His playlist stopped. The music receded from his phone.

And just in time, Edward had walked up to the entrance of his room and lightly knocked. The sound was enough for him to aroused from his slight slumber, Y/N rising up and rubbing his eyes as his vision adjusted.

"Master L/N, your mother has arrived home."

"Oh... I see... Thank you for notifying me, Edward."

"It was my pleasure, Master L/N."

The old butler merely bowed in respect and turned around to leave. With a slight groan, Y/N forces himself up and rises, heading into his bathroom and turning the sink water on, gathering up some warm water and splashing it onto his face. With his mind cleared, somewhat, anyway, he exited his room and began to head down the stairs, putting on a small smile as he came into view of a particular woman.

The woman in particular gained a bright smile herself, her silver hair cascading down her back as it was put into a ponytail. Her bright blue eyes shined and could mesmerize any man, though they offered affection only to a select few. Though her blue eyes looked icy, she looked at her son with a gaze filled with warmth and love, further supported by the fact that she soon engulfs Y/N with a warm, loving embrace. He reciprocates it as well, Y/N letting out a deep sigh as he hugged his mother tightly.

When they separated, he stared into his mother's eyes, his smile still persisting as he grasped her hand and gripped it tightly.

"It is good to see you again, Y/N," Y/N's mother starts off, then crossing her arms under her chest. "I trust that you have been well during your time with your father."

"Well, I wouldn't say I had the best of times over there, but I did try to make the most of it," he admitted.

She sighed, "I understand that your father isn't... The most supportive of what you want to do, but do at least give it a small chance."

"I know, I know, but... You know that this isn't what I want to do."

"And you have confided it with me and I support you for it. But for now... Just bear with it for me. Okay?"

"Yes, mother."

His mother then claps her hands. "Now, then. I am feeling quite famished. Edward? Have the cooks prepared dinner?"

Edward bows stiffly, "Dinner will be served in but a moment, Milady."

"Splendid! Now, come, Y/N. Let us settle ourselves at the table."

"Right."

---

Now seated at the dinner table, almost an extravagant meal was prepared for them. It was fancy, but nothing majorly fancy, but was a well-prepared, and cooked meal that just desired to be consumed.

It was quiet for the most part, Y/N listening to his mother hum to herself as she made cuts in the meat before elegantly stabbing it with her fork and gently placing it into her mouth. He eyed her, stopping himself from eating momentarily as he watched her.

Looking at her, it was like she was the definition of a perfect mother. She was calm and graceful. Kind and gentle most of the time, but stern and strict when she needed to be. A caring and supportive mother, ready to stand by him whenever she needed to be. This was his mother, Eleanor L/N. Half-Japanese and English woman, she ended up meeting his father during their time in England together. It was there they fell in love apparently before moving here and having him. Both of his parents came from well-off families, but Eleanor was considered to be a "bastard's child", born from another woman that her father ended up impregnating on a drunken escapade. Or so the story is told. But despite this, she was still fed well and treated fairly within her family home.

Though, it seemed Y/N was staring for quite a while. Eleanor cleared her throat and tapped her fork at the edge of her porcelain plate. Knocked out of his senses and shaking his head a few times, Y/N sees quite the smug smirk on his mother's face as she leaned it on her closed fist.

"You've been staring for quite a while," Eleanor says. "Are you fantasizing about your mother?"

"Don't patronize me, that's the last thing I would do," Y/N annoyingly says. "I was just... Thinking about stuff."

"Oh? And what is this 'stuff' that you're thinking about? Surely it isn't any lewd things about your own mother."

His annoyed gaze persisted. "Mother, while I do admit that you are quite the beautiful woman, I do not fantasize you in a lewd manner. So would you please stop teasing me about that."

"Very well," she says, giggling to herself. "So, tell me. What is it that you are thinking about?"

"Uh... Well..."

A suggestive grin makes its way to Eleanor's face. "Ah, I know. Is it perhaps about a particular blonde girl you knew back then? Who's name starts with a 'Y'?"

As she asked this question, Y/N was in the midst of drinking his glass of water. Once she finished her question, his eyes shot open and he nearly spit it out abruptly. Choking and coughing, he grabbed a table napkin and wiped his mouth and gave his mother almost an accusing glare.

"Huh!? What gave you that idea!?"

"Ah, so it is about her. So, did you see Yumiko again? She was a nice girl, as I recall from when the two of you were younger."

"Ah, well, yeah. I-I did see her again... Today... This evening."

