The clubroom was quiet.
A few bookshelves lined the walls, packed mostly with paperbacks and a couple of uneven stacks leaning against each other.
Papers were arranged in small piles on the desk near the window, some tidy, others slightly shifted as if they'd been moved recently.
An open cardboard box sat beside the desk with a few books inside.
The fluorescent light overhead hummed softly.
The room smelled faintly of paper and dust.
Tetsuo kept his fingers on the window frame, the cool air from outside moving across his skin.
His expression remained still, his posture unchanged.
Those eyes… I've seen them before. Where did I see them?
The thought passed through his mind as he searched for the memory.
She adjusted her glasses with a light push along the bridge of her nose, her gaze dropping to the page before lifting again.
"…Hey. Are you listening?"
Her words came out in short, clipped breaths.
"Can you hear me or not?"
She shifted her grip on the book, her eyes narrowing.
"I told you to move. So… don't look at me like that."
Her voice cut through the quiet with a sharp, dismissive edge.
Tetsuo blinked once and stepped back from the window.
The breeze slipped into the room, brushing the papers on the desk and lifting a few strands of his hair.
"…Sorry."
He kept his gaze steady on her.
"Your eyes caught my attention for a moment. They looked like they've been through darkness before. I was only curious. That's all."
His voice stayed flat, without any change in expression.
She closed her book slowly, the pages brushing together with a soft rustle.
Her gaze lifted toward him, steady and unblinking.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Her fingers rested on the edge of the cover.
"That's a strange thing to say. You assume something happened to me just because of my eyes… or maybe something happened to you instead."
Her tone stayed blunt, her posture unchanged.
"That's not what I meant…"
Tetsuo lowered his voice, the words slipping out under his breath.
"Sorry for interrupting your reading. I'll go."
He took a step back, his shoes giving a soft thud against the ground as he turned away.
The girl watched his back as he started to walk away.
Her fingers tightened slightly around her book, a small pause holding her in place.
"…Wait."
The word left her before she could stop it.
Tetsuo came to a halt, turning his head toward her.
Her grip on the book loosened a little as she faced him fully.
"…What's your name?"
Tetsuo kept his posture straight, his eyes steady.
"My name is Tetsuo Kawaguchi. First-year, Class 1T."
Tomoe let out a quiet breath, her eyes steady on him.
"Oh… I see. That explains why you're not wary of me at all."
She brushed her hair behind her ear, her fingers moving in a slow, deliberate motion.
"My name is Tomoe Yukimura. Second-year, Class 2O. I'm the president of the literature club."
Her hand came to rest at her side, her posture composed.
Tomoe tilted her head slightly, her eyes narrowing with quiet interest.
"Say, Kawaguchi… have you heard of me before?"
Tetsuo's gaze shifted a little, his posture staying firm.
"…What do you mean?"
Tomoe tapped her fingers lightly against the cover of her book, the motion small but steady.
"You know… gossip and rumors."
Her eyes stayed on him, studying his expression.
"Things people like to whisper about when they think no one is listening."
Tetsuo lowered his gaze for a moment, his hand settling at his side before lifting his eyes again.
"No… not really."
He shifted his stance a little.
"Other than bumping into you in the hallway once… I've just seen you in the library a few times. And in the hallway too."
His breathing stayed even.
"But I haven't heard any rumors."
He paused, his expression unchanged.
"…Why do you ask?"
Tomoe let out a small breath, her shoulders easing just a little.
"…Forget what I said earlier."
Her gaze shifted toward him, steady but calm.
"If you have some time… you can stop by the literature club."
A brief pause followed.
"If you want to read, there are many things you can look through."
"I'll pass."
Tetsuo turned away without hesitation, his steps falling in a steady rhythm as he walked down the hall.
Tomoe stayed still for a moment.
Her fingers brushed the edge of her sleeve before dropping back to her side.
Her gaze lowered a fraction, just enough to hint at something unspoken.
"…I see."
She took a quiet breath, steadying her posture again.
Then she opened her book to the page she left off on, her eyes settling onto the lines with a calm, practiced focus.
Upon returning to the field, he saw his classmates racing in a mixed race.
A bottle clattered to the ground nearby, rolling until it bumped Noboru's foot.
Several students from another class jogged past, their footsteps blending with the scattered chatter around the track.
The sky above was pale with high clouds.
A light breeze moved through the trees at the edge of the field, carrying faint echoes of whistles and distant shouts.
Naomi crouched at the starting line, her body relaxed.
As the signal sounded, her muscles tightened, and she burst forward.
Her form stayed tight and compact, each stride hitting the track in a clean, fast rhythm.
The wind brushed past her as she closed the distance and crossed the finish line in one smooth drive.
"No way… Naomi, that's 11.5 seconds. That's a new record," a girl exclaimed, holding a stopwatch in her hand.
"Eh? Really?"
Naomi blinked, adjusting her green elastic band as she brushed her damp bangs aside.
Her breathing was steady, barely touched.
"I… wasn't even going all out. How did that even happen?"
A few girls rushed over immediately, circling around Naomi with wide eyes.
