It wasn't that he disliked school—he was competent enough in his studies—but days like these felt slow, uneventful. He had long since learned to filter out unnecessary distractions, keeping his world simple and predictable.  

Until recently.  

His gaze flickered toward the other side of the room, where Aoi Fujikawa sat.  

She wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary, just taking notes with quiet focus, her long brown hair falling over her shoulder. But there was something about her presence that drew his attention without effort. She wasn't loud or particularly flashy, yet she carried a warmth that filled the space around her.  

It was frustrating how natural it felt to watch her.  

He quickly shifted his eyes back to his own notebook, sighing inwardly.  

This was pointless.  

She was already with someone else.  

And yet, as if pulled by an invisible force, his eyes found her again.  

At that moment, Aoi turned slightly, catching his gaze.  

For a brief second, time seemed to slow.  

Then, she smiled—a soft, almost absentminded smile, as if acknowledging him in passing.  

It wasn't much. But for some reason, it left an impression.  

Before he could react, the bell rang, signaling the end of the period. The quiet murmurs of students packing up filled the room as chairs scraped against the floor.  

"Oi, Reiji"  

A voice snapped him out of his thoughts.  

Kaito Hoshigawa, his longtime friend, leaned against his desk with an easy grin. With tousled dark blond hair and a relaxed attitude, Kaito had always been the social one between them.  

"You're zoning out again. Let me guess—daydreaming about the meaning of life?"  

Reiji scoffed, gathering his books. "Something like that."  

Kaito raised an eyebrow, following Reiji's gaze as he casually glanced toward Aoi. A knowing smirk played on his lips.  

"Ah. I see."  

Reiji clicked his tongue. "Don't."  

"I didn't say anything."  

"You were going to."  

Kaito chuckled, throwing an arm around Reiji's shoulder as they walked toward the hallway. "Look, I get it. She's cute. But you do remember she's dating—"  

"I know," Reiji cut in, his voice even.  

Kaito sighed. "Then you also know this won't end well."  

Reiji didn't respond. Because he did know.  

And yet, knowing didn't change the way he felt.  

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