Morning came with noise.
Not the quiet kind Ruko was used to.
Not the controlled, predictable rhythm of the gaming club.
This was different.
"—Hikari! Over here!"
Laughter.
Footsteps.
Voices layered over each other.
At the center of it all—
Hikari.
She smiled.
Perfectly.
Effortlessly.
"…You're late today," one of the girls beside her said, linking arms with her.
"Am I?" Hikari replied lightly. "I thought I was early."
"You're never early," another teased.
Hikari laughed softly.
Not too loud.
Not too much.
Just enough.
Carefully measured.
Because this—
This was her world.
Bright.
Polished.
Controlled.
Not like—
"…That place."
Her smile didn't falter.
But her thoughts shifted.
A dim room.
Glowing monitors.
Voices she couldn't fully ignore anymore.
Ruko.
"…Annoying."
"Hikari?" one of her friends called.
She blinked.
"…Hmm?"
"You zoned out."
"…Did I?" she smiled again. "Sorry. I was just thinking about something boring."
"Wow, if you think it's boring, it must be."
More laughter.
Hikari played along.
As always.
Because none of them could know.
None of them could ever know—
That after school—
She wasn't going to a photoshoot.
Or a café.
Or some high-end boutique.
She was going to a small, dimly lit room filled with wires, keyboards—
And a game.
A game she couldn't walk away from.
"…Let's eat on the rooftop later," one of the girls said.
"Sure," Hikari replied.
Without hesitation.
Without thought.
Because that was expected.
That was normal.
That was—
Safe.
After school—
The rooftop was warm.
Bathed in golden light as the sun slowly began its descent.
Hikari sat with her friends, legs crossed neatly as she picked at her lunch.
Conversation flowed easily.
Trends.
Fashion.
Teachers.
Normal things.
"…There's a new brand opening this weekend," one girl said excitedly.
"Really? Where?"
"Near the station!"
"You have to come, Hikari."
All eyes turned to her.
She smiled.
"…Maybe."
"'Maybe' means yes," one of them laughed.
"Of course it does."
Hikari nodded lightly.
But inside—
"…Weekend…"
Her thoughts flickered.
Practice.
Matches.
Team adjustments.
Ruko's voice pointing out mistakes.
"…Tch."
"Hikari?"
She looked up again.
"…You're spacing out a lot today," another friend said.
"…Am I?" she smiled again.
"You are."
"…Sorry. Just tired."
That was believable.
It always was.
Because no one questioned her.
No one looked deeper.
And that was exactly how she wanted it.
"…What are you doing after this?" one of them asked.
The question came casually.
Too casually.
Hikari paused.
Just for a second.
"…I have something."
"What kind of something?"
"…Personal."
They exchanged looks.
"…Secretive, huh?"
"Is it a guy?" one teased.
Hikari laughed.
Light.
Dismissive.
"If it was, you'd already know."
That was true.
Because that's the kind of girl they thought she was.
Transparent.
Open.
Perfect.
Not someone who—
"…Lies."
The sun dipped lower.
Shadows stretched longer.
"…I have to go," Hikari said, standing up.
"Already?"
"…I have somewhere to be."
"Again with the mystery."
"Maybe next time," she replied with a small smile.
They didn't push.
They never did.
Because they trusted her.
And that—
Made it worse.
The hallway felt quieter now.
Each step echoed slightly as Hikari walked alone.
Her expression changed.
The smile faded.
The softness disappeared.
What remained—
Was real.
"…This is ridiculous."
She adjusted her bag slightly.
"…Why am I even going?"
She already knew the answer.
Because she wanted to.
Because despite everything—
"…It's fun."
The words slipped out quietly.
And she immediately frowned.
"…No."
"…It's just temporary."
That's all it was.
A distraction.
Nothing more.
She reached the clubroom door.
Paused.
Her hand hovered over the handle.
Inside—
She could hear them.
Kana's voice.
Risa's calm tone.
Kazuha's steady presence.
And—
"…Ruko."
She clicked her tongue.
"…Annoying."
But her hand—
Didn't pull away.
Instead—
She opened the door.
"…You're late."
Kana didn't even look at her.
"…I know."
Hikari walked in like nothing was different.
Like this—
Was normal.
"…Did I miss anything?" she asked, placing her bag down.
Ruko glanced at her briefly.
"…Not yet."
Their eyes met.
For just a second.
Then—
She looked away.
"…Good."
She sat down.
Logged in.
Focused.
Because this—
This was her other world.
The one no one else could see.
The one she had to protect.
At all costs.
Because if they found out—
If her friends ever saw her like this—
"…No."
She tightened her grip on the mouse.
"…They won't."
They couldn't.
They wouldn't.
Because Hikari—
The perfect girl.
The untouchable queen.
Would never be someone who sat in a dim room—
Playing games.
Trying to win.
Trying to improve.
Trying to—
"…Stay."
Her fingers moved.
Faster.
Sharper.
And for a moment—
Her mask slipped.
Just slightly.
Enough to show—
That this version of her—
Was real too.