The Dream Shifter

Chapter 212

Yumi did not know how she was going to deal with it. It felt even worse than middle school. 'The butterflies won't stop...' She rubbed her hand over her stomach. '…will I make it?' The thought of asking to sleep in the nurse's office came very tempting to her. She got in the habit of nearly living in the nurse's office during her first year at the last school. It was not until she met her friends that she felt comfortable enough to stay in class. Her head tilted over to Kaede and Katsumi. '…at least we're in the same class…I should be fine…'

Her homeroom class began to fill quickly after she arrived. She did not want to look eager, but she purposely reached the class as early as she could. A few students arrived before her, but it meant her entrance had less visibility. She hoped that if she just sat in her seat that it would diminish her presence. It only partially worked, as her friends sat around her talking to her about how they spent their time off.

Once the class filled, the opening of the front door seemed to signal the breaking of everyone. The few students still standing around chatting dispersed to their seats. Their teacher stepped through the threshold carrying a couple of notebooks stacked together under her arm. She set the notebooks on the desk at the side of her and picked up a piece of chalk. In silence, she wrote her name on the board for everyone to read. "I'm Michiko Kuniyoshi. While I don't mind a little carefreeness, please remember this is a school and you're here to learn. Thank you."

After her introduction, the introduction began for the students. It carried around the room until it came to her turn. As much as she tried to reduce her appearance in the class, she knew introduction was not something she could avoid. The anticipation to the moment that they all heard her name renewed the churning in her stomach. It returned twofold stronger than before for her. When she stood up her feet wanted her to turn her to the door and flee for the nurse. The longer that she delayed speaking the more she noticed the eyes staring at her. '…do they already know? Are they judging me? Will they be disappointed?'

"Hey, Yumi!" whispered Kaede from behind. Her voice came in low and unheard by Yumi. It took her poking her in the back to get Yumi's attention. She smiled up at Yumi giving her a reaffirming gesture. "You can do it, Yumi!"

Kaede's reassurance improved her footing a little, but still left her a little nervous. Another whisper from her left pointed out Katsumi to her. She waved to her and nodded to back up Kaede. Her friends' support returned her voice back to her. While her stomach did not improve any, she knew her silence could not remain. Yumi faced forward steeling herself. "Yumi Mizuno, I'm from—" Her words stopped the moment she heard murmuring throughout the girls in the class.

"Mizuno?"

"That's the same name, right?"

"Yeah, she's his little sister. But don't expect anything, she's nothing like him."

"Oh? I guess siblings are different."

"Umm…err…I-I…" Yumi backed in her seat. She expected it to happen, but knowing did not make it any easier to deal with for her. The butterflies grew exponentially in her stomach until it felt like she wanted to throw up. It was almost too much for her to take.

A chair clattered loudly against a desk from Katsumi standing up, but she did not say anything. She did not get the chance. Someone else had stood up a moment before her. "Hey everyone! I'm Yuki Hayashi! Now I know you're all excited with the start of high school, but let me assure you that despite my appearance pretty boys only exist in the stories you read. Don't forget you're all protagonists here, but don't let it go to your head!" He struck a bit of an odd pose at his desk. The awkward and almost self-centered introduction pulled everyone's attention away from Yumi and to him.

"What's with him?"

"The hell? He some weird okatu?"

"Thought they were all introverted neets."

"I wish he was."

Ms. Kuniyoshi threw a laser targeted sharpened piece of chalk across the room speeding past Yuki's head. The wake left a few cut strains of hair fall slowly. Behind him, the chalk burned a whole in the wall with a little smoke trailing off the impact point. "Don't interrupt another student Mr. Hayashi! Everyone else quiet during the introductions. Am I understood?" The decisive display of force and command brought everyone back in line. Everyone involved sat down as quickly as possible and the next in line started their introduction.

Yumi did not pay attention any further to the class. Her nerves were completely shot. Her body swam in sweat and cooked from the rise in temperature. She felt relieved that all of the talking stopped. When she looked around at the rest of the students, they did not even give her another glance. She thought that they would all be staring at her like an animal in a zoo. But none of it happened for her. They all seemed more interested in talking about the strange introduction from the rather short boy. She was pleased that they did not focus on her, but a little guilty that they made fun of him instead. She knew how it felt too well. Yumi tightened her hands together.

The conclusion of the classes for the day brought the end of her first trial. She prayed the next day ran smoother. However, she wanted to do something before she left. She let Kaede and Katsumi know to wait on her. Yumi stood in the emptying classroom feeling comfort by her seat and desk. Across the room, her gaze found him, Yuki Hayashi. She remembered his name from the introduction and could not stop thinking about him. She felt bad that he took all attention directed at her. However, it confused her a little how he acted carefree and like none of it mattered. He carried a huge smile on his face while he talked to a girl. Yumi bumped into her desk not noticing it as she tried to begin her approach.

Their voices raised up as the girl put her arm around his neck. "I can't believe you, Yuki! I thought you said you were going to try to keep a lower profile after everything from middle school!"

