“The weird one”

The classroom had felt unbearably quiet without Koji.

Lily had sat alone at her desk, occasionally exchanging polite nods with classmates, but it was nothing more than surface-level civility. Her usual chatter with Koji, the way he'd ramble about manga or melon bread, had been a lifeline. Today, without him, every second felt like a slow drag through quicksand.

The stares didn't help.

She could feel them lingering, like sticky cobwebs brushing against her skin. Curious glances, whispers too faint to catch but loud enough to unsettle her. Her grip on her pencil had tightened as the morning crawled by, the absence of Koji sitting in her chest like a weight.

He's fine. He has to be fine. Maybe he's sick? Or his parents needed him for something?

But none of those thoughts convinced her. Something felt wrong.

Now, as she walked the hallway toward the cafeteria, the faint hum of conversation and clatter of trays growing louder, her unease hadn't lifted. She'd pulled her gray hoodie back on, tugging the sleeves down to her wrists. The sunglasses were gone—she couldn't wear them indoors without looking like an absolute fool—but she missed the barrier they'd provided.

Her shoes squeaked faintly against the floor as she turned the corner. Her eyes were downcast, fixed on the tiled floor, until a familiar face caught her attention.

Kaho… something.

The first-year girl who'd asked for her number was standing just ahead, flanked by two other girls. The three of them were leaning casually against the lockers, their skirts pressed just slightly shorter than regulation length. Kaho, with her dark bob and sharp bangs, looked up the moment Lily entered the corridor.

Lily offered a polite smile, lifting her hand in a small wave. "Hey, Kaho!"

The girl didn't return the smile.

Instead, Kaho pushed off the lockers, her arms crossing over her chest as she stepped toward Lily with a deliberate slowness. Her two friends followed, flanking her like bodyguards.

"Lily-san" Kaho said, her tone cool and clipped. "Nice to see you."

Lily blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in energy. Just a few days ago, Kaho had been all smiles and sweetness, practically glowing as she'd gushed about needing help with English. Now, her expression was unreadable, her posture stiff and almost intimidating.

"Uh, yeah," Lily said, her voice light despite the unease prickling at her neck. "You too. How's it going? Everything okay with English?"

Kaho tilted her head slightly, her bangs falling over her eyes as she regarded Lily. "Fine" she said flatly. "Not that I've had time to look at it."

"Oh" Lily said, taken aback by the curt response. "Well, let me know if you need help. I mean, that's what I gave you my number for, right?"

One of Kaho's friends snickered softly, covering her mouth with her hand. Kaho didn't react, her gaze remaining steady on Lily.

"That's right" Kaho said after a pause. "I'll keep that in mind."

The tension hung in the air, thick and awkward. Lily shifted on her feet, her hand brushing against the strap of her bag.

"So" she said, forcing a smile. "Guess I'll see you around?"

"Sure" Kaho replied, her tone still neutral but with an edge Lily couldn't quite place.

As Lily turned to leave, she felt the weight of their stares on her back, like three sets of daggers pressed against her spine.

What the heck was that about? she thought, her brows furrowing as she quickened her pace. She'd expected Kaho to be bubbly and enthusiastic, like before. Instead, she'd gotten… that.

And people think Koji's the weird one.

The thought made her smile faintly, despite herself.

The crisp morning air nipped at Lily's cheeks as she settled onto the bench tucked beneath the tall sakura tree in the courtyard. It was her and Koji's usual spot, but without him there, it felt lonelier than ever. She adjusted the hood of her oversized gray sweatshirt, pulling it further over her head as though it could shield her from the weight of her thoughts.

The school grounds were alive with distant chatter and faint laughter, but none of it reached her. She sat, hunched slightly, staring at the small patch of grass before her. Her phone was dead, tucked uselessly in her bag. Not that it mattered. Even if it were charged, she wouldn't know who to text, what to say, or how to unravel the mess in her head.

Her chest felt tight, constricted by a thousand worries she couldn't untangle. Koji's absence weighed heavily, his empty seat beside her like a glaring reminder that she'd lost her anchor. And that message—the cryptic, unnerving words still etched into her mind—hovered over her like a storm cloud.

"You should be careful who you trust, Lily-chan."

A shiver ran through her despite the warmth of the sun breaking through the clouds. She shook her head, forcing the thought away. Not here. Not now.

Lily leaned back against the bench, closing her eyes and tilting her face toward the faint sunlight. A gentle breeze stirred her blonde hair, and for a moment, she let herself breathe. She focused on the soft rustle of leaves, the subtle hum of distant cicadas, the coolness of the morning air against her skin. She'd think about everything later. Once she was home, once she could gather her thoughts properly. Once the world didn't feel so heavy.

For now, she would sit. Breathe. Let the quiet calm of the courtyard wrap around her like a fragile bubble of peace.

Everything will work itself out, she told herself. It always does.

At least, she hoped it would.

( #`⌂´)/┌┛

"Look at her" Rika sneered, her voice dripping with disdain as she leaned against the railing, twirling a strand of her glossy black hair. "Sitting there like some tragic heroine in a drama. What? Did her little piggy run off to wallow in the mud?"

The courtyard buzzed faintly with activity, but the corner remained secluded, hidden from direct view. It was the group's unspoken territory, the spot where Hayato, Arata, Rika, and the others lounged. From here, they had a perfect vantage point of the schoolyard, and more importantly, they had a clear line of sight to her.

