Chapter 26: Cracks in the walls

The next day, Rei found himself standing near the classroom window, staring blankly outside as the morning sun filtered through the glass. His fingers idly tapped against his desk, his thoughts tangled in the events of yesterday.

He had gone out with Yuuto and Hana. He had spent time with them. And… it hadn't been terrible.

It wasn't that he trusted them yet. That was too much, too soon. But for the first time in a long while, being around people hadn't felt like suffocating. It had been tolerable—maybe even a little comfortable.

That thought alone unsettled him.

"Spacing out again?"

Rei blinked and turned to see Yuuto grinning at him, arms crossed as he leaned against Rei's desk.

"I wasn't," Rei replied, though it lacked conviction.

Yuuto chuckled. "Sure. You've been staring out the window like some tragic anime protagonist."

Rei rolled his eyes. "That's a terrible comparison."

Yuuto laughed, pulling out the chair next to Rei's and sitting down without asking. It was something about Yuuto—his confidence, the way he didn't hesitate—that made it hard to push him away.

Rei expected him to launch into one of his usual energetic ramblings, but instead, Yuuto simply rested his chin on his hand, watching him.

"You're different today," Yuuto remarked, his tone lighter than usual. "Not in a bad way. Just... I dunno, less closed off."

Rei tensed slightly. He wasn't sure if he liked being read so easily. "You're imagining things."

Yuuto smirked. "Maybe." He leaned back, stretching his arms. "Or maybe you're finally realizing we're not that bad."

Before Rei could respond, Hana approached, her steps soft as always. She hesitated slightly before speaking. "Morning."

Her gaze flickered between them, lingering on Rei for a moment as if assessing his mood.

"Morning," Rei mumbled, feeling a little awkward. He wasn't used to greeting people first, but it slipped out before he could stop himself.

Yuuto looked between them and smirked. "See? Progress."

Rei shot him a look, but Hana only smiled, sitting down across from them.

The conversation flowed in its usual rhythm—mostly Yuuto talking, Hana adding quiet remarks, and Rei listening. But unlike before, Rei found himself responding more. Short, simple sentences, but responses nonetheless.

At some point, Yuuto's phone buzzed, and he checked the screen before groaning. "Ugh, I have to deal with something. I'll be back." He stood up, stretching before heading toward the hallway.

That left just Hana and Rei.

A short silence settled between them. Rei focused on his notebook, flipping through blank pages just to have something to do.

Then, Hana spoke. "Rei."

He glanced at her. "What?"

She hesitated for half a second before continuing. "Yesterday… you seemed different. In a good way."

Rei tensed slightly. He wasn't sure how to respond to that. "I don't know what you mean."

Hana studied him for a moment, then gave a small, knowing smile. "You didn't seem as alone."

The words hit something inside him, something deep and unspoken.

Rei looked away, his fingers tightening on the edge of his notebook. He wanted to deny it, to brush it off. But the truth was, she wasn't wrong.

He didn't reply, and Hana didn't push. Instead, she simply sat there, her presence calm, unintrusive.

And somehow, that was enough.

For the first time in a long while, Rei didn't feel like he had to be alone.

And that scared him more than anything.