Seizing a quiet moment, Ryu walked over and dropped down beside Kavei, who was quietly shaping a little sand mound without much focus. Flashing an easy smile, Ryu said, "You're pretty decent at sports, huh."

Kavei glanced sideways at him. "Oh. Hey," he said simply.

Ryu raised a brow. "Don't just 'hey' me. What was your name again?"

"Kavei. Niram Kavei," he replied, his tone guarded but polite.

Ryu held out a hand. "Well, Kavei... what do you say? Friends?"

Kavei looked at the hand for a second before finally shaking it, uncertain but not unfriendly. "Huh?"

Ryu laughed lightly. "I'm Ryu. Kamanoji Ryu."

"I figured," Kavei said, dry but not cold.

Chuckling, Ryu added, "Still not your biggest fan, to be honest. But I hate you a little less now."

Kavei smirked. "What an honor."

"Cool," Ryu said, completely unbothered. "So... wanna play on the same team next game? I bet we'd wipe the floor with the others."

Kavei gave a small nod. "Sure. Why not?"

With that, Ryu threw an arm around his shoulders like they were already old friends, and together, they headed toward the field. Kavei wasn't someone who let others enter his personal space, but deep down he had done his research. He had run a background check on every student via Itsuhara Yukina under the pretext of keeping himself safe. Call it selfishness, or perhaps betrayal, but knowing your crowd was better than forging relations with those who would stab you in the back later, and Ryu for one, had a solid background which could come in handy later.

As the soccer match neared its end, Ryu made his mark with a sharp, clean goal — his technique flawless, his footwork smooth and calculated. The students barely had time to cheer before the final bell rang, signaling the end of class. A chorus of groans followed as everyone reluctantly began heading toward the changing rooms, dragging their feet and muttering under their breath.

Kavei, however, peeled away from the crowd, his discomfort with sweat getting the better of him. He slipped quietly down the hallway, making his way to the washroom in search of some cold water and solitude.

He pushed open the door and stepped inside. The room was dim, quiet, the sound of dripping water bouncing off the tiled walls. Kavei let out a breath, relieved to be away from the noise and heat of the gym.

Moving toward the nearest sink, he turned on the faucet and let the cool stream run over his hands before splashing it onto his face. The cold was a welcome shock against his flushed skin, and for a moment, it helped.

But as he leaned forward, watching the water swirl down the drain, something shifted. The floor felt unsteady beneath his feet — as though it was swaying. Kavei's eyes widened slightly. He blinked, confused, and reached out to grip the sink with one hand while the other instinctively moved behind him for balance.

A sudden wave of dizziness crashed over him.

His knees buckled before he could fight it, and he dropped hard onto the floor. He gasped, one hand still clinging to the sink while the rest of his body trembled. The tiled room spun around him. He tried to ground himself — to breathe slowly, to stay upright — but his body wasn't listening.

Then came the numbness. It started in his left arm, dull and strange, then crept upward, spreading like ice. Panic rose in his chest. He tried to move, to push himself back up, but his muscles weren't responding. His breath quickened. His vision blurred.

And then, all at once, his strength gave out. His fingers slipped from the edge of the sink, and he collapsed.

His body hit the cold tiles with a soft thud. The lights above blurred into nothing as his eyes fluttered closed. The washroom fell silent, save for the quiet drip of the faucet — steady and indifferent.

Kavei's eyes blinked open slowly, greeted by the stark sight of the bathroom floor. The coolness of the tiles pressed against his cheek, grounding him as the fog of unconsciousness began to lift. A low groan escaped him — part frustration, part relief. No one had seen him like this. Thank god.

He tried pushing himself upright, but before he could sit fully, the shrill ring of the school bell cut through the air like a blade. His head throbbed at the sound, pain blooming behind his eyes. Grimacing, he forced his limbs to move, inching forward to brace himself against the sink.

Gripping the edge with trembling fingers, Kavei managed to pull himself upright. But his legs felt unsteady beneath him, his balance off, the room gently tilting in a way that made him question if he was truly standing or dreaming.

Just then, footsteps echoed through the washroom.

Kai stepped inside, clearly unaware of what he was about to walk into. He approached the sink casually, ready to wash up before lunch — but then he froze. His eyes landed on Kavei, barely upright, his chest rising and falling in sharp, shallow breaths.

"Kavei?" Kai's voice cracked with alarm as he rushed over. "What happened? Are you okay?"

He reached out, concern written all over his face, but Kavei instinctively pulled away. His hand snapped back as if the touch had burned him. Whether it was pride or pain, he didn't know — he just couldn't bear to be seen like this.

Kai stiffened at the rejection. His brows pulled together in a scowl as he rose to his feet without another word, turning back to the sink with a frustrated shake of his head.

But before either of them could say anything more, Kavei swayed — then collapsed.

The loud crash echoed through the washroom, and Kai spun around just in time to see Kavei hit the ground again.

"KAVEI!" he shouted, the panic in his voice undeniable. Without hesitation, Kai rushed over and crouched beside him, carefully lifting him into his arms. Kavei's body felt heavy, his breathing labored as Kai hurried out of the washroom, every step driven by urgency.

"I'll get you to the nurse so please hold out, Kavei," Kai managed between quick breathes from the speed dash.

Kavei's fingers clenched weakly at Kai's shirt. Between gasps, he managed to speak — barely.

"Not the nurse... please..."

"What do you mean, I'll--"

"Please, I am begging you...just take me to the back of the school building," Kavei managed between swimming vision and a barely conscious mind. 

Kai paused mid-step. His jaw tensed, clearly torn, but he gave a short nod. "Alright. Just hold on."

