The Wizardly Ways of Ninomiya Kazunari (Chapter 20)
What happened in the past
Nino was silent, biting his lips hard as he slipped through the hallways. There were tears in his eyes that he tried his hardest to not let fall. He didn’t want to give anybody the satisfaction of seeing him cry. He didn’t want them to see how much it affected him to be here.
He wanted to go already home! He hated this school, he hated the humans and he understood why most of his kind would stay with other wizards. He slipped into the empty music room, after reaching out with his powers to make sure it was really empty. He liked that room, it was peaceful, and it smelled like music. Something that Nino loved.
He closed the door, being careful so it didn’t make any sounds and walked over to the small piano. It was not fully against the wall so he could hide between it and the wall and he sighed in relief when he finally dropped to the floor and pulled his legs close to his body, hugging them with his arms and hiding his face behind his knees.
It hurt. Nino hadn’t thought that it could ever hurt to be so close to other people. He was always careful, always insecure with groups, and had a hard time entangling all emotions around him. It helped to be at home a lot. His mother was always a calming entity around him, helping him to create the needed walls around him. But it was exhausting with so many people around him.
Especially with so many people fully focused on him. He stood out in this school. He was the first wizard kid in ages at this school, he hated that he had a special school uniform colour that nobody else had. He didn’t understand why that was, maybe to make sure he wouldn’t be able to use any magic during classes or his time here. As if that would be a problem!
He had sworn to not do it, and it wouldn’t help him with school work anyway. He was not someone who would break promises, even if he hadn’t wanted to come to this school. He enjoyed being at home all day, learning from his mother the most important things needed and then going out in the afternoon to meet with his friends. Never too much at once but his best friend was always his first choice. Aiba was like an excited puppy, and that was fun and not hurting or scary or uncomfortable feelings.
He sniffled slightly when he remembered his home. He wanted to go home. He didn’t like it here, and he tried so hard to fit in. He was nervous, yes, but he had tried to greet the others, to be kind and help out if needed, but it was impossible it seems.
The others made fun of his sweater because it was too big on his frame and yellow, which apparently was not cool. They were not trusting him and whenever something happened they always said it was his fault. Nino tried hard to ignore them, tell them that he did nothing when teachers called him out, and stay polite, but it was hard.
Then after the first week, the name calling started, calling him the wrong name, and making fun of his size, which was so confusing to Nino. He was neither the smallest nor the biggest person in his year, he had a normal haircut, as his mother had cut his hair before coming and the only difference really was the stupid colour of his uniform.
And he had liked the yellow at first! It was one of his favourite colours and now he started to dislike it. He moved slightly and hissed when he hit his elbow against the piano. He had just managed to flee from the worst of the bullies before, that were shoving him around, trying to get a raise out of him.
Nino wished he would be able to use his magic. It would be so easy to keep them away that way, but he didn’t want anybody to be disappointed in him. He closed his eyes, breathing in deeply. It would have been so easy to hurt them back, but that was forbidden. And he would not leave a bad impression on humans. He would do his very best. He really wanted to be allowed home though. But the adults would tell him that he would have to ignore the other students and then it would go away soon.
But it was hard and stupidly exhausting. When he was tired everything was just harder. Kazu bit his lips as he hid a bit more in his corner when he could tell that there were people outside in the hallways.
He sighed when they left and checked his watch. It was time for his next class and he really really didn’t want to go. The dislike was so awful to live through. He rubbed his cheeks and eyes dry and breathed in and out for another few seconds before stepping to the door when it suddenly opened.
Nino shrieked as he jumped back in shock, his eyes wide and his hands almost up in the air to protect himself from whatever.
“Ah, found you,” the stranger said, almost a small chuckle in his voice.
The reaction stopped Kazu in his tracks and he blinked. His mouth dropped open as he stared at the other boy. He had never seen him before and his stance went back to defensive for a second but it was a weak try. He somehow felt safe, which he was not used to here at this school.
Jun was a good kid, he guessed. He talked normally to Nino and was kind in contrast to the other kids in his class. He was also the reason that Nino could run away earlier because he had called out angrily at the boys shoving him to stop them.
“Huh?” he said in the end when the other boy closed the door and took his hand. Nino flinched close to pulling it away because he really didn’t like to be touched by strangers, but the second their fingers touched there was a calmness around him he only knew from being with his family.
