...15/09/2009 Tuesday; Dusk...
The bell echoed through the halls of Gekkoukan High School, and soon a buzz of voices filled the building.
Students left their classrooms in hurried groups—some laughing, relieved the lessons were over; others running so they wouldn't miss the train or their part-time jobs.
In one of the second-year rooms, Junpei stretched lazily, letting out a long sigh.
He rubbed the back of his neck with his palm, his half-closed eyes revealing a sleepless night.
"Man…" he muttered, pulling his phone from his pocket to check the time. "Finally. I couldn't stand looking at that guy's face any longer."
As he stopped by the door, he noticed Aigis walking out of the classroom too, standing right beside him.
Her fixed, analytical stare left him confused—like she was about to take him apart piece by piece just to understand his condition.
"Huh? What is it, Aigis?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Aigis tilted her head slightly, studying his face.
"Junpei-san, we didn't go to Tartarus last night. Why does your expression show signs of exhaustion?"
Junpei closed his eyes and let his shoulders drop.
"Oh, that?" He scratched his head, sighing. "I just didn't sleep well last night. I put too much heavy stuff in my locker, and the shelf collapsed."
A long yawn interrupted him, nearly making his eyes water.
"I spent until three in the morning picking everything up," he added, rubbing one eye, his voice dragging. "And don't even get me started on Mr. Miyahara's math class. Who in their right mind puts letters in math?"
Aigis raised her index finger, her serious tone completely out of place in such a mundane conversation.
"Today, you started on the wrong foot. That is what people say."
Junpei blinked, surprised, then let out a short laugh.
The exhaustion in his eyes didn't vanish, but the smile brought back a spark of energy.
"I should be the one saying that," he replied, patting her shoulder with a more cheerful tone. "Just don't tell Kirijo-senpai, alright? She'll chew me out."
The muffled sound of chairs scraping across the floor echoed through the almost-empty classroom.
Junpei and Aigis had already left, and silence slowly returned—broken only by the rustle of notebook pages being stacked.
Sitting at his desk, Minato packed his things without hurry. The notebook was closed and slipped into his bag.
When he was about to put his pencil case away, he felt a presence behind him.
He lifted his gaze slightly, glancing sideways—Yukari was there, still adjusting her loafers.
The smile she wore seemed too gentle to be just a casual one.
"Minato, are you busy?" Her voice came out soft, almost hesitant.
He looked up, shaking his head calmly.
"No, just packing up to head back to the dorm. Why?"
Yukari's heart skipped violently in her chest, so strong she feared Minato might hear it.
The memory of the rooftop flooded her mind—the warmth she'd felt when they stood close, the strange comfort that followed.
A whirlwind of feelings she couldn't explain. Still, she took a breath and tried to sound natural.
"I was thinking of swinging by the strip mall to grab something to eat. Wanna come with me?" she asked, smiling despite the nervous heat rising under her skin.
Minato stared at her in silence, as if a memory had just surfaced in his mind.
Instead of answering right away, he pulled his phone from his pocket and unlocked the screen. A notification popped up.
It was a message from Hiro, sent a few minutes ago.
Message: "Sorry Minato, I can't go with you to walk Koromaru (ง •_•)ง. I promised Fuuka I'd help her buy some stuff the dorm needs. (￣︿￣) Let's do it next time. - Hiro"
His eyes ran over the text before his fingers typed a short reply.
While Minato's fingers moved across the keyboard, Yukari looked away, biting down her own anxiety.
"Idiot!" she cursed herself in thought, hands almost trembling. "What if he thinks I'm bothering him?"
She ran a palm over her face, trying to cool the heat in her cheeks. "And if he says yes? What am I gonna do when…"
Minato slipped his phone back into his pocket, put the pencil case in his bag, and stood, adjusting the strap over his shoulder.
"Sure, I can go with you."
"Eh?" Yukari blinked, surprised, as if she hadn't heard right.
"I've got nothing else to do. I'll go with you."
She froze for a few seconds, trying to process his words. Her heart was pounding too fast for her to think straight.
Then, a shy smile escaped, masking the confusion inside her.
"Great… then let's go."
They left the classroom together, walking side by side through hallways bathed in the orange light of sunset.
The wind drifting through the open windows carried the day's leftover warmth.
"So, what do you feel like eating?" Minato asked casually.
"Hmm…" Yukari glanced to the side, thinking. "I'm not in the mood for ramen today. What else can we get?"
"Not sure, there's plenty options around Iwatodai Station."
Their conversation stayed light, but the silence between their words felt charged with something neither could name.
Their voices blended with the echo of their own footsteps until they reached the school gate. The evening breeze greeted them with a soft touch, swaying both Yukari's and Minato's hair.
The sun sank behind the buildings as they stepped through the gates, heading toward the station together.
...15/09/2009 Tuesday; Sunset...
