Yuki arrived at the science building at 3:55 PM, her heart beating a little faster than normal. She'd changed clothes after her last class, swapping her morning outfit for a soft blue sweater and jeans. Then immediately wondered if the change would be too obvious.
It's not a date, she reminded herself as she climbed the stairs to the roof. We're just... talking.
The door code worked just as it had the day before. 4-7-2-1. The lock clicked, and Yuki pushed the door open, stepping out into the crisp autumn air.
Haruki was already there, sitting in the same spot as yesterday, his back against the low wall. This time, instead of a textbook, he had a sketchpad balanced on his knees. He looked up as she approached, quickly closing the pad.
"You came," he said, and though his expression remained neutral, there was something like relief in his voice.
"I said I would." Yuki settled beside him, leaving a respectful distance between them. "Were you drawing?"
Haruki glanced down at the closed sketchpad. "Just doodling. Helps me stay awake."
"Can I see?"
He hesitated, his fingers tightening slightly around the pad. "They're not very good."
"I bet that's not true."
A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Maybe another time."
Yuki nodded, not wanting to push. She looked out at the campus spread below them, the buildings bathed in the golden light of late afternoon. "Did you get any sleep today?"
"A few hours. Between classes."
"In the library again?"
"No. There's an old storage room in the engineering building. The janitor lets me use it sometimes."
Yuki tried to picture it: Haruki curled up in some forgotten corner of campus, stealing moments of rest. Her chest ached at the thought.
"That can't be comfortable," she said softly.
He shrugged. "Better than nothing."
A comfortable silence fell between them. Yuki snuck a glance at him, noting the dark circles under his eyes weren't quite as pronounced as they had been that morning. His hair was slightly damp, as if he'd recently showered.
"Thank you for the note in class," she said finally. "It was... unexpected."
"Good unexpected or bad unexpected?"
"Good. Definitely good."
Haruki nodded, seeming satisfied with her answer. "The circuit boards really did say hello."
Yuki laughed, leaning slightly toward him. "What else did they say?"
"That quality control is boring and I should find a better job." His tone was dry, but there was humor in his eyes.
"Why don't you?" she asked, genuinely curious. "Find a better job, I mean."
The humor faded from his expression. "It pays well. And the hours work with my class schedule."
"But you're exhausted all the time."
"I manage."
There was something in his voice that suggested the topic wasn't open for further discussion. Yuki decided to change course.
"So, your brother went here?" she asked, remembering the detail he'd shared the day before.
Haruki nodded. "Graduated with honors. Engineering."
"Is that what you're studying too?"
"Computer science."
"Do you like it?"
He considered the question, tilting his head slightly. "Parts of it. The programming, yes. The theory, sometimes. The group projects..." He made a face.
Yuki smiled. "Not a team player?"
"Not good with people," he corrected, picking at a loose thread on his jeans. "They find me... difficult."
"I don't find you difficult."
Haruki looked at her then, really looked at her, with an intensity that made her breath catch. "No. You don't. That's... unusual."
The way he said it, like it was a puzzle he couldn't quite solve, made Yuki's heart beat a little faster. She looked away, suddenly self conscious.
"Maybe you're just not as complicated as you think," she suggested.
"Or maybe you see things others don't."
The words hung between them, heavy with meaning Yuki wasn't sure she fully understood. She pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them.
"Can I ask you something?" she said after a moment.
"You can ask. I might not answer."
Fair enough. "Why did you invite me up here yesterday? The real reason."
Haruki was quiet for so long that Yuki thought he might not answer at all. When he finally spoke, his voice was low, almost hesitant.
"I don't sleep much," he began. "Even when I can. My mind... it doesn't quiet easily."
Yuki nodded, encouraging him to continue.
"But that day in the library, when I saw you looking at me... I slept. Really slept, for the first time in weeks." He ran a hand through his hair, seeming embarrassed by the admission. "And then when we crashed into each other, and you didn't... you weren't..."
"Wasn't what?"
"You weren't trying to get something from me," he said finally. "Everyone wants something. Information, attention, answers to homework. But you just... saw me."
