Everyone in class had their heads down, quietly taking notes from the chalkboard. The steady scratching of pens filled the room, at least from those who were actually writing. Others had grown restless, rolling up bits of paper into spitballs that sailed through the air. After a few minutes of this, one of the girls finally raised her hand to call for the teacher’s attention.

That girl was Terra Ashiyo, the most beautiful girl in the entire school, or at least that’s how she looked through Gojo’s eyes. Her long black hair shimmered in the light as if it had a glow of its own, and her striking blue eyes always seemed to pull him in. Gojo sometimes wondered what kind of shampoo she used, or if her hair just naturally caught the light that way. Either way, he could’ve sworn those eyes had mind-controlled him more than once.

They’d been friends since the start of high school three years ago, but Gojo’s feelings for her had only started to deepen a few months back. Even so, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything. For now, he was content to keep their friendship as it was, to quietly admire her from a distance until he finally found the courage to tell her how he felt.

Gojo adjusted his glasses as he watched Terra point out the boys responsible for the flying spitballs. The teacher wasted no time sending them off to the staff room for punishment. As Terra returned to her seat, Gojo found himself smiling faintly. Then, an idea popped into his head. He opened his notebook and began to sketch.

Ten minutes later, the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Desks scraped, chairs shuffled, and the classroom came alive again as everyone packed their bags, some heading off to club activities, others to hang out with friends.

Gojo, however, remained seated. His gaze lingered on the rough sketch in his notebook: a drawing of Terra, captured mid-smile. It wasn’t perfect, just a quick sketch, but somehow, it still managed to hold the same quiet beauty he saw in her every day.

As he admired it, a hand suddenly tousled his black hair from behind. Gojo turned, startled, to find a boy with messy blonde hair and a lollipop in his mouth grinning down at him.

Gojo couldn’t help but smile back.

Gojo: Yo, Reggie. What’s up?

Reggie: Oh, nothing much. I just saw you scribbling in class earlier and got curious about what you were up to.

Before Gojo could even react, Reggie leaned over his shoulder. By the time Gojo realized what his friend was looking at, it was too late to hide it. Reggie studied the sketch of Terra for a moment, his expression unreadable, before finally speaking.

Reggie: As expected, your art’s amazing. Even as a rough sketch. You could actually do something with this, you know.

Gojo: Yeah, I know… but—

Reggie: But what?

Gojo: I don’t really know. You guys all have these clear goals. You know what you want to do with your lives. Me? I don’t. Even though I’m good at drawing, I don’t know if I have the drive or the consistency to turn it into something real.

Reggie crossed his arms, his tone growing slightly more serious.

Reggie: So what, you’re fine with that? Just drifting around with no dream to chase? Nothing that makes life worth living for?

Gojo went quiet. He glanced down at his sketch again, tracing the lines of Terra’s hair with his eyes before scratching the back of his head.

Gojo: I don’t know.

Reggie was about to say something when a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around both their shoulders from behind. The familiar scent of floral perfume hit them immediately.

Emilia.

Emilia: Come on, you two! What are you still doing here? We’re gonna be late for karaoke!

Reggie: Hey, don’t yell at me! I was waiting for this knucklehead!

Gojo: How is that my fault? You’re the one who forgot to remind me!

Reggie: Huh?!

Minutes later, the three of them left the school grounds and hopped on a bus to the commercial district of Yukimura. The evening glow of the city lights painted the windows gold as they chatted and laughed, their voices mingling with the hum of traffic. Eventually, they found themselves in a small karaoke joint tucked between a café and an arcade.

After booking a room, they dove straight into singing. Reggie started off loud and off-key, earning laughter from Emilia, who quickly stole the mic and began performing with surprising passion. Song after song, she sang her heart out, her voice filling the little booth like it belonged on a real stage. Reggie joined in here and there, but after a while, the two boys were out of energy. Emilia, however, was unstoppable, singing every new song Reggie queued up, her eyes shining with joy.

Meanwhile, Gojo sat quietly at the corner of the booth, his sketchbook open on his lap. He watched Emilia perform, her orange hair swaying with her movements, the way her smile brightened every note and his hand began to move almost on its own. Lines formed, strokes deepened, and soon the page came alive with her likeness. He was so focused that he didn’t notice when Reggie and Emilia leaned in, curious about what he was doing.

