Mio and Hina left Aoi's house after their sudden visit.
Several weeks passed after that.
Winter in Hoshimi remained harsh, and the days moved in a strange rhythm.Not too fast…Not too slow.
Now, during lunch break at school, Aoi rested her chin on her hand while looking at Mio.
— Mio, let's go to that store you mentioned the other day.
Mio immediately smiled.
— You won't regret it. They literally have every kind of makeup there.
A small laugh escaped Aoi.
— I really wanna see it, hehe.
Beside them, Hina puffed her cheeks slightly while scrolling through her phone.
— We seriously haven't played anything together lately…
Aoi blinked.
— Hm?
— Nobody's said anything in the Eternal Aegis Online group for weeks…
Yamada, who sat in front of Mio, glanced back over his shoulder.
— Is that the game you guys are playing now?
Hina quickly shook her head.
— Yup, Darling, hehe.
Matsuda rested his chin on his hand.
— You guys said you'd include us in the next MMORPG.
— The third-years are graduating soon… — Hina explained. — So it's hard to pick a new game for everyone to start together.
While they talked, Aoi discreetly glanced toward Souma.
He quietly ate his bentō while Takumi talked beside him.
Misaki noticed immediately.
Then sighed.
— So… what happened between you two?
Aoi looked away.
— What do you mean?
— You know exactly what I mean.
Misaki rested her cheek against her hand.
— You two barely talk anymore. Honestly… I don't even really see Souma talking to anyone lately.
Aoi stayed silent for a few seconds.
— I don't know either…
After that, the conversation naturally died down.
Everyone quietly returned to eating.
But Misaki kept staring at Aoi in silence.
Her finger tapped rapidly against the table.
Tac.Tac.Tac.
Matsuda Ren glanced curiously at Misaki.
— So… Arai, what kind of games do you like?
Misaki's eyes widened immediately.
— Don't call me that. We're not close, Matsuda.
Everyone instantly felt the atmosphere grow heavier.
Silence spread across the table again.
Ren simply looked forward and replied calmly:
— Alright. Sorry, Misaki.
Gradually, the classroom returned to its usual noise of students talking and eating.
At the end of the school day—
Aoi was leaving through the front gate when she heard a voice behind her.
— Now you're gonna talk to me properly, Aoi.
She stopped.
Misaki stood there.
Aoi tightened her grip on her bag strap.
— Right now… I can't.
— Yes, you can.
Misaki stepped closer.
— You're going to explain some things to me.
Aoi tried to walk past her.
But Misaki blocked her path.
— Why was Souma crying while saying your name these past few days?
Aoi's eyes widened.
— …What?
Misaki clenched her teeth and grabbed Aoi by the collar.
— I gave up on him for your sake… and you rejected him?!
Aoi immediately grabbed her wrists.
— Rejected him? He's the one who rejected me first!
— Liar!
Misaki's eyes started filling with tears.
— You're lying… Souma looked… like he wanted to disappear…
Aoi fell silent.
Watching Misaki trembling in front of her.
Then slowly let go of her arms.
Her expression became cold again.
— Then ask him why he's like that.
Misaki bit her lip.
— You're not the same Aoi anymore…
As Aoi walked past her, she quietly said:
— You're so obsessed with Souma… that you can't even notice someone else trying to get close to you.
Misaki only stared at the ground, fists clenched tightly.
She said nothing.
Aoi simply walked away.
Meanwhile, Misaki remained alone at the school gate, wiping her eyes.
That night—
Aoi sat in front of the turned-off television.
Her room was silent.
Misaki's words continued echoing inside her mind.
"Souma looked like he wanted to disappear…"
Aoi clenched her teeth.
Then picked up her phone.
There was a message from Souma.
One sent weeks ago.
"Can we talk again?"
She stared at the screen for several seconds.
Then finally typed:
"Hi."
A few moments later—
Souma replied.
"Aoi."
"How have you been?"
She took a slow breath before answering.
"What did you want to talk about?"
Silence.
The typing bubble appeared.
Disappeared.
Appeared again.
Then the message finally came.
"I've been thinking about going back to my hometown."
"I already did what I wanted here."
