Then Akane asked, her voice carrying a noticeable tremor of unease as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, her comfortable brown boots making a soft scuff on the hallway floor.
"Chris… is Rin in there?"
Her red sweater suddenly felt a little too warm against her skin, and she exchanged a quick, meaningful glance with Hanako. Both girls felt a flutter of nervous excitement mixed with awkward tension —
the realization that Rin's apartment was right here, separated by only a thin wall from Hinata's brother's place, made their hearts beat faster.
Hanako's fingers tightened slightly on the strap of her cardigan, her high ponytail swaying as she tried to keep her expression neutral, but her eyes betrayed the same mix of anticipation and unease.
The hallway suddenly felt smaller, the air thicker with unspoken possibilities and the weight of their budding feelings for Rin.