When he finally finished the sketch, he looked up and froze. Emilia was right beside him, grinning as she snatched his notebook.

Emilia: Whoa… this is me?

Gojo’s face went pale.

Emilia: (softly, smiling) This looks amazing, Gojo. You really have a knack for drawing. You’d make a great manga artist.

Gojo: (scratches the back of his neck, nervous) Oh, I don’t know about that…

Emilia: What do you mean you don’t know?

Reggie: (cutting in) He said something about not being sure if this is the dream he wants to chase. But I keep telling him otherwise like always.

Emilia: (raising a brow) Really?

Gojo: I mean… people who want to be artists—or anything, really—they usually have something that moves them, right? Something that pushes them to start. I don’t think I’ve found that yet.

(turning to Emilia)

What about you? Why do you want to be a musician?

Emilia paused, resting her chin on her hand as she thought.

Emilia: Why? …Because I love it. Music lets me express myself. It feels like breathing.

Gojo: Okay, but what made you want to do it?

She smiled faintly, the memory softening her eyes.

Emilia: My mom took me to a Sklenar Malone concert when I was eleven. I still remember how it felt hearing him sing, watching the crowd light up. I wanted to make people feel like that too. That’s when I knew.

Gojo nodded slowly, thinking it over. Then he turned to Reggie, who was half-distracted, typing away on his phone.

Gojo: What about you, Reggie? Why do you want to be a football player?

Reggie looked up, blinked, then shrugged.

Reggie: Because it looked fun. (grins) What? You were expecting some emotional story like hers?

Gojo laughed quietly.

Gojo: Guess you don’t need one. (pauses) But still, you guys… you both have something that moves you. Experiences that gave you direction. I don’t really have that yet. So right now… I just don’t know what I want to do with my life.

A moment of silence followed. The hum of the karaoke machine filled the air. Then Emilia flipped through Gojo’s sketchbook again and stopped when she found a familiar face.

Emilia: (teasing) Oh? So when are you going to tell Terra how you feel?

Gojo’s face turned bright red.

Gojo: Huh?! Um—wait, I—

Reggie: Or are you waiting for some grand “life-changing experience” before you confess too?

Gojo: No, it’s just… I don’t even know if she feels the same way.

Reggie: So what? You’re already friends with her. What’s the worst that could happen? She says no?

Emilia: Reggie’s right. If you wait too long, someone else will take her.

Reggie: Exactly. If you’re gonna make a move, do it soon.

Gojo looked down at the table, their words echoing in his mind. As laughter and music filled the booth again, his thoughts drifted to Terra’s smile, her voice, the way she lit up any room she entered.

Gojo: (quietly) I guess… you guys are right.

******

A few hours later, the three had gone their separate ways, leaving the lively noise of the karaoke joint behind. Gojo walked home alone through the quiet streets of Yukimura, the night air cool against his skin. The city had settled into a calm hush, streetlights flickering, the distant sound of cars fading into the background.

As he walked, his mind replayed the words Reggie and Emilia had said earlier.

Gojo: (thinking) “If you wait too long, someone else will take her…”

He sighed, kicking a pebble along the sidewalk.

Gojo: (to himself) Would she even go out with someone like me?

When he reached the train station, he stopped. The platform was nearly empty, just the soft hum of the vending machines and the whisper of the night breeze. But then, his eyes widened.

There, sitting alone on one of the benches, was Terra Ashiyo.

Her long black hair flowed gently in the wind, glinting faintly under the station lights. The way she sat quiet, serene, yet effortlessly radiant made Gojo’s heart pound faster than usual. For a moment, he just stood there, frozen, watching her as if she’d stepped out of one of his sketches.

Then Terra turned her head, her blue eyes finding his. The moment their gazes met, she smiled; a soft, familiar smile that melted away the chill in the air.

Terra: Oh, hey, Gojo. (pauses, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear) I’m glad you showed up. It was getting really lonely here.

Gojo blinked, his mind suddenly blank.

Gojo: (awkwardly) Y–Yeah… I, uh… didn’t expect to see you here.

She laughed lightly, the sound echoing gently through the quiet station.

Terra: Well, I guess we both got lucky then.