By Thursday, The Hallway Buzzed With Packing Stress. Students Compared Notes, Held Up Travel-size Bottles, And Argued Over How Many Pairs Of Socks Were "Enough."
Ren Watched Someone Drop An Entire Packet Of Wet Wipes. Another Had Labeled Their Toothbrush With Their Initials.
"I'm Not Doing That," He Muttered Under His Breath.
"Doing What?" Miyu Asked, Appearing Beside Him As If She'd Been There The Whole Time.
"Writing My Name On A Toothbrush."
She Glanced At Him. "I'd Label Yours For You."
"…Please Don't."
She Didn't Answer. Just Smiled. The Kind Of Quiet Smile That Didn't Linger Long Enough To Feel Intentional, But Stayed In His Head Anyway.
—
The Rest Of The School Day Passed In Little Fragments — The Muffled Scratch Of Chalk On The Board, The Occasional Thud Of Someone's Bag Hitting The Floor, Bursts Of Laughter From The First-year Classrooms As They Compared Snack Stashes.
At Lunch, Kaito Plopped Down In Front Of Them With An Energy Drink In Hand.
"Guess What I'm Bringing?"
"No," Ren Said Automatically.
"A Portable Speaker. We're Making The Bus Ride Fun."
Miyu Looked Doubtful. "You Know The Teachers Will Confiscate It, Right?"
"Not If I Hide It In My Socks."."
Ren Stared. "…Do You Just Enjoy Being On The Verge Of Detention?"
Kaito Grinned. "Keeps Life Interesting."
Chika Slid Into The Seat Beside Him. "If You Get Caught, I'm Not Saving You. I'll Be The First To To Hand You Over."
"Wow," Kaito Said, Mock-offended. "Betrayal."
Miyu Looked Between Them. "I'm Still Labeling Your Toothbrush," She Said To Ren, Out Of Nowhere.
Ren Sighed. "Why Are We Back To This?"
—
By The Time The Final Bell Rang, The Corridors Had Thinned Out, But The Air Still Hummed With Chatter. A Group Of Students Compared Checklists Near The Shoe Lockers, Debating Whether Umbrellas Were Worth Bringing.
On The Walk Home, Ren And Miyu Drifted Into Step Without Discussing It. The Late Afternoon Sun Cast A Warm Gold Over The Street, And Their Shadows Stretched Side By Side On The Pavement.
"You Packed Yet?" She Asked.
"I'll Do It Sunday Night."
She Gave Him A Sideways Glance. "You Mean Monday Morning, Ten Minutes Before We Leave."
"…I'll Prove You Wrong."
"I'll Still Label Your Toothbrush."
He Groaned, But Didn't Argue.
—
After Dinner, Ren Sat On His Bed, The Faint Glow Of His Phone Lighting Up His Fingers. A Notification From The Group Chat Blinked At The Top Of The Screen. Kaito Had Sent A Blurry Picture Of Snacks Spread Out Over His Desk.
We're Ready For War, The Caption Read.
Chika Replied With A Single "No."
Ren Typed, You're Going To Get Half Of That Taken Away, Then Set The Phone Down.
He Had Barely Leaned Back When Riko Barged In Without Knocking.
"Guess What?"
"No."
"I Asked Mom To Put Something Secret In Your Luggage."
"…What?"
"You'll Find Out During The Trip. Could Be Heartwarming. Could Be Horrifying."
Ren Sighed. "I'm Removing Everything Before I Zip It Up."
"You're So Boring." She Crossed Her Arms. "Where's Your Sense Of Adventure?"
"Somewhere Far From My Suitcase."
—
Meanwhile, Miyu's Older Brother Had Taken Things To A New Level.
"You Should Bring Matching Keychains," He Said, Sprawled On The Couch Like He Had No Other Purpose In Life.
"We're Not A Couple."
"Oh, Right. You're Two Emotionally Constipated Teenagers Who Like Each Other But Would Rather Die Than Admit It. My Bad."
