The classroom still carried the soft murmur of the morning.
Sunlight streamed through the large windows on the right, casting golden lines across the pale wooden floor. Tiny dust particles floated in the light, as if time itself had slowed down inside that room.
Notebooks opening.Chairs scraping lightly.Students chatting before class began.
Everything felt normal.
That was when Aoi stood up from her seat.
She took a quiet breath, as if preparing herself for something simple… yet important. Then she started walking.
Her steps were calm, but there was a faint tension hidden in her eyes.
Beside her, Hina practically bounced with excitement.
The two of them stopped near the desk where Misaki and Souma were sitting.
Hina placed both hands on the desk with enthusiasm.
"Good morning, team!" she said with a bright smile. "How's my favorite mage doing?"
Misaki froze for a second.
Her face turned red instantly, and she lowered her gaze.
"P-please don't say that… Takase-san…"
Hina tilted her head slightly, watching her for a moment as if analyzing something.
Then she smiled even wider.
"Call me Hina.And can I call you Arai?"
Misaki blinked, surprised.
"Uh…?Y-you want to call me that?"
Hina nodded without hesitation.
"Of course."
Misaki took a small breath, as if gathering courage for something incredibly simple.
Then she murmured:
"H-Hina-chan…"
Inside, her thoughts raced.
Ahh… this is so embarrassing…
Hina smiled, satisfied.
"That's it. Arai-chan."
Next to her, Aoi smiled gently too.
"You can call me Aoi as well… A-Arai-chan."
Misaki turned to her, still shy.
"Ah… o-okay…A-Aoi-chan."
Across the room, Mio watched from a distance.
A small smile formed on her lips.
Back at the desk, Aoi turned her gaze to Souma.
For a brief moment, she hesitated.
"H-hello… Yamamoto-kun."
Souma's smile faded slightly.
His expression became more neutral, though still polite.
"Hello… Sakamoto."
The response was normal.
But something felt different.
Aoi blinked.
Ah…He seems normal…
At that moment, Misaki turned slightly toward Souma.
"So… what happens in that movie, Souma-kun?"
The instant she said that—
Aoi's world shifted.
Her eyes widened slightly.
The sounds of the classroom faded into distant noise.
Voices.Chairs.Footsteps.
Everything blurred.
The only thing she heard clearly—
Souma-kun.
Her thoughts wavered.
What?Why did that feel…Strange?
"Aoi.""Aoi.""AOOOI!"
She flinched.
"Ah! W-what is it?!"
Hina was staring at her with narrowed eyes.
Souma glanced over as well.
"Hm?"
Hina quickly changed the subject.
"Ah! Class is about to start."
She smiled at Misaki.
"We'll continue later, Arai-chan, Yamamoto-kun."
Then she gently pulled Aoi's arm and whispered:
"Let's go, Aoi-chan."
Aoi nodded, still slightly confused by what she had felt.
A few minutes later, everyone was seated again.
Hina leaned closer to Aoi.
"What was that?"
Aoi blinked.
"W-what do you mean?"
"You looked like you were somewhere else."
"Ah… I… I just…"
Before she could finish, a voice came from the front.
"That's strange… Riku isn't here yet," Matsuda Ren said.
Even as he spoke, there was something else on his mind—
Misaki getting closer to Souma.
Behind them, Mio looked at her nails casually.
Aoi and Hina glanced at the empty desk.
Aoi murmured:
"Yamada-kun…"
Hina asked:
"Do you know anything, Matsuda-kun?"
Ren waved his hand.
"No, no.He's not the type to be late."
At that moment, the classroom door opened.
The sound echoed lightly.
Yamada Riku walked in.
He closed the door, but kept looking at it for a second, as if he had forgotten what he was doing.
Then he walked slowly, eyes fixed on the floor.
As he passed between the desks, his gaze lifted for just a moment.
He saw Mio.
She was still looking at her nails, as if she hadn't noticed anything.
