miyamura x reader || deja vu

chapter five. hori-san

"thank you, again, for your help, hori-san." you smiled genuinely. you were happy that someone could help with remi's, erm... left-over work.

hori kyouko, from class 3-1 volunteered to assist with student council duties. you weren't certain as to why, but you wanted to assume that she was just a nice person, nothing more.

"no problem!" she replied, but you could see the bags under her eyes.

"hori-san, do you have anything going on at home?" the question escaped your mouth absentmindedly. hori seemed startled. "a-ah! i'm so sorry, that's so rude of me. you don't have to share. i just assumed since you always seem so busy outside of school..."

"oh, well, i guess you could say that..." she said quietly, pressing her lips together. it looked like she was thinking.

"just curious, what made you help out the council?"

"i don't mind helping out! you all seemed so... busy, after all..."

she was lying, and you could tell. but you nodded.

after another half an hour of filing random papers, another question slipped past you. "hey, hori-san... do you know miyamura-kun?"

hori thought for a second before a lightbulb lit up. "miyamura, miyamura-kun... ah, yes, he's a classmate of mine. why?"

"i just heard a lot about him."

"there's not much to hear. he keeps to himself and seems to enjoy it that way..."

he didn't seem content with the solitude the last time i saw him.

you frowned. part of you wanted to check up on him and keep that class' fake rumors in-check. he kind of reminded you of yourself before you had come out of your shell and took up vice-president. by the end of junior high, you had promised yourself you'd change for the better.

"i see."

. . .

"hello... are you miyamura-kun?" you smiled and leaned towards the desk. it had been a tough battle between your mind and heart, but you decided you'd pay a visit to ensure he wasn't being bullied.

"yes." he replied monotonously, nothing more. you deadpanned. he looked down. he really is quite dry... "(l/n)-san, your shoe's untied."

"a-ah, thank you," you certainly did not make him out to be the caring type. or the type to remember, respond politely, or use proper honorifics. "do you think we could talk? afterschool?"

"sure." he said simply.

"o-okay, then," you smiled awkwardly. were you overdoing it?

. . .

the bell rang, and you were just about ready to head home. you were tired and anxious about the upcoming tests, not to mention worn out from the past month's rumors and attention. the halls were buzzing but you had the complete opposite energy level.

all you wanted was to lie down in bed, watch some rom-com anime and-

"(l/n)-san," you heard a voice call. "you wanted to see me?"

you perked up and noticed some classmates turning towards you. murmurs cascaded along the halls. miyamura-kun immediately realized his mistake, and recoiled awkwardly.

"y-yes..."

. . .

"so i was wondering," you said awkwardly. he seemed to be listening very intently. "are you doing okay?"

miyamura pauses. was he? but why did he feel obligated to talk to (l/n), a peasant having a genuine conversation with someone at the monarchy tier? he smiled, but this only surprised you.

"of course," he said, looking at the floor. for a second, you thought you saw that smile waver. "i still don't understand why."

"m?" you glanced at him. he seemed more pessimistic than you thought. miyamura didn't know what was so different about you, but he felt like he could talk. "why? what do you mean?"

"i'm gloomy and dark, aren't i? i'd think people'd try their hardest to avoid me," he said quietly, and you understood.

"ah, well," you smiled a bit, relating what he said to yourself. "there's always more to people than what meets the eye."

for a second, you stood in comfortable silence. before parting ways with a polite goodbye, you couldn't help but wonder if all he needed was a friend.

. . .

you felt a tap on your shoulder. you were sitting next to remi, reading a book but nearly asleep.

"AH!" you yelped in surprise and fell backwards a bit, only to be caught by the initial perpetrator. "sengoku.. why'd you scare me like that..."

you flushed, and watched as remi eyed you curiously. a look of disappointment flashed across her face.

"i'm sure you guys have some things to talk over. call me if you need me!" she smiled and walked away without her usual peppiness.

"remi-san...?" you mumbled quietly. were you not convincing enough?

the break didn't pass quick enough.

only, this time, sengoku wasn't talking to you about council work. he asked you if you were free that weekend.