"I Hope Your Morning Coffee Spills Tomorrow."
"Bold Of You To Assume I'll Be Holding It," He Replied, Smirking.
Yui Peeked In From The Hallway, Holding Up A Piece Of Paper. "I Drew A Picture Of You And Ren Under The Stars. Want It For Your Notebook?"
Miyu Shut Her Door Slowly, Letting The Click Echo.
— × —
The Classroom Buzzed More Than Usual Next Morning.
Desks Rattled With Students Digging For Crumpled Consent Forms. Pens Clicked. Whispers Passed Across Rows Like A Chain Reaction. Everyone Had One Thing In Mind: The Trip.
"Final Day To Hand In Forms," The Teacher Reminded Them For The Third Time That Week. "If You Forget, You're Staying Here. With Watchman. And Grading Papers."
That Was Enough To Cause A Mild Panic.
Miyu Handed Hers In With Quiet Precision, The Edges Perfectly Aligned And Her Neat Handwriting Sitting Like It Belonged In A Catalog. Ren's Was Folded A Little Awkwardly, The Corner Bent As If It Had Been In His Pocket Too Long—But Still, It Made It To The Desk. Somehow, That Small Contrast Felt Fitting.
Behind Him, Vicky Leaned Forward Just Enough To Whisper, "So What Do You Think? Will We See The Fabled Miyu Smile This Trip?"
"She Already Smiles," Ren Muttered.
"Not The School Smile. The Real One."
Ren Didn't Reply. Mostly Because He Didn't Know The Answer. Still, The Question Lingered In His Chest Long After The Conversation Ended.
By Lunchtime, The Heat In The Hallway Had Thickened. Someone Had Brought A Small Portable Fan, Holding It Dramatically Toward Their Face Like A Celebrity On A Photoshoot.
"I'll Die In This Heat Before I Even Get On The Bus," They Moaned, Their Voice Half-lost Under The Chatter.
Kaito Appeared, Waving A Strip Of Paper Like A Victory Flag. "My Checklist Has Checklists Now."
Chika Raised An Eyebrow. "You Forgot Your Water Bottle Yesterday."
"That's Past Kaito's Problem," He Said Solemnly. "Present Kaito Is Growing."
Ren Sat At The Edge Of The Group, Eating Quietly And Letting Their Banter Fill The Air. Miyu Was A Few Steps Away With Her Lunchbox, The Lid Resting Neatly Beside Her. Every So Often, When No One Else Was Looking, Her Gaze Drifted Toward Him. He Noticed. He Didn't Look Away Too Quickly.
It Wasn't A Conversation, But It Was A Kind Of Understanding.
The Rest Of The Day Moved In A Strange Rhythm— Classes Passed, Bags Rustled, And More Than One Student Could Be Seen Scribbling Last-minute Reminders In The Margins Of Their Notebooks. The Usual Friday Feeling Was Layered With An Undercurrent Of Anticipation.
By Evening, The House Felt Quieter Than Usual. Dinner Had Come And Gone, And Ren Sat On His Bed, Phone In Hand, The Dim Glow Lighting His Fingers.
[Private Chat]
[Miyu] : Did You Finish Packing?
[Ren] : Mostly. I Think. I Have Like Three Pairs Of Socks But I'm Not Confident.
[Miyu] : Add Two More. You'll Thank Me Later.
[Ren] : Noted. Also…
I'm Kind Of Looking Forward To This.
[Miyu] : Me Too. Kind Of.
[Ren] : Still Nervous?
[Miyu] : Always. But Less Than Usual.
Maybe Because… I'm Not Walking Into It Alone.
Ren Read That Message Twice. Then Again. His Thumb Hovered For A Moment Before He Typed:
[Ren] : I'm Glad You're Coming Too.
The Typing Indicator Blinked. Then Stopped. Then Blinked Again.
[Miyu] : That… Means More Than You Think.
