Chapter Text
Anyone, absolutely anyone, would call Akk crazy for what he was doing.
He would even say he was crazy himself, but this just wasn’t something he could let go. It was something he had to do. And if that meant leaving Suppalo to chase after Teacher Dika, then that was what he was going to do. Because he just had to know why the man had decided to leave them without any word.
After everything he had promised and done, not just for Akk, but for so many of the other boys at the school...
Teacher Dika had supported Akk when so many others hadn’t. The man had helped Akk see himself in ways he might not ever have on his own, but also… he was just a great shoulder to lean on. So, when they had been told by Teacher Chadok that the other had betrayed Suppalo and them by going to teach at the one school everyone hated, Akk just didn’t believe it. It didn’t sit right with him.
That’s why he now stood in front of that rival school, in a different uniform, a few weeks into his last year of highschool. He was probably ruining his whole future and chance of college by doing this.
But the gnawing feeling that something wasn’t right wouldn’t go away. So, Akk was ready to take that chance. If not for himself, then for others who deserved the truth as well.
Taking a breath, he finally headed up the steps, passing plenty of other students standing around talking. It felt weird to be in a co-ed school again after three years.
Everything about this place was completely different. He thankfully only got a few stares and whispers as he headed towards the office, most of the students worried about more important things than a new kid. Like it wasn’t something new to them.
“Excuse me.” Akk spoke as he got up to the secretary sitting on the other side of the front desk. “I just transferred into the school. Today is supposed to be my first day, and I was told to come here.”
The older lady looked up, a bright smile on her face as she noticed Akk, something so different than where he came from. “Of course, dear. Do you have your papers?”
Akk nodded, passing the folder with his transfer papers and other things from Suppalo in it. The secretary took them, looking through the papers for a moment before looking back up at him.
“We don’t get many transfers from Suppalo. And you are in your senior year.”
“Yes, khun… my family just couldn’t afford the tuition anymore. We… we thought it best I transfer while I could, and this was the best school.” Akk answered. They never had to know that his parents had no clue he was doing this. Still thinking he was happy in his dorm at Suppalo and getting ready for college. Instead, he was using his monthly money to rent a small student apartment close to this school for his plan.
“Ah, yes that makes sense. It’s a shame they couldn’t figure out a way for you to stay, but it doesn't surprise me.” She mumbled to herself while getting some things together. “Well, here is your class schedule that will match with your levels and your extracurriculars. Each teacher will give you your books and materials in the classes and let you know anything else… I do believe we have someone around here that can show you around the school as well.”
“I really don’t need that, I’ll be…” Akk was cut off though, the secretary standing up to poke her head out the office of the school.
“Oh! There you are. Come on, Ay. We need you this morning. We have a new student that needs showing around. He is in most of your classes so it will be easy.” She caught a boy who seemed to be just passing by. The hood of a dark jacket was up like he was trying to hide.
There were a few hushed words exchanged between them, sounding like he was asking if anyone else could do it before she was pulling the other boy into the office.
“Akk, this is Ayan. He is one of the top students here, and he will be more than happy to show you around for the next few days until you get used to the school.” The secretary smiled, looking between the two when they just stood there. “Well, you better go. Classes start soon.”
Akk took a second to take in the other boy standing in front of him. He was shorter than Akk, and looked smaller maybe as well.
What stood out the most was his face, the dark circles under his eyes. How messy his hair looked even hiding under the hood, and the loss, the sorrow in his eyes.A strange hopelessness there that almost scared Akk.
He started to say something to Ayan, but the other boy just turned to leave the office. Akk actually had to grab his class schedule and jog after him to catch up. “Hey… Um, I can tell you don’t want to do this, so we can just say you did and I won’t bug you.”
Ayan shook his head though, not turning back to look at him. “No, she will know if I don’t. Just don’t understand why someone would transfer over a month into their last year of school.”
“Things weren’t working out at my old school. So I choose to come here.”
