The first day back at school after the camp was met with yawns, dragging footsteps, and a hint of nostalgia. The weather had turned slightly cooler—enough that Leo could feel autumn creeping in through the school's open windows.
He sat at his desk near the back of the room, watching sunlight filter in, catching the fine particles of chalk dust in the air. Everything felt familiar. Yet something had changed.
Yuki hadn't come in yet.
Not that he was waiting. Not exactly.
Kai flopped into the seat beside him, unwrapping a banana with exaggerated flair.
"So," he began, "how does it feel to return from the battlefield of feelings and enter the classroom of crushed dreams again?"
Leo sighed. "You're dramatic."
"I'm insightful," Kai corrected. "You've got that 'guy-who-held-hands-under-moonlight' look. Either you confessed, or you almost confessed."
Leo looked away.
Kai leaned in, grinning. "Bingo."
Before Leo could respond, the classroom door opened.
Yuki walked in, her uniform neatly pressed, her ponytail higher than usual. She scanned the room briefly, saw Leo, and smiled. It wasn't one of her usual flashy grins. It was small. Real.
She sat two rows ahead, but before facing front, she turned slightly and mouthed, "Morning."
Leo's heart stuttered. He nodded.
Kai, of course, saw everything.
"Bro," he whispered, "you're doomed. In the best way."
---
Classes resumed. Teachers droned. Notes were taken. The school had returned to routine—but not entirely. Rumors about the camp had spread fast. The forum had exploded with posts, from blurry group photos to speculations about who liked whom.
At lunch, Leo made his way to the courtyard alone. He wasn't trying to avoid anyone, but he also needed air.
He found an empty bench under the old cherry tree. As he opened his bento, a voice called out:
"Mind if I join?"
It was Rin, holding a small book and a container of rice balls.
Leo gestured to the spot beside him. "Sure."
They sat quietly at first, the rustle of leaves overhead filling the gaps.
"I read a poem this morning," Rin said softly. "It said, 'Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is stay.'"
Leo looked at her. "That's beautiful."
"I thought of you."
He blinked. "Why?"
She gave a faint smile. "Because you didn't run from your feelings. Most people do."
Leo didn't know what to say to that. So he didn't.
They ate in companionable silence, something warm and grounding between them.
---
After lunch, Leo returned to class and found a note tucked into his locker. Neatly folded. No name.
> "Meet me on the rooftop after school. I owe you a soda."
No signature, but he already knew who it was.
---
The rooftop was quiet when he arrived. The sky was beginning to fade into soft orange. Yuki was already there, leaning against the railing with two cans of melon soda.
"Still cold," she said, tossing him one.
Leo caught it. "You're consistent."
"I try."
They drank in silence for a moment.
"I wanted to say thank you," Yuki said, not looking at him. "For… being you. For not pushing me. For letting me say things in my own time."
"You don't have to thank me for that."
"I do," she insisted. "Because people usually want answers fast. But you listened. You waited."
Leo hesitated, then asked, "Are you still waiting?"
She turned, met his gaze. "No. I'm ready."
"…For what?"
Yuki smiled softly. "To fall. To risk it."
Leo stepped closer. "Then let's fall together."
She didn't answer in words. She just smiled again, this time wide and bright, and clinked her can lightly against his.
Cheers to the beginning.