—
Ren Set His Phone Down Beside Him, But The Faint Warmth Of The Conversation Stayed. The Night Outside Was Still, His Curtains Shifting Only Slightly With The Breeze From The Half-Open Window.
Somewhere In The House, Riko's Laughter Drifted From The Living Room Before Fading Into Silence. He Lay Back, Staring At The Ceiling, Wondering How It Would All Feel In Just A Few Days.
On The Other Side Of The City, Miyu Sat At Her Desk, The Soft Pool Of Lamplight Brushing Over Her Half-packed Suitcase. The Zipper Was Open, A Folded Sweater Resting On Top Like It Had Been Placed There Absentmindedly.
She Scrolled Up Through The Chat, Her Lips Pulling Into A Small, Private Smile. The Kind No One Else At School Had Seen.
When She Finally Switched Off Her Light And Slipped Into Bed, She Could Still See The Words On Her Screen In Her Mind.
That… Means More Than You Think.
And She Meant It.
— × —
Saturday Was Officially A Holiday.
Which Meant Chaos.
By The Time Ren Left His Room, The Living Room Looked Like Someone Had Attempted To Host Both A Picnic And A Fashion Show. Snacks, Clothes, And Random Travel Items Were Scattered Everywhere. And In The Middle Of It All Was Riko, Humming As If She Owned The Place.
"You Need Cute Socks," She Insisted, Dangling A Pair With Cats On Them.
"No."
"You'll Thank Me When Miyu Sees Them And Falls In Love."
"I'm Not Wearing Cat Socks."
"Fine, Then I'll Pack Them Myself."
"Touch My Bag And I'm Telling Mom."
She Made A Face. "Boring."
Ren Grabbed His Water Bottle From The Table And Tried To Escape Before She Found A Matching Cat Sweater.
—
Meanwhile, Miyu's Morning Wasn't Much Calmer.
Her Older Brother Leaned Against Her Doorway With An Expression That Spelled Trouble. "So, On A Scale Of One To Emotionally Unavailable, How Are You Feeling About Ren?"
"Out," She Said, Not Looking Up From Her Folded Clothes.
"That Wasn't A Number."
"Out."
"You Know What I Heard?" He Continued, Stepping Inside. "I Heard You Called Him Easy To Talk To."
She Froze, Just Enough For Him To Notice.
Yui Peeked In, Holding A Notepad. "You Did?? That's So Romantic! Should I Write A Poem?"
"No."
"Too Late." Yui Grinned And Ran Off.
Her Brother Flopped Onto The Bed Like He Was Settling In For A Long Lecture. "I'm Writing 'Ren' On All Your Shampoo Bottles."
"You're A Menace."
"I'm Your Brother."
"Exactly."
—
By Early Afternoon, The House Felt Quieter. Ren Had Retreated To His Room With His Half-packed Bag. Miyu Had Finished Most Of Her Checklist, Though Her Brother's Teasing Still Echoed Faintly In Her Head.
Ren Sat Cross-legged On His Bed, Scrolling Aimlessly Until His Phone Buzzed.
[Group Chat – "Group Project Survivors"]
[Chika] : Packing Status?
[Kaito] : 3% Clothes. 97% Panic.
[Chika] : You Had All Week.
[Kaito] : I Work Best Under Duress.
[Miyu] : I Color-coded My Outfits.
[Ren] : I'm Just Bringing Extra Socks Now.
[Chika] : Romance Is Real.
[Kaito] : Whoa Whoa Whoa
[Kaito] : Is This The Ren Who Barely Responds In Class?
[Chika] : He's Evolving.
[Ren] : I Regret Texting.
[Miyu] : I Don't.
There Was A Pause.
Then Kaito Sent A Blurry Selfie Wearing Five Hats, Captioned: "Ready For Adventure."
[Chika] : I'm Leaving The Group.
[Ren] : I'm Deleting My Number.
[Miyu] : I Saved The Picture.
