The drama club room was bathed in the warm light of late afternoon.
Large windows let the golden sunlight in without hurry, stretching across the wooden floor worn by years of rehearsals. Tiny dust particles floated in the air, drifting slowly as if they too were quietly watching that small world.
Open scripts, half-empty water bottles, pencils forgotten on tables... everything felt alive, yet calm at the same time.
Some students talked quietly.
Others rehearsed their lines almost in whispers, as if they were afraid of breaking the atmosphere.
In the center of the room, Aoi stood still.
She held the script with both hands, her fingers lightly pressing the paper. Her eyes were fixed on the words... but there was something distant in them, as if she was trying to feel something she still couldn't reach.
The door opened.
Takeo walked in first, wearing his usual relaxed smile, as if that place was completely natural for him. Right behind him, Shinohara entered with quieter steps... but there was a different light in her eyes.
Aoi lifted her head.
— Hello, senpais.
Shinohara raised her hand to respond... but stopped halfway, as if she had forgotten for a moment what she was supposed to do.
Takeo answered for her:
— Hello, Aoi-chan. Sorry we're late.
Shinohara watched quietly.
The easy way he spoke.
The natural way he talked to Aoi.
She let out a quiet sigh that almost disappeared into the room.
— H-hello...
Aoi tilted her head slightly.
— You seem happy today, senpai.
For a moment, Shinohara froze.
— A-ah... it's just... I did well on the math test today.
She spoke too fast, moving her hands a little as she talked. A bit of nervousness escaped through every movement.
Aoi simply smiled, as calm as always.
Then she turned to Takeo.
— Takeo-kun... this script is difficult. Do I... need to speak louder?
Takeo took the script and looked at it for a few seconds.
— It's not about speaking louder...
He took a step forward, straightened his posture, and took a deep breath.
— It's about making the person listening believe you.
Then he said:
—I know that one day we'll drift apart...
Maybe I won't even get the chance to say goodbye...
But you will always be in my heart.
His voice echoed through the room.
It wasn't exaggerated.
It wasn't overly theatrical.
It was... real.
For a few seconds, no one said anything.
Then applause filled the room.
— Excellent, Fujimoto-kun! — the teacher said, satisfied.
Takeo scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed.
— Ah... that's not necessary.
Shinohara watched in silence.
His carefree attitude.
The gentle look he gave to the people around him.
And for a brief moment... she smiled to herself.
Aoi lowered her eyes back to the script.
— This is hard...
Takeo shrugged.
— You'll get better with time, Aoi-chan.
But then he noticed.
Her eyes looked different.
More open.
More focused.
— It's... hard for me, Takeo-kun.
Aoi took a deep breath.
— I want to change this line.
Takeo hesitated.
— Aoi... I can help you with that—
She turned her face away.
And for the first time, her eyes seemed... cold.
— I don't want to rehearse this.
Her voice rose a little.
— This is hard, Takeo!
Silence fell heavily across the room.
Takeo blinked, surprised.
— Aoi...
— Finally, we meet.
A voice suddenly cut through the room.
Everyone looked.
Shinohara was standing in the center.
—I searched for you for so long... my love.
Her expression was intense. Natural. Alive.
— UUUH!!
Some students reacted excitedly.
The teacher smiled.
— Very good!
Shinohara gave a small bow.
But even then... her eyes searched for someone.
Aoi.
Aoi watched in silence.
— She looks so... natural...
Takeo replied quietly:
— Because she doesn't just read... she feels it.
Aoi lowered her gaze.
— The teacher said I'm average...
She sighed, almost imperceptibly.
— That I need more expression...
Takeo stayed silent for a moment.
— I... helped write this script.
Aoi lifted her face, surprised.
— To try to help you.
Her eyes opened a little wider.
— This... can help me?
— I think so.
Aoi looked to the other side of the room, where the teacher was praising Shinohara.
She took a deep breath.
— Okay... sorry for yelling earlier.
Takeo smiled slightly.
— Don't worry about it.
Aoi tightened her grip on the script.
—I know that one day we'll drift apart...
Maybe I won't even get the chance to say goodbye...
She stopped.
The paper slipped from her hands.
—I... need some air.
Takeo immediately noticed.
Her eyes were trembling.
— It's okay... we'll continue later.
Aoi left the room.
The hallway was quiet.
The evening light crossed the windows, drawing golden lines across the floor.
Aoi breathed slowly.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Outside, in the courtyard, the sound of fast footsteps echoed.
She looked.
Souma.
Running.
Light. Natural. As if his body simply knew what to do.
