The next morning, Hanamura High buzzed louder than usual.
The corridors felt unusually alive for a Tuesday. Voices carried, footsteps shuffled with a kind of hyper energy, and phones discreetly passed around blurry images from the night before. It was one of those mornings where even the sleepy kids didn't want to miss the gossip.
> "Did you hear? Some delinquent was spotted near the station last night."
"I think he's from Rio's old school…"
"Wait—Rio? The quiet guy in Class B?"
"Maybe he used to be in a gang?"
"No way. He's too calm for that."
Miku stood at her shoe locker, overhearing bits and pieces, her fingers tightening around the strap of her bag.
Akira… Why is he here? Why now?
The name alone triggered old whispers—fragments of conversations, echoes from Rio's past that no one really understood but somehow felt. She remembered Rio mentioning him… once. Barely. Just a ghost in a sentence. But now he wasn't a ghost. He was here.
She walked into class, steps quiet.
There he was—Rio, already at his seat, one above Taiki, his headphones on and his eyes locked on the world beyond the window. He didn't move, didn't flinch. Like the buzzing chaos in the school didn't reach him at all.
But Miku knew better.
She knew he was listening to every word.
Even Taiki seemed to notice. His eyes drifted toward Rio more than once, his pencil tapping against his desk slower than usual. His notes remained mostly blank.
He could feel the weight in the air too.
"You okay?" Alya asked Miku, leaning against her desk and dropping her usual cheeky grin.
Miku forced a nod, her smile barely holding. "Yeah. Just… feeling some weird vibes."
Alya scoffed, brushing a loose strand of her white-streaked hair behind her ear. "You're telling me. It feels like we're in a shoujo manga, but like... the secret villain arc is kicking off."
That got a small laugh out of Miku.
Even in all the tension, Alya had a way of saying things that lightened the air.
The bell rang. Class started.
But no one's head was in the books.
---
Break time.
The vending machine outside Building C was usually a dead zone—but today, it was occupied by two boys who rarely ever spoke alone.
Taiki approached, hands stuffed in his hoodie pocket, the wind tugging at his bangs.
"You good?" he asked, voice steady—not too friendly, not too cold. Just real.
Rio took a moment before turning. His expression was unreadable, his drink in hand.
"Yeah."
Taiki didn't believe that for a second.
"That guy from last night… You knew him?"
Rio sipped from his can of lemon soda, eyes fixed on the swirling leaves outside.
"Too well."
That was all he said.
And that was enough.
Taiki gave a short nod, slapped the side of the vending machine lightly like it owed him answers, and walked off.
Miku, from across the courtyard, had seen the whole thing. Her heart was tight in her chest. She wanted to say something too—anything—but the moment never opened up. Not yet.
---
Later that day, after the final bell rang, the sky had turned a dull gray. Clouds loomed heavy and low, like they were waiting for something to break.
Most students left quickly, backpacks bouncing as they ran for clubs, arcades, or convenience stores. But Miku stayed behind.
She always stayed behind now.
In the library, the dusty smell of old pages mixed with the faint scent of rain sneaking in through the windows. Miku sat by the second aisle, pretending to reorganize some literature books that no one had touched in years.
But she wasn't here for books.
She was waiting.
And then—
Footsteps. Calm. Even.
"I figured I'd find you here," Rio said, leaning against the shelf with that usual quiet stare.
Miku turned, eyes soft. "You okay?"
He paused. "I don't really know."
She stood, brushing her skirt absently. "You don't have to pretend, y'know. I saw how tight your fists were earlier."
He chuckled, just a breath of a laugh. "Not many people notice that."
"I do," she said, more certain this time. "You hide things. But I see it."
For a second, he didn't respond. His gaze shifted out the window, toward the field where the baseball club used to practice. Now, it was empty, just a few puddles reflecting the gray sky.
Then, in a voice barely louder than a whisper:
> "He used to beat the life out of me. For fun. Just 'cause I couldn't fight back. I was small. Quiet. Easy to push around. Then one day I snapped. Trained harder. Got stronger. Thought moving to Tokyo meant I'd finally outrun him."
The silence that followed wasn't awkward.
It was real.
Outside, birds chirped from the trees. Students laughed in the distance. But inside the library, it felt like time was holding its breath.
Miku stepped closer, her hands clutching her sleeves tightly.
"You're not that kid anymore."
Rio finally looked at her. Something raw flickered in his eyes—vulnerability he'd never shown.
"But that kid's still in here," he said. "Scared sometimes. Still flinches when I think I'm alone."
Miku reached out, brushing his sleeve with her fingertips. "Then let him be scared. You're human, Rio. And whatever happens, Alya, Taiki and m—" her voice caught, "—me… We're here. We'll stay."
Another silence.
But this time, it was warm.
---
Meanwhile…
Up on the school rooftop, the wind was stronger. It lifted papers, ruffled hair, and tugged at emotions.
Taiki sat with his knees up, arms around them. He stared at the clouds like they were going to spell something out for him.
Beside him, Nakamura chomped on a rice cracker, legs stretched out like he had all the time in the world.
"You're zoning out again, Taiki," Nakamura muttered, spraying crumbs like confetti.
Taiki didn't blink.
His mind was looping images like a broken tape—Rio and Miku laughing yesterday at the back gate, Miku glancing at Rio in class this morning, her soft expression when he walked in…
That look was never for me.
"She's really opening up to him, huh," Taiki finally muttered, more to the breeze than to Nakamura.
Nakamura tilted his head, chewing louder. "You jealous?"
Taiki didn't answer.
Instead, a small, sad smile crept onto his face.
> "No… Just scared I'll disappear from her story and her life."
Nakamura leaned back, arms behind his head. "That's deep, bro. Like—light-novel-level deep."
Taiki chuckled faintly.
"Hey," Nakamura added, bumping Taiki's shoulder. "You won't disappear. Some people show up in your life loud and fast. Others? Stay steady. Be the steady one."
Taiki turned to him, surprised by the unexpected wisdom.
Then he looked back at the sky—still gray, still undecided.
> "Yeah… I'll stay."
Later that night, as the clouds finally gave in and rain began to drizzle over the city, Rio lay in bed, headphones on again, but no music playing.
Just static.
And his thoughts.
Miku's words echoed in the silence of his room.
"Let him be scared. You're human."
For the first time in a long time…
He didn't feel like running.
To Be Continued...