The moment we stepped onto the rooftop, I felt an odd mixture of relief and dread. The air up here was always a little cooler, a little more open. But Misaki's posture was stiff, her arms crossed as she leaned against the railing. Whatever this was, it wasn't casual.
She turned to me, eyes narrowing like a detective who had already solved the case but wanted to hear the suspect confess.
"So?" she started, tapping her foot against the concrete. "What were you and Satoshi talking about?"
I blinked. "Huh?"
"Don't play dumb." She tilted her head slightly, a grin forming on her lips. "You two weren't exactly discussing quadratic equations, were you?"
Crap.
I should've known she noticed. Misaki wasn't the type to miss details. She had that sharp gaze, the kind that could peel apart your excuses before you even said them. I hesitated, shifting my weight slightly.
"It was just a normal conversation," I said, trying to sound nonchalant.
"Oh, a normal conversation?" she repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Haruki Kaneko, the guy who barely makes eye contact with classmates, is suddenly chatting normally with the future star?"
I sighed. "Fine. If you really want to know, Satoshi and I… we were childhood friends."
"Ohhh, childhood friends." She smirked. "That explains everything... Clan Leader."
My stomach dropped. I stiffened, gripping the railing. No way. She heard that? How much did she hear? Was she going to mock me for it?
"Wait—you were eavesdropping?!"
"Eavesdropping? That's such a harsh word," she said, twirling a loose strand of hair between her fingers. "I prefer 'gathering intel.'"
This girl… She really knew how to push my buttons.
"Why are you so interested in us?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.
She flipped her hair over her shoulder. "I keep an eye on my classmates."
"Ohh, don't tell me you care about your classmates that much," I replied, raising an eyebrow.
She rolled her eyes, letting out a small huff. "Don't flatter yourself. I'm just observant. And maybe a little bored."
For a second, she studied me, her expression softening slightly. "So, Haruki, you were some kind of kindhearted, helpful kid back then, huh?"
I blinked. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I just can't imagine it," she said bluntly. "You actually being... bright."
Wow. Thanks.
"Yeah, so what?" I muttered. "I used to be cool, you know."
"Pfft." She scoffed. "Okay, 'cool kid'... can I get your Line?"
My brain short-circuited.
"Wait, what?" I blurted out. "Why do you need my Line?"
She crossed her arms, looking away. "It's not like I want it or anything. Just… I might need to talk to you later."
I hesitated. I couldn't exactly refuse her. If I did, she'd probably find new ways to mess with me, and I wasn't in the mood for that.
"Fine," I muttered, pulling out my phone.
We exchanged IDs, and she smirked. "Wow, you sure hand out your contact info easily. Should I be worried about how many girls have this?"
I scoffed. "Yeah, right. You're the first. Cherish the honor."
"Hmph. Figures." She turned toward the door. "Anyway, we'll be talking again soon. Don't miss me too much." With that, she left, her confident footsteps echoing down the stairs.
I exhaled, leaning against the railing. What the hell just happened? First, I had a normal conversation with Misaki Aisaka of all people, and now I was on her radar.
I ran a hand through my hair and sighed.
The rooftop was quiet now, a light breeze passing by. For once, the silence felt... peaceful.
I slumped against the wall, exhaustion creeping in. The rooftop was quiet, save for the distant hum of students below. The breeze was just cool enough to make my eyelids droop. Maybe just... a quick nap.
—
A soft warmth pressed against my face. I stirred, blinking up at the sky, now painted in shades of deep orange. Wait. WAIT.
I shot up, fumbling for my phone.
"I overslept?!"
Without wasting a second, I grabbed my bag and bolted down the stairs. By the time I made it outside, most of the students had already left. As I hurried toward home, something made me stop in my tracks.
A whisper. Faint, almost swallowed by the evening breeze.
"Please... help me..."
I froze. My skin prickled as a cold shiver ran down my spine. I turned sharply, my breath catching. The street stretched empty before me, bathed in the orange glow of the setting sun. No one was there.
My fingers curled around the strap of my bag. Maybe it was just my imagination. Yeah... today had been rough enough already.
Shaking my head, I continued walking home. The moment I stepped inside, my mother called from the kitchen.
"You're late today. Were you having fun with your friends?"
I forced a smile. "Yeah, we, uh, checked out a new sweet shop."
Lying wasn't exactly my strong suit, but I couldn't exactly say, "I spent half the evening talking to a tsundere, then passed out on the rooftop."
Sighing, I headed to my room. Today was... a lot. And something told me tomorrow wouldn't be any less chaotic.