Tables seating six neatly organized the length of the school's cafeteria. The room was sparsely populated with students, most of whom decided to celebrate their first day of school by eating at nearby restaurants. It’s the sort of thing that’s just accepted with schools as affluent as Kuzumi High. The sort of school steeped in rich tradition, incredibly high standards and potentially most of all, old money.
“Ah, the first day of school,” Thought Kira. Feeling more at home than ever at her own home. And what's more, the first lunch day. Imagining a chess board in her mind she nods to herself with satisfaction. 3 of the top 7 from her middle school graduation class sits with her, as it should be. Rin who is probably the most talented of the 3 ranked only number 7 last year. Most likely due to her bosomy blossom and consistent distractions from the boys in the class.. and in older years.. Although Kira was not jealous.. Thinking of her as only 7th is mildly insulting to what an achievement that is. Compared to Kira’s first place finish she may have a little room to look down on her.. maybe just a little bit.
Lunara on the other hand was nothing but a pleasure to be around. Pale skin, big dark eyes and never in anything but a cheery, positive mood. She would have also given Kira a run for 1st place if it wasn’t for that little quirk. Imagining all of the extended conversations she had with people for the sake of kindness. Dozens a day each day for a whole year adds up quickly. And had half of that been assigned to study she might have finished higher than fifth. Still a remarkable achievement. Now as they have done every year since elementary school they played a game exclusively on the first lunch day of the year. Each of them casually and discreetly scanned the room for those sitting alone. Usually boys are someone who you can give just a little bit of attention and effort and get so much back in return.
Rin was the first to spot one such a man.
“Ogre, 2 O'clock 3rd table in from the wall” She said with just a quirk of a smile.
“He’s the only one I see,” said Lunara. “Is he really the only person sitting alone.. I suppose it does make sense for those expecting to be by themselves to do so at a local restaurant. By that logic it makes even less sense for him to be here”
Kira finally found him. Ogre, she thought. Rumors have always circulated faster and faster with technology but to have a new student to not only the school system but the country already have a reputation and widely known nickname was curious to say the least. Kira looked at the reasonably tall pudgy boy facing the three of them across the room. His right hand was eating his lunch and both his eyes and his left hand were reading a text book and writing in a notebook also on the table. His posture was oddly perfect and despite his moniker he was not ugly… also interesting what could he have done to earn that nickname..
“Well target acquired” Said Rin..” I saw him first so he’s mine. I should have the seed planted in 2 minutes. Hell, I might not have to carry a book all year” she chuckled, getting up from the table to make her way over to the lonely loner.
I wish I had her sex appeal thought Kira. Glancing over at Lunara envious of her objective beauty as well. They’re both as beautiful as they are smart, Kira internally sighs as she says “First come first it appears. This should be like stealing candy from a baby.. Do we know if he even speaks the language?”
Lunara not taking her eyes off of Rin as she starts to sit down “I heard he’s fluent. Although I heard many things about him. Some are contradicting. None of them said he’d be cute though.”
They both look at Rin sitting next to him straddling the seat facing Ogre. Letting her skirt just barely cover up her underwear. Putting her elbow on the table and leaning into it pushing her breasts together. Tilting her head to try and look extra cute.
“She’s not pulling any punches is she” gasps Lunara.
With her eyebrows raising Kira responds “Talk about overkill”.. as they both looked up the most unpredictable thing happened. Nothing. Ogre took a brief glance at Rin and continued right back to his food and studies. A smirk streak across Kira’s and Lunara’s faces as they see Rin try and salvage the situation. Although the cafeteria was only at roughly 15% capacity Rin ' soft voice still couldn’t be heard from this distance. But if you look hard enough you can see Rin clearly getting flustered. As she was trying to quietly prod the boy for responses. After the promised 2 minutes she made an audible huff. A sound Kira had never heard her friend make before, although she had never seen Rin get rejected by any boy either. Lunara and Kira shared a look of bewilderment. “Are you sure he speaks our language?” Kira asked, looking at her confused nod.
“Even if he couldn't, Rin sexiness is a universal language” she said, putting her hand in front of her mouth to hide her giggle.
Rin sat down roughly next to Lunara this time and scowled. “That boy, he was completely unaffected and unresponsive. What the hell is happening? Lunara you said he speaks our language right? Then why the hell didn’t he even give me the time of day!?” she said as incredulously as she was frustrated.
“You must have gone in too hot and heavy,” Lunara said with a wink and a grin. Since I saw him 2nd I’ll show you sometimes a more delicate approach can be more effective.”
“I don’t like this one damn bit” said Rin under her breath. “He glanced at me in the most provocative position I could make myself and turned back to his textbook. I even glanced to see it was not some nudey magazine in a text book cover. How could History be more alluring than me?” She said as she buried her head in her hands. “How do you deal with being invisible to guys?” Rin said to Kira as they both watched Lunara make her way over to Orges table. The insult was not said as much more as an earnest question of fact which irritated Kira more.
