A Familiar Feeling
Yuto barely had time to open the bag of chips before Alice leaned forward, eyes sparkling with mischief.
"So"
She tore open a chocolate bar, poor thing never had a chance.
"How'd it go?"
Yuto crunched down on a chip, pretending to think.
"…She passed her test. That's pretty much it"
Alice groaned.
"Boring. I meant, how'd it go? You spent an entire week tutoring Reika, and now you're suddenly taking her to a movie? Spill"
Yuto sighed, rubbing his temple.
"It's not sudden. It just… happened"
Alice narrowed her eyes.
"Uh-huh. And how exactly did it 'just happen'?"
Yuto leaned back.
"I dunno, she was happy about passing, we high-fived—"
Alice's eyebrows shot up.
"You high-fived?"
"…Yes?"
Alice pointed a dramatic finger at him.
"That wasn't a high-five, was it? It was a hand-clasping, slow-motion, novel moment, wasn't it?"
Yuto nearly choked.
"Wha—?! No! It was normal! A completely normal high-five!"
Alice smirked.
"Sure, sure. And then you, in a completely normal way, invited her to a movie"
Yuto groaned.
"I just thought she deserved a break! It's not that deep"
Alice hummed, munching on her chocolate.
"Sooo… if it's 'not that deep,' you wouldn't mind if I tagged along?"
Yuto's eyes twitched.
"What? No"
Alice gasped in mock offense.
"Oh? Oh? What's this, Yuto? Could it be that you want to be alone with Reika?"
Yuto grabbed a pillow and threw it at her.
"Shut up!"
Alice caught it, cackling.
"I knew it! You totally like her!"
"I don't!"
"You do!"
"I don't!"
Alice leaned forward, grinning.
"Then why are your ears red?"
Yuto froze.
Slowly, he clapped his hands against his ears, scowling.
"I hate you."
Alice flopped onto his bed, looking way too smug.
"You love me"
Yuto groaned, dragging a hand down his face.
"This was a mistake"
Alice just laughed, tossing him another snack.
"Don't worry, Yuto. I'll keep your little crush a secret"
"It's not a—"
"Shhh. Let me have this"
Yuto sighed, shaking his head.
'Is she going to be like this the whole time?'
Alice stretched out on Yuto's bed, hands behind her head, a satisfied smirk on her face.
"So, a movie, huh? You're really stepping up"
Yuto popped another chip into his mouth.
"It's not a big deal"
Alice turned on her side, propping her head up with one hand.
"You say that, but this is the first time I've seen you invite a girl out. Normally, you just run away from confessions like they're the plague"
Yuto scoffed.
"That's because getting confessed to by random girls every week is annoying"
Alice hummed thoughtfully.
"But this isn't annoying?"
Yuto hesitated.
"…No. Reika's different"
Alice's smirk faltered just a little.
She rolled onto her back again, staring at the ceiling.
"Huh. Different, huh?"
There was something in her voice that Yuto couldn't quite place.
He looked over at her, and for the first time that night, she wasn't teasing him.
She was just… quiet.
"…Alice?"
She didn't respond right away.
Instead, she sat up, leaning her elbows on her knees.
Then, with a lazy smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes, she said, "You know, we've known each other forever, Yuto"
Yuto blinked.
"Uh. Yeah?"
She turned to face him fully.
"And in all that time, have you ever thought about me the way you're starting to think about Reika?"
Yuto nearly choked on his drink.
"What?!"
Alice tilted her head, watching him carefully.
"I'm just curious"
Yuto stared at her, brain short-circuiting.
Alice never asked stuff like this.
She teased, she messed around, but this?
This was—
"W-where is this coming from?" he managed.
Alice shrugged, but there was something too casual about it.
"Nowhere"
She poked his arm.
"You're cute when you panic, you know that?"
Yuto swatted her hand away.
"Stop that!"
Alice chuckled, but it was softer than before.
"Relax. I'm just messing with you"
She stood up, stretching.
"I should probably get going before curfew. Don't want your dormmates getting the wrong idea"
Yuto scowled.
"They already think we're dating because you barge in here all the time"
Alice grinned.
"And whose fault is that?"
Yuto groaned, flopping back in his chair.
"Definitely yours"
Alice walked to the door, but she turned back and leaned against the frame before stepping out.
"Hey, Yuto?"
He looked up.
"Yeah?"
She hesitated, just for a second.
Then, with a small smile, she said, "Don't overthink things, okay?"
