A New Kind of Normal

The days after the fire show festival settled into a gentle rhythm, but something had undeniably changed between Isagi and May. Their conversations had become softer, their gestures more thoughtful, and even the quiet moments they shared felt warmer than before.

One morning, as they sat in the dorm's common area, May stretched with a satisfied yawn. "It feels like the festival was just yesterday," she said, brushing her hair behind her ear. "But now it's back to reality."

Isagi smiled, flipping through his notes. "Yeah, and reality means those upcoming practice exams. I swear, they're trying to test our limits."

May pouted. "You always ruin the mood with study talk."

Before Isagi could defend himself, the door burst open and in walked Kaito and Akari, both looking far too energetic for this early in the day.

"Good morning, lovebirds!" Kaito teased with a mischievous grin.

May turned red immediately. "W-We're not—"

"Not yet," Akari interrupted with a wink, earning a high-five from Kaito.

Isagi sighed, his face heating up. "Can you two go tease someone else for once?"

"No way. This is too much fun," Kaito said, flopping onto the couch.

As their friends continued to poke fun, Isagi glanced at May. Even through her embarrassment, there was a soft smile on her face. Despite all the teasing, she seemed genuinely happy — and that made him happy too.

Later that evening, after everyone had gone to their rooms, Isagi stood on the dorm's balcony, staring at the stars. He heard the soft sound of footsteps behind him.

"Hey," May's voice was gentle. She stood next to him, her arms crossed against the evening chill.

"Hey," he replied. They stood in comfortable silence for a moment.

"You know… I'm really glad we're partners," she said softly, her voice almost carried away by the breeze.

Isagi felt his heart skip a beat. He looked at her, the moonlight casting a soft glow on her face. "Me too."

Their eyes met, and for a second, it felt like the world had gone completely still.

"Goodnight, Isagi," May whispered, breaking the moment with a soft smile before heading back inside.

Isagi stayed on the balcony a little longer, his heart still pounding. This new normal… he was starting to like it a lot.