—
By Evening, The Chaos In Both Houses Had Slowed. Riko Had Stopped Her Ambushes, Retreating To Her Room With A Smug Grin That Ren Didn't Trust.
The Living Room Was Still Cluttered With Abandoned Snacks And Folded Laundry—Evidence Of Her Earlier "Packing Assistance."
Across Town, Miyu's Brother Had Switched To Bothering Yui Instead, Which Gave Her A Brief Moment Of Peace.
She Sat At Her Desk, Tapping Her Pen Against Her Planner, Double-Checking Her List For The Trip. The House Felt Calm, Though The Quiet Carried The Faint Hum Of Anticipation.
—
After The Dinner, Ren Zipped His Backpack Shut, The Sound Loud In The Stillness Of His Room. He Sat On The Edge Of His Bed For A Moment, Staring At The Bag Like It Might Start Unpacking Itself If He Looked Away.
In Her Room, Miyu Glanced At The Clock. The Sky Outside Had Shifted To That Deep, Velvety Blue That Seemed To Make The World Smaller, Softer. Yui Had Fallen Asleep On The Floor Beside A Half-finished Drawing—Stars, Trees, And Two Stick Figures Beneath The Sky.
Ren's Phone Lit Up.
[Miyu] :
Good Night.
See You On The Trip Day.
He Read It Twice Before Replying, His Thumbs Moving Without Hesitation.
[Ren] :
Good Night.
I'll Be There.
The Words Lingered On His Screen For A Moment Before He Set The Phone Down.
In The Quiet, It Felt Less Like A Casual Exchange And More Like A Promise.
— × —
The House Was Still When Ren Opened His Eyes.
Outside The Window, The Morning Light Painted Soft Shapes Across The Pale Ceiling. A Quiet Sunday, But Different. Not The Kind Where He'd Scroll His Phone Endlessly Or Ignore Riko's Calls For Breakfast. This One Had A Weight To It — A Pause Before Something Unfamiliar.
He Blinked Away The Blur, Sat Up, And Glanced Toward His Half-packed Bag Leaning Against The Wall. A Week-long School Trip. He Still Hadn't Wrapped His Head Around It.
From The Kitchen, A Faint Clatter.
"Brother!" Riko's Voice Rang Through The Hallway. "Don't Tell Me You're Still In Bed!"
"…I'm Up," He Mumbled, Rubbing His Face With Both Hands.
He Shuffled To The Bathroom, Brushed His Teeth In Slow Rhythm, Half-listening To The Sound Of Eggs Sizzling Downstairs. A Lazy, Quiet Start — Yet The Thought Of Miyu, The Trip, And The Late-night Chats Stayed Somewhere Between His Chest And His Throat.
Downstairs, Riko Grinned Like She Already Knew.
"You Dreaming About Packing Or Someone Special?"
He Froze Halfway To The Fridge. "I Was Dreaming Of Sleep. That's All."
"Right, Sure," She Said, Sipping From Her Mug. "Because That's What Makes You Look Like You're Blushing First Thing In The Morning."
Ren Said Nothing. But Even As He Poured Himself Milk, He Could Feel Riko's Eyes Dancing Over His Shoulder.
"Bet She's Already Packed And Polished Her Shoes," She Teased.
He Nearly Dropped The Glass.
—
Meanwhile, Miyu Stood In Front Of Her Mirror, Hairbrush In Hand, Eyes Quietly Moving From The Reflection Of Her Suitcase To Her Own Face.
"Hmm," She Whispered To Herself, Brushing Through Her Hair Carefully. "Not Too Neat. Just... Okay."
Yui Peeked In Through The Doorway. "Are You Talking To Yourself Again?"
Miyu Startled. "No— I Mean. I Was Just... Checking My Bag."
"You've Checked It Three Times," Yui Deadpanned. "Just admit it. You're nervous about going on a trip with a boy."
"I'm Going With The Class," Miyu Corrected Softly, Trying Not To Let Her Cheeks Heat Up.