The train car was crowded with uniformed students, all heading home from their late afternoon classes.
The air felt heavy with muffled chatter, a low hum of conversation blending with the rhythmic clatter of the tracks beneath their feet.
Outside the windows, the city sped past, painted in the soft orange hue of sunset.
In the middle of that crowd, Minato and Yukari stood side by side, close enough that their shoulders almost brushed every time the train swayed.
Yukari kept her gaze fixed on the scenery beyond the glass, trying to ignore her racing heartbeat. His nearness was suffocating in a strangely sweet way.
Each golden reflection that lit up Minato's face in the window only deepened the confusion swirling inside her.
Minato, meanwhile, had his earphones in, watching the same scenery with an unreadable expression. The music drowned out the noise around him, and his face remained calm, distant — as if nothing beyond that window existed.
The silence between them lingered until the train began to slow. The metallic screech and electronic announcement filled the air.
[Next stop, Iwatodai Station. Please exit on the left.]
Yukari looked up at the glowing sign, took a breath, then nudged Minato lightly with her elbow.
He turned toward her, pausing his music and pulling out his earphones, one eyebrow raised.
"Are we here already?"
"Uh-huh," she nodded with a small smile. "Don't forget anything, okay?"
The train finally stopped, and as the doors slid open, the passengers poured into the narrow station corridor.
Shoving, hurried footsteps, and muffled voices echoed off the walls.
In the middle of the crowd, Minato and Yukari stayed together, shoulders brushing against strangers, until they finally escaped the suffocating press of people and reached the stairs.
Yukari kept her eyes on the steps, following right behind Minato — until she suddenly collided with someone coming from the opposite direction.
"Ah—!" She almost lost her balance, stumbling a step backward before catching herself.
"I'm sorry, I didn't see you," she said quickly, looking up at the man.
He didn't respond. He simply kept walking, swallowed by the crowd.
But before he vanished, the corner of his mouth twitched upward — a crooked, shadowy smile, barely noticeable.
Yukari frowned, irritated. "Ugh, seriously? Can't even say sorry..."
Minato noticed she'd stopped walking and moved closer. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied with a brief smile, trying to brush off the discomfort. "I just bumped into someone, that's all."
They continued walking until they exited the station, descending the stairs toward the glow of the city outside. The evening breeze brought relief after the cramped train.
Minato stopped and turned to her, curious.
"So, have you decided where you wanna go?"
Yukari placed a finger on her chin, thinking. "Hmm... there's the Net Café... or do you have another idea?"
"I'd say we grab something at Wakatsu." Minato slipped his hands into his pockets. "They usually have a deal for two people today."
"Good idea," she nodded with a smile. "It's been a while since I've been there."
She slung her bag to the front and started rummaging through it. "Let me just check how much money I have with..."
Her smile faded the instant she realized something was wrong. Her hand darted through every pocket, searching every corner of the bag, but found nothing.
"What...?" Her voice faltered, eyes widening. "Where's my wallet?"
She unzipped the bag completely, almost shaking it out, feeling her heart sink.
"No way..." she muttered, disbelief creeping in. "Did I drop it?"
Minato leaned closer, peering into her bag.
Between makeup, books, and her pencil case, there was no sign of the wallet.
"You sure you didn't leave it at school?" he asked, frowning slightly.
"No," Yukari said firmly, though confusion clouded her face. "I remember using it on the train... it can't be."
Her expression hardened.
Her eyes closed as she tried to pull on the thread of memory.
The scene replayed in fragments: the man bumping into her, the strange loss of balance, and then... that crooked smile disappearing into the crowd.
Her eyes snapped open, serious. "That man..."
Minato caught the shift in her tone and frowned, but before he could speak, Yukari forced a smile and pushed her bag into his arms.
"Sorry," she said, taking a step back. "I'll go check. Maybe I dropped it."
"Wait, what?!" Minato gripped the bag, confused, watching her back away.
"I'll be quick," she called, her smile faltering. "Just wait here, okay?"
"What do you mean?" he said, glancing at her bag, then back at her.
"I'll be fine, so don't follow me!" — her voice was firm, but there was a trace of anxiety beneath it.
"Yukari!"
Before he could stop her, Yukari spun on her heel and dashed back toward the station, her uniform skirt fluttering in the air.
"Stay right where you are, okay?!" — her voice echoed as she disappeared into the crowd.
Minato stood there for a moment, watching her vanish.
Around him, curious glances flicked his way, but nothing mattered except the uneasy feeling growing in his chest.
He closed his eyes for a moment, as if trying to quiet the suffocating sense of dread.
"I've got a bad feeling about this..."
When he opened them again, they were sharp — determined.
"I'd better go after her."
He slung Yukari's bag over the same shoulder as his own and took off running after her.
TO BE CONTINUED...