And with that, she was gone.
Yuto sat there, staring at the door.
"…What the hell just happened?"
—
BEEP BEEP
Yuto groaned as his alarm blared, slapping it off before rolling onto his back.
He stared at the ceiling, blinking the sleep out of his eyes.
"Today's the day"
He was going to the movies with Reika.
Just a casual outing.
No big deal.
…So why was his brain still stuck on last night?
Alice's words, her tone, something about it felt off.
The teasing was normal, but the way she looked at him, the way she asked that question…
"Have you ever thought about me that way?"
Yuto rubbed his face.
"Ughhh"
It was Alice.
Alice.
His chaotic, childhood friend who stole his food, invaded his dorm unannounced and made fun of him every chance she got.
Thinking about her that way?
That was—
He sat up.
Stared at the floor.
…That was what?
He shook his head violently.
Nope.
Not dealing with this right now.
He got up and got dressed, opting for his usual white button-up and black dress pants, and did his best to push all thoughts of Alice aside.
Right now, his focus was Reika.
—
When Yuto arrived at the movie theater, he spotted Reika almost immediately.
She stood near the entrance, scanning the crowd.
She wasn't in her uniform today, she wore a soft blue sweater and a black skirt, her long hair flowing over her shoulders.
Yuto slowed his steps.
…She looked nice.
Not that he expected her to look bad, but… okay, maybe he should stop thinking before he did something stupid.
He cleared his throat and walked up to her.
"Hey"
Reika turned, smiling when she saw him.
"Oh, Yuto. You're early"
Yuto shrugged.
"Figured I'd show up first for once. Ready?"
Reika nodded.
"Yes. What are we watching again?"
Yuto smirked.
"Something totally educational, of course"
Reika gave him a flat look.
"…It's an action movie, isn't it?"
Yuto grinned.
"Obviously"
Reika sighed, but there was a small smile on her face.
"I suppose I can tolerate it"
As they walked inside together, Yuto felt himself relax a little.
Whatever was going on with Alice… he could figure it out later.
Right now, he has a movie to enjoy.
The scent of buttered popcorn filled the air as Yuto and Reika made their way inside.
After grabbing snacks, popcorn for him, and a strawberry smoothie for her, they found their seats near the middle row.
As the lights dimmed, Yuto leaned back, ready to enjoy the movie.
"You ever watch action movies?"
Reika stirred her smoothie.
"Not really"
Yuto smirked.
"Then you're in for a treat"
The movie started, and within minutes, explosions lit up the screen.
The hero, a rogue ex-soldier, was taking down enemies left and right with ridiculous stunts.
Yuto loved it.
He glanced at Reika, expecting her to be unimpressed.
Instead, she was staring at the screen, eyes narrowed.
"…That was so unrealistic"
Yuto blinked.
"Huh?"
Reika pointed at the screen.
"There's no way he could've dodged those bullets. And that jump? Physically impossible"
Yuto snorted.
"You're really analyzing this?"
Reika crossed her arms.
"If I'm going to watch something, it should at least make some sense"
Yuto smirked.
"Okay, professor, just enjoy the ride"
Reika huffed, but as the movie went on, she leaned forward, fully absorbed.
Then out of the corner of his eye, Yuto noticed someone else.
A few rows behind them, slouched in a seat, lazily munching on a bag of chips…
Alice.
Yuto stiffened.
'What the—?!'
She was totally watching them.
And the moment she saw Yuto looking, she gave him a slow, cheeky wave.
Yuto nearly choked on his popcorn.
'What is she doing here?!'
Reika, unaware, was still focused on the movie.
Meanwhile, Yuto was now painfully aware of every move he made.
Was he sitting too close to Reika?
Did Alice think this was a date?
Was this a date?!
Alice took a dramatic sip of her soda, eyebrows raised like she was waiting for something.
Yuto gritted his teeth, facing forward.
Ignore her.
Ignore her.
But no matter how hard he tried, he could feel Alice's presence.
For the rest of the movie, he wasn't sure what stressed him out more, the ridiculous action scenes…
Or the fact that Alice was right behind him, watching everything.
Two Hours Later
As the credits rolled and the lights came back on, Yuto let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.
That was way more stressful than it should've been.
Reika stretched, picking up what was left of her smoothie.
"That was better than I expected"
Yuto managed a grin.
"Told you. Action movies are elite"
She hummed, then glanced at him.
"Since we're already out, do you want to grab lunch? There's a café nearby with really good pasta"
Yuto hesitated.
