For the next few days, Airi acted completely normal.
She greeted Tenkei in the mornings with a gentle smile, spoke politely during class, and even helped him when he dropped his books. To everyone else, she looked like a kind and quiet girl who simply cared about her classmates. Even Miko noticed it.
"She seems nicer lately," Miko said one afternoon while walking home. "Maybe she changed."
Tenkei nodded slowly. "M-Maybe…"
But something about Airi's smile made him uncomfortable. It was always perfect, always calm, always too gentle, as if she was hiding something behind it. Still, he didn't want to judge her. He had always been bad at understanding people, and he didn't want to think badly about anyone.
One evening, after club activities ended, Tenkei was putting his books into his bag when Airi approached him quietly.
"Tenkei… can I talk to you for a moment?" she asked softly.
He looked up in surprise. "E-Eh? S-Sure…"
She glanced around the empty classroom and then pointed toward the rooftop.
"Up there… it's quiet."
He hesitated for a second, then nodded. "O-Okay…"
They walked together in silence. The sunset painted the sky in orange and pink, and a cool breeze passed between them. When they reached the rooftop, Airi stopped near the fence and looked out at the city below.
"It's beautiful," she said quietly.
"Y-Yeah…" Tenkei replied.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Only the sound of wind and distant traffic filled the air. Tenkei began to feel nervous. His chest tightened, and his hands started to sweat.
Then Airi turned toward him.
"Tenkei… I've liked you for a long time."
His heart stopped.
"Eh…?"
"I've watched you," she continued, her voice trembling slightly. "You're kind. You never hurt anyone. You always think about others first. Even when you're suffering, you don't complain. I… I fell in love with that."
She stepped closer.
"I know you like Miko," she said quietly. "Everyone can see that. But… I wanted to try. I didn't want to regret staying silent forever."
She took a deep breath, her eyes shining.
"Tenkei Hatsuhinode… will you go out with me?"
The world seemed to freeze.
Tenkei's mind went blank.
His ears rang.
His heart beat wildly.
He looked at Airi's face, filled with hope and fear, and felt panic rise inside him. He had never imagined someone would confess to him like this. He had always thought of himself as weak, boring, and unimportant.
"M-Me…?" he whispered.
She nodded.
"Yes. You."
He lowered his head. His hands shook.
"I… I'm sorry…" he said quietly.
Airi's smile faded.
"I… I like someone else," he continued, forcing himself to speak. "I… I've liked her for a long time. Since I was small. She saved me so many times… she stayed with me when everyone left… she's always in my heart…"
He clenched his fists.
"I love Miko."
The words escaped before he could stop them.
Silence filled the rooftop.
Airi stared at him.
For a few seconds, she said nothing.
Then she smiled.
It was soft.
Too soft.
"I see…" she said calmly. "Thank you for being honest."
"I-I'm really sorry…" Tenkei bowed deeply. "I didn't want to hurt you…"
"It's okay," she replied. "Really. I'm glad I tried."
She turned away.
"You should go home," she added lightly. "Miko is probably waiting."
He nodded.
"Y-Yeah… I'll go…"
Without looking back, Tenkei ran down the stairs. His heart was still racing, his face burning with embarrassment and confusion. He didn't even notice how fast he was moving. All he could think about was Miko. Her smile. Her voice. Her warmth. He wanted to see her. Right now.
On the rooftop, Airi remained alone.
The gentle smile slowly disappeared from her face.
Her eyes became dark.
Her hands tightened around the fence.
"So… it's her," she whispered.
Her lips curved into a thin, twisted smile.
"No matter what…"
"I won't give you to her."
The sunset faded.
And so did her kindness.