Lily sat alone on the bench beneath the sakura tree, her hood up, her posture slouched slightly as if she could melt into the background. Her usual liveliness seemed dulled, and even from this distance, the group could see how out of place she looked.

Shun snickered, nudging Tsubasa with an elbow. "Maybe he's finally realized he's too much of a pork roast to keep up with her."

Rika let out a sharp laugh, her eyes narrowing as she turned back to the others. "Honestly, it's pathetic. She's clinging to the one loser in this school who'll actually tolerate her. And now he's gone. What does she even have left?"

Hayato, sitting sprawled in his usual spot on the bench, was uncharacteristically quiet. His sharp, golden eyes were fixed on his phone, his thumb scrolling absentmindedly through the screen. Every so often, he glanced up, his gaze flickering toward Lily before dropping back to his device. He didn't join in the mockery, but neither did he stop it.

Tsubasa, leaning casually against a nearby column, shrugged as he watched the scene unfold with his usual detached amusement. "Maybe she's just tired of us calling her his girlfriend. Probably realized she could do better."

Rika shot him an incredulous look. "Better? Don't make me laugh. What kind of idiot moves to a new school just to throw herself into the dirt with people like him?"

"I mean" Tsubasa replied with a smirk, "you're the one obsessing over her, not me."

Rika scowled, crossing her arms defensively. "I'm not obsessing. I just hate seeing someone like her act so high and mighty."

"High and mighty?" Shun echoed, chuckling. "Pretty sure she just looks miserable."

Rika straightened, her gaze sharp and determined. "Maybe I should go over there. Give her something to actually look miserable about."

She took a step forward, her heels clicking softly against the ground, but Arata's voice cut through the air like a blade.

"Don't."

Rika froze mid-step, turning to glare at him. "What? Why not?"

Arata, leaning back against the wall with his hands in his pocket, didn't even bother looking up. His expression was as cool and detached as ever, but his tone carried an unmistakable finality.

"It's not worth it."

Rika's lips curled into a frown, her frustration bubbling just beneath the surface. "Not worth it? She's just sitting there like some charity case waiting for someone to feel sorry for her."

"Exactly" Arata replied flatly, his dark eyes flicking toward her for a brief moment before closing again. "She's already pathetic enough without your help."

Tsubasa let out a low whistle, clearly entertained. Shun, meanwhile, stifled a laugh, but Rika wasn't amused. Her jaw tightened, and she spun back toward the railing, muttering something under her breath.

Hayato, still scrolling through his phone, barely reacted to the exchange. But his grip on the device tightened slightly, and for a fleeting moment, his gaze lingered on Lily again. There was something about the way she sat there, the way her hood obscured most of her face, leaving only the faint curve of her profile visible. She looked small, tired… vulnerable.

He liked it. Or at least, he told himself he did.

"Oi, Hayato," Shun drawled, kicking lightly at the ground. "Checking your fan club messages again? What is it now, like, fifty girls throwing themselves at you?"

Hayato didn't even glance up, his lips curving into the faintest smirk. "Sixty, actually" he replied dryly, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "I have to pace myself. Can't disappoint anyone."

Rika's voice pulled him back. "Seriously, Hayato, are you going to spend the whole day staring at your phone? What's so important, anyway?"

"None of your business, Riri-chan." Hayato replied coolly, tucking the device into his pocket without another glance. His tone was light, but there was an edge to it that made Rika huff and turn away.

Whatever storm was brewing in his mind, he wasn't about to let it show. That's for sure.

Shun burst out laughing, slapping his knee. "Man, I don't know how you do it. What do you even say to them? 'Sorry, ladies, I'm too busy being an asshole?'"

"Something like that" Hayato replied with a lazy shrug, his grin widening just slightly. The nonchalance in his voice only made Shun laugh harder.

Rika, perched delicately on the edge of the railing, rolled her eyes dramatically. "Ugh, who cares about that? Hayato can do whatever he wants, but I have standards. I'd never waste my time on someone who isn't…" She trailed off, glancing toward Arata with a practiced air of indifference. "…worthy."

Arata didn't react, his attention fixed on a distant point beyond the courtyard. He looked so detached that it almost seemed like he hadn't even heard her. The lack of acknowledgment made Rika's jaw tighten, and she crossed her arms with a huff, her cheeks tinged with faint irritation.

Tsubasa raised a brow, his lips quirking into an amused smirk. "You mean someone like Arata-senpai?" he asked, his voice dripping with mock reverence.

"Obviously" Rika shot back, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Unlike some people, I know what I want."

Shun snorted, glancing between Rika and Arata. "Sure you do."

"Shut up, Shun" Rika snapped, her voice sharp enough to make him laugh again.

Arata set off the wall and, very calmly, began to advance towards the entrance. "Boss?" Shun called him. Arata stopped just to give him a sideways look "I'm getting bored." and without adding anything else he continued. Rika with the usual grace adapted and followed him "See you later, losers" with an amused tone he greeted them and stood next to him. She liked to be seen sticky at him, as if she were claiming some sort of territory.

And one by one they followed them. Hayato, however, did not move from there. Shun, who was the one further back, turned just in time to see him advance in the opposite direction. He didn't care at first, but when he saw him go towards her, an amused smile appeared on his lips. He put his hands in his pockets and reached Tsubasa who was almost at the entrance with the others.