He changed course, heading behind the school instead. The back garden was quiet, shaded, hidden from view. Gently, Kai helped Kavei sit on the ground before slipping off his blazer. He darted to the outdoor sinks nearby, soaked the jacket in cold water, and hurried back.

Without a word, he placed the damp fabric over Kavei's head and lowered him gently onto his lap. His hands moved instinctively, brushing Kavei's hair back, adjusting the wet cloth, trying to make him more comfortable.

Kavei's breathing slowed slightly. His eyes fluttered closed.

Kai sat still, one arm loosely holding Kavei, the other resting across his chest. He looked down at the boy lying against him — pale, barely conscious — and a troubled frown crept across his face.

"We should've gone to the nurse," he muttered, mostly to himself.

And there they stayed — hidden behind the school building, far from anyone else — caught in a moment that felt strange and fragile. 

Kavei lay quietly with his head resting on Kai's lap, the damp blazer offering what little comfort it could. His voice came out in a breathy murmur, barely above a whisper. "Thanks."

Kai glanced down at him, his expression softening. The tension in his face eased just slightly as he watched Kavei's hand press weakly against the cloth on his forehead.

"You feeling any better now?" he asked, his voice low, careful.

"I'm okay, really," Kavei replied, though the exhaustion clinging to his features told a different story. "Thanks, Kai."

Kai gave a small nod, the corner of his mouth lifting into something like a smile. "Glad I could do something."

Still, something about the whole thing gnawed at him. Watching Kavei struggle like that — it didn't sit right. "So... what exactly happened back there?"

Kavei blinked slowly. "Hm? Well we missed classes. This hour... and lunch, and nothing important happened as you know, you have been with me all this time," he said, eyes fluttering shut for a second.

Kai frowned. "Forget the class, Kavei. I mean, what's really going on with you? You passed out. That's not nothing."

Kavei hesitated. "I don't know..."

"You made it sound like this wasn't the first time. Did I hear that right?"

There was a long pause before Kavei nodded. "Yeah. Twice before."

Kai's brows shot up. "Twice?! You know that's not normal, right?"

Kavei looked away, a flicker of discomfort crossing his face. "I haven't really been eating properly. That's probably why."

"What do you mean you haven't been eating?"

"I missed lunch," Kavei mumbled with a shrug, like that explained everything.

Kai gave him a look. "And last night's dinner?"

Kavei gave a sheepish smile. "Had coffee."

Kai groaned. "Unbelievable. And you're calling me stupid? We're going to the canteen. Now."

"Classes are still on," Kavei muttered, lowering his head again.

"Then let's sneak out and get something from outside. I'm serious," Kai said, clearly fed up.

Kavei laughed softly at Kai's over-the-top indignation, and for a moment, the tension broke.

Kai narrowed his eyes. "What's so funny, you idiot?"

Still smiling faintly, Kavei replied, "Hey... sorry about Himeko."

Kai blinked, taken aback. "Where did that come from?"

There was a beat of silence before Kai turned his gaze to the sky, watching the clouds drift lazily above them. "This is actually the first time I've skipped class," he admitted.

"Wait, are you some model student?" Kavei teased, raising an eyebrow.

"I hang out with people like Himeko," Kai said with a shrug.

"So?"

"We're both from business families," Kai explained, like that alone carried the weight of expectation.

"Ah. The comparison game," Kavei said knowingly.

"Exactly," Kai muttered.

Kavei gave a slow nod. "Of course."

Kai tilted his head. " 'Of course' ?"

"Just... I get it. The whole rich-family pressure thing. Not in perspective, per se, but I know it's real from what I've seen so far."

Kai chuckled. "You're not wrong."

"I know," Kavei said, tracing idle shapes into the dirt, still lying on his lap.

Kai was about to speak when Kavei cut in.

"It's hard," he murmured.

"What is?" Kai asked gently.

"Making small talk," Kavei admitted, avoiding eye contact as he finally sat up, adjusting besides Kai.

Kai smirked. "So I've been caught, huh?"

Kavei glanced up, eyes twinkling just a little. "Ages ago."

They sat in silence for a moment before Kai finally asked, "Should we head back to class? You feeling up to it?"

"I'm alright now," Kavei replied, though his tone made it clear he didn't exactly want to move. "But do you want to go back?"

"Arithmetic," Kai said with a sigh.

Kavei gave him a look. "Need I ask?"

Kai laughed. "Yeah, no. Let's not."

"Good call," Kavei murmured, leaning back against the wall.

Kai slumped back dramatically. "Great. I'm going to fail my exams."

Kavei let out a soft chuckle. "I doubt it. You're not that hopeless."

Kai smirked. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

Just then, the school bell rang in the distance, signaling the end of the day. From the other side of the building, the noise of students spilling out into the corridors reached them — their voices a mix of laughter, chatter, and the rustling energy of freedom.

While all this unfolded, Himeko had been wandering the school grounds, looking for Kai. Her eyes finally landed on him — deep in conversation with none other than Kavei.

With a playful skip in her step, she approached, a teasing glint in her eye.
"Well, well. Kai. And look who it is—'the guy who didn't save me but somehow ended up in my class,'" she quipped, shooting Kavei an annoyed smile.

Kai laughed, brushing off her anger. "Seriously, Himeko. You still holding onto that?"

He stood up to greet her, then paused for a beat, glancing back at Kavei. His eyes briefly met Kavei's, wordlessly inviting him to come along.

But Kavei simply gave a faint shake of his head, the corners of his mouth tugging into a small smile. He stayed where he was.

Kai gave him a subtle wave and turned back to Himeko, falling into step beside her as they headed off.

And just like that, Kavei's first day of school quietly came to a close.