Daiki stepped out of the school building, the golden hues of the setting sun stretching across the pavement. The usual noise of students filled the air—some chatting about weekend plans, others heading to club activities or waiting by the gate for their friends.
He exhaled softly. Research. That was the only thing he needed to focus on. He could finish it in a few hours if he stayed on task. The library was an option, but the internet was faster. Either way, it wasn't difficult—just another task to check off his list.
His steps were steady as he made his way toward the school gate, eyes fixed ahead. But just as he reached the edge of the crowd, movement caught his attention.
A group of students stood nearby, chatting loudly. At the center, unmistakable with her visible aura and confident posture, was Haruka Fujimoto.
She was talking to a friend when she glanced in Daiki's direction—and for the briefest moment, their eyes met.
Daiki looked away immediately. Just keep walking.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her hand lift in a small wave.
He ignored it.
"Akezawa-san!" Haruka called out, her voice carrying over the low buzz of conversation.
He kept walking, acting as if he hadn't heard.
Her friends chuckled as they exchanged quick farewells before heading off in different directions.
"See you tomorrow, Haruka!"
"Don't forget the student council meeting!"
"Text me if you need the notes!"
Soon, the others were gone.
Daiki had almost reached the gate when Haruka stepped into his path.
"You could at least pretend to acknowledge people, you know," she said, her tone light but pointed.
Daiki stopped, shifting his bag strap slightly. "...I was in a hurry, so I didn't notice."
Haruka raised an eyebrow. "Really? Because it looked like you were just walking at the same pace as always."
He didn't respond.
"You don't talk much, huh?"
Again, no answer.
Haruka glanced at the sky, as if considering something. Then she said, "You're always the first one out the door after class ends."
"I mean, I guess I get it," she continued, tone casual. "Some people just prefer being on their own. It's not like that's weird or anything."
His fingers curled slightly around the strap of his bag.
She gave a small shrug. "Anyway, I won't keep you. Just thought I'd say hi."
With that, Haruka stepped aside, giving him a clear path to leave.
Daiki didn't hesitate. He walked past her without another word, the distance between them growing with each step.
-------
Daiki walked down the familiar path home, the evening air cool against his skin.
Daiki walked at a steady pace, his hands tucked into the pockets of his hoodie as he followed the familiar path home. It was a fifteen-minute walk from school—nothing too short, nothing too long. Some of his classmates preferred taking the bus or riding their bikes, but Daiki didn't mind the walk. It was good exercise, and more importantly, it gave him time to clear his head.
He listened to the rhythmic sound of his footsteps against the pavement, letting the motions lull his thoughts into something more manageable. His mind wandered back to the history project—what topic would be the easiest to research? Maybe something well-documented, He thought. So I won't have to dig too deep—
Then, it happened.
A sharp, unmistakable sensation—a presence.
His body reacted before his mind could catch up, his muscles tensing, footsteps slowing.
Someone was watching him.
Not just watching—following.
Daiki kept his expression neutral as he glanced over his shoulder, eyes scanning the area. A short figure. They weren't too close, but not too far either. Their stature seemed… familiar.
He narrowed his eyes slightly. He knew that silhouette from somewhere.
But who?
Despite the strange familiarity, the answer didn't come to him immediately. He clicked his tongue in mild frustration. Not worth overthinking.
Instead of stopping or confronting them, Daiki made a quick decision. He took a sharp turn down a side street, heading toward the nearest convenience store. If someone really was following him, waiting it out inside would be easier than dealing with unnecessary trouble.
---
The fluorescent lights of the store buzzed softly as Daiki stepped inside.
It was quiet—just a few customers browsing the aisles. The faint scent of packaged food filled the air, blending with the cool artificial breeze of the air conditioning.
Daiki grabbed a random drink from the refrigerated section, more as an excuse to linger than because he actually wanted it. He made his way to the counter, casually glancing toward the glass doors.
And then—
A familiar figure approached.
Short. Messy brown hair. Slightly oversized sweater.
Daiki blinked, finally connecting the pieces.
"...Sato?" he muttered under his breath.
Sure enough, Yuki Sato pushed open the glass door and stepped inside.
For a brief moment, their eyes met.
Then Yuki grinned sheepishly.
"Ah—uh, Akezawa-san! What a coincidence!"
Daiki simply stared. Coincidence? Yeah, right.
Yuki rubbed the back of his neck. "You, uh… probably noticed, huh?"
Daiki didn't respond immediately, but the slight raise of his eyebrow said enough.
Yuki laughed awkwardly. "Okay, okay, you got me. I was heading home, and I realized we were walking in the same direction. I figured saying something would be weird, so I, uh… just kept walking."
Daiki sighed through his nose, shifting his drink from one hand to the other. "That doesn't explain why you were watching me."
Yuki hesitated before finally admitting, "I live near where you turned a corner to head here."
Daiki blinked.
...That actually made sense.
For a moment, he'd almost thought there was something more to it, but now that Yuki had said it plainly, it seemed obvious.
Daiki exhaled, the tension easing slightly from his shoulders. "...You could've just said something earlier."
Yuki gave a small chuckle. "Yeah, I guess I should've, huh?"
The conversation stalled for a second before Yuki tilted his head slightly. "So… do you live nearby too?"
Daiki hesitated for half a second before responding, "Something like that."
He didn't plan on giving more than that. No need to share more than necessary.
Yuki, however, didn't seem too bothered by Daiki's vague response. Instead, he just nodded. "Huh. Guess that means we'll be seeing each other more often."
Daiki wasn't sure how he felt about that, but he was sure that it wasn't a negative feeling.