Before She Could Redirect The Conversation, Her Older Brother Leaned In With A Familiar, Mischievous Gleam.
"Did You Pack Your Elegance And Charm, Miyu? Or Are You Planning To Knock Him Out With Quiet Eye Contact Again?"
She Hid Her Face In Her Sleeves. "Please Leave."
"Oh, She's Blushing," He Sang.
She Slipped Past Them Before They Could Pounce Further, But Their Laughter Followed Her Down The Stairs.
—
By Midmorning, The Group Chat Was Already Awake.
[Group Chat – "Group Project Survivors"]
[Kaito] : Is It Too Early To Fake A Fever And Skip The Trip?
[Chika] : You're The One Who Said You'd Bring Board Games And Energy.
[Kaito] : I Lied. I'm All Bark And No Bag.
[Miyu] : Everything's Packed Here. Just Need To Check It Once More.
[Ren] : Same.
[Chika] : Wow. They're Synced. Like A Couple.
[Kaito] : It's Fate. They're Going To End Up Sitting Next To Each Other On The Bus.
[Ren] : ...
[Miyu] : ...
[Chika] : Aw, They're Blushing In Silence Again.
[Kaito] : Classic.
—
Not Long After—
[Private Chat]
[Ren] : They're Never Letting Us Live That Down, Huh?
[Miyu] : I've Accepted It. Quiet Suffering.
[Ren] : It's Not That Bad.
[Miyu] : It's Not.
[Ren] : …I'm Kind Of Looking Forward To It. The Trip, I Mean.
[Miyu] : Me Too.
A Pause.
[Miyu] : Don't Forget Your Charger.
[Ren] : You Too. I'll Remind You Again Tomorrow Before Leaving.
—
The Afternoon Drifted By In Small Pieces — Laundry Tumbling In The Background, The Rustle of plastic bags as riko Rearranged Snacks She "Accidentally" Bought Too Many Of.
Ren's Phone Buzzed Again.
[Group Chat – "Ren, Mahito, Vicky"]
[Vicky] : Dude. Trip Prep Done. You Ready?
[Ren] : Almost.
[Mahito] : Top Student Probably Finished Packing Last Week.
[Vicky] : He's Doomed. Imagine Forgetting Socks And Borrowing Hers.
[Ren] : Stop.
[Vicky] : Wait, Would She Lend You Socks?
[Ren] : STOP.
[Mahito] : I'm Taking That As A Yes.
—
Evening Crept In With The Scent Of Dinner Still Hanging In The Air. Ren Sat At His Desk, Checking His List One Last Time — Socks, Toothbrush, Phone Charger.
Riko Leaned Against The Doorframe. "Is That A Checklist She Gave You?"
"No," He Sighed.
"But If It Was," She Grinned, "That'd Be Kind Of Romantic."
"I'll Throw Your Manga Out."
"You Wouldn't. Not When You're This Lovesick."
—
Across Town, Miyu Finally Zipped Her Suitcase Shut, Stepping Back With A Soft Breath.
"Last Chance To Confess," Yui Said From Her Bed. "You Like Him."
"I'm Not Talking About This."
"Your Face Is."
Then, Right On Cue, Her Older Brother's Head Appeared In The Doorway.
"Want Me To Write Him A Note? 'Dear Ren, Please Look After Our Shy Little Miyu. She Startles Easily And Needs To Be Reminded To Eat Snacks.' "
"OUT," Miyu Shouted.
—
The Night Settled Into Stillness Again.
Ren Lay In Bed, The Soft Glow Of His Phone Screen Painting His Fingers.
[Ren] : I'll Try To Not Forget Anything.
[Miyu] : I'll Remind You. Just Don't Forget Yourself.
[Ren] : …
[Miyu] : Sleep Soon. Tomorrow's Gonna Be An Eventful Day.
[Ren] : Right.
[Miyu] : Goodnight, Ren.
[Ren] : Goodnight, Miyu.
— × —
To Be Continued....