From Foes To Soulmates

Akane sat at her desk, tapping her pen against the paper in front of her. The afternoon class was dragging on, and her mind kept wandering back to the morning. She hadn't been able to shake the memory of Zenkichi's teasing, his carefree attitude that made her wonder whether he was always like this or if it was just part of his act. She had never thought about it much, but now she found herself paying more attention to his every move—his lazy grins, his careless words, and his surprisingly protective side when he'd stepped in yesterday.

Stop overthinking, she told herself, shifting her focus back to the lecture. History wasn't exactly her favorite subject, but it was at least something she could focus on to push the thoughts of Zenkichi aside. The bell rang a few minutes later, signaling the end of class, and the students began to shuffle out of the room.

Akane packed her things quickly, eager to head home and work on her assignments, but before she could grab her bag, she heard a familiar voice.

"Akane! Wait up!"

She turned to see Ayumi rushing toward her, a wide grin plastered on her face. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Ayumi asked, her tone teasing. "Got a hot date or something?"

Akane rolled her eyes. "No, I've got homework, Ayumi. You know, the thing we're supposed to do after school?"

Ayumi laughed. "Okay, okay, no need to get all serious on me. But, I've been thinking..." She lowered her voice conspiratorially. "I know something you don't."

Akane raised an eyebrow. "What is it this time?"

Ayumi leaned in, her voice barely a whisper. "I think you and Zenkichi are hiding something. Something big."

Akane blinked, confused. "What are you talking about?"

Ayumi's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Come on. Don't play dumb. Yesterday, after the whole bullies incident, I noticed something. When you two were talking, it looked like... well, it looked like you were way too comfortable with him."

Akane's heart skipped a beat. "I told you, Ayumi. We're not... we're not like that."

"Oh, please. You can lie to yourself, but not to me." Ayumi smirked. "The way you two interact? You can't tell me there's nothing going on."

Akane felt the heat rising in her face. "It's not like that, Ayumi! We're not friends. We barely talk to each other."

Ayumi raised her eyebrows. "Really? Because from what I saw, you two looked like old friends yesterday. And I'm not talking about the kind of old friends who barely know each other. No, no. I'm talking about the kind of friends who've shared way too many secrets together."

Akane froze. Old friends? The words echoed in her mind.

Before she could respond, the sound of footsteps interrupted their conversation. Akane looked up, and her stomach twisted when she saw Zenkichi standing in the doorway, looking as relaxed as ever.

"Well, well, if it isn't the two detectives," he said, his grin spreading across his face. "What's all this talk about me being an old friend?"

Ayumi quickly shot Akane a wink before turning to Zenkichi with a playful grin. "Oh, you know, just discussing how you two seem to have this... special connection."

Zenkichi raised an eyebrow, the casualness in his voice betraying the sudden tension Akane felt. "Special connection? I think you're just imagining things. I barely know Akane."

Akane's heart raced. He's lying, she thought. He's hiding something.

But Ayumi wasn't backing down. "Oh really? Because I saw you two talking yesterday after the whole bully thing, and you both looked like you were in on a little secret. The way you protected her? It looked like more than just 'barely knowing each other.'"

Zenkichi's grin faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered, his usual nonchalant expression returning. "We're not hiding anything, Ayumi. Trust me, I barely know her."

Akane, feeling a surge of discomfort, decided to end the conversation. "Let's just go, Ayumi. We're going to be late for the next class."

Ayumi gave her a knowing look but didn't push further. "Alright, alright. I'll drop it for now. But you know I'm right," she said, winking at Zenkichi before walking away.

Zenkichi stared after her for a moment before turning back to Akane. "You're not going to let this go, are you?"

Akane narrowed her eyes. "You're hiding something. I know you are."

Zenkichi sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Look, Akane... it's not like I want anyone to know. It's just... complicated."

Akane stared at him, confused. "Complicated? What do you mean?"

Zenkichi glanced around to make sure no one was nearby. "You don't remember, do you?"

Akane frowned. "Remember what?"

Zenkichi hesitated for a moment, before his expression softened. "We used to be friends. A long time ago, back when we were kids. But we... we kept it a secret. From our friends. From everyone."

Akane's breath caught in her throat. "What? But I... I don't remember anything like that."

Zenkichi's face darkened slightly. "That's because we were forced to keep it quiet. When we were little, we were both sent to different schools, and... well, we kind of just lost touch. But the truth is, I've been here all along, watching you... from afar."

Akane's mind was racing. She had no memory of Zenkichi as a child. But then again, she had been so focused on her studies that she hadn't paid much attention to anything else. Could it be true? Could Zenkichi really have been a part of her childhood?

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Akane whispered, her heart beating faster. "Why keep it a secret?"

Zenkichi shrugged, looking uncomfortable. "It's... complicated. We both changed, Akane. A lot. And maybe it's better if we just leave the past in the past."

Akane couldn't help the feeling of betrayal that swelled inside her. All these years—all these years—and she had never known that Zenkichi had been right under her nose.

"I don't know what to think," she muttered, staring at the floor. "You just... you're nothing like the person I remember."

Zenkichi's face softened with regret. "I know. But I never wanted to hurt you. I just... didn't want anyone to find out."

Akane took a deep breath, her thoughts still spinning. She didn't know what to say. There were too many questions running through her mind.

"Maybe... maybe we can figure this out later," she said softly. "But for now, let's just pretend we don't know each other. At least until we get used to this whole... situation."

Zenkichi nodded. "Yeah. Sounds good."

As Akane walked away, she couldn't shake the feeling that everything had just changed. Zenkichi, the carefree troublemaker who she'd thought of as nothing more than a classmate, was now tied to her in a way she never expected. And for the first time, she realized—maybe he wasn't as distant as she had believed.

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