Your POV

As expected, Shu is waiting near the entrance of the school, leaning on the metallic, intricate gate boasting the school's emblem that has been opened to let Shu in. 

We make eye-contact and I smile (despite my anxiousness at this unexpected conversation), jogging until I'm next to him. Shu smiles too, but now that I'm so close besides him I can see the grimness in his red - so red - eyes. 

Which confirms what I suspected.

My heart drops. 

"You're going back to Shinwa, aren't you?"

Shu doesn't ask me how I know but instead just silently nods, his lips pressed into a thin line. 

After a moment of silence, he elaborates, "Because of cosmic differences in internet and reception, my parents and their colleagues aren't able to send information through to Shinwa, unless we have a Setsuzoku stone. And we did have two, but we used them up to air IREL and Beyblade.

"So my parents are going back. It's only a month," Shu says it to try and reassure me, but it just sounds like he's trying to convince himself too. "We're leaving exactly in one week, in the evening."

"No way," I gape before sighing in disappointment. "That's when the social is. A-And my parents say that I have to go. I...don't think I can see you off. Are you free any other day before you leave?"

Part of me is glad that Shu won't be there during the social. If he was, who knows what Ashley and Caprice would've found out about him to expose him. Another part of me, the selfish part, wants Shu there so if Ashley and Caprice manage to accomplish their goal in making me break down, Shu will be there for me.

But he won't.

"No," Shu shakes his head. "This afternoon is my last free time. My parents need me to help finalize things."

"It's not fair," I say, reaching out and gripping his hand. I know that I sound like a bratty toddler, but frankly, I don't care anymore.

Because it really isn't fair. I finally get to be with Shu and just when we've started dating, not even a week passes before he has to go back. To what as well may be the other side of the universe. 

I nearly begin to compare it to a long distance relationship, but I realize it's not. We can't even communicate because of cosmic differences. He's not going to a different continent.

He's going to a different galaxy.

"I know," Shu squeezes my hand, no doubt thinking the same things. "I-I'm sorry that I couldn't even take you to one date."

"Don't apologize," I whisper. We stay in silent for a minute until an idea pops in my head. "Wait. This is going to sound crazy, but...you're free this afternoon, right?"

He nods before realizing what I'm saying. "(y/n), you can't just skip school just to be with me-"

"I can!" I exclaim, fully determined now. "You left your home just to be with me, school is easy compared to that."

When he's silent, I realize that I've touched a sore spot and I open my mouth to apologize when Shu interrupts, "You're right. Even for just an afternoon, we should be on top of the world. We will."

Shu glances at me before grinning, "Race you to the beach?"

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"Shouldn't you two be in school? Hey!"

Similar shouts like that arise in ripples as the two of us dash and weave our way through Petunia Mall in an effort to reach the beach before the other. 

A few months ago I would've turned around and apologized before heading back to school. Actually, I wouldn't even be in this situation. 

And boy, am I glad that I've changed.

Despite breaking major rules, this is the most fun I've had in a while. I struggle to contain my shrieks when obstacles block my way and laughter when obstacles block Shu's way. 

And I don't really care about everyone anymore. To them, we are those reckless, love sick teenagers that will regret everything one day.

And they are right, except I don't care if I regret everything one day. 

Even as I stumble on the beach walkway and fall face first into sand. Even when Shu laughs at me before winning, having reach the beach first. Especially when Shu smiles gently, wind caressing our hair and the sun illuminating his flawless skin, and offers his hand to get me back up.

I will never regret this. 

"Hell no!" I swat his hand away before spitting out the mouth load of sand. "I fell and you just laughed! Some boyfriend you are!"

We burst into laughter again, collapsing on the sand as the giggles start fading away. Shu playfully grins, "Still, you have to admit you won."

"But you cheated! You ran away from Claritate before we could even do a proper countdown!"

"(y/n), it's not good to worry about those minor things," Shu waves his hand around.

I wait until Shu lets his guard down before throwing a handful of sand at him. My laughter is cut short when Shu sends me a deadly glare. And then it resumes as I hurriedly get up and run around, Shu flinging sand my way and I returning some. 

"Hey!" I yell when he gets some in my hair. I lob a rolled up bowl of sand, hitting my target - his face.

"(y/n)!" he exclaims, half-angry, half-amused before running up from behind me and tackling me to the ground. 

We roll over until it's me who is on top and Shu's face is so pretty, so shocked at this cliché moment that I can't resist leaning in for a slow, passionate kiss. 

It eventually ends, the both of us laying on the cool sand like starfish, our hands intertwined as we gaze at the clouds peacefully floating above us, serving as a backdrop to everyone's lives. 

"Gotta say, this was a pretty good date," I yawn contentedly. "Even though wasn't really a date. Would've been better if you didn't laugh at me when I fell."

"Stop being so salty about that," Shu chuckles. 

"I have every right to be salty!"

Then it's quiet, a moment of serenity after the chaotic chase and sand fight. 

"You know, I'm going to miss you so much," I whisper. 

"I don't want to leave you," his voice breaks and I can't help myself but roll over and engulf him in a hug.  

"I know," I breathe, burying my face in his warm, warm shoulder.

When we untangle and we begin to walk back home now that the school day's over, we both hold each other's hand tightly, afraid to let go.

But I know that eventually, Shu will have to.

