After the first lesson, I headed straight for the vending machines near the gym, craving something sweet to recharge. I scanned the options—protein bars, chocolate, canned coffee—until I spotted my goal.

Peach juice.

I fed the machine my last coins and pressed the button. The carton slid forward, wobbling… almost falling.

Almost.

Then it stopped.

I groaned under my breath and tapped the glass with my knuckles. “Come on… don’t do this to me.”

Those coins were all I had left.

Annoyed, I nudged the machine with a small kick.

A sudden metallic thud sounded to my right.

I stiffened—and turned.

He had helped me.

The boy from the train stood there, leaning lazily against the machine as if intervening had cost him no effort at all. His expression was bored, detached… like he hadn’t just rescued my snack.

My heart skipped.

“…Thanks,” I muttered.

He gave a brief nod and walked toward a nearby bench without another word.

I watched him longer than I should have. That same strange pull stirred inside me again—familiar, rhythmic, impossible to explain. Like recognizing a memory I didn’t remember living.

I took the juice and sat across from him.

He remained motionless, elbows resting on his knees, gaze fixed on something far beyond this place. A light breeze brushed past, making the golden earrings on his ears chime softly—delicate, indifferent to the storm inside my chest.

I slid the straw into the carton, inhaled, and forced myself to speak.

“Um… I haven’t seen you around before. Are you new?”

He didn’t look at me.

“Yes,” he replied flatly. “But I’m not interested in making new acquaintances.”

Ouch.

Message received.

I straightened, pretending not to care, sipping my juice while staring ahead. The silence stretched, heavy and uncomfortable. I prayed Amai—or Kaisha—would show up and rescue me from this painfully awkward moment.

And then…

She appeared.

And suddenly, ignoring everything became impossible.