That actually sounded nice.
But—
His eyes flickered toward the exit, and sure enough, Alice was already on her way out, tossing her empty snack bag into the trash.
Yuto stiffened.
He had no idea why she was here, but one thing was clear, he needed to talk to her.
Now.
He turned back to Reika, offering an apologetic smile.
"Sorry, I just remembered something I need to take care of. Rain check?"
Reika blinked but nodded.
"Oh. Alright. Another time, then"
"Yeah, definitely," Yuto said, already stepping away.
"I'll see you later!"
And before she could ask anything else, he bolted.
Out the door, through the crowd, eyes locked onto Alice's retreating figure.
'What the hell was she doing here?'
More importantly…
'Why did it feel like she was running away?'
He pushed past the crowd, weaving between people as he locked onto Alice.
She wasn't walking fast, just casually making her way down the street, hands stuffed into the pockets of her jacket, humming like she hadn't just spent the past two hours spying on him.
"Alice!" Yuto called.
She didn't stop.
Didn't even turn around.
That only made him move faster.
"Alice!" he tried again, finally catching up and stepping in front of her.
"What the hell are you doing?"
Alice tilted her head.
"Walking"
Yuto scowled.
"You know what I mean"
She sighed, rocking on her heels.
"If I say I just wanted to watch a movie, would you believe me?"
Yuto crossed his arms.
"Not even for a second"
Alice smirked.
"Smart boy"
He huffed, running a hand through his hair.
"So? You just happened to watch the exact same movie, at the exact same time, in the exact same theater?"
Alice shrugged.
"Crazy coincidence, huh?"
Yuto narrowed his eyes.
"Alice"
She held his gaze for a moment before exhaling, rubbing the back of her neck.
"…Fine. Maybe I was curious"
"About what?"
Alice looked away.
"Dunno"
Yuto frowned.
Something about her seemed… off.
Alice was always playful, always teasing, but right now, she wasn't meeting his eyes.
And then it hit him.
"…Did you think this was a date?"
Alice's eyes snapped to his, but she said nothing.
That silence told him everything.
Yuto swallowed.
"Alice—"
She quickly cut him off with a grin, too wide, too forced.
"Look, Yuto, I'm not your mom. You can go out with whoever you want"
"That's not—"
"I just wanted to see how things were going between you and her"
She stepped past him, clapping his shoulder as she walked by.
"And it seems as if things are doing okay"
Yuto turned, watching her go, feeling something uneasy settle in his chest.
She was brushing it off.
Acting like it was nothing.
But for the first time…
He wasn't sure if he believed her.
His body moved before his brain caught up.
He reached out, grabbing Alice's wrist before she could walk away.
She froze.
"…Yuto?"
He tightened his grip, not enough to hurt, just enough to make sure she didn't run.
"You—"
He swallowed, suddenly feeling like an idiot.
But he couldn't let her leave like this.
Not without saying something.
"Alice, you know you're important to me, right?"
She stiffened.
"…Tch. What kind of cheesy line is that?"
Yuto frowned.
"I'm serious"
Alice didn't turn around.
She just stood there, staring at the ground, her usual confidence nowhere to be found.
"…It's just weird, you know?" she muttered.
"We've been together for so long, but lately, it feels like—"
She cut herself off, shaking her head.
"Never mind. Forget it"
Yuto took a breath.
"Look, I don't know what's going on in that head of yours, but you do matter to me. A lot"
Alice let out a small laugh.
"That so?"
"Yes." He stepped closer, voice softer now.
"No matter who else I hang out with, that's not gonna change. You know that, right?"
For a moment, she didn't say anything.
Then, finally, she turned her head just enough for him to see her face, a small, lopsided smile, a little more genuine than before.
"…You're such a dumbass"
Yuto sighed.
"Yeah, yeah"
She tugged her wrist free but didn't walk away this time.
Instead, she lightly punched his shoulder.
"Alright. I'll let you off the hook this time"
Yuto rolled his eyes.
"Oh, how generous"
Alice smirked.
"Damn right"
The tension between them wasn't completely gone, but it was lighter.
Alice stretched her arms above her head, letting out an exaggerated yawn.
"Well, since you so rudely dragged me into a deep emotional conversation, I think you owe me something"
Yuto raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? And what exactly do I owe you?"
Alice grinned.
"Lunch"
Yuto scoffed.
"I knew you were gonna say that"
Alice shrugged.
"What can I say? Emotional talks make me hungry."