"I'm sorry! I just sort of acted."

"Yeah, that's all you do these days. Act stupid." She stepped away from him crossing her arms bothered by his nonchalant attitude. After a few seconds, she spun back around and pointed her finger at him. "You know some of them from our school are here right? If you get too much attention—"

"I know! I'm sorry, Saki! It'll all work out!"

"Hey, Yuki!" shouted another boy coming in from out of the hall. He jumped out and came down on Yuki's neck putting his arm around him looking very friendly. Yumi recognized him from their class, but could not remember his name.

Yuki grinned back at him. "Hey, Hiroshi! You're still hanging around?"

Hiroshi stepped off of Yuki. Yumi caught a momentary flinch in his expression as though something bothered him, but carried through. He set himself at a more appropriate distance leaning on a desk. "Yeah, Kazuhiro's got something he wants to finish. So I'm just killing time."

"Oh? Well we were about to head out. I was getting hungry, want to come along?"

"Yeah, I'll bring Tatsuya and Kazuhiro with me, if you don't mind."

Yuki shook his head and welcomed him. "That's fine! The more the better!"

No longer content to stand outside of the conversation, Saki stepped in leaning in on Yuki wanting some answers. "What's going on, Yuki? I don't know who he is. He your friend from middle school that I don't know about?"

Waving his hands to deny the claim, Yuki backed a step away. "No, I just met him! He's in our class! I've never met him before."

"Then why're you acting so friendly?"

"Well he's my friend! Why not?" Yuki declared with a confused face, while stating it as though it was an obvious fact that even she knew.

"…Yuki…" She turned her gaze over to Hiroshi and glared at him. "You, who are you?"

Hiroshi twitched his eyebrow a little from the presence that Saki emitted. However, he recovered quickly and stood up straight, going rigid almost before her. He put his hand at his side and bowed deeply to her. "I'm Hiroshi Kuroda, ma'am! I'm your son's friend!"

Saki blushed a little and backed away from him not sure how to react to him. "S-s-son? What the hell's the matter with you?" Her question fueled her annoyance and corrected her confusion. She jumped back into the fray ready to defend herself against him.

Still bowed, Hiroshi continued as though he was asking a parent for permission to date their daughter. "Well I only assumed the way you acted that you must be his mother!"

"Acted?" A vein on her forehead started to pop up and grow quickly. Her fist shook in front of her as she stared at the back of his head pointed at her. She wanted to grab him, but restrained herself. "I'm not his mother! How stupid do you have to be to think a high school student could ever be? And stop bowing already, its creepy!"

"Thank you for your permission!" Hiroshi rose up with a grin on his face. Before he had a chance to laugh, Yuki fell over in laughter. They looked down at him and the entire mood flipped again.

Yumi felt a little dizzy watching everything playing out. She did not feel like she had a moment to enter. They kept moving at their own pace out of her reach. On any other day, she would have left immediately. She knew that she did not belong with them. She was an outsider and her friends waited for her. On any other day, she would have shrunk away and locked away her voice in embarrassment.

It was not any other day, anymore.

"Umm…excuse me…" Yumi meekly spoke, with a voice that could not have penetrated through the volume of ruckus in front of her. None of them turned or responded to her. 'What am I doing? I should just leave now! I can't believe I'm doing something so embarrassing!' After a few seconds of awkwardness for her, Yumi started to pull away.

"Hey, Yumi! I'm sorry about that!" Yuki shouted as he came out. He appeared in front of her with surprising speed. "Sorry, I couldn't say anything sooner. I tried to stop them!"

"Wh-wha…I-I…" He came so close to her that Yumi did not know how to react. Her voice disappeared choking off everything inside her. The pounding in her heart rang through her ears almost louder than his words. She had never been so close to a boy. Her face turned red instantly carrying out to her ears.

Recovering from abandonment, Saki and Hiroshi came around to the sides of Yuki. Saki leaned in a little towards Yumi a little curious. "Who's she, Yuki? You know her?"

"She's in our class, Saki! Don't you remember anyone in our class?"

Saki backed off a little surprised. "What? Of course I do!" She looked around at them and then back at Yumi. Saki read the embarrassment on Yumi as frightened. She waved her hands in front trying to deny it. "I'm sorry! I do remember! I didn't mean to scare you!"

"Saki!"

'So they know about me too…everyone does…' Yumi leaned down her head looking at the floor.

Yuki crossed his arms and glared over at Saki. "If you don't remember that's fine! Don't lie to her if you can't remember her! It's just the first day, so I guess it's not bad."

The lecture from Yuki set Saki off to defend herself. She leaned in to Yuki. "I do remember! I wasn't lying!" Yuki leaned over to her not believing her words and putting pressure on her. The longer he stared at her the worse it got for her until she just gave in. "Fine, I don't remember! She just looked scared!' Saki turned over to Yumi and apologized with a bow. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it!"