The morning sun filtered through the urban canopy, casting long, sharp-edged shadows across the pavement.
It was the first day of the final exams—a day usually thick with the scent of coffee and the quiet desperation of students cramming last-minute formulas.
Seijirou walked along the familiar route to Shunji Highschool, his footsteps echoing with a solitary rhythm.
Haruka and Erina had already departed earlier, driven by Haruka's relentless internal clock, which demanded arrival precisely thirty minutes before the first bell.
Suzune had also texted him a string of apologetic emojis, explaining that her mother had practically barricaded her in the car to ensure she arrived early in class so that she can still a last minute review session.
It was a rare, almost unsettling sensation for Seijirou to be walking alone.
After all, ever since the first time he arrived into this world, his life had become a whirlwind of constant companionship.
