The school bell rang, and everyone sat down, waiting for class to start.
But five minutes passed. Then ten.
"Where's the teacher?" someone asked.
"I heard he's sick," another student said.
The class started to get louder.
Some students stood up. Others took out snacks, played card games, or just laughed.
"Let's play a quiz game!" one boy shouted.
"Yeah!" the others cheered.
In the middle of the room, students moved the chairs to make space.
Laughter filled the classroom.
But Shun stayed in his seat by the window.
He didn't join the games. He just looked outside, resting his chin on his hand.
His eyes followed the birds flying over the schoolyard.
He liked the quiet part of the world, even when the room was noisy.
Then, someone called out to him.
"Hey, Shun! Want to join?"
Shun turned his head. "No, thanks."
"Come on, just one game!"
He shook his head with a small smile. "I'm fine."
The classmate gave up and went back to the game.
Shun opened his notebook and started to draw. Nothing special—just shapes and lines. It helped him think.
Outside the room, someone walked by.
It was Alice.
She paused when she passed Shun's classroom.
Through the window, she saw the noise—the laughing students and their silly games.
And in the corner, she saw Shun. Calm, still, quiet. Drawing.
She smiled a little.
He was always like that. Quiet… but not cold.
She didn't wave or say anything. She just kept walking.
Back in the classroom, someone shouted, "We should do this every day!"
More laughs followed.
Shun didn't laugh. But a small smile stayed on his face.
Even if he wasn't part of it… the noise didn't bother him.
Sometimes, just watching was enough.
After school, the bell rang again, signaling the end of the day. Shun packed his bag slowly, watching the students rush out the door.
He didn't hurry. He liked to walk home quietly.
As he left the classroom, he saw Alice again, standing near the exit, talking to some of her friends. She smiled at him, but he didn't say anything. He just nodded and walked past.
The cool air hit his face as he stepped outside. He liked the walk home. It gave him time to think.
When he reached his house, there was no one around. His parents weren't home. It was quiet.
He opened the door and stepped inside, taking off his shoes and going straight to his room.
The silence of the house felt peaceful, just like the calmness of his walk.
He sat at his desk, opened his notebook, and began to draw again. The outside world felt far away now, and he could focus on his own thoughts.
A few minutes later, there was a knock on his door.
Shun paused. He wasn't expecting anyone.
He stood up and walked over, opening the door slowly.
Alice stood there, holding something in her hand—a small bag of snacks.
"Hey," she said, her smile a little shy. "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out for a bit… I brought some snacks."
Shun blinked in surprise. "You came here…?"
Alice nodded. "Yeah. I thought you might like some company. If you're not busy…"
Shun hesitated for a moment, then stepped aside to let her in. "I'm not busy."
Alice walked in, glancing around his room. It was simple, quiet, much like him. She handed him the bag of snacks.
"Thanks," Shun said quietly, taking the bag.
They both sat on the floor, sharing the snacks. There was an awkward silence between them at first, but after a while, Alice smiled.
"So, what are you drawing?" she asked, trying to make conversation.
Shun glanced down at his notebook, where a few shapes and lines were drawn.
"Just… random stuff," he said, his voice soft.
Alice nodded, smiling. "It's cool. You know, you're always so calm. I like that."
Shun shrugged slightly, still quiet. "I like it that way."
They sat together in comfortable silence for a while, the noise of the outside world fading away. For once, Shun didn't mind the company.