffee.
She let out a small sneeze and registered the black-haired male in front of her.
"Hello," the boy spoke. "How may I help you?"
She let out another sneeze before wiping the unintentional tears that sprung in her eyes but the tears were persistent and kept on coming. She took in a shaky breath and looked through her blurry vision as the boy gestured to talk outside, following his long strides.
Sighing in relief, she sniffled and cleared her throat. She pointed to her throat and swiped her hand in the air.
"Ah, I see," the boy sighed out as if it was the most troublesome thing in the world to try and communicate with a mute person. "Sign language then?"
Looking for a quiet place.
"Hm, the only place I can think of is the garden since every student seems to think the library is a lounge room," he replied. He knew what went on in the school pretty well. Perhaps, he experienced the same long useless journey she took around in school.
She bowed in gratitude and was about to head to the garden where she once spotted multiple benches with tables peppering the grassy area. Ah, there were also satisfyingly beautiful flowers with scents that didn't outwardly attack her into a series of sneezes.
"Hold on please, what's your name?"
She did some signals for the meaning of her name and mentally hoped he understood.
"Storm? East? Ah, Arashi Azuma. Well, it was nice to meet you, Arashi-san. I'm Kyoya Ootori."
Whatever light that came through the windows reflected on his spectacles, giving off a mysterious yet dangerous aura. The small cold smile did not help.
Arashi gulped nervously and bowed as calmly as she could in goodbye.
The garden's beauty would calm her down.
And it did. Only three students were in the garden part of the courtyard and they were probably the only ones who were reading a book amongst all the students in the school premises. A few more seconds and she'd be one of them.
She chose to sit in the table under the tree with the shade shielding her from the sun's rays. Taking out a book, she quirked a smile at the bookmark of the many bookmarks her butler gave her for her birthday the year before. Each bookmark was shaped as an important element from every story they had read before. This bookmark was the shape of a red wellington boot like the pair that Millie Bird in Lost & Found wore.
Of course the book she was reading wasn't the same one she read with Inazuma before she slept. She couldn't when they read it together every night and she saw how Inazuma's eyes would light up at the sight of any book.
Halfway through a chapter, a panting brunette slowed to a stop from the heavy running he was doing. Or was it a she? Arashi tilted her head. Very feminine features. Girl, she decided despite the male uniform. Maybe she didn't like dresses just like her.
"Excuse me," the brunette panted, cheeks red with exhaustion and a droplet of sweat dripping down her temple. "Did you see a student with a black cloak and a black wig running here and screaming about the sunlight?"
Arashi shook her head a little and pitied the girl who looked like she couldn't even lift a finger anymore. She quickly got a bottle of water from her bag and handed it to her.
"A-ah thank you," she said, falling into the seat beside her and gulping down half of the water in the bottle.
"God, that was refreshing," the short brunette sighed and capped the water bottle again, pushing it to Arashi but she gestured for her to keep it. The silver-haired girl noticed how her chocolate brown eyes kept straying to her book as though wishing she could be doing the same.
"Thank you so much." She stood up and bowed.
Arashi bowed her head back and watched amusedly as the girl continued jogging, occasionally calling out for a name or asking another student with the same description she gave her.
Arashi sighed heavily. If every day was going to be this interesting, she didn't mind continuing in this school. She wouldn't refuse any possible light in her dull life.