The hallway buzzed with morning energy, but Shin's thoughts still lingered on Aiko—on the way she hugged him tighter than usual, how her fingers trembled slightly when she gripped his blazer, and most of all… how she flustered when his hand slid under her skirt. That was new.
Very new.
She never gets that shy, he thought, adjusting the strap of his school bag and heading down the corridor toward his classroom. Usually, she just gives me that smug grin like I didn't just grope her right in the middle of school.
A faint smile curved on his lips, but it quickly shifted to a look of curiosity when he turned the corner and glanced into his homeroom.
His eyes flicked toward his desk—his window seat—and paused.
There, in the seat beside his, sat a familiar figure.
"Yuki?"
The petite, white-haired boy looked oddly spaced out, chin propped in one palm, his baby-blue eyes unfocused as they stared toward the board. His notebook was open, but untouched. The sunlight streaming through the window gave a slight glow to his short, snowy hair, and his delicate profile looked so still… thoughtful even.
Strange.
He didn't wait for me at the gate, Shin thought, brow twitching. That little punk always waits and acts like he just "happened" to be there. Like he wasn't obviously stalking me with those pouty cheeks.
And speaking of cheeks…
Were those blushing?
He stepped closer, voice casually loud as ever. "Good morning, Kiddo."
Yuki's entire body jolted upright like he'd been caught stealing candy.
"I-I wasn't spacing out!" he barked, twisting in his seat to glare up at Shin with bright blue eyes wide and flustered. His cheeks were indeed pink, practically glowing.
"I never said you were," Shin replied smoothly, setting his bag down and sliding into his seat beside him. He stretched his arms behind his head, smirking a little. "But thanks for confirming."
"Baka!" Yuki hissed, turning his face to the window sharply to hide his blush. "Don't just sneak up on people like that!"
"I said good morning, Kiddo," Shin repeated, leaning on his desk and staring at the side of Yuki's flushed face with obvious amusement. "And you're unusually pink today. Didn't expect me to come to class?"
Yuki puffed his cheeks and folded his arms across his chest. "You're the one who's late. Idiot."
Shin tilted his head. "You didn't wait for me at the gate."
"I wasn't waiting for you!" Yuki snapped without even thinking.
"…I didn't say that either."
"Bafe
"And it's hard not to sneak up on you when you're sitting here daydreaming like a lovesick kitten."
Yuki's cheeks flared a deeper red. "I wasn't daydreaming! I was—just thinking!"
"About me?"
"NO!"
Shin chuckled under his breath, resting one elbow on his desk as he stared at the flustered boy beside him. "You're seriously pink today, though. You catch a cold or just embarrassed because you didn't get to stalk me at the gate?"
"I didn't stalk you!"
"You always do."
"Did not!"
"You literally pretend to lean on the wall every morning like you just happen to be there."
"B-Baka! I don't do that!"
Shin leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing slyly. "Then why were you missing today, hmm?"
Yuki turned away, folding his arms and puffing his cheeks like an angry child. "Maybe I just didn't feel like seeing your dumb face first thing in the morning."
"That would hurt if I believed you."
"I MEAN IT!"
Shin smirked, tilting his head toward the window. The wind stirred the petals on the trees outside—the sakura were in full bloom. His hand drifted to the inside of his blazer, brushing the two letters still folded neatly in his pocket.
He pulled one out casually, giving it a glance.
Please meet me behind the school under the sakura tree during break.
No name. Neat handwriting. The ink even smelled faintly sweet.
He knew the first one belonged to Aiko.
But the second letter? It had different handwriting. Sloppier. Still careful, but a bit hesitant. He hadn't thought too hard about it… yet.
"Hey," he said aloud, eyes still on the letter. "Got something weird this morning."
Yuki glanced his way. "Weird?"
Shin waved the letter slightly. "Got two of these in my locker. Love letters."
Yuki froze.
Dead still. His expression didn't change, but his entire body tensed, hands gripping the edge of his desk tightly.
"…So?"
Shin shrugged. "Usually it's like ten or more. Kind of surprised there were only two."
"Y-You're still getting them, though," Yuki muttered, voice strained. "Tch… stupid popular guy."
Shin didn't notice the tension. He slid the letter back into his pocket.
"Yeah, well, they were both asking me to meet under the sakura tree during break. Same place. Same time. But two different people."
Yuki didn't move.
Didn't breathe.
"…You gonna go?" he asked after a pause, trying to sound indifferent, but his voice was tight.
"Guess I might," Shin said with a shrug. "Could be interesting. Probably some girls from second year again. Maybe one's even got the guts to show her face this time."
Yuki quickly turned his head to the side so Shin couldn't see his expression. His pale ears were red. His fingers clenched harder.
Shin didn't notice. Not really. He wasn't thinking about Yuki at all in connection to the letter. In his mind, it didn't even cross his radar.
He stood up and stretched his arms behind his back.
"Still, weird morning all around," he mused aloud. "Aiko getting all flustered when I touched her. You not being at the gate. Then these letters. It's like the universe is acting off today."
Yuki glanced at him sideways. "M-Maybe it's just karma for being a pervert."
"Hmm. You might be onto something."
"Wait, what?! You're agreeing with me?!"
Shin laughed, plopping back into his seat with a grin. "Just this once."
"Baka!"
Shin reached over and flicked Yuki lightly on the forehead. "Relax. You're way too tense this morning. You need a hug or something?"
"NO!"
"Aw, don't be shy, Kiddo. I give great hugs."
"I'LL KILL YOU!"
"I'll take that as a yes."
Yuki let out a high-pitched whine and buried his face in his notebook again, hiding behind the pages like they were a shield.
Shin smirked to himself, tapping a finger to his chin.
"You're fun when you're extra tsundere."
"Go away."
"Nope."
Yuki peeked over the top of his notebook, glaring through his long white bangs. "Why do you always do this?"
"Because it's cute when you turn red."
"I do not—!"
"You do."
"I HATE YOU!"
Shin chuckled again, leaning back in his chair with a satisfied sigh. "You say that every morning. It's starting to sound like a love confession."
Yuki's notebook practically combusted in his hands from how violently he slammed it shut.
"I'M DROPPING OUT!"
Shin laughed.
Outside, the breeze swirled cherry blossoms through the air. Break time would come soon. Two letters, two confessions—maybe.
But for now, the second one remained a mystery.
And Shin?
He had no clue it was sitting beside him.
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END OF CHAPTER : 110 : THE SECOND LETTER'S SECRET!
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