Moments Together

The days passed quietly, but Kazuki found himself thinking about Miyuki more often than he liked. Not in some dramatic, lovestruck way—he wasn't that kind of guy—but in small, everyday moments that slipped through his defenses before he could stop them.

Like when he walked into class, his gaze instinctively scanning the room, only to realize he had been looking for her.

Or when she greeted him casually in the morning with a soft "Good morning, Kazuki", and he found himself replaying the sound of her voice later for no reason at all.

Or how his friends—especially Reo and Naoto—were right. He was thinking about her more than usual. And that was dangerous.

Because the more he noticed, the harder it became to ignore.

The library was quieter than usual that afternoon. The soft rustle of pages, the occasional whisper of students discussing their assignments, and the faint hum of the air conditioner filled the space.

Kazuki sat across from Miyuki at one of the corner tables, their research project spread out between them. A few open books, some notes scribbled on loose sheets, and a shared textbook rested in the center.

In theory, he was supposed to be working.

In reality, he was getting distracted.

Not by anything obvious—she wasn't doing anything unusual. But that was the problem.

The little things were getting to him.

The way she twirled her pen absentmindedly while thinking. The soft tap of her fingers against the desk when she was deep in thought. The way she tucked her hair behind her ear every few minutes, only for it to fall back into place moments later.

It was subtle. Too subtle.

But once he noticed it, he couldn't un-notice it.

"Is something wrong?" Miyuki's voice broke through his thoughts, gentle yet curious.

Kazuki blinked. "Huh?"

She tilted her head slightly. "You've been staring at the same page for the past five minutes."

Shit.

He quickly flipped the page, trying to act casual. "Just… making sure I didn't miss anything."

Miyuki studied him for a moment, as if debating whether to believe him.

Then, to his mild horror, she leaned in slightly.

"You're good at this, by the way."

Kazuki frowned. "At what?"

"Explaining things," she said, gesturing toward the notes he had helped organize earlier. "It's easier to understand when you break it down."

It was a simple compliment. Nothing major.

But it caught him completely off guard.

For some reason, he suddenly became hyper-aware of the fact that they were sitting close. That he could see the faintest trace of amusement in her eyes. That she smelled faintly of vanilla.

His fingers tightened around his pen as he looked away. "...Thanks."

Miyuki smiled before going back to her notes, as if nothing had happened.

Meanwhile, Kazuki spent the next five minutes trying not to think too much about it.

By the time they left the library, the sky had darkened.

And, of course, it had started raining.

Kazuki sighed as he stepped outside, looking up at the gray clouds. Perfect.

He hadn't checked the weather, and now he was paying for it.

Miyuki, on the other hand, had come prepared. She pulled a neatly folded umbrella from her bag, opening it with a soft whoosh.

She glanced at him. "Didn't check the forecast?"

Kazuki stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Didn't think I needed to."

Miyuki tilted her head slightly, as if debating something. "Do you want to—"

Before she could finish, a strong gust of wind blew through the hallway, sending loose papers flying and making a few students scramble.

Miyuki's umbrella wobbled. Without thinking, Kazuki stepped forward, reaching out to steady it.

Their hands brushed.

It was barely more than a fleeting touch, but his body froze as if it had been something much more.

Miyuki blinked, looking up at him in mild surprise.

And that's when Kazuki realized two things.

One— she was standing closer than he had expected, close enough that he could see the tiny droplets of rain clinging to the tips of her dark hair.

Two— he had been staring for too long.

He swallowed and pulled his hand back quickly. "...Sorry."

Miyuki hesitated for half a second before shaking her head lightly. "It's fine."

For a moment, there was only the sound of rain.

Then, she shifted the umbrella slightly toward him.

"...Let's go."

Kazuki hesitated. Just for a second.

Then he stepped under the umbrella, standing close enough that he could feel the faint warmth of her presence.

They walked in silence, the rain pattering softly around them.

And yet—the silence wasn't uncomfortable.

If anything, it made Kazuki feel something he couldn't quite put into words.

By the time they reached the dorms, the rain had slowed to a drizzle.

Miyuki stopped near the entrance, lowering her umbrella. "Looks like it's clearing up."

Kazuki nodded. "Yeah."

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Then, in a familiar motion, Miyuki tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

But this time, she hesitated slightly before speaking.

"...Today was nice."

Kazuki blinked.

It was such a simple thing to say. So small.

But somehow, it made his heart trip over itself.

He didn't trust his voice not to betray him, so he just nodded. "Yeah."

Miyuki gave him a soft smile before stepping inside.

Kazuki stood there for a few seconds longer than necessary, watching as she disappeared down the hall.

Then he let out a slow breath, running a hand through his hair.

...This is bad.

Because somewhere in the middle of all these small moments—these insignificant, fleeting exchanges—

He was already falling for her.

And he had no idea how to stop.