“Sit down, I have to call Matsumoto-kun,” the other boy mumbled and pointed at a chair. Nino blinked but did as he was told, as he watched him.
“Why Jun-kun?”
“Because he was worried, but the school is too big to check everywhere on his own.”
Nino watched him in confused silence, trying to understand what was happening. “Class…”
Ohno ended the short call and moved to look at him with a soft smile. Cute, Nino thought, blushing just slightly. “Don’t worry. I’m Ohno Satoshi.”
“Ninomiya Kazunari,” he mumbled, wrinkling his nose when the other nodded with a chuckle. Of course, the other boy knew his name, everybody did.
“Nino, right?”
Nino nodded looking down at his feet. He preferred the nickname and it was nice to hear it coming from the other. “Is Jun-kun coming?”
“He’s telling the teacher you are in the nurse's room. I have a free period.”
“Oh…”
“Disappointed?” Ohno asked in a teasing manner, making Nino blush again without him being able to stop it.
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine. You decided on a nice hide-out.”
“I like that it smells like music!” Nino explained, hiding his face in his hands when the other boy looked at him surprised.
“Smells like music? How does music smell?” he asked curiously.
“Nothing,” Nino answered almost inaudibly. “Forget it.”
“No, tell me. I promise I won’t laugh.”
Nino looked at him in silence for a while, considering his words and tilting his head. He had no idea why Jun asked Ohno for help, but he was somehow glad that the older boy found him. Jun always worried and that was also very hard for him to endure.
With Ohno, there was nothing, which was strange, and would confuse him on any other day, but for today he was very glad for it. “Music smells like ink, and coffee, and lavender,” he said in the end. “I like it.”
Ohno smiled at the words and nodded in understanding. “Sounds nice. Are you feeling better?”
Nino shrugged and pulled a leg closer to his body, as he observed Ohno carefully when the other stood to walk around the room, seemingly ignoring him, but Nino could feel his eyes on him, making sure he was okay.
Nino smiled shyly as he relaxed his stance slightly. “You are very nice,” he decided.
Ohno chuckled and came over to ruffle his hair. Nino flinched just slightly, but the hand in his hair was warm and gentle, and he closed his eyes. “And you are very cute.”
Nino was silent, biting his lips hard as he slipped through the hallways. There were tears in his eyes that he tried his hardest to not let fall. He didn’t want to give anybody the satisfaction of seeing him cry. He didn’t want them to see how much it affected him to be here.
He wanted to go already home! He hated this school, he hated the humans and he understood why most of his kind would stay with other wizards. He slipped into the empty music room, after reaching out with his powers to make sure it was really empty. He liked that room, it was peaceful, and it smelled like music. Something that Nino loved.
He closed the door, being careful so it didn’t make any sounds and walked over to the small piano. It was not fully against the wall so he could hide between it and the wall and he sighed in relief when he finally dropped to the floor and pulled his legs close to his body, hugging them with his arms and hiding his face behind his knees.
It hurt. Nino hadn’t thought that it could ever hurt to be so close to other people. He was always careful, always insecure with groups, and had a hard time entangling all emotions around him. It helped to be at home a lot. His mother was always a calming entity around him, helping him to create the needed walls around him. But it was exhausting with so many people around him.
Especially with so many people fully focused on him. He stood out in this school. He was the first wizard kid in ages at this school, he hated that he had a special school uniform colour that nobody else had. He didn’t understand why that was, maybe to make sure he wouldn’t be able to use any magic during classes or his time here. As if that would be a problem!
He had sworn to not do it, and it wouldn’t help him with school work anyway. He was not someone who would break promises, even if he hadn’t wanted to come to this school. He enjoyed being at home all day, learning from his mother the most important things needed and then going out in the afternoon to meet with his friends. Never too much at once but his best friend was always his first choice. Aiba was like an excited puppy, and that was fun and not hurting or scary or uncomfortable feelings.
He sniffled slightly when he remembered his home. He wanted to go home. He didn’t like it here, and he tried so hard to fit in. He was nervous, yes, but he had tried to greet the others, to be kind and help out if needed, but it was impossible it seems.
The others made fun of his sweater because it was too big on his frame and yellow, which apparently was not cool. They were not trusting him and whenever something happened they always said it was his fault. Nino tried hard to ignore them, tell them that he did nothing when teachers called him out, and stay polite, but it was hard.
