With a small sigh, Megumi stepped into classroom C-2.
Most of the seats were still empty — not unusual. The students of C-2 were almost always late.
She made her way to her seat in the last row by the window. Sliding into her chair, she rested her head on the desk and closed her eyes.
Shinichi's expression lingered in her mind.
Something felt… off. Like the usual emotional sparkle in his eyes was gone — replaced by something heavy, quiet, and broken.
Something was wrong. Definitely wrong.
His eyes had been filled with sadness.
She should have asked.
She'd wanted to.
But she didn't.
She was afraid — of what, she couldn't quite understand.
And now… guilt.
'I'm his best friend.
If something was troubling him, I should've been there for him. Not run away.'
"Megumi-chaaaan~!"
The shrill voice jolted her out of her thoughts.
She blinked and lifted her head, only to find herself surrounded. Three girls from class had gathered around her desk, eyes wide with curiosity.
"Why are you like that?" asked Kana, her gal-styled hair swaying as she leaned forward.
"She's always like this when she's deep in thought," said Yui, another gal, with a dramatic sigh. "Except today it's way worse!"
"I bet I know why," the third girl added with a sly grin. Saki — the loudest of the bunch and never one to whisper — leaned in with a sparkle in her eye.
Megumi narrowed her eyes. "What?"
"You're thinking about someone, aren't you?" Saki rested her chin on her palm, smirking.
"I—" Megumi began, sitting up straighter, but Kana cut her off.
"Ohhh! It's love, isn't it?"
"W-What?! N–!" Megumi tried to deny it, but Yui gasped before she could finish.
"WHAT?! For real?!"
"I'm n–!" she tried again, but was instantly drowned out.
Saki grinned wider. "Oh! Let me guess… is it the boy you walk to school with every day? That short, cute, girly one? Honestly, he's almost prettier than me."
"Oh please, stop with your weird shota fantasy," Kana groaned.
Saki pouted. "What's wrong with liking shota?"
"You do realize that's illegal," Yui said flatly.
"Not if it's legal shota, like Shinichi," Saki shot back with a wink towards Megumi.
Megumi sighed and gave up trying to argue. The girls weren't listening anymore — they had devolved into their usual chaotic chatter.
"What? Don't tell me you have a thing for him too?" Kana asked Saki.
"I'm not blind," Saki said with a shrug. "You can see he's got Megumi written all over his eyes."
Megumi frozen. Something clicked from Saki's words.
A small bell of realization, sharp and cold, rang quietly inside her chest.
'Could that be it?'
'Was that why he looked so…Empty?'
"That's nonsense. What are you, a mind-reading witch now?" Yui scoffed.
"It's obvious. You'd have to be a fool not to notice," Saki said. "But hey, I guess that explains why you still don't have a boyfriend."
"You little—!" Yui lunged.
"Oh no, Yuzilla is coming after me! Save me, Kana!" Saki squealed, diving behind Kana to avoid Yui's wrath.
Their laughter filled the room — loud and unbothered.
But Megumi sat frozen, her fists clenched beneath the desk.
'What have I done?'
'If what Saki said is correct…'
'If he really did have feelings for me — then how much had it hurt him? When I told him about my feelings for Akane? And for me to ask for his help?'
Her throat tightened.
'Is it my fault?'
'I hurt him.'
The words sank like stones in her chest.
She wanted to scream.
To run back in time.
But she couldn't.
Not now. Not anymore.
The classroom door slid open with a soft clack.
Their homeroom teacher stepped inside, his usual half-closed eyes scanning the room beneath a messy stack of papers.
"Alright, everyone, take your seats," he mumbled.
The girls scattered like startled birds, laughter fading into whispers as they rushed to their desks.
Megumi remained silent.
She just sat there — quiet, hollow — her heart aching under the weight of a truth she'd realized too late.