Day 16: The Big Prank

The following morning, Kaito woke up with one goal in mind: make Hana smile again. He couldn't stand seeing her so distant, so closed off. She had been struggling with the idea of leaving, and though Kaito understood why, he refused to let the last days they had together be filled with sorrow. Hana needed to remember how much fun she could have, how much they could enjoy each other's company.

So, Kaito devised a plan—a prank so massive, so ridiculous, that it would hopefully snap her out of the funk she'd been in. It was risky, but Kaito was known for his daring schemes. This time, though, it wasn't just for his own amusement. This time, it was for Hana.

After school, Kaito gathered a group of his classmates in secret—his usual crew of pranksters, plus a few other students who had no idea what they were getting into. He didn't give too much away, only enough to get them on board with his idea. A prank of epic proportions, one that would catch everyone off guard, including Hana.

"I know this might sound crazy," Kaito said with a grin, "but trust me, it's going to work. We're going to make the whole school laugh, and hopefully, Hana too."

The plan was simple yet complicated—an elaborate chain of pranks that would leave the entire school in stitches. It was going to be one wild ride.

The next day, Kaito and his classmates went to work. The first part of the plan was to rig the classrooms. At the start of the day, as students filed into their homerooms, they were greeted with a strange sight. Each desk was covered in bright, neon-colored sticky notes—some with funny doodles, others with odd, nonsensical messages like "Bananas are the new currency" or "Did you know your shoes are secretly robots?"

The students stared in confusion as they sat down, but Kaito, along with his accomplices, kept a straight face, making sure everything went according to plan. They weren't done yet, though. Oh, no. This was just the beginning.

By lunchtime, the chaos had escalated. As Hana walked into the cafeteria, she found that the tables were all covered with inflatable animals—giraffes, penguins, even a few dolphins. The lunch staff, looking just as confused as everyone else, were serving spaghetti from giant rubber ducks instead of regular trays.

Hana's eyebrows shot up in disbelief as she surveyed the scene. "What in the world is going on here?" she muttered under her breath. Kaito, trying his hardest to hide a grin, walked up behind her.

"You like it?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

Hana looked at him, her eyes wide. "I… don't know whether to be amazed or worried," she replied, her lips twitching. There it was—the first sign of a smile in days.

"Just wait," Kaito said, already feeling a small victory in his chest. "The best part's coming."

After lunch, the real fun began. The entire school was about to become the stage for the prank's grand finale. As the bell rang for the last class of the day, all the students gathered in the gym for an "emergency assembly" called by the principal—of course, this was all part of the plan. Kaito had orchestrated this with a few of his friends in student council, and now, they were ready to execute the final prank.

As the students filed into the gym, they noticed something odd: the stage was covered in a thick layer of cotton candy. Hundreds of balloons floated above the stage, and loud circus music played through the speakers. Kaito stood near the back, a smug grin on his face as he watched Hana enter the gym.

"What is happening here?" Hana asked, her voice filled with amusement and confusion.

"Just watch," Kaito said, barely able to contain his excitement. He motioned for her to take a seat next to him, and she reluctantly sat down, though her lips were starting to twitch upward.

The principal, Mr. Yamamoto, stepped onto the stage, his face stern as ever. He had no idea what was coming. "Attention, students," he began, "we are gathered here for an important emergency assembly—"

At that exact moment, the curtains behind him flew open, and a group of students wearing oversized animal costumes rushed onto the stage, juggling rubber chickens and riding tricycles. The sight was so absurd that the entire gym erupted into laughter, Hana included. Her first genuine laugh in days.

Mr. Yamamoto stood frozen in place, his eyes wide with shock. The students in the gym were already rolling in the aisles with laughter, and Hana couldn't contain herself either. She laughed, louder than she had in days, her shoulders shaking with the force of it.

"Alright, alright!" Kaito yelled from the back of the gym, standing up and pointing dramatically toward the stage. "Time for the grand finale!"

As the final part of the prank kicked into gear, hundreds of streamers shot out from all corners of the gym, and a confetti cannon went off, showering everyone in colorful paper. The gym was filled with chaos—laughter, shouts, and the ridiculous sight of students in costume, all adding to the absurdity.

Hana couldn't stop laughing, her eyes sparkling with amusement. For the first time in a long while, she looked carefree—like the weight of her departure wasn't pressing down on her every second. In that moment, Kaito felt a sense of triumph. This was what he wanted—to make her laugh again, to remind her that life could still be fun, even when things were uncertain.

After the gym calmed down and the final bits of confetti settled, Hana turned to Kaito, still trying to catch her breath from laughing so hard. "That was… insane," she said, grinning.

"Yeah, well, I had to do something to get that smile back," Kaito replied, his chest swelling with pride.

"You definitely did," Hana admitted, her smile now full and genuine, a rare and precious thing. "Thank you."

Kaito shrugged nonchalantly, though he was beaming inside. "It's nothing. Just a little chaos to brighten the day."

As they walked out of the gym together, Hana bumped her shoulder into his playfully. "You know," she said, "this prank might've been the best thing that's happened in weeks."

Kaito smiled, feeling like a weight had been lifted from his chest. "Glad you liked it."

But as the day ended, and the school slowly returned to normal, Kaito couldn't shake the feeling that Hana's smile was more than just the result of a funny prank. It was a glimpse of something more—a glimpse of the Hana he had come to know and care for. And even if they only had a few days left together, he was determined to make the most of every single one.