Kajii had already told us that he wouldn't be with us this year, so we had already come to terms with his absence. What was strange, however, was that at the beginning of the year, Ranpo didn't show up anywhere. We even tried calling him, but he never answered.

"Maybe he's sick," Dazai suggested. "He probably got indigestion from eating so many sweets."

"Yeah, that's very likely," Fyodor agreed.

I wasn't entirely convinced, but I didn't have much time to protest.

I had been studying in the morning session my whole life, from kindergarten. It was quite strange for me to be in the afternoon session this year, but I quickly found the silver lining. Maybe I had less time for the things I enjoyed, but I realized that mornings were much more productive for me. Even though my friends didn't agree with me, my afternoons flew by, much faster than when I studied in the morning.

Plus, I didn't have to wake up early.

I had sworn to myself that this year I would focus on my studies and try not to get distracted by trivial matters like falling for some guy. But as they say, you make plans with life, but it's life that makes plans with you.

It wasn't in my plans for the most handsome guy I've ever seen in my life to be in my classroom!

(And yes, I know I've said the same thing about Oguri and Chuuya. Don't remind me; Fyodor has told me enough times.)

After spending the last two years with the same classmates, there was a change this time. There were twelve eighth-grade groups, and they mixed them all up to form seven ninth-grade groups.

Thank goodness because my previous classmates were completely unbearable. Once, for a stupid TikTok challenge, they brought a couple of eggs to class and threw them. The classroom ended up in a terrible mess.

On another occasion, they brought a sandwich maker to class to make... Well, I think I don't need to say it.

Half of them repeated the year, and the other half, fortunately, ended up in a different group than mine. And fortunately, I ended up with Fyodor and Dazai. We were very lucky.

That first week of classes was what they called "induction and re-induction." All the ninth graders were mixed up, so I didn't have much chance to get to know my new classmates, but I did spend a lot of time with my friends.

At the end of the first day of classes, we called Ranpo again, and this time he answered.

Turns out he had been sent to an academy over in the United States (lucky him) because he had won a scholarship to skip the remainder of high school and go straight to university. COINCIDENTALLY (we all know it was knowingly and on purpose), Edgar was going to study at that same academy.

Coincidence? I don't think so!

Honestly, Ranpo is quite terrifying with his way of planning everything perfectly. If he wanted to be a killer, no one would catch him.

So, with Kajii in another school and Ranpo in the United States, it was just Fyodor, Dazai, and me again, just like in seventh grade when I fell for Mushitaro.

The first week flew by. The second week was when classes started, and it was quite a hassle, but there was no way around it. And that's when I saw him.

His hair was two colors, half white and half purple. His skin was white, almost porcelain-like. And his eyes were a beautiful shade of gray that...

"Gray eyes that hypnotize you when you look at them?" Fyodor questioned. "I think I've heard that somewhere before. Any ideas, Dazai?"

"Oh, I don't know, let me think..." Dazai pretended to ponder. "Could it be because you said the same thing about Oguri and Chuuya?"

I scoffed.

"Laugh if you want. This time will be different, I can feel it," I said.

"I've heard that before too," Fyodor sighed wearily. "I thought you said you were going to focus on your studies this year and not fall in love, Nikolai."

"I am going to focus on my studies!" I exclaimed. "But come on. I'm already fourteen. That means I only have two years left to meet the love of my life, you know. I'm sure he's the one; I'm sure it's going to work out this time. You guys are my friends; you should be on my side."

"Hey, we are on your side, but..." Dazai shrugged. "You don't even know his name."

"Of course I do!" I protested. "It's just that... well, I seem to have forgotten it right now. But I did know it!"

"I still don't think it's a good idea," Dostoyevsky opined. "You could confess, but whether he accepts or not, it would be very uncomfortable for both of you to be in the same classroom."

Upon reflection, he had a point. It would be very awkward.

"Well, maybe. But I'll do whatever it takes to make it not awkward," I promised.

"Whatever you say, Mr. 'I fall in love easily,'" Dazai teased. "I want to see how this ends."

"Haha. You'll see how well it turns out."

I stuck my tongue out. Occasionally, Dazai was very annoying. He frowned.

"Oh, oh," he said. "Look who's coming over there."

I didn't dare to look because I had a suspicion of who it was going to be. Fyodor glanced discreetly.

"Chuuya is coming this way," he warned. I muttered a curse and looked away.

I felt his footsteps beside me. I played dumb.

"Hello, Dazai," he greeted. I was stunned.

"Oh, hello, Chuuya," Dazai replied. "How are you?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see him. For the first time, I saw him without a mask in person. He was very beautiful, even more so when he smiled.

"Good," he waved. "See you!"

"Goodbye."

As he walked away, I watched Dazai, who couldn't stop staring at him. When Chuuya disappeared from sight, Dazai turned back and acted as if nothing had happened. Fyodor raised an eyebrow. I crossed my arms.

"What was that?" I reproached him.

"Oh, well, you see," he nervously scratched his arm. "Maybe on the way home and on the way to school, I happened to cross paths with him a couple of times. It's not a big deal."

I remember feeling more betrayed than ever, and by my own friends, no less.

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