The yellow glow of the bedside lamp wrapped Hina's room in an almost comforting softness.
Her phone rested in her hands.
The screen still lit.
And that message… shining there.
"Want to go out this Saturday, Hina-chan ✨☺️?"
Hina didn't reply.
Her eyes moved back and forth.
From Yamada's profile picture…
To those words.
And then back again.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard.
But… nothing came out.
The room was silent.
Only the faint, distant sound of the street drifting in through the open window.
Time passed.
One minute.
Two.
Maybe more.
Nothing.
Then—
—Hina! Come eat! Your dad's home!
Her mother's voice broke the silence.
Hina blinked, as if returning to the world.
—Ah… damn…
Quickly, she typed:
"be right back"
And sent it.
On the other side of the city—
Yamada lay on his bed, staring at his phone as if willing it to respond on its own.
The screen lit up.
New message.
He opened it.
"be right back"
He stared at it.
In silence.
Then he tossed the phone beside him, grabbed his pillow, and pressed it against his face.
—Aaah… Yamada, you idiot…
He gave himself a muffled punch.
—I was way too direct…
He picked up his phone again.
Looked at the message.
His fingers started typing:
"sorry"
They stopped.
Hovering over the send button.
Seconds passed.
He deleted everything.
Ran a hand over his face.
—Did I scare her…?
He sat up on the bed.
His heart restless.
—Is she not going to reply anymore…?
He stood up.
Started pacing back and forth.
—I was too direct in the classroom too…
He stopped.
Thought.
—But… she seemed so calm…
The phone stayed silent in his hand.
And that silence… weighed on him.
Meanwhile…
Souma ran through the streets.
The sky was painted in orange and violet.
The cool night air cut against his face as his footsteps echoed along the sidewalk.
His phone vibrated in his pocket.
He slowed down.
Pulled it out.
Message.
Misaki:
"Souma, can we talk tomorrow?"
He let out a sigh.
—Ah…
He opened the keyboard.
But another notification appeared.
Aoi:
"can we talk?"
His eyes stopped.
For a moment.
He typed.
To Aoi:
"you can go ahead"
And to Misaki:
"hey… I'm not feeling up for that right now, sorry"
He sighed.
—I didn't want to get involved in anything complicated…
Then—
Aoi's message.
"I'm excited about the cosplay event. what should I wear?"
Souma smiled.
A soft smile.
He typed:
"you said you liked strong heroines, right? I have some ideas"
In her room—
Aoi read it.
And brought a hand to her mouth.
A faint warmth rose to her face.
He… remembered that…?
It was something so small.
So casual.
And yet…
She typed:
"help me with that please 🐼"
Souma saw the emoji.
He laughed.
Typed:
"of course. I'll send you some ideas in a bit."
Aoi replied:
"thank you ✨☺️"
Souma was about to respond—
But another message appeared.
Misaki.
"do you like someone?"
His smile disappeared.
His eyes fixed on the screen.
And almost at the same time—
Another message.
From Aoi:
"what are you doing right now?"
He took a deep breath.
Typed quickly.
To Misaki:
"hard to say"
To Aoi:
"I was running. heading back now"
The reply came fast.
"don't push yourself too hard, okay?"
Souma smiled again.
But this time… weaker.
He thought:
Aoi… I need to tell you…
But… not yet…
—BEEEEEP!!
A horn cut through the air.
—Whoa!
He stopped abruptly at the crosswalk.
—I almost crossed on red…
He ran a hand through his hair, trying to calm down.
Took a deep breath.
His phone vibrated again.
Group: Eternal Aegis Online
Takejiru:
"we going today? we're at the dragon boss!"
Souma replied:
"almost home."
Then—
Message.
From Misaki.
"were you with someone?"
He closed his eyes for a second.
—Ah… right…
—Madousaki…
Souma typed:
"I was running. like always."
Immediate reply:
"running from me?"
Souma froze.
Typed:
"no, Misaki, it's just—"
He stopped.
Another message.
"am I ugly?"
He let out a heavy sigh.
Deleted everything.
Typed again:
"no. you're not ugly. the problem is me."
And put his phone away.
At the Takase house—
The smell of grilled fish and warm rice filled the kitchen.
The family was having dinner.
Kenko, Hina's father, watched her.
—Hina… you're different.
Emi nodded.
—I thought so too.
Hina looked away.
—I'm normal.
Kenko crossed his arms.
—No… you seem happier.
Emi smiled.
—Your father's rarely wrong.
Hina sighed.
—It's nothing… just… the year's ending.
Then, quickly:
—Saturday I'm going to Akihabara with Aoi and Mio, okay?
Emi's eyes widened.
—You're going to a game shop?
—We're going to look at cosplay for the event.
Haru scoffed.
—That's so dumb.
Hina snapped immediately.
—Nobody asked for your opinion!
—I don't need your permission!
—That's enough, said Kenko, lightly tapping the table.
He looked at his daughter.
—You can go. Just don't come back late.
Emi smiled.
—I want pictures.
—No way!
—Then I'll sneak some.
—MOM!!
After dinner—
Hina returned to her room.
Picked up her phone.
—Wow… that's a lot…
She opened the game.
Typed:
"was eating. let's play!"
Turned on the console.
Everyone was already online.
In a party.
—Damn… I took too long…
Then she opened her chat with Yamada.
Typed:
"I'm back"
"was having dinner"
In his room—
Yamada was sitting, hands covering his face.
His phone vibrated.
He opened it.
Read.
His eyes lit up.
—AAH!
He jumped onto the bed.
—Of course… she was eating!
He typed:
"what did you eat? I haven't eaten yet 🐻"
Sticker sent.
Silence.
In the game—
A colossal dragon roared atop a frozen mountain.
Blue flames lit up the sky.
Prince John cast magic.
Soumakey, Hiro, and Takejiru charged forward.
The dragon attacked.
Claws tore through their defenses.
Souma typed:
"heal"
Nothing.
"HEAL!!"
Madousaki replied:
"use a potion"
The dragon crushed everything.
One by one.
Until—
GAME OVER
Hina jumped to her feet.
—DAMN IT, MISAKI!!
Breathing heavily.
—We lost everything!
She grabbed her phone.
Saw Yamada's messages.
She replied, irritated:
"leave me alone for a bit"
"you're annoying"
And threw the phone onto the bed.
—We were there for almost an hour!
—So annoying!
In Yamada's room—
He read it.
Slowly.
Silently.
The screen lighting his face.
"leave me alone for a bit"
"you're annoying"
He turned off the screen.
Stood up.
Went to the bathroom.
Brushed his teeth, staring at his reflection.
Serious.
Came back.
Turned off the light.
Lay down.
Back facing the door.
Eyes open in the dark.
He thought:
I didn't even eat…
Pause.
…but I lost my appetite.