MY DEAN

AN UNEXPECTED FRIENDSHIP

Episode 2: An Unexpected Friendship

Haruto quickly discovered that avoiding Yuna was impossible.

She was in his class.

She sat two rows away from him.

And apparently, she had decided that they were friends.

"Good morning, Haruto!"

Haruto placed his bag on his desk.

"Morning."

Yuna gasped dramatically.

"You answered me!"

"I said one word."

"Progress!"

By lunchtime, Yuna had already dragged Haruto to the rooftop.

"Why am I here?" Haruto asked.

"Because you're going to eat lunch with us."

"We?"

Before Haruto could escape, three other students appeared.

The first was a tall boy with messy hair.

"Is this him?" he asked.

Yuna nodded.

"This is Haruto!"

The boy extended his hand.

"Ren Takahashi. Future basketball legend and current academic disaster."

Haruto reluctantly shook his hand.

A quiet girl sitting nearby looked up from her book.

"I'm Mio Fujisaki."

Haruto nodded.

The final student smiled.

"Daichi Mori. Nice to meet you."

Haruto sat awkwardly among them.

Ren talked constantly.

Daichi listened patiently.

Mio continued reading.

And Yuna kept trying to include Haruto in every conversation.

At first, Haruto answered with short responses.

Then Ren told a ridiculous story about accidentally entering the girls' changing room during middle school.

"It was an accident!" Ren shouted.

"That's what you always say," Daichi replied.

Everyone laughed.

Haruto tried not to.

But suddenly, a small laugh escaped him.

Silence.

Everyone looked at him.

Haruto immediately regretted it.

Yuna's eyes widened.

"Was that a laugh?"

"No."

"That was definitely a laugh!"

"It wasn't."

Yuna leaned closer.

"Do it again."

"I can't laugh on command!"

Everyone burst into laughter.

Haruto covered his face.

But beneath his embarrassment, something unfamiliar appeared.

Warmth.