Riku looked away immediately.
And sat down.
Ren leaned toward him.
"You almost got here late, Riku.You okay?"
Riku pulled out his book without looking at it.
"Yeah.Just stayed up late."
Ren laughed.
"Yeah, I can tell.Those eye bags are intense."
Riku forced a smile.
"Yeah… I guess."
But the smile never reached his eyes.
As soon as the lunch bell rang, Hina turned to Aoi immediately.
"Aoi.Do you like Yamamoto?"
Aoi choked instantly.
"W-WHAT?!"
"Where did that come from, Hinaaa?!"
Mio interrupted calmly:
"You can stop, Aoi-chan.You looked exactly like I did when I met Sora."
Aoi's eyes widened.
"B-but I didn't say anything! I just—"
Hina laughed.
"Aoi, no one's judging you.It's just… Misaki seems closer to him."
Aoi froze.
"You noticed too?"
She sighed.
"I knew that…"
She stopped mid-sentence.
Because Hina was smiling mischievously.
"S-stop it, Hinaaa!"
Hina burst out laughing.
Mio crossed her arms.
"We can help you, if you want."
Aoi blinked.
"H-help me?"
Mio tilted her head slightly.
"You've never had a boyfriend before, right?"
Aoi looked down at the desk.
"N-no…"
Mio smiled.
"Perfect.I can teach you the basics."
Aoi turned red.
"Mio!!"
Suddenly—
BANG
Yamada stood up abruptly.
His chair scraped loudly across the floor.
Everyone looked.
Mio froze.
A cold drop of sweat ran down her face.
Ren stood up too.
"Let's go get some bread, Riku?"
Riku started walking.
Without looking at anyone.
Without answering.
He left the room.
Aoi blinked.
"What's wrong with him?"
Ren sighed.
"I'd like to know too.He's been weird today."
He walked toward the door.
"I'll check on him."
Before leaving, he glanced at Misaki again.
She's… way too pretty.
Then he left.
Mio kept scrolling on her phone.
Silent.
A little later, Hanae appeared beside the desk.
"Hello.Can I eat with you?"
Aoi blinked.
"Well…You already sat down."
Hina leaned forward.
"Class rep…"
Hanae shook her head.
"Not anymore."
She smiled softly.
"I'm just Hanae now."
Aoi, Mio, and Hina exchanged a quick glance.
Mio asked:
"What do you want with us, Hanae-san?"
She took a deep breath.
"I wanted… to thank you."
All three spoke at once:
"For what?"
Hanae smiled shyly.
"For helping me with those delinquents.I should've done something…But I was scared."
Aoi waved her hands quickly.
"No, no!You don't have to thank us!"
Hina smiled.
"Yeah!Besides, we're friends now."
At that moment, Mio glanced at the classroom door.
And saw something.
Souma and Misaki.
Walking out together.
Talking. Smiling. Side by side.
Mio slowly turned her head toward Aoi.
Her expression was serious.
Aoi followed her gaze.
And saw them.
Souma.Misaki.Leaving together. Laughing.
Aoi's heart skipped.
She stared.
Then—
She stood up.
Everyone looked at her.
Her posture was tense, like she was about to do something impulsive.
Five seconds passed.
She sat back down.
W-what was I going to do?Did I really think about going after them?
Hanae laughed.
"Hahaha.You're funny, Sakamoto."
Aoi sighed.
"I'm not funny…"
Hina turned to her.
"Aren't you going after Yamamoto and Misaki?"
Aoi clenched her fists slightly.
"And do what?"
Hina sighed.
"Well…Let's eat first."
Outside the school—
Yamada Riku sat on a concrete bench, staring into nothing.
The morning breeze moved gently through the trees.
Leaves swayed softly.
He closed his eyes.
And remembered.
"Let's go to club already."Mio's voice.Cold.
Riku opened his eyes.
The sky was blue.
But he saw nothing.
He murmured quietly:
"…What do I do?"