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As expected, I've gotten into major trouble for ditching class. It's not like we hid the fact that we snuck out for a date, though I suspect Shu won't have any punishment since he's preoccupied and won't be attending school.

I've received punishments similar to Ashley. Isolation from the rest of the class, detention on Monday after school for the rest of the term (I get a longer sentence than Ashley does, since the teachers figured my parents would be too busy to actually punish me. Which is true.) And the weekend comes and goes terribly fast, so today is Monday. 

As the bell rings and I make my way to the detention class room past the other students, I thank the heavens that Ashley and her friends have detention on Fridays rather than Mondays. 

Though, it doesn't seem to be the case for Hannah Mitchell.

I'm not too surprised to see her sitting in the back of the detention room, crouched over and sketching at something furiously. 

She glances up. "Oh. It's you."

"Yeah," my throat dries at how disgusted she sounds. "It's me."

Avoiding anymore awkward conversations, I take a seat in the second row and pull out my laptop to at least use this time to finish an assignment. That's when I notice an Elite with Airpods in is sitting in the other top corner of the room, her hazel eyes clear and concentrated. 

I ignore her, figuring that she's in here for something completely unrelated to Ashley's incident. 

An hour passes and I'm halfway through an assignment already. Actually, detention isn't as bad as I thought it would be. Maybe it's because I expected some teacher with a tight bun and beady eyes to be instructing us. But instead, it was supposed to be Mr. Mortimer, but as he's busy helping with the social this Friday. 

And the room itself is actually quite nice. I was expecting a dingy, grey room but I forgot that it's Claritate, and they're posh beyond anything. Instead we use one of the Year 9's empty class room that just so happens to have a lovely wall window that shows students milling out into the streets.

Or maybe not so lovely, having it placed there just to taunt us. 

"Didn't expect you to ditch class for a boy," Hannah speaks and I jolt slightly. I turn around to face her and her eyes are sharp and level. "How reckless of you. And I thought you were all goody-goody."

"Don't act like you know me," I roll my eyes. Changing the subject, I say, "And what're you in here for?"

Hannah points at her hair, dyed pink for the two strands trend from TikTok. I shrug, "I think it looks nice."

"Yeah, well," Hannah blows the strands out of her face as she searches for a sharper pencil from her bag. "Caprit doesn't think so."

It's silent for a moment, the sound of Hannah's pencil rubbing against paper echoing throughout the room and I'm about to return to my assignment when she speaks up again.

"Shu Kurenai," Hannah says and I raise my eyebrows. "He's from an anime, right?"

I know she knows the answer to this, but I answer the question anyway, "Yeah. Do you...like him?"

She blinks before remembering the time I'm talking about. "Oh, not at all. I know this sounds contradictory to my actions, but it's true."

"So why did you flirt with him?"

Hannah bends her head down again towards the paper. "I just liked the idea of having an anime character as a boyfriend. You might think this is lame and whatever, but you're really lucky to have him."

I know.

"I don't think it's lame," I softly smile. "Believe it or not, I watch anime too."

She raises her eyes suspiciously, disbelief clear on her face. "Really?"

"Why would I lie?"

"I don't know," Hannah mumbles. "I'm just surprised somebody so close to Chanel likes anime."

I blink, shocked that Hannah seems to know why Chanel doesn't like anime specifically. But I don't press. "Anyways, do you have someone you have your heart set on?"

"If we're talking 2D characters, then a million," Hannah chuckles, leaning back and stretching her hands out behind her head until she's in that classic Naruto pose. "But you're talking about real people, aren't you?"

I nod and she yawns. "If I'm being honest, not really. I gave up on 3D people a long time ago. Well, there was this one guy."

"Oh?" even though we're barely acquaintances, love lives always pique my interest. 

"It was a while back," she admits. "But he was extremely popular, even in this school. Which, I guess, is why I should've known better. I really caught feelings for him and we did so many things together I assumed he did too. Until I found out he had a girlfriend."

Wait.

I know this story.

Hannah continues, "Which turned out to be Chanel freaking Darlington. Your best friend."

"Oh," I repeat, but this time it comes out quieter. "Then...she placed you in a low rank of the hierarchy, created for just the 'anime freaks'."

"Yeah," Hannah says bitterly. "So, despite breaking up with Chanel, Hayden wouldn't even dare talk to me. She and Hayden didn't even get together afterwards. They just became friends with benefits. And still, Hayden was too scared of his reputation being ruined to seek me out."

"Do you...still have feelings for him?" I ask tentatively, aware of how nosy I'm being. 

"Yeah," Hannah admits openly. "It's hard not to when he still stares at you as if you're his world every time you see each other. That asshole."

Hannah has scrunched up her drawing by now, the paper shrinking into a ball underneath her fist. A string of curses leave her mouth and I'm at a loss of what to say to her.

Fortunately, I'm saved from talking when Ms. Caprit pops her head into the room and tells me that I can leave now. Hannah, having to stay longer than me because apparently dying your hair is worse than skipping, suddenly whispers, "Can you keep this conversation a secret? Please? Otherwise, I'll send Sangwoo after you."

She says this as a joke, but her eyes are dead serious. I nod and she visibly relaxes. I'm about to leave when I make eye-contact with the hazel eyed girl. 

And then I realize that Hannah's secret won't be a secret any longer.

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i know i recently took a small writing break when i went camping, but i'm going on a road trip for an hour so next update will take longer :/

word count: 2244