The university was only about a ten-minute walk from the station. Before heading to the dorm, they stopped at a fast-food restaurant to grab something to eat.
The smell of food cooking in the kitchen filled the entire place, blending with the constant hum of voices around them.
They sat by the window, the city bustling outside as the warm scent of fries and burgers filled their small booth.
"So," Yua said, resting her chin on her hand, "how's life in the countryside?"
John was busy eating his burger, clearly enjoying it. After hours on the train, hunger had finally caught up with him.
He swallowed before answering.
"It got boring after you left," he said simply. "There wasn't much to do."
A quiet settled between them as John continued eating.
Then Yua spoke again, her voice softer this time.
"How's Grandma Shai doing these days?"
John froze mid-bite. His hand hovered over the burger as he slowly looked up at her. For a brief moment, he hesitated—the words heavy on his tongue.
"She died… five years ago."
Silence.
Yua's eyes drifted downward, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of the table. John cleared his throat and continued.
"The cause… was never found. Even the doctors couldn't figure it out."
They had both been cared for by Grandma Shai when they were children, until Yua's family moved away for her parents' work. But instead of sadness, worry flickered across her face—genuine concern for him.
"Are you… really okay?"
The question was quiet, but deliberate.
John offered a small, calm smile.
"I'm fine…"
"I just… deal with it."
Yua studied him carefully, taking in the faint curve of his lips.
John's parents had disappeared long before he met her—she knew that. And now, his grandmother was gone too.
And she recognized that smile.
It wasn't real.
She had seen it countless times—a shield to hide the weight he carried.
Yet somehow… even behind that smile, he was still John.
The moment lingered in silence until John spoke again.
"How's city life? I never thought it would be…"
He glanced out the window. Even through the glass, the noise of the streets carried in—cars passing, people moving, the constant rhythm of the city.
"…this populated."
Yua raised an eyebrow, not surprised.
"That's just how the city is," she said. "It's not that bad once you get used to it."
Her gaze shifted to the bag resting behind him—the same one he'd been carrying earlier.
"You're still using that bag?" she asked. "I remember you had a lot before. Why that one?"
"Oh…"
John's eyes drifted to the bag beside him.
It carried more than just his belongings—it held years of his life.
Old, but still in good condition. Carefully maintained despite its age.
A gift from his mother, on his birthday.
For a moment, memories surfaced—faint, distant, yet vivid enough to make him pause.
"John?"
No response.
Only when Yua gently touched his hand did he snap back to the present. He blinked once, clearing his thoughts.
"Yes?"
Yua let out a quiet sigh.
"You never change," she said, her tone lightly sarcastic. "Always so dramatic."
John blinked, slightly confused, but a small smile slipped through—this one more genuine.
"What do you mean?"
Yua stood, glancing at the time before looking back at him.
"We should go now… you've got a lot to do."
John suddenly remembered—there were still requirements he needed to submit.
He checked the time.
It was already afternoon.
A faint sense of urgency crept in.
Before he could respond, Yua grabbed his hand. The sudden contact sent a small jolt through him, catching him off guard.
He blinked.
"Was her hand always this soft?" he muttered under his breath.
Then he looked at her—
And saw it.
That damn smile.
It had been a long time since he'd seen it. Bright, unguarded… the kind that lingered in your memory.
He realized it again, quietly.
Yua was beautiful when she smiled like that.
"Come on, tall guy," she said, tugging him along. "Before the university office closes."
A strange warmth spread through him. Before he realized it, a wide smile had already formed on his face.
He couldn't remember the last time he felt like this.
"'Tall guy,' huh… I guess I'll take that."
....
"Compliment."
They left the restaurant, Yua still dragging him along. He hadn't seen her this energetic in a long time. He didn't resist—he simply followed, wanting to hold onto the moment a little longer.
Because some moments don't last.
After a few minutes of walking—half walking, half running—they finally arrived at the university gates.
Even from the entrance, its size was undeniable. The campus stretched far beyond what the eye could easily take in. It was, after all, the only university in the country that offered full dormitory living.
Yua stepped slightly ahead and turned back with a small grin.
"Welcome to the state university, John."
She looked almost proud—like she was presenting something important. Her posture said it all.
"This is the largest university in the country. And not only that, it's famous for—"
As Yua continued explaining, John's attention drifted.
He noticed something.
Someone was watching him.
Hm… why is she looking at me?
A girl stood not far away, her gaze fixed in their direction.
…that outfit is kind of revealing.
Yua noticed him zoning out.
"What?" she asked. "What is it?"
John blinked, caught off guard.
"Nothing…"
"Eh?"
Yua tilted her head, confused.
"Eh?"
John quickly corrected himself, tension creeping into his voice.
"I mean… wow. Heh… nothing."
Yua's gaze sharpened for a moment—just enough to make him uneasy. It felt like she could see straight through him.
Then it faded.
"Okay, I'll tell you more later," she said. "You should hurry to the office."
John let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Then he glanced back.
The girl was still there.
And now—
She was getting closer.
A faint unease settled in his chest.
"I should leave before something happens…"
But then he remembered—
He didn't even know where the office was.
"Umm… where is the office?"
"Oh, right—I forgot," Yua said. "Go straight, then turn left when you see a baseball field. The office should be right there—you'll notice it."
As Yua explained, John's mind drifted again.
Because the girl—
She was walking toward them.
Closer.
"Oh…"
"What do you mean, 'Oh'? Do you even understand where to go?"
Yua asked, eyeing John suspiciously. He looked distracted again—like his mind had wandered off somewhere far away.
