Chapter Text
For all students, returning back to school after the summer is always a drag. Ash Lynx is no exception of course. He mopes into school reluctantly, not acknowledging those who attempt to ask how his summer was. He slouches against the concrete wall at the entrance of the school, looking unintentionally intimidating as per usual, waiting for one of his few friends to arrive.
"Hey!" Shorter Wong, Ash's best friend for as long as he can remember, yells obnoxiously loud as he attempts to park his motorcycle somewhere. How Shorter managed to get a motorcycle license is beyond Ash, but he never questions it as Shorter is the one to give him rides home most days.
"Could you be any louder?" Ash rolls his eyes sarcastically. He takes a moment to acknowledge the new hue of Shorter's mohawk. Purple… why the fuck not?
"Yes, would you like me to try?" Shorter teases, swinging an arm over the blonde's slender shoulders, pinching the very prominent bones that stick out.
"You haven't been eating properly have you?" Shorter says in a more serious tone. He has witnessed Ash's on-and-off anorexia for years now and is always alert when he thinks his friend was lacking much needed meat and on his bones.
"I'm fine. It's not like I'm trying to starve myself. I just don't like junk food. Why can't I just eat avocado and shrimp salads for every meal?" Ash huffs.
"Well, if we are going to find you a girlfriend," Shorter begins, which earns a disapproving glance from the smaller boy. "Or boyfriend," he reiterates. "You're going to have gain a bit of weight and bulk up a little." He continues, slapping Ash's ass jokingly.
"You know I'm not looking for a relationship, everyone just wants something from me." Ash sighs, walking gloomily into the school with Shorter trailing behind him.
The sudden uproar of students' conversations are present as they enter the glass doors of the main school building. The swarm of reuniting bodies is overwhelming and Ash is already missing the couch at home. Him and Shorter proceed to try manuever their way round their fellow pupils but a huddle of them won't move. They are stood outside the principal's office, peeping in through the open blinds.
"Oh my god, who is that?" Some girl squeals.
"He's so cute!" Says another one.
Ash tries to divert the huddle, deciding he'll find another route to his home room when he notices Shorter is no longer beside them.
"Where did that bastard go?" Ash murmurs to himself.
To his surprise, he was amongst the crowd who seem fascinated by someone. Shorter towers over most of them at a staggering 6 "2" with a grin plastered on his face. Ash knows this can't mean any good but Shorter's constant hand signalling convices Ash to come look for himself.
"Who gives a shit about some new kid?" Ash hisses, presuming it is a new kid because that's probably the most eventful thing to happen at the beginning of a school year.
Before Ash can even get a glance, Principal Wat Lung storms out of his office to shoo away the students who are treating his office like an exhibit in an art museum.
"Let's just go Shorter, I don't care about some dumb kid." Ash whines impatiently; not that he wants to go to class of course; he just wants to sit down.
"Oh how you are going to eat your own words Aslan once you seem them," Shorters winks, following Ash to their homeroom.
Ash ponders for a moment on what he means by that but forgets it when he sees his another friend Sing waving at him as he stands in the doorway of the classroom.
"You guys seen the new kid?" Sing asks as they seat themselves at the back of the classroom, Ash taking the window seat as he enjoyed gazing outside instead of paying attention.
"Yeah, everyone's drooling over him." Shorter laughs and Ash is left confused as to who this person even is.
"What's up with everyone? Is he some celebrity or youtuber or something?" Ash asks still puzzled. He decides to ignore everyone for a bit and sits in his window seat and looks outside. This however, does not muffle the sounds of people gossiping about the new boy he still hasn't met.
And suddenly the room goes silent as a teacher walks in alongside the most beautiful boy Ash has ever seen. He has raven locks of slightly curly hair which lay across his forehead. His eyes are black, but not lifeless. Infact they are pristine and alluring. His skin contrasts his otherwise dark features as it was light, not fair, more similar to the colour of aged parchment. His eyes are large with an epicanthal fold in the inner corner as he is obviously of an Asian background. His nose is button-shaped and his lips plump with a tinge of pink. Ash swares his heart almost stops beating for a second. It is clear he isn't the only one who thinks so too, judging by the not-so-secretive whispers being spread around the room.
Mrs… Name of a teacher Ash has yet to bother memorising coughs to try regain her classes attention.
"We have a student here today. Would you like to introduce yourself?" The teacher asks and Ash mentally cringes as he can see the unsettlement of the boy by the way he was fumbling with the cuffs of his pink sweater.
"Umm… Hello, my name is Eiji Okumara. I'm actually a transfer student from Japan. I hope you'll make me feel welcome. " He says in the most angelic, slightly accented English Ash has ever heard.
"You can take a seat…" the teacher pauses as she scans the room to find an empty chair. "Next to Arthur there," she says gesturing to a smug-looking Arthur whose desk is located directly infront of Ash's. Eiji makes his way to the chair and Arthur pulls it out for him like the 'gentleman' he is. Ash doesn't miss the way that Arthur grinned at him as he shuffles noticeably closer to the Japanese.
He's provoking me on purpose, Ash thinks.
Homeroom is finally over. It had been especially painful for Ash to see his nemesis openly flirt with the boy Ash is so desperate to claim his own.
Ash slings his bag over his shoulder and eavesdrops on the conversation of the pair infront of him.
"So what lesson do you have next then?" Arthur asks Eiji cooly, his weight shifted onto one leg casually.
"Umm.." Eiji mumbles as he gazes offer his new timetable. "Chemistry"
Shit, Ash thinks. He has Chemistry next too.
"That's such a shame, I've got Geography so I guess I'll see you round Eiji. Unless you want me to walk you there…" Arthur smirks.
"I've got chemistry next so he can come with me," Ash suddenly offers. Why? He doesn't know but the annoyed expression on Arthur's face is worth it.
"Whatever. See you later Eiji." Arthur pratically cooes. He then whispers something incoherent to Eiji; and it's obvious that he's has badmouthed Ash by the shock tainted on the boy's face.
Ash walk off, pissed by whatever Arthur could have said to him. Eiji follows him surprisingly, even beaming back at Ash when he turns around to check if he's still there.
He's a weird one, Ash smiles to himself.