Kaito Yukishiro wasn't used to second-guessing himself.
He won debates, closed startup deals before deadlines, and turned casual introductions into meaningful contacts. But when it came to Miki—no, Miko—he felt like he was trying to solve a puzzle without the edge pieces.
Something about her made him hesitate. She wasn't wowed by his name, didn't laugh just because he was charming. And that intrigued him more than it should have.
He'd asked her out for coffee again. She hadn't replied yet.
He found himself retyping the same message three times before deleting it. That wasn't like him. But neither was chasing anyone who didn't chase him back.
He thought back to their last conversation. She'd been warm, but distant. Like she was half-listening, half-worrying about something else.
What he didn't know was that the "something else" was Reiji.
The irony wasn't lost on him. He and Reiji had known each other for years. Not close friends, but respected rivals. They didn't hate each other—if anything, Kaito admired Reiji's quiet mind and self-discipline. He always had.
And now, unknowingly, they were standing on opposite sides of the same fault line.
He pulled up Reiji's name in his contacts.
Debated messaging him. Joking about "some girl" he met. Seeing if Reiji even knew her. Just to test the water.
He didn't hit send.
Instead, he pocketed his phone and stared at the campus skyline, wondering why this one girl had him hesitating.
And what it would mean if he kept going.