Morning sunlight brushed against the worn walls of Saino's small house as he stepped outside and quietly closed the door behind him.
The street was still half-asleep.
A few shops were opening.
Bicycles rolled past.
The air carried the lingering chill of dawn.
Saino slipped both hands into his pockets and began walking toward school.
His expression remained calm.
Empty.
His thoughts, unusually, were silent.
That peace lasted less than five minutes.
Near a small convenience store, several boys had gathered around a lone girl.
Their laughter echoed through the quiet street.
"Come on, don't be so cold."
"At least tell us your name."
"We're just trying to be friendly."
The girl tightened her grip on her school bag.
Her shoulders trembled slightly.
She avoided eye contact.
Saino glanced at them once.
Only once.
Dogs.
The thought appeared and disappeared.
Without slowing down, he continued walking.
The sounds behind him gradually faded.
Soon, they no longer existed.
"Yo! Saino!"
A familiar voice called out from behind.
Saino turned slightly.
Yagami jogged toward him, smiling as brightly as ever.
"Good morning."
"Morning."
"How are you today?"
"Good enough to go to school."
Yagami laughed.
"I'll take that as a positive answer."
Together, they continued toward VECTORECSECT Institute.
One walked with energy.
The other walked in silence.
Yet somehow, they had remained friends for years.
The classroom buzzed with its usual noise.
Conversations overlapped.
Chairs scraped against the floor.
Students exchanged gossip before class began.
Then the door opened.
The teacher entered.
A second figure followed behind her.
The room immediately grew quieter.
The newcomer appeared to be around their age.
Neatly combed black hair.
Sharp eyes hidden behind elegant glasses.
A composed smile.
The sort of person who drew attention without asking for it.
The teacher gestured toward him.
"We have a transfer student joining us today."
Whispers immediately spread throughout the classroom.
specially among girls.
"He's handsome..."
"Is he a model?"
"His glasses look expensive."
The teacher asked .
"Please introduce yourself."
The boy stepped forward.
"Hello, everyone."
His voice was calm.
Refined.
"My name is Yorsi Rue."
He gave a small bow.
"I look forward to studying with all of you."
The girls reacted instantly.
Several were already whispering excitedly.
Meanwhile...
Rocky Hanjo frowned.
His eyes remained fixed on Rue.
Specifically...
His watch.
Rocky thought i know I am particularly talented in academics.
But in knewing luxurious brands.
I don't think so there is someone who would have more knowledge than me.
The watch alone was enough to make his heart skip a beat.
Limited edition.
Rare.
Almost impossible to obtain.
Then there were the rings.
The glasses.
Even the smallest details screamed wealth.
Not ordinary wealth.
Absurd wealth.
VECTORECSECT Institute wasn't an ordinary school.
The children of politicians studied there.
Business heirs.
Celebrities.
Even billionaires.
Yet none of them carried themselves quite like this.
Rocky swallowed.
Who exactly is this guy?
Rue quietly took his assigned seat.
The moment he sat down...
His eyes shifted.
Toward the window.
Toward a certain black-haired boy.
Saino.
The boy wasn't even looking at him.
He appeared completely uninterested.
For a brief moment...
Rue smiled.
A genuine smile.
Interesting.
Let's see you are really capable to surpass my expectations or not.
Lunch Break
The final bell rang.
Chaos erupted immediately.
Several girls surrounded Rue's desk.
Questions flew from every direction.
"Do you have social media?"
"Where did you transfer from?"
"Do you have a girlfriend?"
Rue answered politely.
Never too much.
Never too little.
Nearby, several boys watched with visible jealousy.
"First Yagami."
"Then Saino."
"And now this guy."
One of them clicked his tongue.
"Life really isn't fair."
Elsewhere, Saino sat quietly as though none of it concerned him.
It probably didn't.
The Cafeteria
"Yo."
Yagami placed his tray down.
"Lunch?"
"Sure."
The two sat together.
A familiar routine.
One that rarely changed.
