The classroom buzzed with the usual morning chatter 💬, chairs scraping 🪑, books flipping 📖.

Ren was already at his desk, lazily doodling in the corner of his notebook ✏️📒.

His eyes suddenly widened 😳 when he saw Aki walk in 🚪.
And then…
Aki walked over—and sat beside him 🪑.
For the first time in days.

Ren’s heart jumped a little 💓. He tried not to smile too much 😊.

“Hey,” he said casually, like it was no big deal.
“Morning,” Aki replied softly, opening his book 📘.

The teacher started the lesson 🧑‍🏫, and Aki focused completely 🎯.
He had been trying hard lately 💪. He wanted to do well, especially in music theory 🎼.

But Ren—being Ren—couldn’t stay serious for too long 😏.
He quietly slid a folded paper toward Aki under the desk 📝.
Aki glanced at it 👀.

It was a funny sketch of the teacher with wild hair and superhero glasses 🤓🎨.
Aki held back a small laugh 😆. He shook his head but couldn’t stop the smile forming on his lips 😊.

Then, Ren passed another note:

"I know you’re serious now, Mr. Music Genius, but chill for 2 minutes." 😎🎵

Aki wrote back:

"I failed last music test. I have to focus." 🧠📉

Ren grinned 😁 and wrote again:

"Then you sit next to the class topper. Use my brain for free. Special discount today." 🧠💸

Aki looked at him with a small sigh 😮‍💨.

“…You’re annoying,” he whispered 🙄.

Ren leaned closer 🤏.

“You missed that. Say it louder.” 😏

Aki laughed quietly 😂.
It felt... easy again 🫧.
Like it used to 🌿.

Just then, the classroom door opened 🚪.
Haru walked in, holding a book 📚.

She noticed Ren and Aki sitting together, whispering and exchanging papers 💬📄.
Her eyes narrowed just slightly 👁️... but her smile stayed bright 😊.

“Hey, Ren,” she said sweetly 💖, walking over.
“Can I borrow your notebook from yesterday?”

Ren looked up ⬆️.

“Yeah, sure.” He reached for his bag 🎒.

She glanced at Aki, giving him a quick polite smile 🙂.

“So,” she said while flipping the notebook 📓, “you two seem close again.”

Aki didn’t respond 🤐. He went back to his textbook 📘.

Ren just said,

“Yeah. He finally remembered I exist.” 😌

Aki rolled his eyes 🙄 but smiled again without looking up 🙂.

Lunch Break 🍱🕛.
Ren and Aki walked out of class together 🚶‍♂️🚶‍♂️.
They found an empty table in the courtyard 🌳.

Just as they opened their lunchboxes 🍙, Haru appeared again 🚶‍♀️.

“Mind if I join?” she asked sweetly 😊, already sitting down beside Ren 🪑.

Aki just nodded 🙆‍♂️ and kept eating.
Ren said,

“Sure.”

Haru opened her cute lunch 🍱💖 and started talking a lot—to Ren.
About clubs, about class, about weekend plans 🎀🗓️.
She laughed louder than needed 😅, leaned toward him sometimes, and even wiped a rice grain off his cheek 🍚🫢.

Aki watched it all quietly 👁️.
His face didn’t change 🫥.
But his hands moved slower 🤏.
His food remained untouched 🍱❌.

He stood up after a while and said,

“I’ll head to the music room.” 🎸🎵

Ren looked at him.

“You’re not eating?”

“I’m not hungry,” Aki said softly, walking away 🚶‍♂️.

Ren kept watching him until he disappeared 🌫️.

Haru smiled, playing with her spoon 🥄.

“He’s nice,” she said. “But quiet. Very quiet.”

Ren didn’t respond 🤐.
Because his thoughts had already followed someone else 💭
Someone who just left, holding more than just a guitar 🎸❤️.

To be continued...
💭 Sometimes friendship speaks louder through silence, and jealousy doesn't need words to be understood. 🌧️

✨💖 Thanks for reading! 🧚‍♀️🙏

— Suman ✍️🖋️

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