She patted her stomach for emphasis.
"Come on, let's go. My treat"
Yuto blinked.
"Wait—you're paying?"
Alice smirked.
"Of course. I need to make sure you remember that I'm the best company you'll ever have"
Yuto snorted.
"That insecure, huh?"
Alice gasped dramatically, placing a hand over her heart.
"Excuse me? You think I am insecure?"
He gave her a flat look.
Alice huffed.
"Okay, rude. But fine, whatever. Let's just eat"
Yuto sighed but followed as she led the way.
They ended up at a small diner near the theater, one they'd been to plenty of times before.
It was nothing fancy, just a cozy place with the smell of grilled meat in the air and a menu full of comfort food.
Alice plopped into a booth, arms stretched over the backrest, looking way too pleased with herself.
"Alright, Yuto, go wild. Order whatever you want. My treat"
Yuto slid into the seat across from her, eyeing her suspiciously.
"What's the catch?"
Alice grinned.
"No catch. Just accept my generosity"
"…Uh-huh"
Still, he wasn't about to turn down free food.
He flipped open the menu, skimming through options.
"I'm thinking burgers. What about you?"
Alice tapped her chin.
"Mmm, I think I'll get the grilled meat platter"
Yuto snorted.
"Shocker"
A waiter soon came over, and after ordering, they settled into an easy rhythm, joking, teasing, the usual.
But something felt… different.
Alice was still Alice, still loud, still dramatic but every now and then, Yuto caught something in her expression.
A flicker of something he couldn't quite place.
And despite how natural the conversation felt, there was an edge to it.
Like there were things not being said.
Halfway through their meal, Alice suddenly spoke up.
"So… You and Reika, huh?"
Yuto nearly choked on his burger.
"What?"
Alice smirked, resting her chin in her palm.
"Oh, nothing. Just, you know, you totally ditched her to run after me"
Yuto groaned.
"Don't make it weird"
Alice laughed.
"I'm just saying. She might get the wrong idea"
Yuto rolled his eyes.
"It wasn't a date"
Alice raised an eyebrow.
"Mmm-hmm"
Yuto sighed.
"I told her we'd catch up later. That's it"
Alice hummed, poking at her food.
"If you say so"
Yuto frowned.
"Why do you care?"
She blinked, then smirked.
"I don't. Just making conversation"
Yuto wasn't sure if he believed that.
But instead of pushing, he just shook his head and took another bite of his burger.
Whatever this was, whatever was changing between them…
He wasn't sure he was ready to deal with it yet.
The day stretched on, the golden hues of the setting sun casting long shadows over the academy grounds.
After lunch, Yuto and Alice spent the rest of the afternoon wandering the city.
Hopping between stores, messing around in an arcade, and arguing over who had the better taste in food.
As the sun dipped lower, they finally made their way back to their doorms.
Alice stretched, letting out a satisfied sigh.
"Well, today was fun"
Yuto smirked.
"Told you hanging out with me is a good time"
Alice rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, yeah. Try not to let it get to your head"
She turned, walking backward as she grinned.
"You better make it up to Reika, got it?"
Yuto groaned.
"You're still on that?"
Alice just laughed, waving over her shoulder.
"See ya, Yuto~"
He sighed, shaking his head as he watched her disappear around the corner.
"That girl…"
He exhaled, turning toward his dorm—
—only for the ground to shake beneath him.
"What the—?!"
Before he could react, a massive shadow loomed over him.
A roar tore through the academy grounds.
Yuto barely had time to leap backward as a huge ogre came crashing down, splitting the stone path where he'd just been standing.
Dust and debris flew everywhere.
Yuto coughed, eyes wide.
"What the hell?! This isn't the damn forest!"
The ogre snarled, its face twisting as it locked onto him.
Yuto tensed.
This wasn't just any attack—this thing was here for him.
And he had no idea why.
The ogre roared again, its massive fist crashing down where Yuto had been just moments before.
He twisted his body midair, barely dodging the impact as the ground beneath him cracked and shattered.
'This thing's fast for its size…'
Yuto landed a few feet away, already on the move as the ogre lunged again.
Each swing of its arms sent gusts of wind whipping past him, the sheer force enough to knock over nearby benches and lampposts.
He could fight back but something about this situation felt off.
'Why is an ogre attacking the academy grounds?'
Ogres weren't exactly the smartest creatures, but they weren't reckless either.
Yuto clicked his tongue, sidestepping another blow.