"Naomi, that was insane! You were so fast I could barely keep track of you," one of them said, leaning in.
"Seriously, that form was perfect. You'll definitely make nationals at this rate," another added, brushing her hair back as she tried to steady her excitement.
Naomi lifted her chin slightly, a quick breath leaving her nose as a few strands of hair shifted against her forehead.
"Jeez, guys, you sure know how to make a girl blush."
She tapped her elbow lightly against the closest girl, the fabric of her sleeve brushing theirs.
"Keep talking like that and you're gonna make me sound cooler than I actually am."
Her grin stayed steady as she rolled her shoulders once, the faint rustle of her shirt following the movement.
Noboru let out a short breath through his nose as he stepped forward, the heel of his shoe scraping the track.
"Quit acting like that time was anything special."
Shino came up beside him with a small shift of his shoulder.
Makoto followed with one hand resting inside his pocket, his steps quiet.
A group of boys from Class 1T trailed behind them, their shoes brushing lightly against the edge of the track.
Naomi shifted her weight onto one leg, her hip tilting slightly as she looked him up and down.
A faint breeze pushed at the ends of her hair.
"Oh? Is that so, Noboru? You think you can outrun me?"
Noboru's jaw shifted to one side, his heel tapping once against the track.
"Of course I can. I do not understand why they are making such a fuss. I could outrun you anytime if I felt like it."
"Then by all means, Noboru, step behind the line."
Naomi's mouth curved into a smirk, her shoulders settling as she shifted her stance at the edge of the track.
Sachiko stepped over with her sleeves pushed up, the fabric resting just below her elbows.
"Are you guys ready?" Her voice carried across the track as she stopped beside them.
Noboru lowered himself into the crouched position, his palms pressing against the warm surface.
A thin line of sweat slid down his cheek, gathering at his jaw as he fixed his eyes forward.
Naomi settled into her stance beside him, her breath steady.
Her mouth lifted into a small smirk, her gaze locked straight ahead.
Sachiko raised her arm.
"On your mark… get set… go!"
Her call snapped through the air, sending both of them off the line.
Both Noboru and Naomi drove forward at the start, their shoes striking the track in quick, sharp rhythms.
Naomi's steps stayed even as she moved into the lane ahead of him, her pace holding steady.
Noboru's breath tightened in his chest as he saw the gap widen.
She's fast…
Naomi kept her momentum and crossed the finish line long before he reached it, her stride only easing once she was past the marker.
A girl from Class 1T shifted her weight and gave an awkward smile.
"Well… that was expected."
A boy beside her checked the stopwatch in his hand, his thumb resting on the button.
"Yeah, it was."
Noboru reached the finish line a moment later, his hands dropping to his knees.
His breath came out in rough pulls, his shoulders rising and falling as he tried to steady himself.
Naomi wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, her breath steadying.
"Not that I'm bragging or anything, but you'd need more than a lifetime of training before you could outrun me."
Noboru straightened slowly, one hand sliding across his thigh as he tried to catch his breath.
"That was just a lucky run. I lost my footing, that's all."
Makoto let out a short exhale, his shoulders dropping as he fixed his eyes on Noboru.
"Quit embarrassing yourself. You lost, idiot."
"Shut up."
Noboru tightened his jaw, his eyes lifting just enough to glare in Makoto's direction.
Naomi shifted her weight onto one leg, her hands resting on her hips as the girls around her let out small bursts of laughter.
"Looks like you should train more with the girls' track team. Your stamina is still nonexistent."
Noboru lifted his head sharply, his shoulder tensing.
"Why you—"
Sachiko let out a slow breath, her shoulders dropping as she watched the two of them.
"You two act like grade schoolers."
When she opened her eyes again, she caught sight of Tetsuo near the edge of the field.
Her eyes widened a little as she focused on him.
He's keeping his distance… is it because of that?
Her mind replayed the moment she saw him earlier by the window, speaking to a girl.
A girl from Class 1T stepped up the small slope near the fence where Rie sat, the gravel shifting under her shoes.
"Hey, Morioka, are you okay? You've been reading all day. Come on, let's go. Everyone's having fun."
She reached out and pulled gently at Rie's arm, her fingers tightening just enough to urge her up from the spot.
Rie's voice came out soft, her shoulders drawing in as she held the book close.
"N… no. I'm okay. I already ran earlier, and I don't mind staying up here alone."
Her bangs slipped forward, blocking her eyes, and a light breeze moved the corner of her book.
The girl shifted back a step, her hand dropping from Rie's arm.
"Okay, suit yourself, class rep."
She turned and ran off toward the others, her shoes kicking lightly against the slope.
Rie lowered her gaze to the open page, her fingers pressing lightly against the paper.
"And besides… he's down there, and I can barely look him in the face. Whenever I'm around him, I feel strange."
Her eyes lifted for a moment toward Shino stretching with a few classmates.
A faint pink spread across her cheeks before she looked back down.
Noboru straightened his back, a short breath leaving his nose as he wiped sweat from his forehead.
"Maybe the reason you beat me is that you have more muscles than I do. Not very ladylike at all… miss gorilla."
