The lunch bell rings some time after we've completed our classwork and started on our homework assignment - and, no, being a transfer student didn't protect me from receiving it.

Science isn't too difficult for me; nothing much is, academically, anyways. It's not like I'm particularly gifted or anything; I've just spent a good deal of time surrounded by white walls and the smell of antiseptic, and I chose to spend that time doing schoolwork and reading textbooks.

This, combined with my desire to please my parents with good grades, if nothing else, meant that I stayed a good deal ahead on the curve, and I've never really dropped that habit.

I may not do much, but I've always thought that it would be nice to do those few things well.

I'm not sure where I'm even supposed to find lunch, let alone eat it, but Misha beckons me into the hallway and I grab my bags and follow her and Shizune as they lead me to what is presumably the cafeteria.

Just like all of the other buildings in the school, the cafeteria is spacious and oddly modern on the inside, in contrast to the classic exterior. Its big windows open to the courtyard, towards the main gate.

It's a pretty regal view, those imposing iron gates overlooking the hill and the town in the valley. Even I can appreciate that kind of picturesque scenery.

Suddenly I'm standing in the lunch line, and Misha and Shizune are talking in their customary way. I take the chance to look around more and am disappointed, because it appears that absolutely nothing interesting is happening outside of my little bubble. It feels much like my last school; cliques grouped together in various sections of the cafeteria, occupying certain tables, though I note with some dark humor that the athletes come in more sizes than "XL" and "XXL".

I pick some lunch dish at random. It turns out to be a fish filet with mixed rice and a side of limp vegetables, and bottled water. I'm not sure how safe it is to eat, but I can almost certainly be assured that it meets the standards for healthy vitamin intake.

I sit down with Misha and Shizune at a table somewhat far out. There seems to be a lot of space left over; how big are the classes? I know our homeroom only has about twenty people or so.

Something touches my side; I turn to see Misha having apparently poked me, if her extended pointer finger is of any indication. I guess my condition isn't public knowledge then, if she thought that was a good way of getting my attention.

"Do you want or need to know something?" Misha asks.

"What?" I reply.

"About anything! We're your guides so you should ask us if you have any questions."

What's your real reason for attending Yamaku?

Normal students can and do attend Yamaku; it's just that, usually, they don't. The stigma of the uniform alone is enough to ward the majority from even making an attempt. Also, Yamaku probably prioritizes the disabled over functionally healthy individuals.

That would just make sense.

Well, that's not on the table; what is? What do I need to know? The library would be a great place to start; reading is one of the few things that I really enjoy, and it's a quiet space that effectively isolates me from the majority of the student body.

Though the distribution of students that frequent the library in a school like this is probably higher than in a normal one…

Don't care. I want books.

That being said, I'd rather have the chance to try and figure it out myself. It's more fun that way, isn't it?

"No, I think I understand everything I need to." Yamaku really does try hard to be a normal school in many ways, mostly succeeding.

"Ooh! That means we've been good guides, doesn't it, doesn't it?" Misha asks excitedly.

I shrug. "I guess." She positively beams, and so does Shizune after a quick translation. Their somewhat exaggerated enthusiasm makes me smile somewhat, and I go back to picking at my food as the two have an animated conversation in sign, throwing sideway glances at me from time to time.

It would appear that I've become the topic of conversation. I'm not sure how to feel about this. The food is surprisingly acceptable in that it is entirely bland, managing to overshoot my expectations.

I sit in relative quiet, considering my thoughts amongst the conversation of the other students. It's not quite as…rambunctious as my last school. Perhaps the students are a bit more mature here; I suppose they would have to be, given their conditions.

I haven't visited my dorm room yet, though I have an idea of where it is. I'll go find it later; for now, I think I want to continue through my normal day, as previously planned.

What would she do?

I suppose she would be doing much the same thing as I, though she would have had the foresight to bring her own lunch. I certainly have no intention of buying this again.

Maybe trying to make some effort to talk to the two girls in front of me? Something actively social, perhaps?

In that aspect I'm not willing to follow her, though, so I keep to myself.

Eventually the lunch bell rings, and I follow Shizune and Misha back to the classroom, pensive thoughts swirling inside my head. We arrive early, but we're not the first ones; that violet-haired girl I noticed before is slumped over her desk at the last row, presumably asleep. Did she even eat? We were pretty quick to come here, after all.

She jumps a little when Misha crashes into the room with the elegance of an elephant. I feel kind of bad about that, but there isn't anything I could've done to stop that particular force of nature. Watching her shrink lower into her seat, I can feel how tense she is, as if she was winding up to explode.

Naturally, this action draws my eyes to her, and then to her scars. Red, purple, the colored lines slashed across her face. They're surprisingly jarring, even when I had previously prepared myself to see them, but I don't flinch or recoil. I'm sure that's a reaction she's used to, and -

If it was me, I would wanted to be treated the same way.

For some reason, I'm drawn to the girl. Her silence is oddly attractive in a way in a way the antics of Misha and Shizune aren't, and that's something I can appreciate, especially because I'm feeling pretty tired myself. Her eyes meet mine for the briefest of moments before flickering away; I don't know how to react, so I don't.

Misha and Shizune either don't notice or don't mind the quiet girl's tension, as they walk directly past her to their seats, conversing all the while. I hesitate to join them.

This was the other open seat this morning and I think this qualifies as 'later'; also, I have an interest in sitting here. With those conditions fulfilled, the only thing stopping me now is my conscience.

The purple-haired girl is trembling slightly and very evidently avoiding further eye contact; with a shrug, I plop myself down in the seat to the left of her and put my head down, intending on getting some measure of rest.

It takes a while before other people trickle in, bringing in their own conversations, and I can tell that the math teacher has walked in when the conversation slows and stops.

Class is long and difficult. Math requires the most study on my part and I have to be good at it to be good at science, so despite my increasing weariness I force myself to pay attention and take notes.

Some time later, I realize that the girl I'm sitting by has been sending me nervous glances for a while now. I don't react to them, continuing to focus on my own work.

By the time the bell rings the tension appears to have mostly drained from her. She gives me a final, curious look, and this time I match it.

She doesn't flinch away this time, though I can still read the fear in her eyes. The expression on her face is decidedly neutral.

She would be very good at poker, I feel, and I'm tempted to challenge her to a game. For a few seconds, we do nothing but stare at each other, perfectly still.

Of course, all quiet moments are meant to be broken. And this one is smashed into pieces with a hammer, then the pieces are stepped on, and dumped into an incinerator.

"Hicchan! Unfortunately, we can't stay and show you around today. We've got to hurry already, since there is a lot of work for us to do." Misha suddenly pops out from the middle of nowhere, Shizune trailing behind her.

I almost fall out of my seat at the shock of the volume of her voice.

The quiet girl almost cracks a small smile, but it disappears as fast as it comes. I frown, annoyed.

"Oh, okay. One thing, though, before you guys go. I was told that I had to see the nurse. Where do I have to go?"

"Is that so? We can at least show you that much. Come on, the nurses have their own building, so we have to go outside." Really? I guess that makes sense.

"Okay." I stand up out of my seat, grabbing my bags. I follow the girls over the threshold, though, before I exit, I turn around.

The quiet girl has pulled out a book, though she glances up when she realizes that I've stopped.

I wave to her.

"See you."

Then I turn and walk away, but not before I catch her voice, the word floating in the air.

"B-Bye…?" The girl whispers, as a question. It appears I've taken her quite by surprise.

I smile. I've found my new seat.