'Great. The only thing I know is that I'm its target. That's just fan—'
A door creaked open in the distance.
His eyes darted toward the building, where a girl was stepping out, completely unaware of what was happening.
His stomach dropped.
No.
As if sensing easier prey, the ogre immediately shifted its attention toward her.
Yuto's breath caught as it raised its arms ready to swing down again.
The girl turned, her eyes widening in horror as she finally noticed the monster towering over her.
And then—
Something inside Yuto snapped.
His body moved on its own.
His eyes glowed.
In a single instant—
SWISH
The world stood still.
The ogre's massive frame shuddered, its raised arm frozen mid-swing.
A thin, nearly invisible red arc lingered in the air, just for a moment before fading.
Then, with a sickening thud, the ogre collapsed.
Silent.
Motionless.
Defeated in a single move.
The girl gasped, stumbling back in shock.
Yuto exhaled, his glowing eyes slowly dimming as he lowered his stance.
He barely even remembered drawing his blade.
Actually, where did the blade come from?
The last he checked, it was sitting next to his bed.
"What… the hell just happened?"
He turned to see the ogre's body lay still, a heavy silence settling over the academy grounds.
The only sound left was the faint rustling of the evening breeze.
Yuto barely registered it.
His hands trembled slightly as he lowered his sword, and his eyes flickered as the strange surge of energy within him faded.
'My head, I feel… weird'
He shook the thought aside, there were more important things right now.
The girl.
Yuto turned, stepping toward her.
"Hey, you okay?"
She was still staring at the ogre, her face pale, her hands clutched tightly around the strap of her bag.
Slowly, her wide eyes moved to Yuto.
"I… I think so," she stammered.
"What—what just happened? That thing was that a real ogre? How did you—"
Before Yuto could answer, the academy doors slammed open.
A wave of professors rushed out, robes billowing, expressions ranging from alarmed to outright furious.
"What in the world is going on here?!"
"An attack on campus? How did a creature get through our barriers?"
"That's an ogre! Who took it down?!"
Yuto sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
'Here we go…'
He wasn't exactly in the mood for an interrogation, but with the number of professors gathering, there was no way he was getting out of this easily.
One of the senior professors stepped forward.
His gaze immediately landed on Yuto, on his drawn blade, and on the dead ogre.
"…Akimitsu," the professor said, voice unreadable.
"Explain. Now"
"I didn't provoke it," he repeated.
"I was walking back to my dorm, minding my own business, then boom—an ogre drops in like it owns the place"
The professors exchanged skeptical glances.
One of them, an older man with a graying beard, pinched the bridge of his nose.
"And you expect us to believe an ogre randomly appeared on campus, somehow bypassing every magical defense we have?"
Yuto threw his hands up.
"I don't know what you want me to say! That's exactly what happened!"
Another professor folded her arms.
"And this nonsense about you cutting it down in a single move—"
"He's not lying!"
Everyone turned as the girl Yuto saved stepped forward, gripping the edges of her skirt.
"I saw it! He really did take it down in one slash!"
The room went quiet.
The professors murmured among themselves, clearly still unsure.
But after another half-hour of arguing cross-examinations, and frustrated sighs, they begrudgingly settled the matter.
"…Regardless of the circumstances," the silver-haired professor finally said, rubbing his temples, "you did protect a student from harm. And for that, you will be rewarded"
He handed Yuto a small bag of gold coins.
"Take it and go. We'll investigate this incident further"
Yuto took the reward with a sigh, muttering, "Finally"
And with that, he was dismissed.
—
Yuto trudged toward his dorm, exhaustion weighing down on him.
But as he reached his door, he noticed something that made his eye twitch.
A pile of love letters had been stuffed under the door.
Again.
"…Seriously?"
With a groan, he scooped them up and tossed them onto his desk without a second glance.
The confessions had become a daily occurrence at this point, and honestly?
It was just bothersome.
"Didn't people have anything better to do?"
Shaking his head, he flopped onto his bed, arms spread out as he stared at the ceiling.
His mind drifted back to the fight.
That moment, when his sword left its sheath, when his body moved without hesitation—
It had felt… natural.
Too natural.
Not just the motion itself, but the certainty.
Like he knew he would finish the fight in a single stroke.
Like it was obvious.
And yet… something was missing.
Yuto frowned, pressing a hand against his chest.
That surge of energy, the snap he felt right before the attack, it wasn't something he'd ever trained for.
It wasn't something he recognized.
So then…
"What the hell was it?"