Next Day, The School Morning Didn't Feel Like Any Other Monday.
It Was Still Early, The Air Damp With A Faint Mist, School Gates Yawning Open To Rows Of Students Wheeling In With Travel Bags And Half-tied Hair. The Chatter Was Louder Than Usual—Filled Not With Complaints Or Sleepy Sighs, But With Layered Excitement.
Some Were Dragging Their Luggage Behind Them. Some Were Running Around, Already Trying To Trade Snacks. A Few Sleepy-Eyed Classmates Still Clung To Their Routines, Half-awake In Their Uniforms With Their Backpacks Slung Awkwardly Over Their Shoulders.
Inside The Classroom, Desks Had Been Pushed Aside To Make Space. Teachers Moved Around, Checking Roll Numbers, Verifying Emergency Contacts, And Collecting Last-Minute Forms.
—
"Alright Everyone," Their Homeroom Teacher Announced, Tapping The Side Of The Podium Lightly To Draw Attention, "Before We Move To The Buses, A Few Final Reminders."
The Room Settled, Though The Excitement Pulsed Just Under The Surface.
"Everyone Should've Submitted Their Consent Forms By Now. If Not, Now's Your Last Chance. Make Sure Your Luggage Is Clearly Labeled. We'll Depart By 9:30 Sharp. And Remember—it's Not Just A Vacation. Represent The School Properly."
A Few Groans Rippled Through The Room, And From The Back, Kaito Lifted His Hand In An Exaggerated Salute, Drawing A Wave Of Laughter.
"Any Questions?" The Teacher Asked.
Someone Called Out, Wanting To Know Where They Were Going. The Teacher Smiled Faintly, Clearly Used To The Same Question Every Trip. "You'll Know Soon Enough. Consider It A Surprise."
Another Voice Muttered Something About Refusing To Hike If It Was A Forest Park Again, Earning Quiet Agreement From Several Corners Of The Room.
Someone Else Asked If They Could Bring Instant Ramen, To Which The Teacher Replied Dryly, "Only If You Plan To Eat It Dry."
Ren Stayed Quiet Through All Of It, Fingers Tapping Lightly Against The Side Of His Phone Under The Desk.
Across The Room, Miyu Sat Beside Chika, Who Was Leaning In To Whisper Something While Subtly Pointing Toward The Boys. Miyu Only Shook Her Head, Though The Smallest Curve Tugged At Her Lips.
—
When The Students Were Dismissed To Gather Their Belongings And Head Toward The Buses, Ren Took His Time Packing Away His Things. That Was When Vicky And Mahito Appeared, Both Grinning In A Way That Meant Trouble.
"Got Your Stuff, Luggage Boy?" Vicky Asked, Eyeing Ren's Bag.
Mahito Leaned Closer, His Tone Half-Accusing. "Don't Tell Me You Brought Manga And Forgot Toothpaste Again."
Ren Glanced Between Them. "I Double-Checked This Time."
Vicky Smirked. "No Top-Student-Approved Checklist From Miyu Today?"
Ren Shot Him A Look That Should've Been Enough To End The Conversation, But The Slight Redness At The Tips Of His Ears Gave Him Away.
Mahito Caught It Instantly And Grinned Wider. "Relax, We're Not Saying Anything. Just… If She Packed Snacks, Share."
"She Didn't," Ren Muttered.
"That You Know Of," Vicky Added, Grinning As They Followed Him Out.
—
Outside, Buses Lined The Street, Their Drivers Talking Lazily With Teachers As Luggage Was Loaded Into The Compartments Below. The Air Carried The Scent Of Engine Oil And Snacks, And The Space Buzzed With Movement.
Chika Stood With Miyu Near The Gate, Scanning The Crowd. "Where Are They?" She Huffed.
"They Said They'd Meet Us Here," Miyu Replied, Her Voice Even, Though Her Hands Curled A Little Tighter Around Her Bag Strap Behind Her Back.
When Ren And Kaito Finally Appeared—Bags Slung Over Their Shoulders, Mahito Trailing Behind With A Juice Box—Chika Groaned. "You Said Five Minutes."
"Technically, We Made It In Ten," Kaito Replied With A Grin.
"That's Called Ren Standard Time," Vicky Called From Behind.
"One Day, I'm Replacing You With A Timer," Chika Muttered.
—
The Teachers Herded Students Toward Their Assigned Buses, Ticking Off Names One By One. Kaito And Chika Were Pulled Aside Briefly To Confirm The Snacks And Medicines They'd Brought For The Group.
Mahito Dragging Vicky Wandered Toward The Luggage Compartment, Mumbling About How It Looked Like A "Tetris Game Gone Wrong" And Snapping A Picture.
That Left Ren And Miyu Standing At The Edge Of The Loading Area, Just Outside The Busiest Flow Of People.
The Noise Dulled Around Them. Ren Shifted His Hand Inside His Hoodie Pocket, While Miyu's Fingers Brushed Lightly Over The Zipper Of Her Backpack.
For A Few Moments, Neither Spoke.
Then Ren Glanced At Her. "You Ready?"
"I Think So," She Said With A Small Nod.
They Both Looked Toward The Buses Again.
"It Feels Different," Miyu Added After A Moment.
"Yeah," Ren Agreed Quietly.
"Last Year, I Sat Alone," She Said, Her Tone Gentle.
He Looked At Her But Didn't Say Anything. He Didn't Need To.
"But Not This Time," She Finished Softly.
