At night, the world shrank to my room.
No voices. No expectations. Just four walls, dim lights, and my guitar across my lap.
I leaned forward, hit "export," and watched the bar fill up. Another song done. Not perfect, but it didn't have to be. The vocals were soft, layered over ambient chords and a beat that barely moved. Just enough rhythm to keep it alive.
I didn't name it anything special.
"ghosttrack9_finalfinal.wav"
Not the kind of title that says "please notice me."
I clicked the upload button and let the track vanish into the digital world. It was routine by now. I'd post it on my alt page. No tags. No promo. Just music floating quietly under the name Nokikaze.
I shut the laptop and stared at the wall.
I wasn't thinking about her. I told myself that twice.
But somehow... her voice still echoed in my memory.
"See you tomorrow, Music Ghost~"
She was probably just being friendly. Some girls are like that—smile at everyone, laugh like nothing bothers them.
Still, her face stayed in my mind longer than I expected.
---
The next day at school, she was already on the rooftop when I arrived.
That was new.
She was sitting against the wall, knees pulled up, staring at the sky. She didn't turn until I walked past her and sat at my usual spot.
Then she smiled.
"You're late," she said, as if we had some kind of schedule. "I almost had to sing alone."
I didn't answer.
She scooted a little closer—not close close, just less far. Her lunch was already open.
"Hey, serious question," she said between bites. "Why do you eat the same exact sandwich every day?"
I paused.
How did she even notice that?
Her eyes sparkled a little like she was teasing, but not to be mean. "You're a routine guy, huh?"
I shrugged. She grinned wider.
"I'm guessing you're the type who organizes your guitar picks by size, color, and mood."
...I actually did that.
I looked away.
"Called it," she said proudly. "You don't talk much, but your face is very readable, you know?"
It wasn't. At least, not to anyone else.
She let the silence fall again, but this time, it felt... warm. Not heavy.
Then she leaned her head back and stared at the clouds.
"Hey," she said softly, "do you ever upload your stuff online?"
That hit harder than I expected.
I glanced at her, but she wasn't looking at me. Her voice was calm, almost too casual.
"Like, some of the stuff you write," she added, "it sounds kind of familiar. Not in a bad way. Just... like something I've heard before."
I looked back down. Didn't respond.
She didn't push. Just smiled like it wasn't a big deal.
But my chest felt tight.
---
Later that day, I passed through the hallway and caught something.
Two classmates were leaning on lockers, whispering. One of them glanced toward me, then back at Hana, who walked ahead with her usual bright energy.
"Is she really talking to him?" one of them said.
The other gave a small nod, like they were watching something strange unfold. "Yeah. I mean... it's Noki."
They weren't mocking me.
Just... confused.
"He never talks to anyone," the first added. "Doesn't he hate people?"
"No," the other said. "It's not that. People just think they're not in his league."
I kept walking.
Didn't say anything.
Didn't look back.
But my grip on the strap of my bag tightened slightly.