The Exposed Scars

The daily lessons proceeded as usual. New textbooks were opened, unfamiliar knowledge was absorbed, and time slipped by to the soft scrape of chalk across the blackboard.

In Class B, the first few days were not entirely quiet. Shimiya Kuki's handsome yet unusually calm face, along with the "sparkling" moment Ichinose Honami had described during the entrance ceremony, briefly drew curious glances. In those first few days, several outgoing classmates also tried striking up conversations with him.

"Shimiya-kun, want to go to the cafeteria together?"

"Shimiya-kun, what do you think of this math problem?"

"Kuki-kun, want to check out the Shopping Street after school?"

Faced with these friendly overtures, Shimiya Kuki's replies were always brief and direct.

"No, thanks."

"The solution's on page XX of the textbook."

"I have other things to do today. Sorry."

His tone wasn't cold, just too even, lacking the warmth and emotional fluctuations one would expect from a teenage boy. His gaze was as still as a placid lake, showing neither rejection nor any desire to accept them. After a few tries, the classmates who had tried to get closer gradually lost their enthusiasm, as if they'd run into an invisible insulating wall. Their initial attempts gave way to polite nods and greetings. In the end, a subtle zone of emptiness formed around his seat by the window. Everyone grew used to this classmate, whose presence was so faint and who seemed to have no interest in socializing.

He wasn't deliberately keeping people at a distance; there was simply something about the way he carried himself that naturally made him hard to approach. He didn't dislike making friends, but each time, he would unconsciously distance himself. The effects of his past life seemed to linger. Still, there was plenty of time left in school, and he could change little by little. For now, all he could do was apologize to the classmates who had shown him kindness.

In sharp contrast to him was Ichinose Honami. She was the heart of Class B, beating with boundless energy. With her sunny smile, sincere manner, and deft handling of class affairs, she was elected class president with little suspense. Like a little sun, she warmly brightened every corner of Class B. She always made sure announcements got around, smoothed over minor disagreements, and organized activities, gradually melting the awkwardness between new acquaintances with laughter and conversation.

Kanzaki Ryuji, meanwhile, became the class's acknowledged "brains," thanks to his cool-headedness and his entrance exam deviation score of 79.8. He and Shimiya Kuki had spoken a few times, usually while discussing a complex logical problem or a question from class. Shimiya Kuki's precise, concise answers that went straight to the heart of the matter unexpectedly suited Kanzaki's strictly rational way of thinking, leading him to pay extra attention to this silent classmate.

After a week, classmates with similar personalities had formed little groups, settling into a delicate balance. What disrupted that balance was the Swimming Lesson that came a week later.

The Swimming Lesson was held in the school's state-of-the-art Heated Swimming Hall. Beneath its vast glass dome, the water shimmered a clear blue. The locker room buzzed with youthful energy and the slight embarrassment of being confronted with one another's bodies for the first time. When Shimiya Kuki took off his T-shirt and exposed his upper body, the air around the otherwise noisy changing area abruptly froze for a moment.

Several gazes focused on him like searchlights, beyond anyone's control.

His skin was not the smooth, unblemished kind a boy his age should have had. Several scars, some deep and some faint, spread across his chest, back, and even his sides. Though they had healed, they remained clearly visible. Like twisted, faded vines, they wound around his well-proportioned but somewhat lean body. The most striking was a scar about ten centimeters long beneath his left collarbone. Darker than the others, with faintly raised edges, it looked like a hideous centipede crawling diagonally across him, just above his heart. Its presence was so forceful that it instantly seized everyone's attention.

Whispers rippled through the locker room.

"Whoa... is that..."

"So many scars..."

"That one on his chest... it looks scary..."

"Was he in an accident?"

"Or..."

Curiosity, surprise, and a faint trace of fear mingled in those stares and whispers. Shimiya Kuki acted as if he hadn't heard them, or simply didn't care about the attention. Without changing expression, he put on his swim trunks, his movements smooth and natural, as if the scars on his body were nothing more than ordinary tattoos. He picked up his towel and casually draped it over his shoulders, covering most of the marks on his back. But the deepest scar on his chest remained exposed to the warm air.

"Shimiya-kun!"

Ichinose Honami's voice came from beside him, full of concern. She had already changed into her swimsuit, and her usual radiant smile had been replaced by undisguised worry. She hurried over to Shimiya Kuki, her brow slightly furrowed, her clear eyes fixed on the hideous scar on his chest. They were filled with genuine concern, with neither morbid curiosity nor fear.

"Your body... those injuries..." Her voice softened, tentative. "They look... pretty serious. Are you... okay now?" She even reached out instinctively, as though she wanted to touch the scar and make sure, but stopped abruptly just before her fingertips could reach it. Looking flustered, she drew her hand back, her fingers curling slightly.

