Homeroom was twenty minutes from starting, but most of Class 1-B was already abuzz.
Desks scraped. Bags hit the floor. Someone was eating yogurt far too loudly in the back.
And then—
"Morning, Kagami."
Saito didn't look up from his textbook.
He'd heard her voice enough now to categorize it: mildly teasing, medium-pitched, and often accompanied by the faint jingle of a charm on her pencil case.
"Good morning," he replied without emotion.
Riko plopped into the seat beside him—her usual one—while half the classroom tilted their heads just slightly in their direction.
"Did you forget your breakfast again?" she asked, leaning toward his bag.
"I don't eat until second period."
"Still weird."
"I've logged no health detriments."
She smiled, reached into her own bag, and tore open a bread roll.
"Here," she said, placing it on his desk. "You'll work better if your brain isn't starving."
"I don't need—"
"I'll take it back."
He picked it up.
"…Thank you."
"See? You're improving."
Second period came. Math.
Saito solved the warm-up exercises before the teacher even gave the full instructions.
Riko tapped his shoulder.
"Hey. Can I borrow your ruler?"
He handed it to her.
A few minutes later—
"…Also, eraser?"
Another handoff.
Ten minutes later—
"Mechanical pencil? Mine's jammed."
He slid it over without a word.
By the end of class, Riko had a third of his supplies arranged on her desk like she'd raided his pencil case in a blackout.
Some classmates chuckled.
Others started whispering.
Even the teacher glanced at them once with an expression that said, "Oh?"
By lunchtime, the damage was done.
"Yo, Kagami," said a boy with spiked hair and too much cologne, "you and Kumijo-san, huh?"
Saito blinked.
"No."
"Aw, c'mon, man. You're letting her borrow your pencil now?"
"She needed one."
"And you didn't even blush?"
"There was no stimulus for blushing."
The guy cracked up and walked away.
Saito frowned.
Was there something I missed?
By final period, the whispers had solidified into full-fledged gossip.
"I heard Kumijo's got a thing for him."
"No way, she's just being friendly."
"Friendly with his supplies? That's girlfriend territory."
Saito tried to tune it out, but the stares became hard to ignore. Especially from a group near the window, where Ryouta Takeda sat.
Ryouta was taller than most of the other boys, had dyed brown hair, and often wore his tie loosely like he was doing the school uniform a personal favor.
He and Riko had spoken often. Loudly, casually, with inside jokes and too much arm-shoving.
Saito had assumed they were longtime friends.
But when Ryouta glanced at him today, the expression wasn't friendly.
It was assessing.
After class, as students filtered out, Saito collected his things. Riko had already left with her friends.
He reached for his bag—
"Hey. Kagami, right?"
He turned.
Ryouta Takeda leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed.
"Yes," Saito said.
"You got a minute?"
Saito stared at him for a long moment.
Then nodded.
They ended up outside, near the vending machines behind the gym. Out of earshot.
Ryouta didn't look angry.
He looked... uncomfortable.
"Look," he started, rubbing the back of his neck, "I'm not here to fight or anything."
"I didn't assume violence."
"Good. Cool."
Silence.
Then—
"It's just—people are saying stuff. About you and Riko."
Saito tilted his head. "I'm aware."
"And you don't… think that's weird?"
"Why would I?"
"She never used to hang around any one guy so much. She's friendly, yeah, but this—this is different."
"Quantify 'different.'"
Ryouta frowned. "She's laughing at your deadpan jokes. Borrowing your stuff. Sitting next to you every day. That doesn't bother you?"
"No."
Ryouta's jaw tightened.
"I don't think she realizes how it looks."
Saito folded his arms.
"Do you?"
"…What's that supposed to mean?"
"You like her."
Ryouta went very still.
The silence hung in the air like dust motes in sunlight.
"I haven't said that," he muttered.
"You didn't have to."
Ryouta's eyes narrowed. "You some kind of mind reader?"
"No," Saito said simply. "You're just very easy to read."
For a second, the air between them was stiff.
Then Ryouta laughed. Once. Bitterly.
"…You really don't get how people work, do you?"
"I'm learning."
Ryouta stared at him.
"…Are you serious about her?"
Saito blinked.
"That question is unclear. Define 'serious.'"
Ryouta sighed, stepping back.
"Whatever, man."
Saito didn't respond.
He just watched him walk away.
The rest of the day passed in quiet, fractured thoughts.
The whispering died down. Or maybe Saito stopped registering it.
By the time he left the school gates, the sunlight was stretching long and gold across the pavement.
He didn't expect anyone to be waiting.
But Riko was leaning against the wall, fiddling with her phone.
When she looked up and saw him, she straightened and grinned.
"Yo."
"Why are you here?" he asked.
She shrugged. "Wanted to ask you something."
"…You could have texted."
"I don't have your number."
"…Oh."
She gave him a look. "Don't look so shocked. It's not like you've ever offered."
He stayed silent.
Then:
"…What did you want to ask?"
Riko brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, suddenly avoiding his gaze.
"So, uh…" she began, "me and some of the girls — and a couple of the guys — are going into town on Saturday. Just hanging out. Shopping, food court, purikura, that kind of thing."
Saito nodded once. "Understood."
She glanced at him. "You should come."
There was a pause.
The birds in the trees were chirping somewhere far off. Someone rode by on a bike.
Saito stared at her.
"…Why?"
"Why not?"
"I don't do well in crowded places."
"Then you'll be our bodyguard."
"I don't have combat training."
"You're built like you do."
"…That's unrelated."
Riko laughed under her breath.
Then looked at him again, more seriously this time.
"I want you there."
Saito blinked.
He hadn't expected that.
Not phrased like that.
"…Okay," he said.
She smiled.
Wide. Bright. A little surprised.
"Cool. I'll text you the time. And don't bail. I'll find you."
"I believe you."
They stood there for a second while exchanging contact info.
No teasing.
No ruler-borrowing.
Just something quiet.
Then Riko spun around and jogged off, waving over her shoulder.
"Later, Kagami!"
Saito watched her go.
Day 20:
Subject: Riko Kumijo.
Public perception: altered.
Peer confrontation: occurred.
Emotional clarity: compromised.
New event scheduled: Saturday outing.
Purpose: unknown.
Anticipation level: rising.
He stared down at his shoes.
Then turned toward home.