Rule the World

 In the afternoon, the wind picked up, and snow began to drift down from the sky, dusting the school grounds in a thin, white layer. The chill in the air crept through the windows, making everyone pull on their sweaters and huddle for warmth. I sat at my desk, feeling the cold seep into my bones, nearly freezing from the draft slipping through the cracks.

"Sakura-chan," a voice called from across the room.

It wasn't directed at me, but I instinctively glanced over at Sakura, who sat quietly at her desk beside me. The voice belonged to Risa. That caught me off guard. Sakura and Risa never really talked before, but now they seemed... close. Both of them were smiling at each other, chatting like old friends.

"Oh?" Risa suddenly noticed me watching them.

I quickly averted my gaze, shifting my eyes around the room, pretending I wasn't paying attention.

Risa leaned over my desk, propping herself up with a playful grin. "Hey hey~ Hikaru~"

I blinked at her, confused. "What's up?"

"Wanna go to karaoke?" she asked, her tone light and teasing.

Karaoke? I thought, caught off guard. That's sudden… Am I really about to get invited by another one of the school's popular girls too?

"With who?" I asked cautiously.

"With me and Sakura-chan, of course!" she replied, grinning wider.

Just the two of them? I hesitated for a moment, unsure how to process that.

"When?" I finally asked.

Risa tapped her chin thoughtfully, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Hmm… how about after school today? It's the perfect weather to warm up and have some fun, right?"

I glanced over at Sakura, who was quietly watching our exchange. She gave a small nod, a faint smile on her lips, but didn't say anything.

After school, huh? I thought. It's not like I have anything else planned… but still, just the three of us?

I scratched the back of my head. "I guess I'm free. Sure, why not."

"Yay!" Risa clapped her hands excitedly. "It's settled then! We'll meet at the front gate after school."

Sakura gave me a shy glance and nodded again.

Risa leaned in closer with a smirk. "Don't chicken out, okay?"

I sighed, smirking back. "Yeah, yeah. I'll be there."

As Risa walked back to her seat, I leaned back in my chair, staring at the falling snow outside.

Karaoke with Risa and Sakura... this might be more interesting than I thought.

***

After school, the three of us stood by the front gate, watching as the snow continued to fall softly over the school grounds. The janitor was out in the yard, steadily clearing the snow from the pathways with a shovel, his breath visible in the cold air.

Risa rubbed her hands together, shivering. "Ugh, it's colder than I thought. I should've brought a thicker coat."

Sakura quietly pulled her scarf higher, covering more of her face as she watched the snow pile up on the trees. "It's pretty, though…"

I stuffed my hands into my pockets, glancing at the janitor still working. "Guess we'll have to wait until he's done clearing the gate."

Risa groaned dramatically. "What if we just climbed over the fence? We're gonna freeze if we stay here too long!"

I raised an eyebrow. "Go ahead if you want, but I'm not getting in trouble for something that dumb."

She pouted. "Ugh, boring."

Sakura giggled softly, hiding her smile behind her scarf.

Risa sighed in defeat, bouncing on her heels to stay warm. "Fine, fine. We'll wait. But once we're out, I'm picking the first karaoke song!"

I glanced at her. "Where are your friends? I thought you usually hung out with them."

Risa's smile faltered, and she looked down, absently kicking at the snow with her shoe. "I don't know… They seem distant now. I guess I'm the least favorite in the group, so I just… left."

The air grew quiet for a moment, the sound of the shovel scraping against the ground filling the space.

"...Their loss," I muttered.

Risa blinked, looking up at me in surprise before giving a small, grateful smile.

"Yeah… their loss."

"Umm, the janitor finished clearing the path. Should we go now?" Sakura's soft voice broke through the heavy atmosphere.

"Oh! Yeah! Let's gooo!" Risa quickly perked up, her usual energy returning as she grabbed Sakura's arm excitedly.

I chuckled, shaking off the lingering awkwardness. "Finally. I was starting to think we'd freeze to death here."

With that, the three of us stepped out through the cleared path, the cold air biting at our faces but the mood much lighter than before.

The three of us stepped into the karaoke lounge, instantly greeted by a wave of warm air and the faint hum of music spilling from the private rooms. The shift from the freezing cold outside to this vibrant, cozy space felt like stepping into another world. Neon lights lined the walls, casting a soft glow, and the faint scent of fried snacks drifted through the air.

Risa practically skipped to the front counter. "Room for three, please!" she chirped brightly.

The employee behind the counter barely glanced up, handing her a keycard. "Room 12. Drinks and menus are on the tablet inside."

"Thank you!" Risa grinned, already bouncing with excitement as she led the way down the hallway.

I exchanged a glance with Sakura, who gave a small, quiet smile before following after Risa.

Inside the private room, Risa immediately threw herself onto the couch, snatching up the tablet. "Alright! I get to pick the first song, remember!" she declared.

"Yeah, yeah. You've only said that five times already," I muttered, settling into the opposite end of the couch.

Sakura sat quietly between us, gently pulling off her scarf and glancing around the cozy room with curious eyes.

Risa scrolled eagerly through the song list, a smirk forming on her face. "Okaaay, let's kick this off with something fun!"

The screen lit up with a flashy J-Pop track. Without missing a beat, Risa grabbed the microphone and started singing with full energy, completely in her element.

I leaned back, smirking. "She's got energy for days."

Sakura giggled softly, her eyes following Risa's animated performance. "She's… actually pretty good."

I chuckled. "Yeah, I guess this isn't her first time in a karaoke booth."

As Risa's voice filled the room, Sakura leaned in slightly, her voice soft and almost hesitant. "Are you going to sing too?"

I scoffed lightly, shaking my head. "Can't really sing."

"Boooringgg!" Risa groaned dramatically, flopping back onto the couch. She pointed the microphone at Sakura. "Sakura-chan, what about you? What are you gonna sing?"

"Eh... um," Sakura fumbled, nervously taking the tablet from Risa. "Let me see... I don't really know much..."

Risa leaned over, grinning. "C'mon! There's gotta be something you like! Pop songs? Anime openings? Childhood songs?"

Sakura's eyes scanned the song list, her fingers hesitating over the screen. "M-maybe something soft... I'm not good with loud songs."

Risa sighed but smiled. "Fine, fine. As long as you sing something! We're not leaving until we all sing!"

I smirked, leaning back. "Good luck dragging her into it."

Risa shot me a glare. "Oh, don't think you're off the hook either!"

I chuckled. "Yeah, yeah."

As Risa and Sakura continued their karaoke performances, I leaned back, watching them with mild amusement. Risa was giving it her all, belting out song after song, while Sakura hesitated, trying to find the right one to sing. It felt like a normal night, but I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was... off.

Then, suddenly, a deafening explosion erupted from outside, shaking the walls of the karaoke room.

Boom!

The floor trembled, and the sound of the blast echoed through the air, louder than any song we had been hearing just moments ago.

Everyone froze.

To Be Continue.