A small curl formed at the corner of his mouth.
Naomi stepped in closer, her towel shifting against her shoulder as her fingers tightened around the fabric.
"Who are you calling a gorilla, you half-size runt? Or maybe you are just so weak that you think I have more muscles than you."
A short breath left her nose, her eyes steady on him.
A girl from their group stepped forward, her hands settling on her hips as she glanced between the two of them.
"Alright, everyone, calm down. I know a way to settle this once and for all."
Naomi shifted her stance, her brow lifting slightly.
"And what exactly are you thinking, Miyu?"
Miyu raised her chin a little, her eyes moving between Naomi and the boys gathered near the track.
"We let the fastest girl race against the fastest guy and see the result."
Her voice carried over the small circle forming around them, the air growing still for a moment as the group took it in.
Sachiko glanced around the circle, the breeze brushing against her sleeves.
"We already know Naomi is the fastest, but how do we know who the fastest boy in our class is?"
One boy straightened up instantly, his foot tapping against the track with quick energy.
"Oh, that sounds great. A real race for it."
Another boy nudged his friend with his elbow, a grin spreading across his face.
"Yeah, that would be fun. Let's decide it properly."
Miyu lifted her hand slightly as the group leaned in.
"It is simple. We let them race and see."
A low ripple of excitement moved through the boys, their voices rising just a little as they shifted closer to the starting area.
Tetsuo stepped toward the group, the grass brushing lightly against his shoes as he slowed to a stop.
"What is going on here?"
Shino stepped closer, his hand lifting slightly as he pointed toward the small gathering.
"Oh, Tetsuo. They want us to race each other to decide who will run against Naomi."
Makoto let out a slow yawn, his palm covering his mouth as his shoulders sagged.
"Sounds like a waste of time to me. I could take a nap right now."
He glanced at Tetsuo, his eyelids half-open.
"So? You going to join them or what?"
Tetsuo shifted his weight back, his eyes lowering for a moment before he turned a little to the side.
"I will pass. I will get changed and go back to class."
The flat tone held steady, his footsteps faint against the track as he started to step away.
Naomi's foot slid forward across the track as she closed the distance between them.
"Wait. Where do you think you're going, Kawaguchi?"
A small grin pulled at the corner of her mouth as she faced him.
She drew in a short breath, her shoulders lifting as she straightened.
"I want to race you the most. I saw that match against Class 2-O. You're fast… so don't try to run away from this."
Makoto shifted his weight, one hand sliding into his pocket as he looked at Tetsuo without interest.
"Well… she already called you out, so you should race her, right, Tetsuo?"
Tetsuo exhaled through his nose, the breath steady, and gave a small nod.
"Fine."
He stepped behind the line, his shoes pressing into the warm track.
The class moved in at once, forming a loose semicircle along the side.
Feet shuffled against the ground.
Uniform sleeves brushed together.
A quiet buzz filled the area as everyone leaned in.
Noboru cupped his hands around his mouth, face red from shouting.
"Tetsuo, you better win! My pride's on the line too!"
"On your mark, get set, go!"
They pushed off the line at the same moment.
The track felt firm under each landing, the impact running through their legs in quick, steady bursts.
Tetsuo kept his posture straight, his gaze locked forward.
Naomi's arms drove her pace, her strides controlled and even.
They stayed side by side through the halfway point.
Voices rose around them, the sound pressing against the air.
"Come on, dude, you can do it!" the boys shouted.
"You got this, Naomi!" the girls answered.
Naomi's breaths grew harsher, her lungs tightening as she forced her legs to move faster.
Tetsuo's rhythm didn't shift.
His footsteps hit the ground with the same sharp consistency, and he never turned his head toward her.
The finish line came closer, and she caught the slight increase in his speed.
…He's fast.
Tetsuo lengthened the gap and crossed the line just ahead of her.
"No way… he actually beat her!" the girls gasped, their steps shifting as they leaned forward.
"That's what I'm talking about, Tetsuo! Putting your basketball speed to good use and showing her who's boss!" Noboru cheered, his hand hitting Tetsuo's back with a firm smack.
Tetsuo drew in a steady breath, his shoulders rising and falling as he exhaled through his nose.
I never imagined Tetsuo could beat Naomi. He's really something, Sachiko thought, her fingers tightening lightly around the stopwatch.
Sachiko lowered her eyes to the stopwatch again, the numbers steady on the display.
10.9 seconds… unbelievable, she thought, her thumb resting against the plastic casing as the crowd's noise settled around her.
Naomi brushed the sweat from her temple with the back of her hand, her shoulders rising and falling with controlled breaths.
"That was amazing, Tetsuo. You're really fast. It's a waste that you're playing basketball instead of running. Next year, why don't you join us? We could really use you."
Noboru leaned forward with one hand on his knee, chest still rising sharply.
"No way. He's off-limits. This guy's our key to victory, and we need him for every year we get."
A wave of laughter broke out around them.
Tetsuo and Naomi stood shoulder to shoulder, both drawing in steady breaths, the warmth of the run still hanging in the air between them.