The return to school came with the usual buzz—students dragging duffel bags, yawning through homeroom, recounting their camping misadventures with exaggerated flair. But for Leo, everything felt… altered.
He sat at his desk by the window as usual, but the chair didn't creak the same way. The morning announcements droned as always, but the words seemed muffled. Even the scent of floor wax and cheap chalk couldn't anchor him to the present.
Because his mind kept drifting—to Hana.
The lake. Her voice. Her presence.
And those words: "Don't forget I'm here."
Leo shook his head.
"Earth to Leo," Kai whispered from the seat behind him. "You're doing that thing again."
"What thing?"
"Staring dramatically out the window like a shoujo protagonist."
Leo rolled his eyes. "It helps me think."
"Or avoid."
"...Shut up."
Kai grinned. "You're welcome."
---
At lunch, the table dynamics had noticeably shifted.
Rin sat to Leo's right, unfolding her bento with practiced grace.
Yuki plopped into the seat across from him, shoving a can of melon soda into his hand. "Limited edition. Took me three vending machines."
"Thanks."
Hana arrived quietly, taking the spot beside Yuki. She didn't speak, but nodded toward Leo with a gentle smile.
Aira came last, sliding in next to Rin with a stack of notes. "I brought the math handouts everyone missed from this morning."
"Oh no," Kai whispered. "We've entered the 'silent cold war' phase."
Leo raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"
Kai gestured subtly.
Rin was chewing methodically, her eyes flicking toward Hana every few seconds.
Yuki was unusually quiet. Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.
Hana, though calm, was clearly aware of the glances.
Aira? She was pretending not to notice any of it. Her grip on the papers was just a little too tight.
"So," Kai said, voice deliberately loud, "anyone wanna talk about the camping trip? You know, where secrets were whispered by moonlight and hearts fluttered like moths to a fire?"
No one responded.
"I'll take that as 'we're all emotionally compromised.'"
---
After class, Leo found himself being… abducted.
"Walk with me," Rin said firmly, grabbing his sleeve and leading him out the side door of the school.
They walked in silence down a quiet garden path behind the library.
Eventually, she stopped. "You've changed."
Leo blinked. "Huh?"
"Since the trip."
"…Maybe."
"You're thinking more. Looking less lost. It suits you."
He chuckled nervously. "Thanks, I think."
Rin turned to him. Her eyes were sharp. "But it also means… someone reached you. Got through."
Leo's smile faded.
"I'm not upset," Rin said. "Just—curious. Was it her?"
"Her?"
"Hana."
Leo hesitated.
Rin nodded slowly. "I figured."
"I didn't—"
She held up a hand. "I'm not asking you to explain. I just want to understand where I stand."
He looked down. "Rin…"
"You don't owe me anything," she said. "But I won't pretend it doesn't matter."
She stepped back, her voice softer. "Let me know when you know."
Then she walked away.
---
Elsewhere, Yuki was curled up on the rooftop, a bottle of soda in her hands, carbonating but unopened.
She stared at the sky.
"You're always so slow, Leo," she murmured. "But even you can't be blind forever."
She took a deep breath, her smile tinged with something bittersweet.
"Guess I'll just have to make the next move first."
---
Hana sat in the library, returning a borrowed wilderness survival book. She wasn't reading it anymore—she knew her way around solitude just fine now.
Still, her fingers lingered on the cover before slipping it into the return slot.
She turned, glanced toward the door…
And waited.
Just a little longer.