(Kiyomi's POV)
Monday mornings always smelled like chalk dust and nerves.
But this one… it smelled like tension.
The moment I stepped into Class 2A, the room fell quieter than usual.
Not silent — just filled with the kind of hush that meant everyone already knew something.
I could feel the stares before I even reached my seat.
And then I saw it — something resting neatly on my desk.
A small yellow origami flower.
My breath caught.
I recognized that color instantly — the same shade as the hairband I'd worn at the art fair.
Tucked beneath one of the petals was a folded note.
I glanced around quickly — Minato was sitting two rows away, pretending to read, his face calm but his fingers slightly fidgeting.
I unfolded the paper.
"Even sunlight casts shadows.
Don't let them make you forget the light."
My chest softened.
He had no idea how much I needed those words.
For a second, it was just me and the paper — the noise fading, the whispers dissolving.
But then, from the back of the class, I heard it again.
"See? He even left her a love note."
"Told you they're a thing."
"Poor Akio though… imagine watching that."
Laughter. Low. Mean.
It crawled under my skin like a burn I couldn't scratch.
I turned around sharply — and saw Akio.
He wasn't laughing.
Just sitting there, stiff, his jaw tight, pretending not to hear.
But the way the others glanced at him — I knew.
The gossip had come from him.
That same ache from Saturday returned — heavier, sharper.
I wanted to believe it wasn't true. That Akio, who used to defend me when people teased, wouldn't be the one to twist something so small into a rumor that now had a life of its own.
But the look on his face — guilt mixed with distance — said everything I didn't want to hear.
(Akio's POV)
The whispers wouldn't stop.
They clung to me like static.
I thought if I kept quiet, they'd move on — but instead, they turned into something worse.
Every time someone laughed, I felt it dig deeper.
And when Kiyomi turned in her seat, her eyes meeting mine — I couldn't hold her gaze.
Because deep down, I knew.
She already knew.
I didn't mean for it to spread that far.
It was just a careless conversation I had when I was frustrated — when Minato's name started coming up more than mine.
It started on Monday, when school had closed. No one was in the class except from Sakura and I. And we were both packing our books in our bags.
I had just seen Minato and Kiyomi leave the classroom together and it made me very angry.
I had clenched my teeth so hard that Sakura looked at me for a moment and I felt something shift inside me and blurted out...
" Akio:You know he stayed at her place, right?
Sakura: What do you mean?
Akio: Forget about it.
Sakura:(Deceitfully) No, I won't. Akio, you're hurting. I know something is hurting you. And I'd like to know what it is. Would you tell me?
I fell silent, my body went still.
Sakura:(Disappointed) It's okay if you don't want to tell me. I was just really worried and concerned about you, that's why I asked. But it's okay (She hung her bag, ready to leave).
I felt a hint of sincerity in her words, then I decided to tell her. She was already heading towards the door, then I spoke.
Akio: Minato...
She stopped at her tracks.
Akio:(Continues) He stayed at her house.
She turned to face me.
Sakura:(Confused) What? Why?
I leaned against my desk, my hands gripping it to steady myself. I exhaled softly and completely lost it, I couldn't keep it in anymore.
Akio: We had a sleepover.
Sakura: We?
Akio: Asahi, Hinata, Minato, Kiyomi and I.
Sakura: Well, that was nice.
Akio: It should have been.
Sakura: What do you mean? What happened?
Akio: They were doing things behind our backs.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
Sakura: What did they do?
Akio: As we played midnight games, Kiyomi went to the kitchen saying she was thirsty and after a while Minato stood up too, saying he had to do something. And Asahi also stood up saying he was going to find the toilet. As Asahi was on his way, he stumbled on the kitchen and saw Minato and Kiyomi really close to each other, whispering about something. When he came back from the toilet, he told me all about it. And I felt like something fishy was going on. So when everyone went in to sleep, Minato left the room. And I also left my room cause I couldn't sleep, so I decided to take a stroll. As I walked in the corridor, I saw a fading light coming from the kitchen. I went to check what it was, and I saw Minato and Kiyomi together. She said she couldn't sleep because of him, cause he was on her mind. And he said that she was doing something to his heart. And then he left. Like what the hell?