“I’ve never been through that either,” she said truthfully. “I know I’ve never had the attention of boys like you and Lunara but I’ve also never put myself out there enough to be rejected as hard as you just were” a respectable jab for a respectful jab thought Kira. Knowing she opened a door to a retort about never having any real romantic endeavors at all. Kira did have a boyfriend and they would hold hands occasionally but she didn’t know how patient he was willing to be. Or if she would ever develop any romantic feelings for him.. He was 10th in the class and their relationship made sense on paper.
Rin opened her hands to watch Lunara’s turn to sit down next to Ogre. She dismissed Kira’s remark the fair play eye for an eye type pettiness it was and didn’t instigate any further. Her confidence had never taken a hit like that before and she didn’t like how it excited her. I don’t know if he’s playing hard to get or blind but she might just accept the challenge. If for nothing else to look into those eyes. “Foreigners really do have some of the prettiest eyes” she mused aloud
Kira and Rin looked on as Lunara sat down on the opposite side of the side that Rin did. Rin chose the side of his food. Lunara chose the side of his studies. Sitting in almost a posture perfect side saddle on his side of the bench. The smile Rin continued to broaden as Lunara transitioned from her cutesy playful face she always has, to confused and continued to degenerate all the way to polite awkwardness. Like Rin, Ogre took one glance and resumed his eating and note taking all the while completely ignoring the classically beautiful young woman in Lunara. The two giggled jovially while Lunara made her walk back across the lunch room.
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“That one” Lunara sighed sitting back down “has an aura the likes I’ve never experienced before. I’m not even offended I got the cold shoulder. It was a completely new experience and honestly I don’t know how I feel about it. Several things just don’t make sense about that one and I can’t put my finger on it.”
Rin nodded “That’s a great way to stay positive but yes I had the same feeling. I don’t want to use a term as mundane as an air of mystery but it's like seeing a rare species of something ubiquitous. Like in a world of corgis you see a greyhound. Yes they’re all dogs and dogs are a normal sight but one is just different from all the others.”
“That sounded almost affectionate,” replied Lunara, hiding her smile behind her hand. “I like the metaphor but I only have one more piece of interest in this matter. “ She says looking at Kria “You’re turn”
Kira lets out a deep breath not wanting to voice her arguments against the idea. She’s not as pretty or affable as Lunara and not as curvy and experienced as Rin so she would dive into this with one goal and without complaint. Try to identify what they find so off about it. Oddly even after getting shunned the two of them were not negative about Ogre. Most curious, she thought as she began to get up. She hadn’t been paying attention to what the other two girls were saying. She did catch one last piece of advice from Lunara which was something about the boy's eyes. 6 successful years playing this game all to fall apart the 2nd year of high school she resigned making her way over.
Now lets see Lunara chose his left.. Rin chose his right. Might as well try across the table. It was the most direct path anyway. The closer she got she began to realize what Rin was talking about. Something didn’t add up here. His long sleeved school uniform was clearly a size too small which makes sense on why his posture is straight. But his face doesn’t show the obesity the rest of him does. She braces herself for the rejection and begins to lower herself in the seat directly across from him.
“Hello, I’m Kira. I heard you’re new to this area, What's your name?” Kira says in a conversational tone as she can manage, given her expectations. She was paying attention to how this played out before. He glances and goes back to what he’s doing. Only this time. His head slowly rose from his textbook but his eyes quickly shot up to hers and stayed there. Kira’s breath caught abruptly, so this is what Rin meant about the eyes of foreigners.. 2 deep dark sapphire eyes looked back at her. Literally breathtaking she mused to herself.
“You’re different” says Ogre with a deep voice that could sand wood. “I’ll answer your questions honestly if you do the same? Have we a deal, pretty lady?”
Multiple thoughts raced through Kira’s mind all at once. First and foremost of which was how she could lord this over Rin and Lunara if she could make this man her pet. Followed immediately by how strange of a conversation this was. With her curiosity peaked and already celebrating her victory over her two friends no matter how small it may be. “Deal” She replied with an eagerness she wasn't sure the origin of.
“Teyo, What is your name?” Ogre asked Kira to respond with her first name only the same as him. Now the questions began to queue in her mind, the first of which just blurted out. “Why does everyone call you Ogre?” his eyes narrowed and in a sudden remembering of the insulting tone behind that nickname made her regret that being her first question. As far as she knew these were the first words he had spoken in this school and without an accent too. The questions continued to pile up while she waited a few moments for his response.
“Children can be cruel to those who are different. Especially when they are also isolated” Teyo said, still keeping eye contact. “Why are you sitting across from me right now?” he added quickly.