"It's not fair to you."
Aoi slowly opened her eyes wider.
She typed back:
"But weren't you planning to attend college in Hoshimi?"
"Wouldn't that be far away?"
Souma replied almost instantly.
"I've been thinking differently lately."
"I just wanted to see everyone before the class change."
"I wanted to say goodbye properly."
Aoi remembered the play.
The lines.
The ending.
Then another message appeared.
"This is starting to sound like your club's play."
Her eyes widened.
"You watched it?"
"I did."
"It was the best performance I've ever seen from you."
"Even the teachers were impressed."
After that—
one final message appeared.
"Goodbye, Aoi."
Aoi lightly bit her nail while staring at the screen.
Then typed:
"Can we meet before the February exams?"
A few seconds passed.
Then Souma replied:
"Okay."
"Thank you very much, Aoi."
She left the phone beside her bed.
And quietly stared at the ceiling.
"Going back to your hometown…"
The next morning—
Aoi entered school and immediately spotted Hina and Yamada walking extremely close together while holding hands and pretending not to.
Mio was happily talking on the phone nearby.
"Of course we can! Let's eat there… I'm excited too. See you later!"
She hung up smiling.
Aoi looked at her.
— You seem happy.
Mio smirked slightly.
— I've got a date today, hehe.
Hina's eyes widened.
— You? A date?!
Yamada immediately looked away.
Hina noticed instantly.
— What's wrong, Darling?
— N-nothing… let's just go inside already.
Aoi quietly pointed downward.
— You're still holding hands.
The two immediately let go.
— Ah! Sorry! — Hina said.
— I-it was me… — Yamada replied awkwardly.
When Aoi entered the classroom, she saw Souma already sitting at his desk.
He lifted his gaze.
And when their eyes met—
a small smile escaped him.
Subtle.
Almost shy.
Aoi felt her chest tighten slightly.
— Good morning…
From across the room, Souma answered softly:
— Morning.
Two desks ahead of him, Misaki silently watched everything.
Her expression remained neutral.
Then she looked forward again.
At that moment—
Hanae entered the classroom.
— Good morning, everyone.
— Good morning, class rep! — several students answered energetically.
Takumi looked at her suspiciously.
— You seem happy today…
Hanae smiled.
— I'm happy because you're taking me on a date today.
Silence.
The entire classroom froze.
Then—
— WHAAAT?!
Takumi shot up from his seat.
— W-what are you talking about?! We never planned anything!
The girls immediately swarmed them.
— AAAAAH they're adorable!
— Hanakumi is real!
— They're so cute!!
Takumi completely panicked.
— D-don't combine our names like that! Hanae, say something!
Hanae tilted her head slightly.
— So… where are we eating?
— AAAAAWN!!
Takumi started stuttering while sweating nervously.
In the back, Souma quietly laughed at the scene.
And Aoi ended up letting out a small laugh too.
Then—
Misaki suddenly raised her voice.
— Souma and Aoi are going out too!
Silence again.
Every girl slowly turned toward Aoi.
— SERIOUSLY?!
— Since when?!
— Quiet girls are always the fastest, huh Aoi?!
— You little sneaky thing!!
Aoi's eyes widened.
Then she glared at Misaki.
Misaki was smiling in the most mischievous way possible.
At that moment, Aoi's phone vibrated.
A message.
Misaki:
"You made me cry."
"This is revenge."
Aoi looked back at her.
But Misaki had already turned forward again.
The girls continued talking nonstop.
— I heard Takeo-senpai is your friend too!
— Do you attract handsome guys or something?!
— W-wait! It's not like that! — Aoi tried to explain.
Mio suddenly appeared in the middle of the crowd.
— Alright, girls, enough. She'll answer your questions later.
Aoi stared at her in disbelief.
— I will…?
— If Kanzaki-san said it, then you will! — one of the girls laughed.
The group finally started dispersing.
Aoi collapsed into her chair dramatically.
— Why would you promise them that?!
Mio shrugged.
— Because you wouldn't have survived until the end of class otherwise, haha.
— Aaaah… now I'll have to deal with this later…
Beside them, Hina held up several manga pages proudly.
