The day began under a gray sky.
Clouds hung low, heavy and unmoving, as if something was about to happen— but hadn't yet.
Hanasato stood by the window, her gaze drifting outside.
"…So she really isn't coming back for a while."
Kurogane had been absent for days now.
No explanation.
No message.
Nothing.
At first, people didn't think much of it.
Then a week passed.
And suddenly—
everyone noticed.
The sky darkened further.
A low rumble of thunder echoed in the distance.
Then—
rain began to fall.
Hanasato blinked, watching as droplets hit the glass.
"…Rain?"
It wasn't in the forecast.
Or maybe she just hadn't checked.
She frowned slightly.
"…Why do I feel like something's wrong…?"
It didn't make sense.
Rain was normal.
Weather changed all the time.
So why did it bother her now?
"…Maybe it's because I don't have an umbrella," she muttered.
But even as she said it—
she knew that wasn't the real reason.
The week passed more easily than she expected.
Classes continued.
Assignments piled up.
Her friends stayed close, filling the quiet moments with conversation.
But the rumors—
those didn't stop.
In fact—
they got worse.
"She hasn't been coming to school, right?"
"Yeah… ever since that accident."
"…That's suspicious."
"What if she really was involved?"
"Maybe she got into trouble because of it."
"I heard the school talked to her about something serious."
Hanasato tightened her grip on her notebook.
"…That's not true."
But she didn't say it out loud.
Not this time.
"…Still," one of her classmates said, trying to lighten the mood, "there's that event coming up, right?"
"The one for company heirs?"
"Oh yeah! That one!"
Hanasato paused.
The event.
"…She'll be there," Hanasato said quietly.
Her friends looked at her.
"…Kurogane always attends those kinds of events."
That much—
she was sure of.
No matter what happened.
No matter how busy things got.
Kurogane Kaori never missed events like that.
"…Right?"
For some reason—
she couldn't say it with full confidence.
———————
The day of the event arrived.
And in contrast to the gloomy days before—
the sky was clear.
Bright.
Almost too bright.
The event was held at a grand mansion, owned by one of the sponsoring companies. Elegant decorations lined the halls, and the soft hum of conversations filled the air.
A gathering of heirs.
Future leaders.
People expected to carry names, reputations, and legacies.
Hanasato arrived with her parents.
She wore a sapphire-blue dress, simple but elegant, with a small flower pinned gently in her hair.
"Stay close," her mother reminded her softly.
"I will," Hanasato replied with a smile.
"…I'll look around a bit first."
Her parents nodded, already being approached by other guests.
But Hanasato wasn't just "lookingaround."
She was searching.
KuroganeKaori.
"…Okay, think," she murmured to herself as she walked through the crowd.
"Kurogane usually…"
She paused.
"…gets surrounded by people."
That was the first possibility.
So she looked.
Groups of people.
Clusters of conversations.
Familiar faces.
Unfamiliar ones.
But—
no Kurogane.
"…Then maybe…"
She glanced toward the quieter areas.
Corners.
Balconies.
Places where people avoided attention.
"Kurogane also likes staying where people won't bother her…"
So she searched there too.
Still—
nothing.
Time passed.
Minutes turned into hours.
And yet—
she couldn't find her.
Eventually, Hanasato stopped.
Her steps slowed.
Then halted.
"…She's really not here."
She picked up a drink from a nearby table and sat down.
The noise of the event continued around her—
but it felt distant.
"…That's strange."
She stared at her reflection in the glass.
"Kurogane wouldn't miss something like this."
Her thoughts started racing.
Did she go on a business trip?
No… even then, she would still attend.
She wouldn't risk disappointing her parents.
"…Then what is it…?"
Her grip tightened slightly.
Is it more serious than I thought…?
"…Or am I just overthinking?"
She exhaled softly.
"…What am I even doing…?"
Hanasato shook her head.
Then stood up.
"…I shouldn't focus on her right now."
This was an important event.
A rare opportunity.
Connections.
Expectations.
Responsibilities.
"I need to focus," she told herself.
"And… enjoy this too."
So she stepped back into the crowd.
Smiling.
Talking.
Responding.
Playing her role perfectly.
But—
even as she spoke with others—
her eyes still wandered.
Looking.
Searching.
Just in case.
"…She really isn't here…"
And for some reason—
that bothered her more than she expected.
Across the hall, two guests whispered quietly.
"…Isn't the Kurogane heir absent?"
"Yeah… I heard something happened."
"…About that accident?"
"I'm not sure, but—"
Hanasato's expression stiffened slightly.
The rumors—
had already reached here too.
Even in a place like this.
Even among people who barely knew the truth.
She looked down briefly.
"…They're wrong."
But this time—
her voice didn't sound as certain.
Because now—
even she didn't know what was really going on.
She lifted her gaze again.
Scanning the room one last time.
No sign of her.
"…Kurogane…"
The name lingered quietly in her thoughts.
And beneath it—
something unfamiliar.
Not annoyance.
Not frustration.
But concern.
Something that refused to fade—
no matter how much she tried to ignore it.