Yagami grinned.
"Let's see who can eat more."
'' I think you will won '' saino replied.
For me.
"That's not even a challenge.
Before Yagami could complain further—
"May I join you?"
Both looked up.
Rue stood there holding a tray.
Yagami smiled immediately.
"Of course."
Rue sat down.
For several minutes, conversation flowed naturally.
Mostly between Rue and Yagami.
Saino remained quiet.
Observing.
Listening.
Occasionally responding when spoken to.
At one point, Rue turned toward him.
"You don't talk much."
"No."
Rue chuckled softly.
"Fair enough."
Something about the exchange amused him.
Though nobody understood why.
After School
The trio walked together beneath the orange glow of the evening sun.
"When I transferred here," Rue said casually, "I already planned on becoming friends with both of you."
Yagami blinked.
"Really?"
Rue nodded.
"Saino. Top scorer."
His gaze shifted.
"Yagami. Excellent grades. Excellent athlete."
Yagami laughed awkwardly.
"You researched us?"
"Only a little."
Saino remained silent.
As expected.
Eventually, they reached a crossroads.
Their paths separated.
Rue watched the two walk away.
His smile remained.
Until he was alone.
Then it vanished.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
The carefree expression disappeared completely.
"...Interesting."
Am I adapting again.
Nothing more.
Then he continued walking.
That Night
The clock read 11:07 PM.
Saino closed the final textbook.
A last revision.
Everything completed.
His room fell silent.
Slowly, he leaned back in his chair.
The same question returned.
It always did.
"If God exists..."
His eyes drifted toward the dark window.
"What would happen if someone tried to destroy Earth?"
Silence answered him.
"Would God intervene?"
His fingers tightened slightly.
"Would He save humanity?"
A pause.
"If He does..."
Then God truly cares.
The thought lingered.
"But if He doesn't..."
The room suddenly felt colder.
"...then perhaps He never cared at all."
His gaze darkened.
Countless species had existed before humanity.
Entire worlds of life erased by time.
Yet humanity remained.
Why?
Coincidence?
Or design?
"If humanity truly matters..."
His voice became quieter.
"Then extinction should be impossible."
A long silence followed.
But humanity also doesn't remained for as long as previous life's on earth.
Then—
He thought something unexpected
"But what if there is no God?"
The smile disappeared.
"...Then everything falls apart."
He stared into the darkness beyond the window.
For the first time in months...
He found himself hoping he was wrong.
Because if he wasn't...
Then one day...
He might have to test his theory.
🌿 Garden Scene — Three Days Later
Three days passed.
The school garden was quiet that afternoon, bathed in soft sunlight.
Yagami sat casually on a tree branch, one leg hanging freely as he watched something in the distance, relaxed and carefree.
Below the tree, Saino lay flat on the grass.
His eyes were closed.
A thin blade of grass rested between his lips, and one hand was tucked behind his head, as if the earth itself was his pillow.
Beside him, Rue sat on the ground, his back straight, posture composed—so different from the other two.
In just a few days, their friendship had grown naturally.
Yagami broke the silence.
"Hey, Saino," he said lazily from above.
"Do you think you'll still come first in the exams this time too?"
Saino didn't answer with words.
He simply opened one eye slightly—just enough to glance upward.
That look alone was enough.
Yagami laughed.
"Yeah, yeah. I get it."
Then he turned his head toward Rue.
"What about you, Rue? How are you in studies?"
Rue adjusted his glasses slightly.
"I'm definitely good at studying," he replied calmly.
"And this time… I think I might break Saino's record."
He said it with a soft smile—confident, but not arrogant.
Saino kept staring at the sky, the grass leaf still between his lips, completely calm.
"Wow," Yagami whistled.
"Looks like we'll see a real competition between you two."
Rue smiled faintly.
"Thank you for the appreciation."
Then Yagami stretched his arms behind his head.
"But I'm not joining you two," he added cheerfully.
"I'm already satisfied with my marks."
