I tried to remain cold, responding just enough. But deep down, there was another feeling I couldn't ignore. For some reason… I felt her presence brought a different color to my days. A color that, despite making me uncomfortable, was also hard to completely reject.

When the dismissal bell rang, I immediately rushed to pack my bag. But before I could leave the classroom, Sakura was already standing by the door. She looked at me with that smile again. "Sumire Akari… starting tomorrow, I'll be sitting next to you. So be ready."

I was speechless, not knowing how to reply. Sakura walked away, leaving me with the stares of dozens of curious eyes.

I let out a long sigh. Why… why did it feel like I was the one being played with? One thing was clear—my quiet days were over.

The next morning, my steps felt heavier than usual. Not because my body was tired, but because Sakura's words from last night kept echoing in my head.

"Starting tomorrow, I'll be sitting next to you. So be ready."

The sentence was simple, but it had a strange power. As if, from the moment it was spoken, I knew that my daily life would never be the same. I passed through the school gate with a calm stride, trying to display my usual composed expression. However, from the whispers of the students I heard along the way, I knew the gossip had spread faster than I expected.

"They say Sakura-san is moving to sit next to Sumire-san, right?" "No way, that's not just a rumor? I heard it directly yesterday." "The two school queens sitting together... wow, it's going to be wild."

I closed my eyes for a moment, holding back a small sigh. Gossip... always gossip. For some reason, people were more interested in seeing us as a spectacle rather than as ordinary humans. As soon as I entered the classroom, my eyes went straight to the chair next to me. It was empty. I let out a sigh of relief. Maybe it was all just a bluff from Sakura. But my hope crumbled in a matter of seconds. The sound of light footsteps approached, and a strand of glittering silver-white hair caught the corner of my eye.

"Good morning, Akari." Sakura placed her bag on the empty chair next to me, as if the chair had been hers all along.

I turned slowly, looking at her with a flat expression. "...You were serious."

"Of course." She smiled confidently. "I promised, didn't I?" The class whispers immediately erupted, making the atmosphere noisy. "Whoa, they're really sitting together!" "I need to write this down in the class gossip book." "How is anyone supposed to focus on studying now?"

I tapped the tip of my pencil on the desk, trying to ignore the sounds. "If you just wanted to cause a stir, congratulations. You succeeded."

"That's not it." Sakura leaned in slightly, making the distance between us feel too close. "I just want to get closer to you, Akari. So I can understand why you always seem so cold even though everyone admires you."

I looked away, staring out the window. "I don't need anyone else to understand me."

"Too bad. Because I've already decided to understand, and you're going to have to be involved whether you like it or not."

That sentence made my heart beat faster. Why did this girl always talk in a tone as if everything was already decided according to her wishes?

The lesson began, but it was hard for me to focus. Sakura shifted her chair several times, deliberately leaning in when the teacher was writing on the board, as if she wanted to show that she wouldn't let any distance be created between us. When I was writing notes, she suddenly handed me an eraser. "You forgot to bring one, didn't you?" she said casually.

I glanced at her for a moment. "...Th-Thank you."

"A 'thank you' finally came out of you." Her smile widened. The whispers of our classmates became even more pronounced. "Look! Akari said thank you to Sakura-san!" "This is more exciting than a TV drama on a Saturday night."

I bent my head down deeper, my face remaining calm even though my ears felt hot. Why was everyone paying attention to such a small thing?

Haruna immediately rushed to my desk with a face full of gossip. "Akari! Do you know today's gossip? Everyone in the cafeteria is talking about you and Sakura-san!"

I rubbed my temple. "...I could have guessed."

"But seriously, this is like a bonus drama for our school life. If I were a manga artist, the two of you would be the main characters." Before I could reply, another, calmer voice came from behind. "Main characters? I think it's more like rivals competing for the spotlight."

I turned. Mizuki Hayase stood there, Sakura's friend who was known for being cold and cynical. Her gaze was on the three of us. "Mizuki, don't make the atmosphere even more chaotic," I said coldly.

Mizuki shrugged. "I'm just saying what I see. Besides, Sakura is the type of person who won't stop until she gets what she wants." Sakura, who had been sitting relaxed, let out a small laugh. "See? Even Mizuki agrees. So don't expect me to stop, Akari." I looked at her sharply. "...I never asked you to keep coming closer."

"But you're not really pushing me away, are you?" Sakura replied with a meaningful smile.

Those words made me silent. I wanted to object, but for some reason, my tongue felt unable to move.

After school, I walked alone through the long corridor. Haruna had already gone home, and I had no idea where Sakura was. I let out a long sigh, feeling like I could finally be at peace for a bit. But as I went down the stairs, I heard the sound of quick footsteps behind me.

"Akari, wait!"

I stopped for a moment. Of course, it was Sakura's voice. She ran up to me, her silver hair shimmering in the afternoon light that streamed through the windows. "I didn't get a chance to say... thank you for not minding that I sat next to you today."

I looked at her with a flat expression. "...I never said I didn't mind." Sakura chuckled. "Yeah, but you didn't forbid it either. That's a green light, isn't it?"

I rolled my eyes, then continued walking. "Don't interpret things as you please." Sakura caught up with a light step, walking at my side as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "You know, Akari? I'm starting to like walking next to you. It feels... nice."

My heart beat one more time, but I held back from turning my head. "...You're so annoying."

"If I keep being this annoying, maybe one day you'll get used to it."

I didn't answer. I just stared straight ahead, hoping Sakura couldn't read the expression on my face, which felt warmer than usual. However, deep down, I knew one thing: The quiet days I had always dreamed of were truly over.