Kira was beginning to feel her heart racing. This didn’t feel like a conversation but like a battle of wit and wills. Unfortunately for Teyo that is her Forte. She could feel herself smirking in an attempt to hide a full Cheshire cat smile. She has this one right where she needed.. All she had to do was start wrapping around her finger. “My two friends and I try to find someone lonely who we can give a little attention to and have them do little things for us throughout the course of the year” she said under Teyo’s gaze. Has he even blinked yet? Wait why did she even say that. I knew we agreed to be true but I have more tact than that. How could I let myself slip? Stupid stupid girl. The amount of thoughts in her head continued to pile up. Something was different. He hadn’t moved, hadn’t broken eye contact but something was palpable.. Is this the aura Lunara was referring to? Question right! My turn to ask one.
Kira knew her smirk had slipped and was attempting to wrangle her thoughts and pick the one of the many questions she had. “Why are you talking to me when you ignored my friends?” She asked as calmly as she could while her thoughts were racing in every direction. To her astonishment he pulled a small notebook out of his breast pocket and began to write in a language she was unfamiliar with. Was that his way of telling me to leave.? She originally assumed that it was a pack of cigarettes in an attempt to look cool but after a few lifetime feeling seconds he closed the book and put it back.
“Tell me if I’m wrong but they are Judgmental.” He gave her a moment to disagree with that, and the statement passed in silence without a retort. “Judgmentalism is the Anathema of curiosity. You are curious, Which is quite possibly the most beautiful thing I find about you. That list is growing, you see. I too am very curious” he smirked. Of the dozens of rumors she had heard, the most common among them was that he never smiled. And she got him to! I hope Rin and Lunara see this. But this question trading game is getting interesting.
Wait. Did he just confess to me!? Kira's mind recaps the conversation and is shocked how she missed that detail the first time around. She could feel her cheeks immediately blushing and looked down at the table to hide it. This bastard made me blush and break eye contact. She forced herself to meet his eyes and found them several shades lighter. Instead of a pair of sapphires at the bottom of a clear lake it was almost as if she were looking into the skies. What the fuck is going on here? How am I Kira, the top of last year's class getting flustered in this arena of Wit and Wills. I won’t have this. He will not win, I need to gather myself and knock him off his game. But it's his turn to ask a question. This could be the knockout punch. What could it be? He’s got me on tilt this whole conversation. It's almost like he knows how to rattle our confidence. He ignores two of the most beautiful girls in this school and linguistically dances circles around me.
After taking a deep breath he says “My turn again, Will you please tutor me in history?”
Kira resists the urge to stand up and slam her hands on the table. Witty, handsome, and Rin was right. This one is a husky surrounded by shih tzu’s. Feeling her blush intensify, her pride won't let her look away. “Yes,” Kira responded. “But this game is not over and you may have won this round but I’m going to get you so off balance you physically fall over”. A flash of sadness crossed his face, his growing smirk was now shrinking and his eyes began to darken to the sapphires they were when she first sat down.
Recognizing her loss she got up and began to return to her table. Feeling his eyes on her until she made several steps away, the possibilities of follow up of that conversation began filling her mind. How did that one give me an existential crisis in such a brief conversation? Game on, she thought as she sat down. “I was in no way prepared for that” she said to Rin and Lunara.
Rin scoffed “What the hell was that”
Lunara leaned into whisper “I doubt you noticed but when he spoke the whole lunch room went quiet as a mouse. I believe everyone was eavesdropping on that conversation. Including us!” she gestured towards Rin. “That might have been the smoothest talking I’ve ever heard. He called you beautiful like three times and you didn’t lose your composure! Well done!”
Kira couldn’t help but let her jaw drop, feeling the color fade from her face.
“You also made us look like bitches,” said Rin. “You have 2 things you need to do right now, 1 break up with your boyfriend because I’m not even callous enough to stay in a relationship while tutoring a man who came onto me so hard and two let me know when this tutoring session is going to be. I think I deserve an introduction, and my history grade was higher than yours last year.. I can’t believe he called us judgmental!” she hissed.
Kira said calmly and resolutely “you’re both right. But that one is my puzzle to solve”
The Bell rang and for the rest of the school day resumed. Kira made herself single and the rumors churned. Thank goodness most of them didn’t mention her. Teyo was the lightning rod of attention, luckily keeping it from her. Several times she heard variations of the conversation she had with him. And throughout the course of the day they became darker, more aggressive and rude.
Until she got home and got a text message about the latest rumor of the infamous Ogre finally talking. The tale she was told involved him approaching some girl and harassing her. The first time Ogre spoke he was a disgusting pig to an innocent girl just trying to enjoy her lunch. Her stomach pitted remembering him saying “Children can be cruel to those who are different. Especially when they are also isolated.” Holy shit she thought to herself. Who is this guy and where did he come from? She put her studies aside for the moment and failed to look for him on the internet with no last name. She was going to beat this man at this game they started. She got so flustered and off balance because she wasn’t prepared.. That was not going to happen next time! She continued into the night on her school work and now and then dabbled into scribbling a few questions to throw his way in the middle.