Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – "Why Are You So Clingy to Me?"

The morning air was crisp and still.

Not cold, not warm—just the kind of gentle chill that clung to your skin without asking permission, like the world hadn't quite finished waking up yet.

Kazumi Naoko stepped out of his house, console already in hand, headphones hanging around his neck like a lazy cat.

Click. The door closed behind him with a soft metallic sound. No final glance. No need to lock it with extra care.

After all, there was no one waiting inside.

No breakfast on the table.

No footsteps rushing down the hall.

No voice saying, "Don't forget your lunch!" or "Have a good day."

Just silence.

But that silence had long since become familiar—almost comforting. Kazumi had made peace with it years ago.

He glanced at the time on his console screen.

6:01 AM.

Early. Like always.

Kazumi preferred it that way. Walking to school before the rest of the world even started yawning meant he could avoid it all—crowds, noise, the exhausting flood of social energy that came with people.

Just the quiet crunch of gravel underfoot.

The soft jingle of his game's background music.

His footsteps syncing to a rhythm only he could hear.

It was… perfect.

By the time the school building came into view, the world was still mostly silent. Not a single bike screeching past. No blabbering voices bouncing off the walls.

Just the faint humming of the school lights and the slow swing of the front gate.

He walked inside like a ghost slipping through a dream—hands still occupied with the console, barely glancing at his surroundings.

First floor hallway: dim, empty.

Shoe lockers: quiet, almost sacred in the early light.

He crouched by his locker, slipping off his outdoor shoes with the reflex of someone who'd done this too many times. Eyes still glued to the screen. Fingers twitching with game muscle memory.

Until—

"…Good morning."

A soft voice.

So soft it almost blended into the silence.

Kazumi froze.

He knew that voice.

Like the sound of wind passing through curtains—delicate, fleeting, and way too familiar.

He looked up.

Just a few lockers away, a girl stood with her fingers gently folded in front of her chest, long hair covering one eye like she was hiding behind it. Her eyes blinked slowly, her presence almost transparent in the low light.

Yuino Koga.

First-year. Same year as Rino.

Also… another girl who had somehow taken a deep liking to him.

"…Yo. Yuino," Kazumi said with a resigned tone.

Their history was simple.

During the first-year orientation, Kazumi had been forcibly recruited by the student council to help guide new students. He didn't want to—he was just too tired to say no.

That's when he met Yuino.

He was supposed to guide her for fifteen minutes.

She clung to him the entire afternoon.

And ever since then… she hadn't really let go.

"Hi…" she greeted again, barely louder than the first time.

Kazumi was still crouched when—

Whumph.

Yuino wrapped both arms around his right arm and gently leaned into him, resting her cheek on his shoulder like it was her default spawn point.

"...Good morning again."

Kazumi sighed. Deeply. "Seriously. You don't waste time, do you."

She didn't respond. She never did when it came to stuff like this.

It wasn't aggressive. It wasn't even romantic.

It was just Yuino being Yuino.

Unshakably attached. Mysteriously quiet.

A human koala, basically.

Kazumi stood up slowly, her still clinging to his arm like an accessory.

"Alright, let's go," he muttered.

"Okay…" she murmured, walking with him, pressed closely to his side.

They moved down the hallway like that—no words, no rush.

Yuino never asked for conversation. She just needed presence. And Kazumi… was kind of okay with that, in a way.

When they reached the first-year classroom wing, Kazumi came to a stop just outside her door.

"Well, this is your stop."

Yuino looked up.

"…No."

"…What?"

"I wanna walk a little more."

Kazumi frowned slightly. "I've got class, you know."

"There's no one there yet."

"That's not the point."

She pressed her head lightly against his shoulder again. Her arms didn't let go.

"I want to stay close to you."

"…Yuino," Kazumi said, rubbing his forehead.

He glanced around. Still empty. But not for long.

"It's six in the morning now," she said softly. "There's no one here."

"There will be people here. What do you think happens if someone sees you stuck to me like this?"

"I don't care what they think."

"Well I do," Kazumi groaned. "Just imagine. Some overly dramatic second-year turns the corner, sees this, and then I'm suddenly the villain in some love triangle I didn't sign up for."

Yuino was quiet.

Then, with visible hesitation, she slowly released her grip on his arm.

"…Okay. Sorry."

Kazumi stretched his now-free arm. "Thanks."

She gave him a tiny nod. Her eyes dropped to the floor, then slowly rose to meet his.

"…Bye."

"See you."

With that, he turned and walked away, his footsteps echoing faintly in the empty corridor.

It wasn't that Kazumi hated Yuino.

In fact… she was probably the easiest one to deal with.

No drama. No loud opinions. No tantrums.

She didn't shout or pout or whine.

She just… latched.

Emotionally. Physically.

Like a sleepy cat that had chosen a human and decided that was enough.

By the time he reached the staircase leading to the second floor, the first hints of the day had started to bloom.

Birds chirped quietly from the trees beyond the courtyard. The sky brightened by thin degrees. The world was waking up.

Kazumi walked slowly up the stairs, console tucked under one arm now. Hands in his pockets. Eyes half-lidded.

Halfway up, he passed a wide hallway with tall windows overlooking the east side of campus.

He stopped.

The morning light spilled across the floor in long, soft streaks.

Outside, the sky stretched in pale blue gradients, with streaks of white cloud painted like watercolor.

He leaned against the window frame, arms folded, staring at the calm horizon.

"…It's peaceful," he muttered.

And it was.

One of those rare moments where nothing demanded attention.

Where time felt like it paused just for him.

Kazumi lingered there for a few more seconds before finally pushing off the wall and continuing on.

When he reached his classroom, it was—of course—completely empty.

Only loners, ghosts, and emotionally tired second-years showed up this early.

And Kazumi was a proud mix of all three.

He slid open the door. The faint echo bounced softly across the vacant room.

Light poured in through the windows.

Dust particles floated like glitter in the air.

Desks sat in silent rows, untouched by chaos—for now.

Kazumi headed to his seat by the window, dropped his bag beside the desk, and sat down.

He pulled out his console again.

Placed the headphones over his ears.

The screen flickered to life.

His game loaded with a soft digital hum.

Nothing happen weird or something irritating

Happen.

Just him and his favorite world.

And for now…

This early morning belonged to him alone.