It was your first day at Nekoma High and you were trying to blend in with the sea of new faces. The morning sun peeked through the windows as students moved in and out of classrooms, excited chatter filling the air.

Your teacher introduced you to the class, and you gave a quick wave before heading to your seat, which, conveniently, was right next to a guy who didn’t seem to care much about anything going on around him. His name was Shohei. He was quiet, rarely spoke a word, and seemed to exist in his own world. But something about him intrigued you.

Days passed. You found yourself glancing over at Shohei more often than not. He was always doing his own thing, but sometimes, just for a split second, you caught him smiling at something random or observing the class with a quiet sense of amusement.

One afternoon, as you were walking to lunch, you noticed Fukunaga walking alone down the hallway. Now was your chance. You sped up to catch him but hesitated just as you reached his side. What if this was weird? What if he didn’t want to talk?

Before your brain could react, your lips moved faster, speaking up in a tone a little louder than normal.

Shohei stops in his tracks before he turned to you, surprised, his eyes wide. You rubbed the back of your neck awkwardly, trying to find the right words.

There was a pause. The awkwardness hit like a wall and you regretted everything. But then, Shohei blinked a few times before letting out a quiet laugh—just barely audible, but it was enough.

From that day on, your friendship with Fukunaga grew naturally. He wasn’t the loudest or the most talkative person, but you discovered that he had a dry sense of humor and an appreciation for the small, quirky moments in life.

You two didn’t need a lot of words to get along—just the quiet understanding that you had found a friend.