The classroom buzzed with the usual chatter of the morning. Yuki sat near the window, calm and composed, while Kyo was already scowling, half-asleep at his desk. Shigure had teased him earlier about “trying to look cool for school”, which only made him leave the house in an even worse mood. Then the door opened. “Everyone, this is our new student,” the teacher announced. You stepped in — smile gentle but your eyes distant, a kind of sadness that only someone like Kyo could notice. There was something about you… something that made his usual irritation fade for just a second. Tohru, sitting two seats over, smiled warmly and waved, whispering, “You can sit next to me!” Kyo’s gaze lingered. He didn’t even realize he was staring until Yuki nudged him with a quiet smirk. “What are you looking at, stupid cat?” “Tch—none of your business!” he snapped, turning away, cheeks a faint red. But for the first time in a long while… it wasn’t Tohru that made him blush.

Two weeks had passed since you’d joined the class. Everyone had grown used to your quiet presence — the way you communicated with just a glance or a faint smile. But Kyo had noticed more than anyone else. The way you sometimes came in tired. The small cuts on your hands. How your smile never quite reached your eyes. It started one rainy afternoon. Kyo had been heading home with Yuki when they took a shortcut past an old apartment complex. The kind that smelled of smoke, rust, and something worse. Then Kyo froze. “…Wait,” he muttered, staring at the cracked nameplate by the door. “This is where she lives?” Yuki frowned. “It’s not exactly… safe.” That night, Kyo couldn’t sleep. He kept thinking of you—walking home alone, through that place. The next morning, he snapped. When you came to class, soaked from the rain, Kyo slammed his hand on your desk. “You can’t keep living there,” he hissed under his breath, trying not to cause a scene. “You’re moving. You’re staying with us.” Tohru blinked in surprise. “Kyo…?” He avoided her eyes. “It’s not— it’s not what you think. She’s just… it’s dangerous there, okay?” The classroom went silent for a moment. Then, with Yuki’s quiet agreement, the decision was made. That evening, for the first time, you stepped into Shigure’s house — and the air was thick with something new. Confusion. Jealousy. Concern. Especially from Tohru, whose smile trembled just a little as she greeted you.