SSS Ranked Isekai: Summoned To The Apocalypse With My Classmates

Aaron wiped the sweat off his forehead as he stepped inside, the cool air of the manor a welcome relief from the heat of the training field.

His legs still ached from the laps, and his shirt clung to his back uncomfortably. He adjusted his glasses and glanced at Naomi, who walked beside him with her usual calm demeanor.

They passed through the long hallway in silence, their footsteps echoing faintly against the polished stone floor.

Naomi had been oddly quiet since the training session ended, and Aaron couldn't shake the feeling that she was waiting for him to say something.

Finally, as they approached the staircase leading to their rooms, Aaron cleared his throat. "Why are you doing this?"

Naomi stopped mid-step, turning to face him. Her brow furrowed. "Doing what?"

"You know," Aaron said, avoiding her gaze. "Being… nice to me. Trying to talk to me. You don't have to."

Naomi tilted her head, studying him like he was some kind of puzzle. "You think I'm doing this out of pity?"

Aaron shrugged. "Most people do."

Naomi crossed her arms. "Well, I'm not. I just want to be friends. Is that so hard to believe?"

Aaron blinked, caught off guard by her bluntness. "Friends?"

"Yes, friends," Naomi said, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "You've heard of the concept, right? People who talk to each other, maybe even help each other out now and then?"

Aaron felt his cheeks heat up. He adjusted his glasses nervously. "I know what friends are. I just… I don't know. I'm not really the 'friend' type."

"That's nonsense," Naomi said, her tone light but firm. "Everyone's the friend type. You just haven't given it a shot yet."

Aaron hesitated, his mind racing. No one had ever said something like that to him before. Most people either ignored him or treated him like an afterthought.

"Well?" Naomi prompted, raising an eyebrow.

Aaron sighed, scratching the back of his neck. "Alright. Friends."

Naomi grinned, offering her hand. "Good. Let's make it official."

Aaron stared at her hand for a moment before shaking it awkwardly. Her grip was firm, but not overbearing.

"See?" Naomi said, releasing his hand. "That wasn't so hard."

Aaron allowed himself a small smile. "I guess not."

The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Aaron spent most of it resting in his room, flipping through one of the books Clara had left on the desk.

It was a dry read about the history of the kingdom, but it kept his mind occupied.

When evening came, the students gathered in the common area for some downtime. Aaron found a quiet corner to sit in, hoping to stay out of sight. He wasn't ready to deal with Darius or anyone else who might take an interest in him.

Unfortunately, Darius had other plans.

"Hey, four-eyes!"

Aaron tensed as Darius approached, his usual smirk plastered across his face. A few of the other students watched from a distance, clearly entertained.

"What do you want?" Aaron asked, keeping his voice steady.

Darius chuckled, leaning against the arm of Aaron's chair. "Relax, I'm just here to talk. You seemed lonely over here all by yourself."

"I'm fine," Aaron said, gripping the edges of his book tightly.

"Fine, huh?" Darius snatched the book out of Aaron's hands, flipping through it lazily. "What's this? Some kind of nerd manual?"

"Give it back," Aaron said, his voice firmer this time.

Darius ignored him, holding the book just out of reach. "You know, you're not exactly making a great impression here. Maybe if you stopped hiding behind those glasses, people would actually notice you."

Aaron clenched his fists, frustration boiling inside him. But before he could say anything, a familiar voice cut through the tension.

"Leave him alone, Darius."

Naomi stepped forward, her expression calm but unwavering.

Darius laughed, tossing the book onto the chair beside Aaron. "What's this? His knight in shining armor?"

"Something like that," Naomi said, crossing her arms. "Now back off."

Darius raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Or what?"

"Or I'll make you regret it," Naomi said simply.

The room went quiet. Even Darius seemed taken aback by the conviction in her voice.

After a moment, he shrugged, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. Don't get your feathers ruffled. I was just messing around."

He walked away, his smirk still in place, but Aaron could tell he wasn't as confident as he pretended to be.

Naomi turned to Aaron, her expression softening. "You okay?"

Aaron nodded, though his heart was still pounding. "Thanks."

"No problem," Naomi said, sitting down in the chair across from him. "You should stand up to him next time, though."

Aaron managed a small smile. "I'll try."

"Good," Naomi said, leaning back. "Because he's not as tough as he thinks he is."

Aaron glanced at the book Darius had tossed, picking it up and smoothing out the crumpled pages. "Why do you care so much?"

Naomi shrugged. "Maybe I just don't like bullies. Or maybe I think you're worth standing up for."

Aaron didn't know how to respond to that, so he just nodded, a faint warmth spreading through his chest.

For the first time since arriving in this strange new world, he felt like he wasn't completely alone.