“Where did you go before?”
“I was at Suppalo, I had…” Akk stopped suddenly, having to hold himself from knocking both him and Ayan over. The shorter boy had stopped suddenly in front of him. “Hey, what the hell?”
“Do not ever say that place again. Do not speak of that evil school or the people there. And get the fuck away from me.” Ayan spit out before starting to walk again, leaving a stunned Akk standing there not knowing what he had done.
He knew that people hated Suppalo for many reasons, mostly bad things or lies that came from there, but the hurt that he just heard in Ayan’s voice. That was different. There was something there he had never seen before.
Akk knew then that Ayan was someone he would have to get close to, to watch during his time in the school while looking for Teacher Dika. Maybe they were connected in some way and he could get his answers from him. But he also knew just from that reaction he would have to be careful.
Sighing to himself, Akk looked at where his first class was going to be, easily catching a girl walking past to ask where the room was. After she explained for a moment and Akk thanked her, he was off to his first class of his new life. Just hoping he hadn’t messed everything up by coming there.
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Akk took the next few days to settle into the school, trying to learn the new place before he really started to poke his nose around. He knew he had to be smart about things since this would be where he was all year. He had burned all of his bridges when leaving Suppalo.
During those first few days, Akk kept an eye on Ayan, the other boy in almost all his classes even if he would ignore Akk completely.
But it was so easy for Akk to notice things about him. How he never spoke, rarely even when spoken too. How he seemed to sleep in class more than he was awake. The hood of his jacket almost always up unless they were in gym class. It seemed strange, but all signs pointed to him being deeply depressed.
Akk had managed to talk to some of the other students in his class, becoming friendly with them. So midway through his second week in the new school, he decided to start asking questions. They were all just sitting around the classroom anyways, talking between classes.
“Hey guys, do any of you know a teacher here named Dika? I heard some rumors that he was pretty good.” He asked the group around him. A few of the students looked like they were thinking before shaking their heads.
“No, I don’t remember him, but he could be new this year and teach in one of the lower grades or buildings. Don’t really pay attention to the teachers unless I have to.” One of the boys commented. “So you could try there or ask the office.”
Akk nodded, glancing across the room where Ayan always seemed to be by the windows, head down, seeming to be asleep. “What is Ayan’s problem by the way? The teachers just seem to let him do whatever he wants.”
“Right, Ay… He used to be really cool. Nice, friendly to everyone. A real joker even. But something changed over the summer. He came back to school like that. No one said why, and the teachers just whispered among themselves about him.” A girl said softly, seeming sad about it.
The guy sitting next to Akk huffed a bit. “I heard that it’s because of his uncle. The one he was really close to? Always talked about him. He committed suicide. Some are saying that he did it infront of Ayan, others say that he found the body. Not sure which is true, but that’s what's wrong with him. Just kinda lost hope. Now he’s all doped up so he doesn’t do the same thing.”
Akk frowned, looking across the room again. “That’s really messed up, for anyone to lose someone they love like that and have to go through the aftermath.”
“Yeah, but he won’t talk to anyone. He kinda just disappeared most of the summer and came back a shell of himself. His friends tried to help at the start of school, but he just pushed them and everyone else away. Then they all stopped trying.” The girl answered again. “No one knows what to do with him.”
Akk wasn’t sure either, but it did answer a few of his questions. Just not the one about why Ayan hated him and Suppalo so much. He logically knew he should just stay away and do what he was there to do: to find Teacher Dika and get the answers he needed. But his heart, something deep down was telling him, he couldn’t just do that. That he needed to help Ayan. Figure things out about the other boy and help him heal.
He watched as Ayan shifted on the desk, silver flashing in his hand as he gripped something tight. The boy looked at Akk and the group for a second, eyes filled with sorrow before they closed again. Ayan also tucked a leather looking book closer to him as he did.
That was the moment that Akk swore that he had to help Ayan too. That he knew he had two missions in that school now.