You find peace seated next to Yu Haibara, your best friend since middle school.
Yu's cheerful personality and infectious laughter have always been a source of comfort, especially in new and intimidating settings. He happily sat next to you with a few jugs of strawberry milk that he had brought with him earlier this morning to share in the excitement of a new school together.
Yu, with his ever-present smile and bright eyes, is already cracking jokes. His tousled brown hair bounces with every exaggerated movement he makes, and you can't help but laugh at his antics. It feels like no time has passed since you last sat together in your middle school classroom and the tension left with every second.
"Hey, remember that time you tried to impress that guy by doing a backflip and landed in the trash can?" Yu teases, his eyes twinkling mischievously.
You burst out laughing, almost choking on the strawberry milk you're drinking. "Shut up, Yu! That was so embarrassing!"
As you try to compose yourself, Yu's next joke hits its mark perfectly. "And then you said, 'Guess my love for you was meant to be thrown away from the beginning.'"
Your laughter explodes uncontrollably, and before you know it, strawberry milk shoots out of your nose. The eruption is sudden and messy, catching you completely off guard. Strawberry milk sprays onto the desk, and you hear Yu's laughter intensify, almost as if he's proud of his accomplishment. You hastily grab a handful of napkins, trying to wipe the sticky mess off your face and the desk, but it's too late. The damage is done. You can feel your face turning red with a mixture of embarrassment and amusement.
You glance around and notice the upper years staring, some with amused grins, others with looks of disbelief. The moment feels like it stretches on forever, each second highlighting the absurdity of the situation. Yu, ever the supportive friend, is still laughing beside you, tears forming in the corners of his eyes.
In the midst of your laughing fit, you notice a figure standing nearby. A tall, blond-haired boy with serious eyes and a meticulously neat uniform. He has a dignified air about him, almost out of place among the chaos of first-day jitters. He is accompanied by a stern-looking teacher, who you recognize as Mr. Yaga.
"I hope you are planning to clean that up." Mr. Yaga says, his voice gruff but not unkind. Your hand scratched the back of your head as you smiled sheepishly over at the intimidating adult. "This is Kento Nanami. He's your newest and final classmate."
Yu Haibara, ever the social butterfly, was over by the blond immediately with a bow, still chuckling from the strawberry milk incident. "Hey Nanami-san, nice to meet you! I'm Yu Haibara, and this is my best friend."
Nanami glances at your strawberry milk-stained face and lets out a small sigh. "Pleasure to meet you," he says, his voice calm and measured. "Though I must say, I wasn't expecting such an... explosive introduction."
You wipe your face quickly, trying to salvage what little dignity you have left. "Sorry about that," you mumble, still smiling despite your embarrassment. "I'm not usually this messy." You were probably worse and made sure to keep a note to yourself to never let the teen into your room.
Nanami's serious expression softens just a bit. "It's fine. At least it's memorable."
Yu claps a hand on Nanami's shoulder, drawing him into your circle effortlessly. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it. We're a fun bunch, promise!" You couldn't help the giggle behind your hand as the aloof teen's eyes widened as he was forced to join you at the table. You smiled gently over at Nanami from after was forced violently to sit in front of you and with your clean hand, you carefully pushed over an unopened glass of strawberry milk.
"Welcome to the team, Nanami-san." He blinked at the glass and you realized he probably wasn't a sweets person. "I look forward to our moments together."