"Oh—yeah, I get it. See you later!"
Before she could say anything else, John turned and hurried off. His pace was so fast it almost looked like he was competing in a race walk.
…
"What's up with him?"
Yua frowned, clearly confused. John hadn't been acting like himself lately… or maybe she had just forgotten what he was usually like.
"Ara~ ara~."
A soft, teasing voice sounded from behind her.
Both girls watched as John disappeared into the distance before Yua turned around.
"Oh, Natsuki… what are you doing here?"
Natsuki looked at her, her expression carrying a faint, unreadable hint of something beneath the surface.
"That guy was handsome… and—"
"Ahem."
Yua cut her off sharply.
Natsuki blinked, momentarily taken aback. Then, slowly, a grin spread across her lips—one that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Oh my… forgive me." Her voice softened, almost teasing. "I'm not trying to steal your man~~"
She tilted her head slightly, her gaze drifting back to where John had disappeared, as if measuring something far beyond what she said aloud.
"What do you mean, your man!?"
Yua blurted out, her face flushing bright red—closer to a cherry than a tomato, though she probably wouldn't admit that.
Natsuki let out a soft, teasing laugh.
"So that was John? He looks like a good man… even if there's something a little strange about him~~"
Yua tilted her head, confusion written all over her face. To her, John looked completely normal.
"What do you mean by that?" she asked, curiosity slipping into her voice.
Natsuki fell silent for a moment, tapping a finger lightly against her cheek as if searching for the right words.
"Handsome," she said at last.
There was a pause.
"He is handsome… but in a strange way." Her eyes narrowed slightly, her smile faint but knowing. "That's the only way I can describe it."
After saying that, Natsuki noticed Yua deep in thought. A soft smile formed on her lips as she watched her quietly.
"So… you like him?"
Yua suddenly asked.
The question hit Natsuki like a small jolt. She paused for a moment, then let out a light chuckle as she recovered.
"Oh my… are you jealous?~~"
She teased, clearly amused.
Yua went quiet for a second.
Too quiet.
Natsuki's playful expression shifted slightly, her eyes widening as she studied her reaction.
"…So you are—"
Before she could finish.
"What do you mean 'jealous'?! Who?!"
Yua quickly interrupted, her voice rising in panic.
Watching Yua's reaction only made Natsuki want to tease her more. But it seemed she had somewhere to be.
"Ara~ ara~~ I want to tease you more, but I really need to go~"
She turned slightly, glancing back over her shoulder with a playful smile.
As she prepared to walk away—still not without one last remark lingering in the air.
"Maybe…" she said lightly, glancing over her shoulder. "Then you should protect your man before I steal him~~"
Her soft, teasing laugh lingered in the air as she disappeared into the distance.
Yua stood there, watching her leave.
Silent.
Too silent.
For a moment, it felt like everything had gone still—like the calm before something inevitable.
And then—
"What?!?!!"
Her voice erupted, breaking the quiet like a long-dormant volcano finally bursting to life.
...
Somewhere else on campus, John had completely lost his way.
He let out a tired sigh, his expression turning dull as he walked aimlessly.
"I should've just listened to Yua… instead of getting distracted."
He rubbed the back of his head, trying to recall her directions. Only fragments remained in his memory.
Straight… left… baseball field…
And somehow, he had ended up circling the same area over and over again.
The baseball field.
Again.
And again.
Eventually, he gave up and sat down on a nearby bench, watching students pass by while athletes trained on the field.
"Haa… this baseball field is wide," he muttered. "It's almost as big as my grandmother's garden…"
He stared ahead blankly, still trying to figure out how he managed to get so lost in the first place.
While John sat on the bench, trying to gather his thoughts, he tilted his head up toward the sky.
"Maybe I can remember something…"
A moment of silence passed.
Then—
Someone sat down beside him.
"Excuse me, I hope I'm not disturbing you…"
"!!!"
John jolted upright.
"What an angelic voice!! Did God send an angel here to solve my problem?!"
He quickly snapped his head toward the person beside him.
It was a girl.
"…Angel…"
The girl looked confused, blinking at him.
Realization hit John instantly.
He turned away so fast it was almost painful to watch.
"Oh shit…"
A few seconds passed.
He slowly turned back again, forcing an awkward smile as if nothing had happened.
"Oh—sure, I don't mind…"
John looked toward the field, before he does something embarrassment again.
Suddenly remembering he still had something to submit at the office.
"Right… the office…"
"Are you looking for the office?"
A soft voice came from beside him again.
John turned sharply.
"Are you an angel? How do you read my mind?!"
The girl blinked, slightly startled by his reaction, then let out a soft laugh.
"No, I'm not," she said gently. "It's just that you're holding an envelope, so I thought you might be looking for the office."
She tilted her head a little.
"If you are, I can guide you there… but I need to finish my meal first."
For a moment, it went quiet.
John looked at her, then slowly smiled.
"I can wait."
The girl returned his smile and reached into her bag, pulling something out.
John glanced over—
Then went silent.
It was just a small piece of biscuits.
The girl, however, seemed oddly cheerful, humming softly as if it was the best meal in the world. John couldn't quite understand what was so special about it.
After a pause, he spoke quietly.
"…Is that your meal?"
"Yes!"
The girl smiled brightly at him, looking genuinely happy.
But John felt something was off.
"Calling a biscuit a meal…"
John glanced at the small biscuit in her hand.
She looked completely content.
That made it worse.
"…Wait here for a bit," he said, standing up.
The girl blinked. "Hm?"
"I'll be back."
He didn't explain further. He just turned and walked off—faster than before.