The breeze rustled through the leaves.
Saino slowly closed his eyes again.
✉️ The Letter — Yesterday
A memory surfaced in Saino's mind.
Yesterday.
When he had entered the classroom, a small letter lay quietly on his desk.
No name.
Just a single line written neatly:
I want to meet you alone after school.
For a brief moment, Saino had stared at it.
Is this a prank?
Or… something else?
🏢 Rooftop Meeting
After school, Saino stood on the top floor of the school building.
From above, he watched students leaving—laughing, talking, unaware.
The wind brushed past him.
So it wasn't a joke… he thought.
Footsteps.
Before the sound even fully reached him, Saino sensed it.
Someone was approaching from behind.
He turned his head calmly.
"Hello… Saino."
A girl stood there.
She was the same shy, blushing girl from before—the one who had walked past the group of girls surrounding Yagami.
Her face was red.
Her hands trembled slightly.
Saino's eyes widened just a little.
So it really wasn't a prank…
The girl hesitated.
She didn't know how to begin.
📖 Her Thoughts (Flashback)
A memory played in her mind.
She was reading a book titled:
"How to Propose to Someone"
Step one: Start with simple conversation.
Step two: Confess your feelings directly.
Another option: Ask for a date first.
🎭 Present — The Question
She gathered her courage.
"S-Saino-kun…"
"Why do you keep your hair long?"
The moment she asked—
Saino froze.
His calm expression shattered.
🕯️ Saino's Memory
Darkness.
Complete darkness.
A five-year-old Saino stood beside a bed, smiling innocently.
A shadowy figure lay there, barely visible.
A soft hand reached out and gently touched the child's hair.
🔙 Back to the Rooftop
Saino inhaled sharply.
His eyes widened with worry—but only for a moment.
He controlled himself.
The calm mask returned.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly.
"I don't think I can tell you that."
He turned away and began walking.
"W-Wait!" the girl said with surprising "
"I want to tell you something!"
Without stopping, Saino spoke coldly—
"Right now, I'm not in the mood to talk."
Then, softer:
"You can talk to me… some other time."
And he left.
The girl remained there, her face pale—confused, frustrated, and hurt.
🌿 Back to the Garden — Present
Saino opened his eyes slowly.
The sky above him was clear.
Should I apologize to her…? he thought.
This situation became more tragic than I expected.
I always try to forget my past…
But I failed.
The blade of grass shifted slightly between his lips as the wind passed.
While in the corridor
students chatting loudly, dragging chairs, packing bags, arguing about weekend plans.
Some rushed toward the school gate, others lingered in groups.
Nothing had changed in the crowd.
Except one thing.
This time, two people walked toward Saino instead of one.
Yagami and Rue approached him with casual familiarity.
"Yo, Saino," Yagami said with a grin.
"Let's go."
Saino simply nodded, picking up his bag.
The three walked together through the hallway, past the noisy students, and stepped out of the school gate side by side.
A sign of how close they had become.
---
⭐ Weekend Plans
Once they were outside after the school ended, Yagami nudged Saino lightly.
"Hey Saino, you remember, right?
Tomorrow is Sunday.
Are you ready to go to that old library?"
Saino answered without looking up.
"Yes. I'll come."
"Nice!"
Yagami then turned toward Rue.
"Hey Rue, why don't you come with us?
It'll be fun."
Rue gave an apologetic smile and shook his head.
"Sorry… I'm busy tomorrow.
I have to visit my college house for some work."
"Ohh…" Yagami exhaled.
"So you're not coming."
Rue nodded.
"Yeah, not this time. But enjoy yourselves I will try to come next event
."
Their conversation flowed naturally—
proving how much the three had grown closer.
---
⭐ Separate Paths
After walking together for a few moments rue went to his own direction path to go home
He waved his hand politely and told by frnd see you on Monday.
Then after a few moments
Yagami raised a hand.
"Alright! See you tomorrow, Saino!
Saino simply wave his hand to up. .
"…Goodbye."