BETWEEN WORLDS | Ryohei Arisu x Reader

July 14th, 2012.

It was one of those random summer days where everything felt different for no real reason. I wasn't usually the type to get up and go outside, especially when it came to exercise. But that day, something just... clicked. Like I knew something was going to happen, and it wasn't going to be like every other boring day.

I made my way to the playground across the street from my house. I didn't really mind walking alone; I wasn't worried about running into anyone from school since I lived so far away. It felt safer that way—no one knew me, and I liked it that way.

The playground was empty, just a big patch of grass with a few swings creaking in the breeze. I almost turned around to head back inside when a ball came rolling toward me. I stared at it for a second, trying to decide if I should pick it up or ignore it. Before I could even make up my mind, three boys came running over, all talking at once.

"I TOLD YOU TO AIM LEFT!!" the tall one yelled, his messy blonde hair bouncing with every word. His frustration was clear, but his voice had this carefree edge to it, like he didn't mind getting mad about something so stupid.

"It's not my fault!" the shorter one shot back, crossing his arms with a pout. His face was round, and he looked like the kind of person who could get upset over the smallest things, but I could tell he was trying not to laugh.

"Hey, hey, calm down!" the quiet one said, stepping between the two of them. He had this soft smile that kind of made the whole situation seem a lot less serious. He glanced at me for a second, and I swear his eyes met mine, then quickly looked away. "Sorry about them," he added, his voice a little sheepish.

He stepped forward, offering his hand, his smile never faltering. "I'm Arisu," he said, his voice quieter than the others. "That's Karube," he pointed at the tall one with the messy hair, "and this is Chota," he gestured to the short one, who was still grumbling.

I blinked, unsure of what to say. "Uh, nice to meet you," I mumbled, feeling like my voice was way too soft for the situation.

Karube grinned and tossed the ball from hand to hand, not seeming to care much about anything. "You play soccer?" he asked, eyes lit up with excitement.

"Not really," I answered, shrugging.

"Perfect. Neither does Chota," Karube laughed, looking over at the smaller one.

"Hey!" Chota protested, his voice a little louder, but there was no real anger in it. He was laughing too.

There was something about them—about the way they were all so different, but it just worked. They weren't judging me, and for once, I didn't feel like I was on the outside looking in. They just accepted me like I was part of their weird little group.

And then, after that day, I started seeing them around more. At first, it was by chance, like we were both just at the park at the same time. But after a while, it felt like they were looking for me. Sometimes I'd see them on the other side of the field, waving me over, and I'd smile without even realizing it.

The days passed quickly, and before I knew it, summer was over. The first day of middle school came, and I was dreading it. I already knew what it was going to be like—walking through the halls alone, sitting by myself at lunch, pretending like I wasn't watching everyone else with their friends. But that morning, standing in front of the school gates, I heard something that made my stomach flip.

"Hey! You!"

I turned, half-expecting it to be some random person. But instead, it was Karube, grinning like he knew something I didn't. Behind him were Chota and Arisu, their faces just as surprised as mine.

"You go here?" Karube asked, still grinning. He slung his arm around Chota's shoulders and laughed. "Man, now you're stuck with us."

I stood there for a moment, blinking, before realizing what he was saying. "Looks like we're in the same school," Arisu said quietly, his smile soft and comforting.

Chota groaned, but I could see the corners of his mouth twitching upward. "Great. More people to watch Karube make a fool of himself."

Karube shoved him playfully. "Shut up, you love it."

I couldn't help but smile, feeling a weight lift off my chest. Maybe middle school wasn't going to be so bad after all. I wasn't going to be the lonely kid this year. For once, I wasn't the outsider.

And as I walked through the school gates with them, the world didn't feel so heavy anymore. There was something comforting about the idea of being with them, like maybe everything was finally going to be okay.