Chapter 6: The Variable

  The classroom hums with the usual morning routine—students filing in, chatting, laughing. It’s all noise to me. I take my seat, hands resting on the desk, watching, calculating. Faces blur into patterns, voices fade into data. Just another day.

  At exactly 8:30, the door slides open, and Professor Sato steps in. The chatter dies down.

  "Have you ever applied physics in real life?" he asks, scanning the room.

  A student raises his hand. Kai. His voice is steady. "Yes. I have."

  "Go on. Explain."

  Kai leans forward slightly, eyes bright with confidence. "I was helping my dad move some heavy furniture. Instead of just lifting, I used a wooden plank as a lever. By placing a small block under it as a fulcrum, I reduced the effort needed to lift one side of the furniture. It’s basic physics—torque and mechanical advantage. But it worked, and I didn’t strain my back."

  Professor Sato nods, impressed. "Good. Real-life application. And yet, most students here only learn physics to pass exams." His tone sharpens. "Memorization doesn’t make you smart. Application does. That’s why we’re changing how we teach."

  I glance at Kai. A variable. A person worth noting—not just another forgettable number in the system.

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  Across the room, Haruto is glaring at me. Not at Kai, not at the professor—me. Like he’s waiting for something. For me to react? To challenge him? I just smile, calm and unreadable. His fists tighten. Predictable.

  The lesson moves on, time slipping past like sand through fingers. Soon, the bell rings.

  ---

  Break Time

  The cafeteria is a sea of students. I take a simple lunch—rice, miso soup, a piece of fish. No excess, just enough.

  I sit alone. Not because I have to. Because I want to.

  Then, footsteps. A tray being placed down.

  "Mind if I sit here?"

  Kai. Again.

  I look up, keep my expression neutral. "Go ahead."

  He sits, starts eating, then speaks. "You’re pretty quiet in class. Not much for talking?"

  "I talk when needed."

  Kai chuckles. "Fair enough. But you’ve got that look. The kind that says you think more than you speak."

  I glance at him. "And?"

  "And I wonder what you’re thinking about."

  I take a bite of rice, chew slowly. Curious. He asks questions. More than most.

  "I was thinking about physics," I say. "Your example was good. A lever makes heavy lifting easier. But sometimes, lifting isn’t needed at all."

  Kai raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

  "Instead of lifting furniture, why not disassemble it first? Remove the weight entirely. No force needed. Just a different solution."

  Kai pauses, then grins. "Huh. Smart. Never thought of that."

  He finishes his food, stands up. "Anyway, thanks for letting me sit here. See you around."

  He walks off. I watch him go, calculating. An anomaly. But not a threat. Not yet.

  ---

  After Break

  Back in the classroom, I push open the door—and stop.

  Haruto stands near my seat. Arms crossed. Blocking the way. A challenge.

  I don’t stop walking. I move past him, smooth, unbothered. His shoulder brushes mine, a deliberate move. I don’t react. His presence means nothing.

  The school day drags on. Eventually, it ends.

  ---

  After School

  Outside, the sky is painted in hues of orange and purple. I walk, steps steady. Haruto falls into pace beside me.

  Silent.

  Then, "Beware."

  I turn my head slightly, meeting his gaze. His voice is low, weighted. Not a threat—something else.

  I smile, polite. "Okay."

  He watches me for a moment longer before walking away.

  I exhale, a soft laugh in my mind. Warning? Or something else?

  A flicker of amusement cur

  ls at the edges of my thoughts. A game is beginning.

  Let’s see how it plays out.

  End {?

  End of CHAP 7

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