Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Remember, if you like the chapter, please leave a review. They really help!
I've decided this story will update every other Saturday, so part 3 will be up on November 7th. However, if the story becomes popular enough, I'll make it weekly.
Classmates
Carpet time was Shun's favourite part of kindergarten. Every day after lunch all the students of Miss Kylie's kindergarten class would sit down in a semi-circle on the carpet. Then Miss Kylie would play her guitar, or teach them a song, or read them a story.
The last few days, Miss Kylie had been reading them Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Shun found himself completely captivated by the words each time she read. Miss Kylie would make voices for each of the characters, go quieter or louder depending on what she was saying, and make grand sweeping gestures with her free hand to act out the story.
In fact, the further they got into the story, the more Shun wished he could read better in English. If he'd been able to read in English as well as he could in Japanese, he might have been able to read the book along with Miss Kylie. Then he wouldn't have to worry about his classmates interrupting, or asking what things meant, or whispering and playing behind Shun while he was captured by the words on the page.
Today was particularly bad for that. The boy with brown hair that had run into Shun on the first day was giggling behind Shun. He and the Donatello boy were talking about ninja turtles and then breaking off into quiet laughter.
Each time they got too loud, Miss Kylie stopped reading to tell them to be quiet. Then she'd get a few minutes of peace before they started up again. Each time Shun bristled a little more until he could feel his shoulders up near his ears.
Finally, he hit his breaking point. When the boys started again, Shun didn't wait for Miss Kylie. He whipped around in his seat, lightning fast, and fixed them with his grandfather's "angry stare". The boys faltered.
"It's rude to interrupt people when they're telling a story," said Shun low, shadowed voice. "So please. Stop. Talking." He could feel everyone's eyes on him. Feel the way his anger seeped into his own gaze and onto his tongue.
"Shun, that's enough, thank you," said Miss Kylie. "You boys are classmates, so you should get along."
Shun pouted. "I wouldn't have to get mad if he'd just listen to the story!" he protested.
"It's a boring story," said the brown haired boy. "Who cares if he's magic. It's so boring."
"I care," said Shun in a high voice.
Miss Kylie sighed. "That's enough. Shun, Dan, why don't you two go down to the principal's office? We'll talk there after I finish reading today."
Shun's lip trembled. "But I didn't do anything wrong." But he stood anyway, trudging to the door without another word.
The brown haired boy – Dan – fell into step beside him. "Look at the bright side! Now we get to walk!" He was grinning. Shun looked at him. Felt the way his anger bubbled up in his chest and left him red and shaky. Felt the way it burned into his hands. His grandfather had told him about anger. About how it could control you if you didn't control it.
For a few seconds, Shun didn't want to control it. He wanted to tackle Dan to the ground and punch his stupid face. Take the grin off it like his grandfather had taught him.
He shoved it down. Smiled shakily. Breathed through his nose.
"I don't like you," said Shun, simply. And he marched ahead of Dan toward the principal's office.