Eleanor's eyes lit up with joy. "So you did? Wonderful! Tell me all about it."

"Well, she ended up slapping me when we first saw each other again," he explained rather bluntly. "Then proceeded to order me around."

"So the usual between you two. I see. Sounds about right."

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, dear. Not unless you are the type to be submissive, then that may be a problem. Then again, you never seem to have a problem when it is Yumiko telling you what to do."

He deadpanned. "You make it sound like I'm some lost puppy to her." Y/N cleared his throat, "I'll have you know that I do complain to her that I don't like to be treated like a servant... Sometimes."

"So you do like being her servant?" Eleanor quirked her eyebrow toward him, sighing. "Love between young people can sure be a mystery and a confusing thing."

Y/N coughs. "H-Huh? Wh-What do you mean 'love'?"

Eleanor facepalmed. "Darling son of mine, I'm not dumb. I've seen the way you've looked at her. Especially when you two are younger."

"Right... How... Did you figure that out exactly?"

"Call it a mother's intuition." A smug grin plagues her face. "After all, a woman doesn't reveal her secrets."

Y/N merely hung his head low. He couldn't hide anything from his mother. Well, maybe not everything. There were still things he was able to hide.

---

A couple of days had passed. Today was the day he would be starting his new school, Sobu High. This would also be the same school where he'd see Yumiko as well.

He couldn't lie to himself, Y/N was quite curious as to how Yumiko was fairing at this new school. From past experiences from grade school, Yumiko acted so pompous that not many wanted to be friends with her. So throughout grade school, he was really her only friend. To say that he was curious to meet her new friends was quite the understatement for Y/N L/N.

But he wouldn't say he was eager to meet them. If anything, he kind of dreaded going to this school. Not as much dread like he was going to the prep school he once attended, but after that whole debacle, he didn't really have much motivation to do much. Aside from trying to make his parents proud and try to earn the affection of a girl he loved that didn't look his way, there really wasn't much going for him at the moment.

In any case, forcing himself up from his bed, he grabs his towel off the hanger that hung from his cabinet and headed for the bathroom. Grabbing his phone and scrolling through his song list, he hits play as he discarded his clothes and stepped into the shower.

I came in from the outside, burned out from a joy ride
She likes to roll here in my ashes, anyway
Played from the bedside is "Stella by Starlight"
That was my heart, the drums that start off "Night and Day"

The same kind of music haunts her bedroom
I'm almost me again, she's almost you

I wouldn't know where to start
Sweet music playing in the dark
Be still, my foolish heart
Don't ruin this on me
I wouldn't know where to start
Sweet music playing in the dark
Be still, my foolish heart
Don't ruin this on me

Tell me who, and I'll be thanking them
The numbered lovers of Duke Ellington
Do I owe each kiss to lip and cheek as soft as Chet can sing
Let's get lost and let the good times roll
Let smoke rings from this paper doll
Blow sweet and thick 'til every thought of it don't mean a thing

I got some color back, she thinks so, too
I laugh like me again, she laugh likes you

I wouldn't know where to start
Sweet music playing in the dark
Be still, my foolish heart
Don't ruin this on me
I wouldn't start know where to start
Sweet music playing in the dark
Be still, my foolish heart
Don't ruin this on me

I wouldn't know where
I wouldn't know where
I wouldn't know where, I wouldn't know where
I wouldn't, mmm
I wouldn't know where
I wouldn't know where
I wouldn't know where, I wouldn't know where
I wouldn't, mmm

The very thought of you and am I blue?
A love supreme seems far removed
I get along without you very well some other nights
Oh, the radio news reader chimes
Reporting Russian lullabies
She'll turn to me awake and ask, "Is everything all right?"
And, Lord

I wouldn't know where to start
Sweet music playing in the dark
Be still, my foolish heart
Don't ruin this on me
I wouldn't know where to start
Sweet music playing in the dark
Be still, my foolish heart
Don't ruin this on me
I wouldn't know where to start
Sweet music playing in the dark (I wouldn't know where)
Be still, my foolish heart
Don't ruin this on me
I wouldn't know where to start
Sweet music playing in the dark (I wouldn't know where)
Be still, my foolish heart
Don't ruin this on me

(A/N): Song - Almost (Sweet Music) by Hozier

The shower water runs down his face and his naked body. Breathing out a sigh, it was like the dark thoughts that kept plaguing him were being washed away, albeit temporarily.