Then after the first week, the name calling started, calling him the wrong name, and making fun of his size, which was so confusing to Nino. He was neither the smallest nor the biggest person in his year, he had a normal haircut, as his mother had cut his hair before coming and the only difference really was the stupid colour of his uniform.
And he had liked the yellow at first! It was one of his favourite colours and now he started to dislike it. He moved slightly and hissed when he hit his elbow against the piano. He had just managed to flee from the worst of the bullies before, that were shoving him around, trying to get a raise out of him.
Nino wished he would be able to use his magic. It would be so easy to keep them away that way, but he didn’t want anybody to be disappointed in him. He closed his eyes, breathing in deeply. It would have been so easy to hurt them back, but that was forbidden. And he would not leave a bad impression on humans. He would do his very best. He really wanted to be allowed home though. But the adults would tell him that he would have to ignore the other students and then it would go away soon.
But it was hard and stupidly exhausting. When he was tired everything was just harder. Kazu bit his lips as he hid a bit more in his corner when he could tell that there were people outside in the hallways.
He sighed when they left and checked his watch. It was time for his next class and he really really didn’t want to go. The dislike was so awful to live through. He rubbed his cheeks and eyes dry and breathed in and out for another few seconds before stepping to the door when it suddenly opened.
Nino shrieked as he jumped back in shock, his eyes wide and his hands almost up in the air to protect himself from whatever.
“Ah, found you,” the stranger said, almost a small chuckle in his voice.
The reaction stopped Kazu in his tracks and he blinked. His mouth dropped open as he stared at the other boy. He had never seen him before and his stance went back to defensive for a second but it was a weak try. He somehow felt safe, which he was not used to here at this school.
Jun was a good kid, he guessed. He talked normally to Nino and was kind in contrast to the other kids in his class. He was also the reason that Nino could run away earlier because he had called out angrily at the boys shoving him to stop them.
“Huh?” he said in the end when the other boy closed the door and took his hand. Nino flinched close to pulling it away because he really didn’t like to be touched by strangers, but the second their fingers touched there was a calmness around him he only knew from being with his family.
“Sit down, I have to call Matsumoto-kun,” the other boy mumbled and pointed at a chair. Nino blinked but did as he was told, as he watched him.
“Why Jun-kun?”
“Because he was worried, but the school is too big to check everywhere on his own.”
Nino watched him in confused silence, trying to understand what was happening. “Class…”
Ohno ended the short call and moved to look at him with a soft smile. Cute, Nino thought, blushing just slightly. “Don’t worry. I’m Ohno Satoshi.”
“Ninomiya Kazunari,” he mumbled, wrinkling his nose when the other nodded with a chuckle. Of course, the other boy knew his name, everybody did.
“Nino, right?”
Nino nodded looking down at his feet. He preferred the nickname and it was nice to hear it coming from the other. “Is Jun-kun coming?”
“He’s telling the teacher you are in the nurse's room. I have a free period.”
“Oh…”
“Disappointed?” Ohno asked in a teasing manner, making Nino blush again without him being able to stop it.
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine. You decided on a nice hide-out.”
“I like that it smells like music!” Nino explained, hiding his face in his hands when the other boy looked at him surprised.
“Smells like music? How does music smell?” he asked curiously.
“Nothing,” Nino answered almost inaudibly. “Forget it.”
“No, tell me. I promise I won’t laugh.”
Nino looked at him in silence for a while, considering his words and tilting his head. He had no idea why Jun asked Ohno for help, but he was somehow glad that the older boy found him. Jun always worried and that was also very hard for him to endure.
With Ohno, there was nothing, which was strange, and would confuse him on any other day, but for today he was very glad for it. “Music smells like ink, and coffee, and lavender,” he said in the end. “I like it.”
Ohno smiled at the words and nodded in understanding. “Sounds nice. Are you feeling better?”
Nino shrugged and pulled a leg closer to his body, as he observed Ohno carefully when the other stood to walk around the room, seemingly ignoring him, but Nino could feel his eyes on him, making sure he was okay.
Nino smiled shyly as he relaxed his stance slightly. “You are very nice,” he decided.
Ohno chuckled and came over to ruffle his hair. Nino flinched just slightly, but the hand in his hair was warm and gentle, and he closed his eyes. “And you are very cute.”