She walked towards me, her gaze meeting mine.
Sakura: I'm so sorry you had to see that. I know how hard it must've been to see the love of your life with someone else.
Akio: "...love of your life"?
Sakura: Don't act like you don't like her, Akio. Everyone in class already knows.
She came forward and hugged me.
Sakura: I'm truly sorry that you had to go through all that. You seem like the villain, but the real villain is actually Minato.
Akio: Just wish she'd see me the way she see's him.
Sakura: I promise you that one day, she will.
Akio: I hope so.
She pulled away from my embrace.
Sakura: I have to go, my friends are waiting for me.
She walked towards the door and I stopped her again.
Akio: Sakura...
She froze.
Akio:(Continues) Thanks for listening to me. Sorry I had to bore you with my problem.
Sakura: It's okay. It was nice hearing you out. Anytime you need to talk, just call me and I'd come right away.
Akio: Sure.
She then left."
That's exactly what happened.
But I had completely forgotten that Sakura was the ringleader of all gossips in our class. And I had just given her a very entertaining rumour to spread, that'll get everyone's attention.
Now it was too late to take it back.
And the worst part was… I didn't even know if I wanted to.
Because part of me still hated how easily Minato made her smile — a smile that used to be mine to cause.
(Hinata's POV)
The morning felt different — like everyone was walking on invisible glass.
Even Asahi was quiet.
He leaned back in his chair, staring at nothing in particular. When I nudged him, he gave a small half-smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.
Hinata: You okay?
Asahi: Yeah. Just thinking.
Hinata: About?
Asahi: …stuff.
He said it like it was nothing, but I could feel it — the same weight I felt.
Whatever had started between us last week, it wasn't something we could just laugh off anymore.
There was a shift — small but real.
And when he looked at me, really looked — it felt like he could see past everything I tried to hide.
Then, from the other side of the class, a murmur rose — sharp enough to cut through the air.
"Guess we know who the real lovebirds are."
"Minato and Kiyomi, huh? No wonder Akio's been quiet."
Asahi sighed, muttering under his breath,
Asahi: People can't mind their own business.
Then he looked over at Kiyomi — who was still staring down at the flower like it was both saving her and breaking her.
And I saw it then — the way Minato's eyes flicked to her, the way Akio's stayed glued to his desk.
All of them trapped in the same silence none of us wanted to break.
(Kiyomi's POV)
By lunch break, I couldn't take it anymore.
I found Akio standing by the stairwell, his hands in his pockets, looking anywhere but at me.
Kiyomi: You told them, didn't you?
He froze.
Kiyomi: About that night. About what happened.
He turned to me, eyes wide, then looked away.
Akio: I didn't mean for it to get this far. I just…
Kiyomi:(Interrupting) You just what?
My voice cracked, soft but sharp.
Kiyomi: You wanted to hurt me? Or him?
He didn't answer.
The silence was enough.
I stepped closer, my heart pounding.
Kiyomi: You could've just talked to me, Akio. You didn't have to turn everyone against us.
For a second, his mask slipped — and the guilt in his eyes was raw.
Akio: I know. I messed up. I just— I didn't want to lose everything.
But the thing is… he already had.
I didn't yell. I didn't cry. I just nodded slowly, the kind of nod that meant I understand, but I can't forgive this — not yet.
Then I walked away.
That evening, Minato waited by the school gate, a quiet smile waiting for me like the day hadn't been heavy.
And when I saw him — standing there, sunlight catching on his hair — the world felt like it stopped judging for a second.
Minato: You saw the flower, right?
I smiled weakly.
Kiyomi: Yeah… I did. It was beautiful.
Minato: You deserve beautiful things, Kiyomi. Even when people try to take that away.
He said it so simply — and maybe that's what made it feel real.
For the first time all day, I felt something break free inside me.
Not the sadness.
Just the weight.
And even though everything around us was falling apart, somehow, standing next to him, I believed we could survive it.