The simplicity of his explanation made Yuki's throat tighten. How lonely must someone be to notice such a small kindness?
"So I thought maybe," he continued, his voice growing quieter, "if we talked again, I might sleep better again."
"Did it work?" Yuki asked softly. "After yesterday?"
A ghost of a smile touched his lips. "Yes."
Something warm unfurled in Yuki's chest. The idea that her presence had somehow helped him find peace felt significant in a way she couldn't quite name.
"I'm glad," she said simply.
The sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in deepening shades of orange and pink. A cool breeze swept across the roof, and Yuki shivered slightly.
"Cold?" Haruki asked, noticing.
"A little."
He hesitated, then reached into his backpack and pulled out a gray hoodie. "Here."
"Oh, I couldn't"
"I run warm," he insisted, holding it out to her. "And I have to leave for work soon anyway."
Yuki accepted the hoodie with a small smile. "Thank you."
She pulled it over her head, immediately enveloped in warmth and the faint scent of laundry detergent and something distinctly... him. It was far too big, the sleeves hanging well past her fingertips, but she found she didn't mind.
"It suits you," Haruki said, his voice so quiet she almost didn't hear it.
Yuki felt her cheeks warm. "When do you have to leave?"
He checked his phone. "Twenty minutes. I should probably head out soon to catch the train."
"I could walk with you," she offered, then immediately wondered if she was being too forward. "To the station, I mean. If you want company."
Haruki looked surprised by the offer, but not displeased. "You don't have to."
"I know. I'd like to."
He studied her for a moment, as if trying to decipher some hidden motive, then nodded. "Okay."
They gathered their things in comfortable silence. As they headed for the door, Yuki noticed Haruki moving a bit stiffly, like his muscles were sore.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"Just tired," he replied. "The storage room floor isn't exactly a luxury mattress."
Yuki frowned. "There has to be a better place for you to rest between classes."
"It's fine. I'm used to it."
But it wasn't fine, Yuki thought as they made their way down the stairs. Someone shouldn't have to be "used to" sleeping on floors and in libraries just to get through the day.
They exited the science building side by side, walking at a leisurely pace toward the campus gates. The evening was settling in, the air growing cooler as the sun dipped lower on the horizon. Students passed them, some casting curious glances their way, or more specifically, at Yuki wearing Haruki's distinctively oversized hoodie.
"People are staring," Haruki murmured, his shoulders tensing slightly.
"Let them," Yuki replied with more confidence than she felt. "They're probably just jealous of my new fashion statement."
That earned her a small laugh, a quiet, rusty sound that made her irrationally proud to have elicited it.
As they approached the train station, Yuki found herself wishing the walk was longer. There was something easy about being with Haruki, despite his reputation for being difficult and distant. When it was just the two of them, away from curious eyes and whispered rumors, he was... different. Softer, somehow.
"This is me," Haruki said as they reached the station entrance.
Yuki nodded, suddenly unsure what to say. "Good luck with the circuit boards tonight."
"Thanks." He hesitated, then added, "Keep the hoodie. It's cold out."
"But how will I return it to you?"
A small smile played at the corner of his mouth. "I guess you'll have to see me again."
Yuki's heart skipped a beat. "I guess I will."
Haruki's phone buzzed in his pocket. He checked it and frowned. "My train's coming. I should go."
"Of course."
He took a step toward the platform, then paused, turning back to her. "Yuki?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you. For walking with me."
The sincerity in his voice made her chest tighten. "Anytime."
Haruki nodded, his eyes lingering on hers for a moment longer than necessary, before turning and disappearing into the station.
Yuki stood there for a minute, watching the space where he'd been, before slowly making her way back toward campus. She pulled the sleeves of his hoodie over her hands, breathing in the faint scent that clung to the fabric.
I guess you'll have to see me again.
The thought made her smile all the way back to her dorm. Tomorrow she'd check the student directory for his class schedule. Maybe she could bring him coffee before his morning lecture. Or maybe she'd find him in the library again, sleeping in the sunlight. Either way, she knew one thing for certain, this connection, whatever it was, felt rare. And she wasn't ready to let it go.