Square One

Chapter 1.1 - A Microcosm of Society

It was the first of April, marking the start of another academic year. As the city awoke, its veins – the streets – pulsated with the rush of traffic. But that was to be expected on this day. 

On one of the city's many buses, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka sat contemplatively. His contemplative eyes, a shade matching his brown hair, absorbed the evolving vistas of the cityscape. The gentle hum of the bus and the muted conversations around him provided a comforting white noise.

"Good thing I went straight to the bus station. I wouldn't be able to get a good seat had I waited anywhere else," Ayanokouji thought to himself as more and more people hopped on the bus.

The increasing number of students donning the uniform of his institution didn't escape his notice. Casting a discreet gaze around, he searched for any student sporting a different attire. Curiously, he found none.

His eyes narrowed slightly, finding the setting a little weird. But the sensation was fleeting, and soon, his focus shifted to the bus's other occupants.

First, his eyes wandered to a middle-aged salary man. The man's eyes, every so often wandering to the girls in the bus, made the boy think he was someone who had groped someone aboard a crowded bus before.

"Probably had done it 20 times," he thought to himself before shaking his head at the inappropriateness of his thoughts.

Next, he looked at an elderly lady, who stood in front of him. She was unsteady on her feet, wobbling so badly he thought she could fall at any moment.

A silent debate waged within Ayanokouji—should he surrender his seat? But the thought withered almost as soon as it bloomed, rationalizing that the elderly lady boarded the bus knowing full well it would be full. 

Other people would have frowned upon him had they known what was going on in his head. Luckily for him, that was an impossible endeavor.

And so, he turned his attention back to the world outside, his mind as clear as a passing stream. The weather was undeniably pleasant, a sky unsullied by clouds greeted his eyes—a welcomed and refreshing view.

Settling further into his seat, he drew his eyes shut, fully intending to sleep his way to his destination. 

However, fate had other plans for him.

"Excuse me, but shouldn't you offer up your seat?" A feminine voice asked.

The boy's eyes shot open, surprised at the sudden question. Perhaps the lady noticed him paying attention to the old woman earlier?

"No... that's not it," he corrected himself as he observed the unfolding scene.

The woman, wearing an office uniform, was facing another boy, a well-built teenager with dyed blonde hair. He was seated in one of the priority seats intended for senior citizens, the handicapped, and pregnant women. 

The elderly lady stood behind the office woman, and perhaps silently hoping the boy would heed her call. Unfortunately for the two, the blonde-haired boy simply ignored their presence.

The lack of acknowledgement seemed to have agitated the office woman, as she hardened her glare at the boy, who had his eyes shut in feigned repose.

"Hey, you there," the lady spoke again in a more commanding voice. "Can't you see that this old lady is having trouble?" 

With the increased volume in her voice, they've gained the attention of a lot of people in the bus.

A smirk played across the blonde-haired boy's lips as he cracked open an eye, fixing the office woman with a languid, sardonic gaze. 

"What a weird question you have there, lady," he remarked flippantly.