— Only two pages left!
— Hm? — Mio and Aoi said together.
— My manga's almost finished! Hihihi!
Mio immediately leaned closer.
— Let us read it afterward!
— Of course! All of you are reading it!
Aoi blinked.
— Again with the "all of you"…?
Hina crossed her arms proudly.
— I'm almost done, after all.
At that moment, Sasaki-sensei entered the classroom.
— Good morning, everyone. I hope you've been studying, because the February exams will be difficult.
The entire class groaned together.
And the lessons began as usual.
Later—
At the end of the day, Aoi walked out of the classroom with Mio and Hina.
— I only have a few club tasks today — Mio commented. — But we still have some stories to exchange.
— My club doesn't have anything today — Hina replied. — So I'm finishing my manga.
Aoi adjusted her bag on her shoulder.
— The drama club's basically empty today too. The third-years are all studying for finals.
— Ah, right… they're graduating soon — Mio murmured.
Hina looked toward Aoi.
— This is the last year you'll really see them around, huh?
Aoi stayed quiet for a few seconds.
— I know where Takeo lives… so maybe I'll still see him sometimes.
A faint smile appeared on her face.
— But Shinohara-san… I might never see her again if she leaves Hoshimi.
At that moment—
a huge group of girls suddenly came running down the hallway.
— AOOOI!!
— You're answering us now!!
— You really are bold, huh?!
— You two are so cute together!!
Mio immediately shoved Aoi backward.
— Go, Aoi! I'll hold them off! Hina, help me!
— Aah?! But I need to find my Darling before he—
Mio grabbed Hina by the shoulders.
— Help me, Hina!
— I'M NOT A HUMAN SHIELD, DAMMIT!
Taking advantage of the distraction, Aoi quickly escaped down another hallway.
She only stopped after finally making it outside the school building.
And then—
she saw Souma waiting there.
He looked at her.
— Hello.
Aoi was still slightly out of breath.
— H-hi… arf…
Souma tilted his head slightly.
— What happened? You look tired.
She let out a weak laugh.
— Misaki completely ruined me…
Souma sighed.
— I had to run away from the guys too.
— Hm?
— They were mad because they said you're one of the top three prettiest girls in class.
Aoi went silent.
Then slowly turned toward him.
— …You guys rank girls?!
— I didn't know either! — Souma quickly replied. — I swear! That's why I ran away from them!
Aoi crossed her arms.
— I'm mad.
A small smile escaped Souma.
Then silence returned.
Snow slowly fell around them.
And Souma lowered his gaze.
— You don't have to stay here with me.
Aoi looked up.
— I know you hate me… I just wanted to say goodbye to everyone before leaving.
Aoi looked down at the ground.
Her scarf covered half her face while small snowflakes landed softly in her hair.
— I… I'm not mad at you.
She hesitated.
— It's just…
Souma also stared at the ground.
— I-I thought you hated me…
— I just needed time to think about everything.
Souma swallowed nervously.
— That's fair… I don't deserve your kindness.
Aoi immediately clenched her teeth.
— Souma, stop saying things like that.
She took a deep breath.
— I already understand how you feel, but… this is different.
Souma slowly raised his eyes.
— Different how?
Aoi hesitated for several seconds.
Then quietly asked:
— You moved to Hoshimi by yourself… and even got a part-time job… just because of me?
Souma answered without looking away.
— Yes.
A cold gust of wind passed between them.
— I had no other reason to come to Hoshimi.
Aoi stayed silent.
Then Souma smiled painfully.
— I still can't forgive myself.
A tear slowly rolled down his face.
Aoi's eyes widened.
— Souma… I—
— AAAAAWN!!
Both of them flinched.
The girls from school were staring at them from a distance.
Mio stood behind them, completely exhausted.
— S-sorry, Aoi! I couldn't hold them back!
Souma's eyes widened.
Then, on impulse—
he grabbed Aoi's hand.
— Run!
And immediately started running.
— W-wait, Souma—!
Aoi ran after him through the falling snow.
Feeling the warmth of his hand tightly holding hers.
While her heart beat faster and faster.
— Souma…