After all the chaos. Meeting Yuri, the dance, the gunfire..it was all just empty again. Riku felt like he destroyed something beautiful between two friends, just to be pushed away when he needed them most.
This all clouds his mind as he sits on the edge of the fountain, looking.....broken. Feeling like he missed out on a whole chapter of his happiness. His future, his life, his first love. He's lost it all. Within all this sadness, he doesn't realise that somebody is passing him some tissues.
"Hey..uh..you okay?"
The stranger sits next to him.
"I'm Jihoon." He says softly.
"Hey, its okay not to be okay sometimes. I mean, I don't know you but I think we could both use a friend right now. Come on, I think we have math together."
Riku's eyes remain teary.
"Uh..okay..right. Math."
Riku follows Jihoon as they head down to math class. He says quietly
"I don't know if i'm happy anywhere...honestly."
Jihoon's eyes fill with a soft concern.
"Hey, that's fine."
Riku can feel his heart flutter again. Like when he first met Yuri. But this time, it feels different. It feels like a new beginning. One that fate can't get in the way of. He seems to get lost in Jihoon's eyes, feeling like he's flying on Cloud 9. Just then, something falls in between the thin line of their developing future. Yuri and Haru walk out of the main gates, most likely going out to buy lunch quickly before classes start again. They see the two and wave awkwardly. Approaching.
"Hey Riku.." Yuri says.
"Hey....uh.."
Yuri pauses at the sight of the new guy.
"Oh! My name's Jihoon! Nice to meet you, I'm new here. First day."
Yuri nods, he and Haru walking away, leaving the two of them there again.
"So..I mean, it's okay to feel empty, Riku." Jihoon says softly. With no response from Haru, he takes Haru's hand and guides them to math class.
The hallway stays unusually quiet as Jihoon gently guides Riku toward the classroom, his hand warm and steady around Riku's wrist. The contact is light, careful—like he's afraid Riku might shatter if he holds on any tighter.
Inside the math room, the chatter of early students fills the air, but everything feels muffled around Riku. His mind keeps replaying Yuri and Haru's awkward wave, like a ghost brushing past him. A reminder of something he lost, something he maybe never truly had.
Jihoon notices. He doesn't push, doesn't ask, just leads Riku to two empty seats near the back where the sunlight touches the desks in soft gold. He sits down beside him, turning slightly so they're facing each other.
Riku's shoulders droop, eyes distant.He whispers, "They probably hate me."
Jihoon leans in a little, voice barely above a whisper but full of warmth."I don't think they do. People get scared when they don't know what to say… That doesn't mean they don't care."
Riku lets out a shaky breath, rubbing his palms against his jeans."Feels like everything I care about just… slips away."
Jihoon watches him with that same gentle concern from earlier—eyes steady, soft, patient."Then maybe," he says quietly, "you deserve something… or someone… who won't slip."
Riku's heart stutters at that.It's not like with Yuri. Yuri felt like a fire—exciting, bright, but quick to burn him.Jihoon feels like something else entirely. A calm sunrise after a storm. Warm where Yuri was dazzling.
The door swings open again. Yuri and Haru enter the room. They slow when they see Riku already seated with Jihoon, but this time, instead of awkwardness, there's a glimmer of hesitation—like they want to say something but don't know how.
Haru nudges Yuri subtly.Yuri swallows, then manages a small, almost guilty smile toward Riku.Not perfect. Not healed. But maybe… a beginning.
Riku looks away first, overwhelmed.Jihoon gently taps his notebook on Riku's desk.
"Hey. Class is starting."He gives a small smile. "You're not alone. Okay?"
For the first time that day, Riku feels the smallest breath of relief.Not happiness—not yet.But something like… possibility.
A new chapter starting exactly where the last one broke.