For the first time in over a week… Akane woke up before her alarm.
She blinked at the ceiling for a moment.
Then smiled.
“Today’s different~”
She rolled onto her side and reached for her phone on the nightstand.
The last conversation still sat at the bottom of the screen.
Kaito:
Don’t stay up too late.
You looked tired today.
Her smile returned just as quickly as it had the night before.
She gave a bit of a cute squeal.
Then she hugged her pillow for another second before finally forcing herself to get out of bed.
“No more getting carried away~”
She stretched her arms over her head.
“I’m talking to Kaito today~”
Not tomorrow.
Today.
Even if it was only for a few minutes.
Though she hoped for much longer.
It had felt like ages since they talked.
She rationalized that it was just due to how busy she was last week.
Plus he was busy too.
Everyone was.
Thankfully, the Cultural Festival would be happening soon enough and then everything could go back to normal.
Twenty minutes later, Akane walked toward school with noticeably more energy than she’d had all last week.
She hummed softly to herself.
The weather was pleasant.
The cooler autumn weather is finally making a definitive appearance.
The sidewalks bustled with students.
People trying to meet up with friends.
People hustling to get things done before class.
Everything felt… normal.
She rounded the final corner leading toward the school gates.
“Maybe I’ll catch him before homeroom~”
Just as the thought crossed her mind…
“Fujihara!”
Akane turned to face the person shouting her name.
One of the teachers jogged toward her carrying two cardboard boxes stacked nearly to his chin.
“Oh! Good morning, Mr. Hayashi~”
“Perfect timing.”
He smiled apologetically.
“I hate to ask first thing in the morning…”
Akane instinctively smiled back.
“How can I help~?”
“I need these delivered to the Cultural Festival storage room before first period. I need to get things ready for class and just don’t have the time to do it myself.”
She looked at the boxes.
Then toward the school gate.
Students continued streaming inside.
“Of course~” Akane said sheepishly.
The teacher’s shoulders visibly relaxed.
“Thank you. I knew I could count on you.”
Akane laughed.
“I’m happy to help~”
She picked up one of the boxes.
“They’re heavier than they look~”
“Sorry about that. You’re a lifesaver.”
“It’s okay~”
Shortly afterwards, Tadashi and I arrived at the front gate.
We had spent all morning arguing about some of the most important topics of our time.
Boobs vs ass had been the main topic of discussion.
Tadashi yawned.
“I almost overslept,” he said as his hand covered his wide open mouth.
“Yeah. That’s what happens when you don’t set an alarm.”
“Alarms are for losers. I can’t be dictated to by the whims of time. I’m a free man.”
I rolled my eyes at that idiocy.
It didn’t even necessitate a response from me.
I glanced around the courtyard.
“Huh…” I continued to look around the school courtyard, bewildered.
“What?”
“I’m surprised I haven’t seen the girls this morning.” My shoulders slumped a bit as I verbalized my thoughts.
Tadashi smirked.
“Oh? Missing your babes?” He had a very punchable look on his face as he said that.
“Dude, shut up!” I shot back, a slight angry vein popping on my forehead.
“Knowing Hikari, she’s probably fighting someone. Either physically or verbally.”
I laughed.
“Akane is probably helping someone. Probably either a teacher or some wide eyed first year.”
I laughed again.
That sounded about right.
Without another thought, the two of us headed towards homeroom.
These past few weeks had been crazy busy.
Student Council stuff, getting ready for the prefecture basketball tournament, the Cultural Festival, and all kinds of other nonsense.
I was looking forward to putting the Cultural Festival behind me so things could get back to normal.
I just wanted to hang out with my friends again.
Meanwhile, from a second-floor window… Yurika quietly watched the courtyard below.
Tea in hand.
Surveying everything like a villain looking over their hidden base.
All she was missing was a cat on her lap.
Maybe a cool eyepatch too.
Rin stepped beside her.
“Subject Akane accepted Teacher Hayashi’s request, Madam President.”
Yurika gave a small nod.
“As expected. That one is far too predictable.”
Rin looked down at her notebook.
“The request was legitimate. The timing proved… fortunate.”
A faint smile crossed Yurika’s lips.
“There is no need to manufacture opportunity…”
She watched Kaito disappear into the school building.
“…when opportunity presents itself.”
Rin wrote one short line beneath the operation log.
Operation Blue Rose
Morning interaction prevented.
She closed the notebook.
Neither girl spoke again.
There was obvious agreement between them.
There was nothing left to discuss.
They looked forward to the final phases of the plan.
To finally securing what the President desired most of all.
The morning passed more quickly than Akane expected.
Between classes, several students stopped her with questions about the Cultural Festival.
She answered each one with her usual smile.
By the time fourth period ended, she practically jumped out of her seat.
“Lunch time~!”
Today.
No committee meetings.
No tutoring.
No inventory.
No library assistance.
She had even checked her planner twice that morning.
For once… she was completely free.
Akane smiled to herself as she slipped into the hallway.
“Perfect~”
At the same time, Tadashi and I were already making our way toward the cafeteria.
Even in the hallway, the tantalizing smell of the food graced my nostrils.
