The school courtyard was quiet.
A small patch of trimmed grass, a few low trees, a wooden bench faded by weather and time—it was a peaceful little corner of the campus most students ignored.
Which made it perfect.
Shuu and Sakura sat side by side, bento boxes in their laps.
Birdsong drifted faintly from the branches above. The breeze rustled the leaves with soft sighs.
Sakura, as always, ate in small, graceful bites.
Shuu had stopped bringing convenience store sandwiches and now packed simple homemade lunches. (Credit to YouTube cooking tutorials and a lot of burned rice.)
"You don't have to eat with me every day," Sakura said quietly, looking down at her chopsticks.
"Who says I don't want to?" Shuu replied, smiling. "Unless… you're tired of me?"
Sakura shook her head instantly. "No. Not at all. I just… I don't want to take up your time."
"You're not," Shuu said. "Honestly, this is the part of the day I look forward to the most."
Sakura paused mid-bite.
Then she quickly looked away, ears turning a soft pink.
"…You say things like that so easily."
"Only when I mean them," Shuu replied.
A long silence followed.
But it wasn't empty—it was full of unspoken things.
Shuu opened his mouth to speak again—but just then, the courtyard gate creaked.
Footsteps approached.
He turned.
And of course—
"Found you~!"
Motoko Iura, pink hair swaying, marched into the courtyard like she owned the place, a milk carton in one hand and a bag of chips in the other.
"Figures you'd sneak off somewhere romantic," she said cheerfully.
Shuu resisted the urge to sigh. "How did you even find this spot?"
"Lucky guess," she grinned, plopping herself down on the ground in front of them. "Don't worry, I won't third-wheel. Just pretend I'm a decorative garden gnome."
Sakura blinked.
Shuu muttered, "You're the loudest gnome I've ever seen."
Motoko opened her chips and began munching, utterly unfazed. "Sooo~ what were you two lovebirds talking about? Confessions? Marriage plans? Secret identities?"
Shuu gave her a warning glance. "Motoko."
She held up her hands. "Kidding, kidding. Don't get your banana milk in a twist."
Sakura quietly covered her mouth, stifling a laugh.
Shuu blinked, surprised.
Even with Motoko interrupting, Sakura was laughing.
It was soft and fleeting—but real.
For a moment, he realized something:
Maybe… this wasn't interference.
Maybe it was just a different kind of scene.
Less romantic.
More chaotic.
But strangely… warm.