For a moment, she remembered...
Him leaving the classroom earlier.
Without looking at her.
"Did I do something...?"
— Sakamoto.
Aoi turned.
Shinohara.
— Senpai...
— Ah... hello.
Silence settled between them.
Shinohara lightly pressed her own fingers together.
— You know Takeo very well... don't you?
— Yes. Since we were kids.
— I see...
— Senpai?
Shinohara laughed a little awkwardly.
— That's why you call each other by your first names...
Aoi tilted her head.
— You called him by his name just now too.
— T-that's different!
— Different how?
— F-forget it!
Aoi watched her, curious.
— I always thought you were perfect.
Shinohara blinked.
For a moment... she didn't know what to say.
Then she laughed, more softly this time.
— No one is.
She looked down at the floor.
— But I wanted to be... for him.
— For who?
Her face turned red immediately.
— Forget it!
Aoi covered her mouth, trying to hold back a laugh.
And for the first time that day, the air between them felt a little lighter.
— Are you laughing at me?
— N-no…
A blank shot echoed across the field.
The race had started.
Aoi turned her gaze back to the yard.
Her eyes found Souma.
He was running.
A few minutes later, the race ended.
Souma finished in third place.
Without realizing it, Aoi clasped her hands together.
A small smile appeared on her face.
Shinohara noticed.
— Sakamoto… do you know that boy?
— Huh? Who?
Shinohara subtly pointed.
— The one you can't stop looking at.
Aoi blushed lightly.
— S-stop it, senpai…
Shinohara chuckled.
— It's fun teasing you a little.
— That's none of your business.
— Alright, sorry.
She took a deep breath.
— I confessed to Takeo.
Aoi went silent.
— And he said yes.
Shinohara looked away.
— Ah… I knew it. You call yourself my friend, but you probably like—
— That's great, senpai!
Shinohara turned back, surprised.
Aoi was smiling.
Genuinely.
— S-Sakamoto-chan?
Aoi grabbed her hands.
— He's always been terrible with girls! Even now that he's popular…
Shinohara blinked in surprise.
Aoi quickly let go.
— S-sorry!
Shinohara smiled softly.
— I liked that.
She said it sincerely.
— I think I can trust you.
— Trust me?
— If any girl tries to steal him from me… you'll tell me, right?
Aoi broke into a cold sweat.
For a moment, she remembered Mio's voice:
"Ask Takeo if he's dating someone."
— O-okay… I'll tell you.
I won't say anything about Mio-chan…
Shinohara looked back at the field.
— And that boy… do you like him?
Aoi stared out the window, quiet.
— I… don't know.
She spoke slowly.
— I like being around him… and his smile…
— But I don't know if I like him.
Shinohara laughed.
— Then it's the same as me and Takeo.
— But you two are dating, aren't you?
— We are… still testing things.
She blushed.
— Takeo-kun's words.
Aoi thought for a moment.
— I think he was just nervous.
She smiled.
— You're pretty, smart… and a really good actress.
Shinohara turned completely red.
— Y-you don't have to praise me that much…
— We should head back.
— Yeah.
They turned—
And froze.
The teacher was standing right behind them.
Arms crossed.
Tapping her foot.
— Perfect timing. I heard something about "killing the club."
Both of them panicked.
— T-that's not what we meant, sensei!
— We were just about to go back!
— We were just talking!
— Let's get back to training.
She looked at Shinohara.
— You're excellent… but if you stop practicing, others will catch up.
Then she turned to Aoi.
— And you, Sakamoto… your expressions still need a lot of work.
— Y-yes, sensei…
They walked back together.
Sharing a small smile.
When they entered the room, everyone looked at them.
Takeo frowned.
— What happened to you two?
They answered at the same time:
— Secret.
Takeo scratched the back of his head.
— Come on…
Later that day.
Club activities ended.
Aoi went home.
As soon as she checked her phone, there was a message.
Hina:
"New member in the group!!"
Another message followed.
Misaki:
"I'm using my brother's console. My character's name is Magasaki."
Aoi smiled.
— That's nice… it fits.
She got home.
Took a shower.
Prepared something simple for dinner.
Her mother came back from work, exhausted.
They talked for a bit.
Then Aoi went to her room.
It was quiet.
She turned on the console.
Sat down on the floor in front of the TV.
The screen's light illuminated her face.
She whispered softly:
— Time to play with you…
Her fingers tightened around the controller.
— Dad.
On the screen, a message appeared:
"Start with the character Hiro?"
Aoi stared at it for a moment.
Then pressed:
Yes