Eventually, the students realized;

Ichihara Kazuo had no intention to answer their questions.

In fact, 

he wasn't even trying to pay attention.

                      "Ichihara-kun?"

                      "Hey, why aren't you answering?"

Nervous voices asked,
perhaps hoping for some reassurance from the transfer student.

              But silence continued to reign.

The students started to whisper.

                                           "I don't think he wants to talk..."

"Why not? Are we bothering him?"

"That's stupid! We were just trying to be friendly..."

And then the whispers turned into gossip.

                      "I didn't realize people from the city were so rude."

                                            "I heard he was like this at his old school too."

Despite the rumors beginning to abound,

Ichihara Kazuo remained seated-- without saying a single word.