The next day, Reiji found himself once again in the clubroom, but this time, he wasn't alone.
Sena was seated across from him, arms crossed, staring at him with a look that was both unimpressed and oddly determined.
Reiji sighed, already tired. "Okay. What is it this time?"
Sena leaned forward slightly. "Have you thought about what I said yesterday?"
"You mean the ridiculous idea of you playing matchmaker for me?"
She rolled her eyes. "It's not ridiculous. You obviously suck at this whole romance thing, and I figured since I'm dating Aoi, I might as well keep guys like you from bothering her."
Reiji raised an eyebrow. "Guys like me?"
"You know," Sena waved a hand dismissively. "Guys who stare at her with lovestruck eyes."
Reiji exhaled sharply. "I don't stare at her with 'lovestruck eyes.'"
"You do."
"I don't."
"You definitely do."
"Okay, and let's say I do. So what?"
Sena smirked. "Then that means you should take my offer more seriously."
Reiji stared at her for a long moment. "You… really don't want me anywhere near Aoi, do you?"
Sena's expression darkened slightly. "She's my girlfriend. What do you think?"
Reiji held up his hands in surrender. "Alright, fair enough."
They fell into a brief silence.
Then Sena sighed, her posture relaxing a bit. "Look, I get it. Feelings aren't something you can just turn off. And you're not exactly an idiot—well, most of the time. But you need to be realistic. Do you actually think Aoi is ever going to leave me for you?"
Reiji clenched his jaw. "I never said that."
"But you're still holding onto the idea, aren't you?"
Reiji didn't answer.
Sena leaned back in her chair. "That's why I'm offering to help you. There are plenty of other girls out there. You just need to stop being so fixated on Aoi and open your damn eyes."
Reiji clicked his tongue. "You make it sound so easy."
"It's not," Sena admitted. "But it's better than wasting your time."
Reiji studied her carefully.
She was serious.
Dead serious.
And for the first time, he saw something in her eyes that wasn't irritation, wasn't hostility.
It was something else.
Something he couldn't quite place.
After a long pause, he sighed. "Fine."
Sena blinked. "Fine what?"
"I'll listen."
Sena smirked. "Good. Because lesson one starts now."
Reiji groaned. He had a bad feeling about this.
—
Later that day, Reiji found himself walking home alone, his mind replaying everything Sena had said.
"Open your damn eyes," she had told him.
But to what?
Who else was there?
He frowned, feeling strangely unsettled.
The wind rustled the leaves above him, and for some reason, he found himself thinking about the way Sena had looked at him earlier.
Not with contempt.
Not with annoyance.
But something else entirely.
And for the first time, he wondered…
Was he the only one struggling with feelings he didn't want to acknowledge?