What was left unsaid

Kayden and Honami walked calmly around the school grounds while the noise from the gym reached their ears. The activity organized by Honami was already underway, and to her surprise, the number of students who had shown up far exceeded her expectations.

"It looks like your plan to find a partner for the exam was a success," Kayden commented in his usual tone—carefree but observant.

Honami nodded with a slight smile.

"Yes, only fifteen students in our class are still without a partner… including us."

The second-year Class A students had attracted first-year students like magnets. Maybe it was their reputation, or the palpable difference between them and the other classes. Either way, many first-year students had quickly partnered up with the Class A students, hoping to take advantage of their prestige and skills.

"Have you talked to the student I recommended yet?" Kayden asked curiously.

"Ishigami Kyou? No… I've tried to find him, but I haven't had any luck. I'll try again later," Honami replied before turning her head toward Kayden with an inquisitive expression. "And what about you? Finding a partner for the exam should be incredibly easy for you."

Kayden gave a slight smile, one that didn't reveal much, but also didn't completely hide his intentions.

"Actually, I already have someone in mind. I'm looking for her right now."

Honami blinked, intrigued by his answer, but before she could say anything else, Kayden shifted his gaze toward the hallway in front of them. His search was about to bear fruit.

"There she is," Kayden said calmly, stopping in his tracks as his eyes locked onto two students at the end of the hallway.

"Who?" Honami asked, intrigued, following the direction of his gaze.

At the far end, a boy and a girl were walking toward them. The girl had silver hair tied back, with bangs swept to the right, and violet eyes that seemed to reflect a cold glow. Beside her, the boy had dark blue, straight, well-groomed hair and deep green eyes.

Honami observed the pair with curiosity, wondering who Kayden was referring to. Her intuition told her it could only be the girl. Why? Well, for some reason, Kayden always seemed to spend more time with women than with men. And besides, his gaze was fixed on her, even though the young woman wasn't paying him the slightest attention.

When they were just a couple of meters away, the silver-haired girl finally lifted her gaze, and her violet eyes met Kayden's. Her expression remained blank, indifferent… but her dilated pupils betrayed what she truly felt inside.

The hallway fell into complete silence.

"Hello, Sakurako," Kayden said naturally.

However, instead of responding, the young woman simply stared at him. Her eyebrows gradually furrowed, and her body reflected a contained tension, as if something inside her was about to break.

Kayden opened his mouth to speak again.

"Sakurako, would you like to be…?"

He didn't get to finish the sentence.

"Kayden."

His name was spoken in a tone filled with mixed emotions: anger, reproach… and a hint of pain.

Before Kayden could react, Sakurako closed the distance between them in a single step.

And then—

Slap!

The sound of the slap echoed through the hallway, drawing curious glances from the few students passing by.

Kayden made no effort to dodge it. He could have easily done so, but he didn't.

Sakurako glared at him with fury. Her eyes, once cold and impenetrable, now burned with an intensity difficult to describe.

"Bastard…" Her voice trembled with anger and something deeper. "How could you abandon me like that, without saying a damn word?"

The anger was evident in her words, but so was the sadness hiding behind them.

Kayden remained silent, his cheek still marked by the slap, watching the girl in front of him with an inscrutable expression.

Honami, by his side, could only watch the scene, not knowing what to say.

Honami crossed her arms and looked at him with a mix of curiosity and disapproval.

"You don't seem too affected," she commented softly, although her eyes reflected a hint of concern.

Kayden let out a short laugh, almost emotionless, as he turned his gaze toward the hallway where Sakurako had disappeared.

"What good would it do to worry now? What I did won't change, and what she feels… is completely valid."

Honami studied him in silence for a moment before sighing.

"Are you going to talk to her?"

Kayden stayed silent for a few seconds before giving a slight smile.

"Well… I hope she's willing to listen to what I have to say."

Honami nodded slowly. She didn't know what had happened between them in the past, but she understood it was something important.

"Then you'd better have a good explanation ready when that moment comes."

Kayden let out a small laugh, this time with a more genuine tone.

"Believe me, I have one."

The noise from the gymnasium filtered into their ears again, reminding them that there was still much to do before the partner selection ended. Without further words, they continued on their way, but this time, Honami couldn't help but glance one last time down the hallway.

Sakurako had left… but it was clear that this story wasn't over yet.