Shimiya Kuki turned his head and met Ichinose Honami's worried eyes. His expression remained unchanged, his gaze as calm as a lake in late autumn. He gave the towel on his shoulder a slight tug. The gesture was casual, but it conveniently covered part of the most striking scar.

"They're just some old injuries." His voice was steady, without a hint of emotion, as if he were stating a fact unrelated to himself. "They don't affect my daily life anymore, so there's no need to worry." His tone was flat, but carried an air of finality that left no room for argument.

Ichinose Honami parted her lips, as if she still wanted to ask something. But seeing Shimiya Kuki's calm, unruffled eyes and his clear reluctance to say more, she eventually swallowed her words. The genuine concern in her eyes hadn't faded; she only pressed her lips together and gave a soft "Mm." Then, as if remembering something, she looked around. Seeing the curious or startled gazes lingering on Shimiya, she took a deep breath and tried to put on her usual bright, energetic smile. It looked a little forced just then, but her voice rose deliberately, warm and sunny, dispelling the locker room's oppressive atmosphere:

"All right, everyone, hurry up! The teacher's already outside, blowing the whistle for us to line up!" She even waved her hand instinctively, as if to brush away the unseen prying eyes and heavy mood. Her gesture was naturally encouraging. "Swimming Lesson time is precious. Don't keep the teacher waiting!"

"Old injuries?" A cool, almost scrutinizing voice cut in. Kanzaki Ryuji had changed into his swim trunks at some point. His sharp gaze cut into the scar half-hidden by the towel like a scalpel. He studied its position, direction, and shape as it healed for several seconds, his brow furrowing as if rapidly searching his mind for relevant information.

"Shimiya," Kanzaki said, with the almost clinical objectivity of a science student. "Pardon my frankness. The position and shape of the scar on your chest... it's very close to the major blood vessels near the heart." He paused, weighing his words, but ultimately chose the most direct phrasing. "Judging by its shape, the injury must have been extremely serious at the time—quite possibly a Penetrating Injury. An injury that severe... even the slightest mistake could have been fatal on the spot, or meant they couldn't save you in time. That's dangerous, isn't it?"

Kanzaki's analysis was precise and cold, like a shot of adrenaline, and the air around them chilled further. The classmates who had been whispering moments ago held their breath. Their gazes toward Shimiya Kuki were now filled with even greater shock and apprehension.

Shimiya Kuki was silent for a moment. He turned slightly to face Kanzaki and Ichinose, making the scar just barely visible beneath the towel. His gaze didn't waver as he calmly met Kanzaki's eyes, filled with a Desire to Investigate. Sunlight streamed through the vast glass dome and cast a sharp shadow across his well-defined profile. In the shifting light, the scar looked even more pronounced.

"Yeah," he finally said, his voice still steady, though his words were like a heavy stone dropped into a placid lake. "I almost didn't make it. But it doesn't affect me anymore."

He paused. His gaze seemed to pass through the people before him, toward some distant, indistinct void. An extremely complicated, indescribable emotion flickered in the depths of his eyes like an underwater current. It was too fleeting to catch, yet it had truly been there.

"But," he continued, refocusing his gaze on Kanzaki Ryuji and Ichinose Honami, his tone taking on an inscrutable quality, "in a way, I have to thank this scar."

Thank it?

The word struck Kanzaki and Ichinose like a drop of water in hot oil, sending shockwaves through them. Thank a scar that had nearly killed him? That logic was entirely beyond their understanding. Ichinose's eyes widened in confusion, her red lips parting slightly. Behind his glasses, Kanzaki's gaze sharpened, full of curiosity and confusion.

However, Shimiya Kuki gave them no chance to ask more. He inclined his head slightly, his gesture politely distant. His tone returned to its former evenness, but with an invisible barrier layered over it.

"I can't tell you the exact reason. But thank you for your concern."

With that, he paid no further attention to the two of them, their gazes mingling shock and curiosity, or to the even more complicated stares of the surrounding classmates. He turned, draped the towel back over his shoulder, and walked calmly toward the entrance to the pool. Under the bright lights of the hall, his figure looked somewhat slight, but his steps were exceptionally steady. The hideous old scar left exposed shifted slightly with the muscles as he walked, like a silent brand, an unsolvable mystery, a heavy past he carried with him into the clear pool water.

The air in the locker room seemed to freeze for several seconds before the Swimming Lesson teacher's whistle urging everyone to gather set it flowing again. Whispers rose once more, more fervent than before, though everyone deliberately kept their voices low. Ichinose Honami watched Shimiya Kuki's back disappear through the entrance, the worry lingering on her face for a long time before finally turning into a sigh. Kanzaki Ryuji stood where he was, his gaze deep, brimming with a powerful curiosity and urge to analyze that remained unsatisfied.

That scar, along with Shimiya Kuki's words, "thank" and "can't tell you."