Tadashi stretched.
“I’m starving,” he said as his hands went to his stomach.
“Same. It’s been kind of a slog today.”
“It hasn’t been too bad. You’re just a little bitch.”
I glared at him.
I was about to say something but the noises coming from my stomach cut me off.
I glanced around the hallway.
Students were practically running towards the cafeteria.
I didn’t recognize anyone of interest to me amongst the crowd.
“I wonder if the girls are free today?” I mused out loud.
Tadashi smirked.
“Oho?”
“What?”
“You wondered.”
“I asked a question.”
“You wondered.”
“I did not.”
You literally said “I wonder.” Those were your exact words.
Do I need to run the Instant Replay for you?”
I sighed.
“I just haven’t eaten lunch with them in a while.”
“Mm-hmm.” Tadashi snapped his fingers and smirked at me like a sassy black girl from a 90s sitcom.
“Why are you smiling like that?”
“No reason.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“You shouldn’t.”
At the other end of the hallway, Akane spotted us.
“There you are~”
Her pace quickened as she skipped towards us.
“Kaito~!”
I turned to face her.
“Hey, Akane!”
She waved enthusiastically as she crossed the hallway.
I returned her wave.
She crossed the distance between us almost instantly, like she had bent space-time to arrive at her destination.
“Looks like we’re finally—” She began to say before getting cut off.
“Fujihara!”
She froze.
“Hm~?”
A teacher leaned out of a nearby classroom.
“There you are.”
Akane turned politely.
“Yes, ma’am~?”
“I’m sorry to ask on such short notice…”
She held up a clipboard.
“The first year orientation packets for the Cultural Festival were delivered to the wrong classrooms.”
“Oh~”
“Could you help me sort them before fifth period to make sure they get to where they need to go?”
Akane looked toward me.
Her face looked deflated.
I gave her an encouraging smile.
“It’s okay. We’ll catch up later, Akane. Promise.”
She smiled back.
“…Okay~”
The teacher bowed apologetically.
“Thank you for your assistance, Fujihara.”
Akane nodded.
“Of course~”
She disappeared into the classroom.
Tadashi shook his head.
“Damn. Girl can’t catch a break.”
I shrugged.
“She’s helpful. More than I can say for you, Tadashi.”
“Whatever, bro. She’s cursed.”
“What?”
“I’m just saying.”
Tadashi counted on his fingers as he compiled his list of evidence.
“Yesterday after practice. This morning. Now lunch. That’s three.”
I frowned.
“Is it?”
“Yeah. Check the finger count. You can’t dismiss the facts, my dude.”
Before I could think about it any further…
“Good afternoon, Kaito.”
I turned towards the elegant voice.
Yurika approached from the opposite hallway carrying a clipboard beneath one arm.
“Good afternoon, President.”
She offered her usual composed smile.
“I apologize for interrupting your lunch.”
“No problem.”
“I wished to ask your opinion regarding the Cultural Festival stage layout.”
“Mine?”
“You participated in last year’s athletic demonstrations.”
“I did.”
“Your perspective would be valuable.”
I rubbed the back of his neck.
Didn’t really know how valuable my opinion would be but I also didn’t want to be rude.
“Sure… if you think it’ll help.”
She nodded gracefully.
I didn’t even know that was possible.
“I do.”
She inclined her head slightly.
“I appreciate your cooperation.”
The two of us began walking down the hallway together.
Tadashi laughed.
“Bro might be cursed too.”
Inside the classroom, Akane finished sorting the final stack of papers.
She had blitzed through the chore in record time.
Granted, she had done a thorough job, but she made sure to quicken her pace more than usual.
“There. All done~!”
The teacher smiled.
“You’re a lifesaver.”
Akane smiled back.
“I’m glad I could help~”
She checked the classroom clock.
“Maybe I still have time…”
She hurried back into the hallway that led to the cafeteria.
Part of her had hoped that Kaito and Tadashi were still there, waiting for her.
“Kaito~?” She wondered aloud as she looked around.
Silence.
The hallway had emptied.
Only a few students remained.
“…”
She peeked into the cafeteria.
Nothing.
A tiny sigh escaped her lips.
“I… I must have just missed him~”
She forced another smile.
“That’s okay. They’re probably already eating at one of their usual spots~”
Just then, Two first year girls walked past, in the middle of typical high school gossip.
“Did you see Student Council President Amakawa?”
“Yeah. She looked amazing as always today.”
“She was walking with Sakamori.”
“I know! They looked pretty close.”
“I wonder if they’re dating…”
The two girls giggled at the thought.
Theories abounded as they gossiped away.
Akane stopped walking.
“President Amakawa~?” Akane’s face fell as she heard the girls talking.
The girls continued chatting as they disappeared around the corner.
Akane stood quietly for a moment.
Then shook her head.
“It’s probably just Student Council business.”
After all, Kaito had been helping them lately.
That made perfect sense.
Didn’t it?
Still…
For reasons she couldn’t quite explain…
The smile on her face wasn’t quite as bright as it had been a few minutes earlier.
The final lunch bell rang.
