The bell rang, dismissing the last period of the day. Jousuke leaned back in his chair, his mind still half-stuck on the earlier conversation in the student council office. He had barely registered most of his afternoon classes—his thoughts kept circling back to Kaede Miyazaki's face, her nervous boldness, and Aria Poku's knowing look.
He sighed and started packing his things.
"Kaede... she's really braver than I thought. To just... admit all that in front of the president too..." he thought.
"Daikuhara-kun, heading home already?" a classmate asked.
"Yeah. Just going straight home today." Jousuke answered with a small smile.
He waved lightly and slipped out of Class 1-F, the late afternoon sunlight spilling into the hallway windows. Students chatted and laughed, rushing for their club activities or meeting up with friends. But Jousuke kept his pace slow. The fresh start of the new year had already thrown his heart into a storm, and he wasn't sure how long he could keep it together.
By the time he reached the school gates, the crowd had thinned out. The winter air brushed against his cheeks, crisp but not harsh. He adjusted the scarf around his neck—the very scarf Kaede had given him—and stepped onto the quiet street leading home.
That's when he heard a familiar voice.
"Daikuhara-kun."
He turned.
Rika Sakurai stood a few meters away, wearing her school coat and scarf, her hair neatly tied back. Surprisingly, her twin sister Ruka wasn't with her.
"Ah—Sakurai-san." Jousuke blinked, a little startled. "You're... alone?"
Rika smiled faintly. "For once, yes. Ruka had to stay behind for something." She paused, then walked up beside him. "You don't mind if I walk with you, right?"
Jousuke shook his head. "Not at all."
They fell into step together, the sound of their shoes crunching lightly against the pavement. For a moment, silence hung between them, but it wasn't awkward. Jousuke glanced at her, waiting for her to say something, because he could tell from her expression that she had a purpose.
Sure enough, Rika tilted her head slightly and asked, "Hey, Daikuhara-kun... what do you think about physics?"
"...Physics?" Jousuke raised an eyebrow, caught off guard.
"Yes. Physics." Rika's lips curved into a small, curious smile. "It's been on my mind. Equations, the way the world works, all those things. I was reviewing a bit over break, and... I thought you might have some opinions."
Jousuke chuckled lightly. "That's a pretty heavy topic for a walk home."
"Then you don't mind, do you?"
"Not at all." He adjusted his bag on his shoulder. "Honestly... physics is hard for me. But I like the idea that it explains why everything moves the way it does. Why the stars shine, why an apple falls from a tree... why fireworks burst in the sky."
Rika's eyes lit up. "Yes! Exactly. It's like... the rules behind beauty. The fireworks on New Year's Eve, they weren't just random explosions. They were math, timing, gravity, velocity—all combined into something breathtaking."
Jousuke gave her an impressed glance. "You sound like you really love it."
"I do." Rika admitted. "But I also love how... unpredictable people are, compared to physics. You can calculate a falling ball, but you can't calculate a person's heart."
Her words lingered in the air.
Jousuke rubbed the back of his neck, half-laughing. "That's true. People don't follow equations."
"But don't you think..." Rika continued, her voice lowering slightly, "that sometimes, the way people meet feels like physics too? Like... trajectories intersecting at just the right moment?"
"...That's one way to put it," Jousuke replied slowly. He wasn't sure whether she was talking about science anymore—or something deeper.
Rika looked at him, her expression calm but her eyes bright with thought. "For example, you and I walking here now. If I had left school a minute later, or if you had stopped to tie your shoes, we wouldn't be walking together. It's... kind of like a collision problem, isn't it?"
Jousuke blinked. "A collision problem...?"
"Yes." Rika chuckled softly. "Two objects moving along different paths, meeting at one point in time."
Jousuke smiled at that. "Then... what's the result of this collision?"
"That's the fun part." Rika said, eyes glinting. "The outcome isn't fixed. Unlike physics, people's choices matter."
Their conversation went on, drifting between real science and playful analogies. They talked about acceleration, friction, even black holes—and every time, Rika twisted the topic into something that hinted at emotions, connections, or destiny.
At one point, Jousuke laughed outright. "Sakurai-san, you make physics sound... poetic."
"I just see poetry in everything." she admitted, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Even in equations."
Their steps slowed as they reached a quieter street, lined with bare winter trees. Rika hugged her books close to her chest, her voice soft but steady.
"Daikuhara-kun... do you think feelings can be explained like physics? Like... if you put enough force, someone's heart will move?"
Jousuke hesitated, meeting her gaze. "...I think feelings are more complicated than that. But maybe... the effort still matters."
Rika smiled faintly, almost sadly. "...I thought you'd say that."
Just then—
Thud!
A figure bumped into Jousuke from the side. He stumbled a step before steadying himself, quickly turning.
"Ah—sorry!"
It was Leah Boutsuki, clutching her schoolbag tightly, her face flushed from running. She froze when she saw him standing there with Rika.
"...Daikuhara-kun?" Leah's voice wavered.
Rika blinked, her calm demeanor shifting as she glanced between them. The air grew heavier instantly, charged in a way no physics formula could explain.
And just like that, the quiet walk turned into something far more complicated.