🩵 Chapter 9: A New Light in the Room

The classroom felt normal.

Chalk dust in the air. Students half-awake. The same morning bell.

Until the teacher walked in with someone new.

“Class, we have another transfer student,” she announced with a smile. “Please welcome Yuki Nakamura. He’s joined us in the middle of the semester — like a few others this year.”

Yuki stepped in, eyes sparkling, a soft and bright smile on his lips.

He was tall, handsome, with a gentle charm that instantly made people whisper.

He bowed politely.
“Nice to meet you all. I hope we’ll get along.”

Some girls giggled.
Even a few boys looked impressed.

Ren watched quietly... until something caught him off guard.

Yuki walked straight to the back… and sat beside Aki.

Aki looked surprised—but then smiled.
A real, warm smile.

And then... they started talking.

Laughing.

Whispering.

And Aki laughed out loud at something Yuki said.

Ren blinked.

“He’s... smiling? Laughing? Like that?”

He clenched his pen tighter. His chest felt weird.

🍱 Lunch Break

Ren sat with Haru again.

But his mind wasn’t in the conversation.

His eyes kept shifting to the table in the corner.

Aki and Yuki sat there — heads close, eating, talking, smiling.

Yuki said something again, and Aki covered his mouth to laugh.

Ren looked away.

Haru noticed.

She tilted her head.
“You okay?”

“Yeah,” Ren replied, faking a yawn. “Just sleepy.”

But inside, he wasn’t sleepy at all.

🎵 That Evening – Music Room

Aki sat alone on the piano bench again, but this time, his face was serious.

His phone showed a message from his landlord.

“Rent is due. No delays this time.”

Aki sighed deeply. His fingers moved to the piano keys, but his mind was somewhere else.

Just then, his music teacher walked in.

“You’ve been improving,” she said kindly. “But you seem distracted.”

Aki hesitated. “I... I need to find a part-time job. Something flexible.”

She smiled gently.
“There’s a music club in town. They’re looking for someone to help. I know the owner. It’s a small gig, but it pays well.”

Aki's eyes widened slightly.

“Me? At a music club?”

“You don’t have to decide now,” she said. “Just visit. Feel the place.”

He nodded slowly.

He wasn’t sure.

But something inside whispered...

Maybe... this could help him. Maybe... it could change things.

To be continued...

💭 While one heart aches with jealousy, another learns to rise from quiet struggles. And between music and memories, something new begins to