----Time-7:20AM---
Friday mornings usually dragged, but today the air was different
The sun had barely cleared the horizon when I arrived at school. The school campus was quiet, almost empty, save for a few early risers: teachers setting up, students heading to clubs, and the familiar faces who seemed to revolve around my life no matter the timeline Miyuki, Souta, Yui.
Miyuki stood by the shoe lockers, her bag hugged to her chest. Her cheeks were faintly pink as she leaned closer to me.
"Haruto-kun… by any chance are you free tomorrow? I was thinking… maybe… Wanna go one a date with me ?"
Her voice trembled, but her eyes were firm.
In my past life, I would have felt my heart leap out of my chest. This time, the feeling was muted, distant. But I remembered my goal I couldn't let the threads tangle too soon.
"…Alright," I said with a small nod.
Her face lit up instantly, joy spilling over her features in a way that made Souta, standing not far away, freeze. His smile fade, his jaw tightening as if the air had been knocked out of him.
He turned sharply and muttered something to himself, storming toward the soccer field.
The thud of a ball echoed across the empty grounds. Souta's kicks were sharper, angrier than usual, each strike like he was punishing the earth itself. Sweat clung to his forehead, his chest rising and falling in ragged bursts.
"Yo, Souta! Calm down, man!" one of his teammates called out.
"Yeah, what's with you? You're playing like it's the finals already."
Souta forced a laugh, shaking his head. "Nothing. I just… felt like going all out today."
But the truth was written across his face. His narrowed eyes, the tight clench of his fists. It wasn't the soccer ball he wanted to crush it was me.
---Time-8:37AM---
By the time he returned to class, his uniform clung to him with dried sweat, his hair damp from rinsing off. Homeroom had just started.
I could feel his gaze stabbing into the side of my head, sharp and dreadful.
Miyuki sat quietly near the window, her expression soft but distracted. Souta's eyes flicked toward her, then back to me, over and over again.
It was like watching a storm gather.
When the lunch bell rang, I barely stood up before another voice called me.
"Haruto-kun!"
Yui Akasaka, student council president, appeared at the doorway with her usual confident smile. "Can I borrow you for a bit? There's something I'd like your help with."
She didn't wait for me to answer just tilted her head and gestured toward the hall. I followed, her steps echoing against the floor as we made our way to the student council room.
Behind us, I could feel Souta's glare drilling into my back.
Meanwhile, Miyuki had barely opened her lunchbox when Souta dropped into the seat across from her.
"…Why him?" Souta asked suddenly, his voice low.
Miyuki blinked, caught off guard. "Eh?"
"You confessed to Haruto." His fingers curled tightly around his chopsticks. "Why? He's just… he's just kind and smart, right? That's all?"
Her eyes softened. "That's not all. When I'm with him, I feel calm. Like… I can be myself without pretending. With Haruto-kun, I don't have to force a smile. I can just… breathe."
Her words struck Souta harder than any blow on the soccer field. His lips parted, a retort building in his throat but before he could release it, a group of girls leaned into the classroom.
"Miyuki-chan! Come eat with us!"
She blinked, glancing at Souta, then back at her friends. Smiling apologetically, she stood. "Sorry, Souta. I will talk with after lunch."
She left with them, her laughter fading down the hall.
Souta sat frozen, chopsticks still clutched in his hand. His teeth ground together, and in his eyes, the storm only grew darker.
Miyuki followed her friends to the courtyard, where the sunlight filtered softly through the trees. They spread out their lunches on the benches, the atmosphere light and playful. But it wasn't long before the conversation turned directly to her.
"So, Miyuki," one of the girls leaned in, eyes sparkling mischievously, "we saw you talking to Haruto-kun earlier. What was that about?"
Miyuki froze, nearly dropping her chopsticks. "Eh? N-no, it was no-nothing…"
"Liar," another chimed in with a grin. "You were blushing! Come on, don't keep secrets from us."
Miyuki's cheeks burned as she tried to hide behind her lunchbox. "…I-I confessed to Souta ."
The group gasped in unison, then burst into squeals of excitement.
"You what?!"
"No way! You actually did it?!"
"So… did he say yes?"
Miyuki lowered her gaze, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her skirt. "...He accepted."
That was all it took to set off another round of playful shrieks.
"Kyaaa! Miyuki-chan, that's amazing!"
"I knew it! You've been staring at him forever. Every time we walked past his class, your eyes always found him."
"Don't even deny it you'd light up whenever he helped during school events. It was obvious to anyone watching."
Miyuki pressed her hands to her cheeks, her whole face crimson. "Was i that obvious …?"
Her friends giggled, exchanging knowing glances. "Oh, totally obvious. Honestly, we were just waiting for you to admit it."
One leaned closer, whispering teasingly, "So, what's he like up close? Did he say something romantic when he accepted?"
Miyuki's lips curved into a small, shy smile. "Not really… he just said 'alright.' But… it was enough. That's Haruto-kun. He doesn't need flowery words. Just being near him feels right."
Her friends melted at her expression.
"Aaah, look at her face! She's head over heels."
"Careful, Miyuki, or the other girls are going to be jealous. Haruto's already admired by a lot of people."
At that, Miyuki's smile faltered for just a second, a flicker of unease crossing her features. But she quickly shook it off, clutching her bento tighter.
"…It's okay," she said softly. "As long as I can stay by his side."
Back in the classroom, Souta sat hunched at his desk, his half-eaten lunch forgotten. Laughter drifted faintly through the window from the courtyard where Miyuki and her friends were sitting. Every sound of her happiness with Haruto carved deeper into him.
His knuckles turned white around his chopsticks.
"Calm, huh?" he muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing. "You feel calm with him…?"
The storm in his chest threatened to spill over.