Students gradually filtered back toward their classrooms.
Akane walked through the hallway, feeling a little out of place.
“I really wanted today to work~”
A small sigh escaped her lips.
“Maybe tomorrow~”
The words slipped out before she realized it.
She stopped walking and let out a quiet laugh.
“I really need to stop saying that~”
She wandered toward the now empty cafeteria.
“I just missed him~”
She rested one hand against the doorway and peeked inside once more.
Empty tables.
The entire room looked spotless.
As though it hadn’t just been filled with hundreds of students eating.
“I was really looking forward to lunch today~”
She closed her eyes for just a moment. Visit g.com for the full chapter.
Then she smiled again.
It was the same practiced smile she wore at home.
“It’s okay~”
“Talking to yourself now?”
Akane jumped.
“Hikari~!”
Hikari leaned casually against the wall with her arms crossed.
“I wasn’t talking to myself~”
“You literally just did,” Hikari’s eyes narrowed as she called Akane out.
“I was thinking out loud…”
“Same thing.”
“It isn’t~”
“It totally is.”
Akane laughed.
“When did you get here, Hikari~?”
“A minute ago.”
Hikari looked Akane dead in the eyes.
“You… look tired,” Hikari said in the most concerned tone a tsundere like her could muster.
Akane blinked.
“Do I~?”
“You’ve got those little bags under your eyes.”
Hikari pointed awkwardly.
“Right… there.”
Akane instinctively touched her face.
“I guess everyone’s noticing~”
“You’ve been running around all over the place like crazy.”
“A little~”
“A little?!”
Hikari snorted.
“You’ve been volunteered for practically everything.” Hikari crossed her arms as she spoke.
Akane smiled sheepishly.
“I don’t mind helping~”
Hikari looked away.
“I know. That’s the problem.”
A brief awkward silence settled between them.
Then Hikari asked, almost too casually, “Have you talked to Kaito much lately?”
Akane tilted her head.
“Not really~”
“…”
“I’ve been busy~”
Hikari didn’t answer immediately.
Instead… she stared down the hallway where Kaito had disappeared earlier.
“…Right.”
Akane noticed the unusual pause.
“Why~?”
Hikari hesitated.
For just a second.
“No reason.”
“You sure~?”
“Just…” Hikari clicked her tongue.
“…Has anything weird been happening?”
“Weird~?”
“Like…”
Hikari searched for the right words.
“…Every time you try to spend time with somebody…”
She paused before finishing.
“…something gets in the way.”
Akane blinked.
She replayed the last two days in her head.
This morning.
Lunch.
Yesterday after school.
Then she started thinking about how busy last week was.
Things started feeling odd to her.
“Now that you mention it…”
Hikari slowly nodded.
“I thought so.”
Akane looked at her curiously.
“You thought so? What are you talking about~?”
“Just… forget it,” Hikari huffed.
“Hikari~!”
“What?”
“You’re making that face~”
“What face?!” Hikari reached for her face, like she was concerned it would fall off.
“The one where you’re pretending something doesn’t bother you~”
“I do not have a face for that!”
“You totally do~”
“I totally don’t.”
Akane smiled.
“You know…”
Her smile widened.
“…You’re actually kind of easy to read~”
Hikari immediately puffed up.
“W-What?!”
Hikari shook her head so hard it almost seemed like her head was about to fall off.
“I am not!”
“You are~” Akane said in a teasing tone.
“I’m incredibly mysterious!” Hikari placed her hand on her chest as she said that.
Akane giggled.
“You kicked Kaito in the shin the other day because he complimented your jump shot~”
“I DID NOT.”
Several students turned to look at the two after that outburst.
Hikari’s face turned bright red.
“Keep your voice down!” Hikari said at the top of her lungs.
Akane couldn’t help laughing.
“There it is. See? Easy to read~”
Hikari pouted.
“I liked mysterious better…”
For an instant, the tension disappeared.
Even as they knowingly and unknowingly fought for the same thing, they were still friends for life.
The two girls laughed together, the moment just being too much for them not to.
Then, Hikari’s expression became serious again.
“Just…”
She paused.
Trying to find the right words to not sound completely insane.
“…Pay attention.”
Akane blinked.
“To what~?”
“Everything.”
Before Akane could ask another question, the warning bell rang.
Hikari sighed.
“Great. We’re gonna be late.”
Hikari started walking toward the classroom at a faster pace than usual.
“Hikari~?”
Without turning around… Hikari kept her voice low.
“This might sound weird…”
She paused.
“…But…”
She glanced back over her shoulder.
“…If you start thinking something feels off…”
She let out a sigh.
“…don’t ignore it.”
Then she disappeared into the classroom.
Akane remained standing in the hallway.
“That’s… a strange thing to say~”
She looked down at the floor.
Thoughts flooded her mind.
This morning.
Lunch.
Kaito.
Student Council President.
Teacher requests.
The unusual busyness of last week.
She shook her head profusely.
“No… Hikari’s overthinking things~”
She smiled to herself.
“…Probably~”
Even so, as Akane walked back toward class…
For the first time…
She found herself paying closer attention to the people around her.