The morning after the storm, the sun returned like nothing had happened.
Warm light poured into the school hallways, and students bustled with renewed urgency. The festival was back on schedule, thanks to everyone's overnight efforts.
But Leo felt none of that sunshine.
He sat at his desk in homeroom, head lowered, hands clasped loosely together.
Across the room, Yuki chatted with classmates, her tone light, her laugh a little too loud.
It was forced.
He could tell.
She hadn't spoken to him since the night before.
Hana, on the other hand, entered the room quietly and gave him a small nod before sitting down. She wasn't avoiding him—but she wasn't pushing, either.
And Rin? Nowhere to be seen yet.
Kai dropped into the seat beside him.
"You," Kai said, chewing gum, "are in so much emotional debt you need a second soul to carry the balance."
Leo groaned. "Can you not?"
"Nope."
Kai leaned in. "So. You, Hana, thunderstorm, wet clothes, dramatic save… and then Yuki sees it all. That about right?"
"…Yes."
Kai let out a low whistle. "Oof. You need a damage control plan."
"I didn't do anything wrong."
"True. But when has that ever mattered?"
---
During lunch, Leo stepped out to the courtyard alone. He needed air.
He didn't expect to find Rin there.
She was sitting on a bench under the big camphor tree, a boxed lunch unopened beside her.
She looked up as he approached. "Hey."
"Hey," he replied.
He sat down beside her, careful to leave a polite distance.
For a moment, neither said anything.
Then Rin spoke. "I heard about last night."
Leo stiffened. "From… Yuki?"
She nodded. "She was upset. But she didn't say much. Just that she saw you and Hana together."
He rubbed the back of his neck. "It wasn't what it looked like."
"I know."
He blinked.
She smiled faintly. "You're not the kind of person who'd play around. I know that much."
"…Thanks."
She looked down at her lunch. "But that doesn't mean it didn't hurt her."
He said nothing.
Rin glanced sideways. "Do you like Hana?"
The question hit harder than he expected.
He didn't answer right away. "I… don't know."
Rin nodded slowly. "Then maybe it's time you start finding out."
He turned to her. "And what about you?"
She met his gaze. "I don't know either. But I won't pretend to be okay if I'm not. Not anymore."
Her voice trembled at the edges.
"I thought I could be rational about this. That as long as we were friends, I'd be fine. But lately… it's getting harder."
"Rin…"
"I don't need an answer now," she said. "I just wanted you to know that I'm not waiting forever. Not in silence."
Then she stood.
"See you at the committee meeting."
And walked away.
---
The rest of the day passed in a fog.
Leo's mind replayed Rin's words, Hana's expression, Yuki's forced smile.
He didn't ask for any of this. But that didn't mean he could run from it.
By the time the sun set, he found himself standing outside the music room.
He could hear Yuki's voice inside—she was practicing for her performance.
He didn't knock.
He just stood there, listening.