The hallway was almost empty.
Most of the students had already left for their clubs or afternoon activities. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting golden rectangles across the polished floor. The distant echo of footsteps drifted in from other corridors.
But here…
Only Aoi and Souma remained.
They stood a few steps apart. Aoi stared straight at him. Souma looked away slightly… but his gaze always found its way back to her, as if he couldn't help it.
The silence between them felt heavy.
Aoi took a deep breath.
"I wanted to talk to you."
Souma scratched the back of his neck.
"Ah… well… actually, I need to—"
Before he could finish, Aoi let out a long sigh—the kind that comes when someone decides to push through something difficult.
"I don't like feelings like this…" she said softly, clasping her hands together. "And I normally wouldn't ask something like this."
Souma frowned slightly.
"Feelings?" He tilted his head a little. "Ask what?"
Aoi lowered her gaze for a moment, gathering her courage. Then she looked back at him.
"You…"
She stopped.
"No…" She took another breath. "Did I do something to you, Yamamoto-kun?"
Souma fell silent. The hallway seemed even quieter than before.
A few seconds passed.
"Why would you think that?"
Aoi answered without thinking much.
"I don't know…" She tightened her fingers slightly.
"I just felt like…" She looked straight at him. "You've been distant."
Souma stayed quiet for a moment. Then he turned his face slightly to the side.
"Don't worry about it." He slipped his hands into his pockets. "I'm fine."
Then, in a lower voice:
"And are you sure you should be… talking to another guy like that?"
Aoi blinked.
"Huh? Another guy?"
Souma let out a short sigh.
"Come on, Sakamoto."
He started walking.
"I saw you getting pretty close with another guy." As he passed her, he added, "Well… see you."
Aoi stood still.
Frozen.
Staring ahead, unable to understand.
His words echoed in her mind.
"Another guy."
"Another guy."
But who?
Then… a face appeared in her memory.
Takeo. Smiling.
Aoi jolted slightly.
"Ah! Takeo!"
Souma, already a few steps ahead, spoke without turning around.
"Oh. So he has a name."
"Wait!" Aoi said, quickly catching up to him.
She stopped in front of him, breathing a little faster.
"Takeo-kun is my childhood friend!"
She spoke quickly, almost stumbling over her words.
"He helped me a lot when…"
Her voice faltered.
"When… my father… passed away."
Silence fell between them.
Aoi looked down at her hands, fingers tightly intertwined, as if holding onto something invisible.
Souma's eyes widened slightly.
"Oh…"
He looked uncomfortable.
"Sorry… your father…"
Aoi looked up.
"What?"
Souma straightened up quickly.
"N-nothing!" He shook his head.
"But…"
Then he bowed his head slightly.
"I'm sorry, Sakamoto-chan. I thought you had a boyfriend…" He looked away. "I didn't want to cause any trouble."
Aoi waved her hands nervously.
"Please… just act normal."
Souma straightened his posture.
"Ah. Okay."
They both smiled.
A small smile. Almost shy.
The silence returned.
But this time… it felt lighter.
After a few seconds, Souma spoke again.
"Sakamoto-chan."
"Yes?"
He swallowed. A small bead of sweat formed at his temple.
"There's something I need to tell you."
Aoi tilted her head slightly.
"You can tell me. What is it?"
Souma took a deep breath.
"It's just…"
He clenched his fist.
"I don't expect your sympathy, but…" He looked at her. "Because of me… your—"
"AOI-CHAN!"
The voice echoed through the hallway.
Aoi and Souma both turned.
Takeo came running down the corridor, full of energy.
"We need to practice!"
Aoi's eyes widened.
"Ah!"
She lightly tapped her forehead.
"I'm late!"
She glanced quickly at Souma.
"What were you going to say?"
Souma lowered his gaze. His eyes closed slightly. The hand he had clenched… slowly relaxed.
"Later," he said quietly. "We'll talk another time."
Aoi smiled.
A small, but sincere smile.
"Okay."
Souma nodded.
"See you, Sakamoto."
"See you!"
Aoi turned.
"Let's go, Takeo-kun!"
She walked ahead.
Takeo stopped beside Souma, looking at him curiously.
"Are you Aoi's friend?"
Souma answered simply.
"Yeah."
Takeo smiled.
"I'm Fujimoto Takeo."
He gave a slight bow.
"And you?"
Souma returned the gesture.
"Yamamoto Souma."
They stood in silence for a few seconds.
Then Takeo spoke casually.
"Well, I'll get going, Yamamoto-kun."
He took a few steps, then stopped, turning his head slightly.
"Oh."
Souma looked up.
Takeo smiled.
"You should start calling Aoi by her name."
Souma blinked.
"Huh?"
Takeo shrugged.
"Or give her a nickname," he said with a light laugh. "Seems like she trusts you."
He slipped his hands into his pockets.
"I've known her for years."
Then he started walking away.
"Yama-kun… hehe."
Souma remained standing in the hallway.
He frowned slightly.
Then murmured to himself:
"Call her… by her name?"
He looked in the direction Aoi had gone.
And almost without realizing it, he whispered:
"Aoi…"
The word lingered in the empty hallway air.