Shinatsu was heading to her dorm room like any other evening, but a bad feeling was looming over her. A feeling that something horrible was awaiting her. She opened her door, hoping to see her roommate building a lego set like always. Unfortunately, her worries never failed to be anything less than the worst scenario.
?: "Yo. Long time no see."
Shinatsu starts fake crying: "Please, don't extort me for any more money."
?: "Last time I remember, you extorted me for money."
Shinatsu: "Are you gaslighting me? Trying to fill my head with false memories?"
?: "Haha. Glad to see you're still the same, Shinatsu."
Shinatsu drops the act and rolls her eyes, placing a hand on her hip: "So, what do you want… Shoyo?"
Shoyo: "I come with a favor to ask," he said casually while sitting on her bed.
Shinatsu: "Oh boy."
Shoyo: "Bear with me. I want you to tutor a couple disciples of mine. You still score in the top of your class, right? Unless you've become a delinquent."
Shinatsu: "Do you know who you're talking to? I could barely put in any study time and still score better than half of these buffons in my year."
Shoyo: "That's music to my ears."
Shinatsu: "What makes you think I'm gonna tutor your disciples though?"
Shoyo: "Like I said, it's a favor. I'll return it double-fold of course."
Shinatsu: "Hmmm."
Shoyo: "But hold on. You don't seem surprised that I just said I have disciples."
Shinatsu: "Because I already knew, about one at least."
Shoyo: "How? Who told you?"
Shinatsu: "A pal of mine. You may know him. He goes by the name of Dakota."
Shoyo: "Hm— Didn't take him for a blabber mouth. Guess I'll have to talk to him for a bit."
Shinatsu: "You don't have to worry. Him and Erika were talking and they totally thought they were alone. If it were anybody else, they would've noticed them. Anyway, I had fun making Dakota my dog. I pretended I was gonna spread rumors if he didn't tell me what they were talking about."
Shoyo: "Haha. I see. I kinda feel sorry for him then."
Shinatsu: "I am curious about this Chifuyu boy. Dakota and Erika make him seem special."
Shoyo: "He is something, alright."
Shinatsu: "Sure, I'll tutor them. But why not just have an actual tutor do the job?"
Shoyo: "Cuz I know you'd be the best one to do it. Plus, they're your age, so it should be fun."
Shinatsu: "I wonder about that."
Shoyo: "Thanks, Shinatsu. I appreciate it."
Shinatsu: "You're very welcome. Now kindly vanish from my room."
Shoyo: "I'll be back next week."
Shinatsu waves. For some reason before leaving, Shoyo does a backflip and gives an annoying smirk, then teleports like he was never there. This ticks Shinatsu off, which was his intention.
***
A month went by.
The courtyard buzzed with the usual noon rush, voices overlapping, the scent of food all over, and the hum of students gossiping. In the middle of all that movement, Dakota sat perfectly still on a wooden bench beneath the wide branches of a maple tree. The sunlight filtered through the leaves, painting faint gold patterns over his uniform. His lunch sat unopened beside him. He'd told himself he'd eat when he got hungry, but almost 30 minutes had passed and he taken one bite.
From a distance, it might've looked like he was just spacing out, but his mind wasn't empty. It was looping, quietly, the same few thoughts again and again.
It's fine. It's fine. Austin deserves her. That's enough.
The lie had rhythm now, like a mantra he was teaching himself to believe.
Across the courtyard, a familiar laugh cut through the noise. He didn't even need to look to know whose it was.
She was walking with two of her friends, a small paper bag in her hand, sunlight glinting against the soft strands of her hair. Her smile was the same, bright, natural, effortless. It was one of those smiles that made everyone around her comfortable.
That smile had been his favorite thing to see after class.
He hadn't realized how much distance had crept between them until it was already too wide to cross. Between training, classes, and all the chaos of the Academy, they'd started talking less. The moments they did share felt shorter, quieter.
And lately, he's started to notice just how close she and Austin are.
He looked down, the wood was smooth from years of wear. He wondered how many students had sat here before him, going through the same quiet acceptance he was now. Probably more than a few.
"Dakota!"
His head lifted at the sound of his name.
Remi had spotted him from across the courtyard. She smiled, genuine as ever, and waved, her friends pausing beside her.
For a heartbeat, his chest tightened. That simple, familiar gesture that was so easy for her, and now so loaded for him.
Dakota managed a small, awkward smile, lifting his hand in a half-hearted wave. "Hey," he mouthed, though the word barely made it past his lips. Then he quickly looked away, pretending to fix his uniform sleeve, as if something about the fabric suddenly demanded his full attention.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her hesitate for just a second. Her hand lingered mid-air before she let it drop, her brow furrowing slightly. She looked confused. But only for a moment. Then one of her friends said something, and she turned away with a soft laugh, continuing their walk.
Just like that, she was gone.
Dakota exhaled slowly through his nose, the kind of breath that wasn't meant to steady himself but to empty something inside. He tilted his head back, watching the sky between the leaves. Clouds drifted lazily overhead, completely unconcerned with the small heartbreaks beneath them.
For weeks, he'd told himself he still had a chance. That if he trained harder, got stronger, if he just became someone worth standing next to, then maybe he'd have a chance.
But now, sitting there with the soft chatter of the courtyard washing over him, he knew that was just another story he told himself. Remi was kind. She always had been. And she'd always smile at him, wave at him, talk to him with that warmth.
But her true warmth was meant to be for someone else.
He picked up his lunch, finally eating it. It was a simple sandwich, he took a bite, and for some reason, it tasted blander than usual.
Dakota chuckled under his breath: "Figures."
A breeze passed through the courtyard, catching at his hair, scattering a few stray leaves past his feet. He followed one of them with his eyes as it drifted toward the fountain dozens of meters away and sank in the water.
Maybe that's how this feeling would fade too, quietly, naturally, without any dramatic ending.
He wasn't angry. Love wasn't a competition, and he wasn't the kind of guy who'd fight for attention like that. He just wished he'd realized sooner that sometimes, caring for someone means stepping back.
Out of nowhere, Marlon comes and sits next to him: "You look like you just found out a relative died."
Dakota: "I understand your pain. I know how rejection feels like."
Marlon: "Oh, did you ask out a girl?"
Dakota: "No, but I found out somebody else likes them. And that they're a perfect match as much as I hate to say it."
Marlon: "You haven't told her how you feel? Teh, then you don't understand anything."
Dakota: "Oh yeah? How would doing that be any different?"
Marlon: "First off, you'd be less of a coward. Second off, you just have to go through with it. Believe me, rejection would feel a hell of a lot different."
Dakota ponders for a second: "You know what, you're right."
Marlon: "I know. Also, what's this 'they're a perfect match.' Do you even like the girl?
Dakota: "Of course I do."
Marlon: "Then you wouldn't be saying she's a perfect match for someone else. Sounds like you're just trying to rationalize running away."
Dakota: "I have to run away. If any other guy liked her, I wouldn't give a damn. But that's not the case."
Marlon: "Hm. Sounds rough buddy."
Dakota: "Tell me about it."
Marlon: "Would you have more regrets if you did or didn't ask her out?"
Dakota: "Definitely if I did."
Marlon: "So you're taking the L on this, huh? Hate to hear it."
Dakota sighs.
The maple leaves swayed above them, whispering faintly in the wind. A quiet farewell carried on the breeze.