Getting a dab of shampoo and scrubbing his hair, letting the suds wash off after a bit before putting on some conditioner and washing his body with body wash soap, he turns the water off. Letting out a distinct noise, the steaming warm water recedes and he steps out, grabbing his towel off the metal rack. Drying his body with it, stepping out, he proceeded to get ready. Over the course of the few days, his documents of being transferred into the school had been settled, along with being given his school uniform.

It was a simple one, it being a simple black blazer with a white undershirt along with a sleek, dark green tie. To pair with this, the uniform is also accompanied with black dress pants and brown loafers. The indoor shoes were stored in their lockers, which seemed to be white sneakers with blue streaks along the sides.

Placing his school materials and notebooks into his navy blue school bag, he hoists it over his shoulder and exits his room. Heading to the dining room for a quick breakfast, which was simply some bananas with peanut butter, he headed off for the foyer, where he found Edward waiting for him.

"Good morning, Master L/N," Edward greets with a bow.

"Good morning, Edward," Y/N says, returning the gesture. "Has mother left for her office?"

He straightens, "About fifteen minutes ago, sir. As much as she wished to bid you farewell, she was urgently called to the office. She gave me the notion that she apologizes profusely."

Y/N held a hand up, "It's quite alright, Edward. I understand. Anyway, just drop me off at the corner of the block before the school."

"Any particular reason why, Master L/N?"

"Just a bit of a small walk will do me some good. Just allow me this much. I'd rather not show up to school everyday in a limousine."

"Very well. Shall we be off?"

"Of course."

---

The car ride wasn't necessarily long. Maybe about twenty minutes or so, but it wasn't the longest ride to school.

Just as he was instructed, Edward dropped Y/N off at the block away from Sobu, the brown-haired teen beginning his brief walk down the path before coming along the metal gates. He took out his phone and checked the time. A little bit early, but there wasn't necessarily anything wrong with that. Better to be early rather than late. Especially on the first day of school, no less.

Right now, it was a bit later from the beginning of the first semester, but he enrolled at a good time. At this point, the school hadn't gone into a good chunk of the first few months, so if anything, he should easily be able to adjust into the classes he's placed in.

Wandering into the school, he pulled out a slip of paper from his school bag. Giving him a detailed description as to which locker he's been assigned, he headed for it and took out the indoor shoes. Slipping out of his outdoor shoes and replacing them with his indoor shoes, he locked the metal compartment and began to head to the next set of instructions, which was to head to the main office to receive his schedule. There were still a few congregating students here and there, those that haven't headed off to their classes yet. Because of his looks, Y/N was greeted with the sight of the females charmed by his mere face alone, some even sending him flirty gestures. Some of the males, however, showed their disdain, probably because they didn't wish to see another pretty face added to the ranks of the male population. But Y/N didn't care. He had eyes for one girl at the moment.

A short walk down the halls, he arrived at the main office. A brief exchange with the clerks and assistants there, he received his new schedule and began to head toward it. He read the bold heading as to where he was assigned to.

Class 2-J.

A bitter feeling overcame him, a bit displeased that he wasn't placed in Yumiko's class. He recalled her telling him that she was placed in class 2-F. Well, there wasn't much he could do. This was what the school faculty decided, so he really had no choice but to follow it.

Once opening the door to the classroom, the chatter inside immediately ceased to a halt. And of course, a majority of the female students in the room began to bat their eyelashes at him, giggling to themselves and some murmuring and whispering at how handsome the brown-haired teen looked. The boys, some looking on with disdain, and others having neutral expressions. Some even held quite the friendly ones, some of these looking quite eager to make a friend of the L/N teen.

Brushing some of his bangs to the side a little, Y/N proceeded on in. His footsteps echoed throughout the classroom slightly, eyes watching him as he stepped on through the aisle and took a seat that was on the far left side, second column. Moving his chair out of the way, he placed his bag next to his desk and sat down, almost gracefully as the murmurs of the females picked up. Marveled at the way he supposedly elegantly sat down, resting his head on an open palm and leaning to the side a little. Grabbing a small novel from his bag, he flicked it open and he began to read, a leg crossed under the other as he calmly sat there.

The many females in the classroom had already perceived him like he was the perfect teenage boy there was. Not even batting an eye toward them as he just sat there with his pretty face, a book in his hand as he paid no mind to them.

A voice cleared their throat. "It's been a while, L/N-kun."

With a small hum, Y/N shuts his book. "I thought that appearance looked familiar. Hello again, Yukinoshita-san."

[Chapter Four] | New School, Old Face