YOU HUNCHED OVER YOUR NOTEBOOK, reviewing your notes as students around you chatted with their friends. you were seated in the second to last row in the classroom so you had a good view of the hundreds of rows in front of you. there were a row of seats on each stair, so from your point of view, it was like you were standing atop a hill.
there was a light click of the door, signaling that the professor had entered the classroom. instantly, people quieted down and began to settle in their seats. the idea of reviewing your notes at the beginning of every class was something that you'd been doing since high school and you continued because you found it useful.
you raised your head just the slightest to watch the professor set up his materials, your eyes following his form.
"good morning students," he said, looking up rather quickly and, to your misforture, meeting your eyes. he looked at you for only a second before swallowing and averting his gaze to the rest of the class.
"good morning professor uemura," several students called out while taking out their materials as well.
the professor went on to continue the lesson from the previous class, which wasn't too long as the lesson was almost over.
"we have a couple things to go over today, including a new project i've managed to come up with," he said in a low voice, already smiling when some students who caught his mumble and uttered out groans.
"now, now," professor uemura chuckled, "i think this project will be fairly refreshing- or, rather, an experience..." he spoke so smoothly, so eloquently that you couldn't help but look forward to what he came up with.
you quite liked professor uemura. while other teachers were serious, annoying, and weren't afraid to relentlessly give out work, he was more laid back and treated his students with actual human decency. that was one of the things you liked most about him.
as he opened his mouth again, ready to speak, the door to the classroom, which was to your right, opened loudly, causing a rumpus. your head turned slightly, just enough to see a tall boy enter the room.
you couldn't really see his hair because of the hoodie over his head, but you recognized the familiar swing of the keychain in his hand, the metal of the tiny volleyball charm twinkling in the light, and his bandaged up pointer finger standing a little stiffly.
