During Ayaka's time at school, she was considered well-liked. She had plenty of friends, and most people enjoyed her company, but that was about it. From time to time, confessions were slipped her way, sometimes clumsy and sometimes bold, yet nothing had ever compared to what she was experiencing today.
After yesterday's incident, she had become something of a celebrity. Stopping a small robbery wasn't exactly groundbreaking in the world of heroes, but to aspiring students, it was the kind of story that spread like wildfire.
For the first period, she basked in the attention. Making new friends had never been her strongest trait, but once others broke the ice, she found it easy to follow along. The novelty was thrilling, warm greetings, curious questions, even admiration shining in some of their eyes.
By the second period, however, the excitement began to sour. Constant chatter, endless questions, and forcing herself to laugh at every joke left her exhausted. What once felt flattering now felt suffocating.
Now she was hiding on the rooftop, finally reclaiming a much-needed moment of peace. The afternoon sun warmed her face while the breeze carried the faint scent of blossoms. Ayaka leaned against the fence and exhaled heavily. She wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep, but the day was only halfway through.
To pass the time, she pulled out her phone and started a few Clash Royale matches, hoping for distraction. Minutes later, her boredom transformed into pure frustration as she lost game after game.
"Ugh, this stupid game," she muttered, gripping her phone as though she might fling it off the roof.
Just then, her phone buzzed. A message.
It was from Momo.
"Where are you? I couldn't find you anywhere."
Ayaka's chest fluttered at the sight of her name. Of all the people she could hear from, this was the one she wanted most. The fact that Momo was looking for her, worried about her absence, made her heart feel lighter.
Smiling to herself, she quickly typed back:
"I'm on the roof. Wanna come?"
She hesitated, then added a playful cat emoji before hitting send.
A moment later, Momo's reply came, short and sweet:
"Of course!" followed by the same cat emoji.
A grin spread across Ayaka's face. Just reading that was enough to make her anxious.
Not long after, the rooftop door creaked open. Momo stepped through, her ponytail catching the sunlight as it swayed behind her. For some reason, the sight alone made Ayaka's pulse quicken.
"Sorry for making you come all the way up here," Ayaka said, scratching the back of her neck. "I just needed some air."
Momo gave her a reassuring smile. "I understand. Crowds can be overwhelming." She stepped closer, her expression softening. "But I was worried when I didn't see you in class, or at the botany club."
Ayaka's cheeks warmed. She looked away, hiding behind a crooked grin. "You were worried about me?"
"Yes, of course," Momo replied without hesitation. "You're my friend, aren't you?"
Ayaka's heart thudded, louder than she wanted. Friend. The word should have been comforting, but instead it left her strangely restless.
"Yeah. Friends," she said quickly, forcing her voice steady.
As silence stretched between them, Ayaka's earlier frustration felt like a distant memory. All that mattered now was that Momo was here, standing beside her, the sun turning her hair into strands of dark silk.
Momo sat down beside her, their shoulders brushing. Ayaka's heartbeat thundered so loudly she feared Momo might notice.
What is wrong with me? I've only known her for a few weeks, how can I be this love-struck? This isn't normal at all! she thought in panic.
After some time leaning against each other in silence, Ayaka nudged her and asked, "Do you want to listen to some music? I brought my earphones." She handed Momo the right bud. "What kind of music do you like?"
"I want to listen to what you like. I'm sure I'll enjoy whatever you play." Momo's smile made Ayaka's heart flutter again.
Right now, Ayaka was racking her brain, trying to pick the perfect song. She liked everything in her playlist, but she wasn't sure anyone else would. In the end, she left it to fate, hitting play on shuffle.
To her embarrassment, the first track was one of the most romantic songs she owned, The Air That I Breathe by The Hollies. The atmosphere turned instantly intimate, making her even more self-conscious.
She glanced at Momo's face, trying to gauge her reaction, only to find her completely unaffected. Oddly enough, this calmed Ayaka instead of discouraging her. Seizing the moment, she leaned her head gently against Momo's shoulder.
Unfortunately for Ayaka, Momo was still unfamiliar with her own feelings. She interpreted the closeness as nothing more than friendship. Ayaka could have held her hand right then and Momo wouldn't have thought much of it.
The two spent far more time there than they intended. By the time they realized, the school day had already ended.
The sun was setting, painting the sky in orange hues like a vast canvas. The sight captivated them both, and they decided to capture the moment with a photo. Using a small piece of wood as a stand, they posed together with playful expressions.
Eventually, it was time to part ways. Momo gazed at the horizon while Ayaka could not tear her eyes away from her.
"The sunset is beautiful, isn't it?" Momo said, still fixated on the glowing sky.
"Yes it is," Ayaka replied softly, though her gaze never left Momo. Holy shit, I think I'm in…
Later that night, Ayaka sprawled on her bed, phone pressed to her ear as she spoke to Jirō. "Love," she admitted quietly.
"You're in love? You've known this girl for a month, how the hell are you in love already?!" her friend snapped.
"What are you so riled up for? So what if we just met, the heart works in mysterious ways, you know!"
"Argh! Don't say cheesy stuff like that, you're not doing yourself any favors!" Jirō groaned, then added more calmly, "Let's put that aside for a second and focus on the real issue. Does she… you know… enjoy the proverbial peach?"
"Wow. I've never heard anyone describe being a lesbian in such a repulsive way." Ayaka burst out laughing. "But honestly, I don't know. From what I can tell, she doesn't, or maybe she's just inexperienced with that kind of thing. She seems really innocent and sheltered. Not in a bad way. Actually, it makes her even cuter."
"Why don't you just ask her?"
"Oh sure, why don't I just march up to her and say, 'Wanna kiss?' Because I'm not a mannerless goblin, you goblin! I need to approach this with class. Well…" Her tone shifted, giving Jirō an ominous feeling. "I might need class, but if a certain best friend of mine were to casually ask, under the pretext of getting to know her best friend's new friend, what her orientation is, that could work."
Jirō flatly refused, only to be nagged for ten straight minutes until she gave in. "I have a feeling I'm going to regret this…"