—
By The Time They Boarded, They Were Among The Last. The Back Row Had Already Been Claimed—Vicky And Mahito Had Spread Their Bags Across The Seats Like It Was Some Sort Of Territory Marker.
Ren Rolled His Eyes But Slid Into The Space Between Kaito And Vicky. The Air At The Back Was Already Thick With Chatter, The Scent Of Lemon Candies, And Something Suspicious From Someone's Lunch Container.
A Few Rows Ahead, Miyu And Chika Settled Into A Pair Of Seats. Almost Immediately, Chika Pulled Out Her Phone. Miyu Glanced At Her, Then At The Boys In The Back, Before Unlocking Hers As Well.
—
[Group Chat – "The Unofficial Trip Survival Group"]
[Chika] : The Chaos Has Arrived.
[Kaito] : She Means Herself.
[Miyu] : Are We Actually Surviving This Or Is It A Social Experiment?
[Vicky] : Survival Depends On How Long Ren Can Go Without Falling Asleep On Me.
[Ren] : I'm Ignoring That.
[Mahito] : Too Late He Already Did Once During Math.
[Kaito] : We're All Gonna Die By Snack Shortage.
[Chika] : NO. I Brought Spicy Chips And Gummy Bears.
[Miyu] : I Brought Green Tea Candies.
[Kaito] : You Guys Are Life Savers.
[Vicky] : I Brought Nothing But Emotional Support.
[Chika] : Useless.
[Mahito] : At Least He Admits It.
[Miyu] : As Long As No One Steals My Tea Candies, We'll Be Fine.
[Ren] : …
[Kaito] : Suspicious Silence From Ren.
[Chika] : Someone Guard The Candy.
The Group Chat Quieted Down After Chika's Mock Warning. The Bus Engine Hummed Beneath Their Feet, A Low Vibration That Seemed To Slow Everyone's Movements.
Ren Glanced Up From His Phone. From Where He Sat In The Last Row, He Could See The Top Of Miyu's Head A Few Rows Ahead, Her Hair Catching Faint Threads Of Sunlight As It Tilted Toward The Window.
Chika Was Still Scrolling, Occasionally Showing Her Something That Made Her Smile—Not The Polite Kind She Wore In Class, But The Quiet, Unguarded Sort.
His Phone Buzzed.
[Miyu] : Don't Listen To Them. I Know You Wouldn't Steal My Candies.
He Stared At The Screen For A Second Longer Than He Should Have Before Replying.
[Ren] : You're Trusting Me Too Much.
[Miyu] : Or Maybe I Know You'd Give Them Back.
[Ren] : Only After I Eat One.
[Miyu]: Then I'll Make You Try One Later.
Ren Let The Phone Rest On His Knee After That, His Thumb Brushing Over The Edge. It Wasn't A Long Conversation, But It Stayed With Him.
Outside, Teachers Were Still Making Final Checks By The Luggage Compartment.
Ren Looked Once More Toward Miyu. She Was Watching The Scenery With Her Chin Resting Lightly In Her Palm, Her Expression Calm But Touched By Something—Anticipation, Maybe.
For A Moment, He Thought About Last Year, When They Had Barely Spoken. Now, They Weren't Exactly Close In The Way People Might Notice. But They Weren't Far Either.
The Kind Of Distance That Could Change, If The Trip Went The Right Way.
—
The Bus Finally Began To Roll Forward With A Light Shudder.
Outside The Windows, The School Gates Shrank Behind Them. Rows Of Trees Blurred Gently Into One Another, And The Low Morning Sun Painted A Soft Glow Over Everything, As If Even The Air Was Holding Its Breath.
Ren Sat In The Third Seat From The Left On The Back Row. To His Left, Vicky Was Already Pulling Out Chips, Grinning Like They Were Heading To A Gaming Tournament. Mahito, Next To The Window, Had His Hoodie Pulled Up And Earbuds In, But His Foot Tapped In Rhythm With Some Silent Beat.
On Ren's Right, Kaito Leaned Forward, Peering Into His Backpack Like It Was A Treasure Chest.
"We Have Exactly… Two Packs Of Gummies, Three Choco Rolls, And—Wait—why Is There A Soy Sauce Packet In Here?" He Asked, Genuinely Puzzled.
Vicky Didn't Miss A Beat. "Maybe It's Destiny. Maybe You'll Need To Defend Us With Flavor."
Ren Let The Banter Wash Over Him, The Noise An Easy Background Hum. From Where He Sat, He Could See Miyu's Reflection In The Window A Few Rows Ahead.
She Was Seated With Chika, Who Was Already Talking Animatedly, Hands Moving As Fast As Her Words.
—
Chika Was Leaning Slightly Across The Aisle, Her Voice Bright. "Okay, But What If We Actually End Up Somewhere Boring? Like… Not Even A Proper Rural Town, But One Of Those Semi-industrial Places Where There's One Convenience Store And A Bus Stop That's Never Used."
Miyu's Lips Curved Faintly. "You'd Still Find A Way To Enjoy It."
"Obviously," Chika Replied Without Hesitation. "I'd Organize A Night Walk. That's Why You Keep Me Around."
Miyu's Smile Softened As She Turned Back Toward The Glass. The Scenery Rolled By Quietly, And Her Reflection Blurred Against It. She Wasn't Really Thinking About The Destination—Only The Moment.
And Somewhere In That Moment, She Felt It Again.
The Quiet Presence.
The One Who Sat Behind Her, Not Loud Or Teasing Like The Others, But Whose Silence Filled More Space Than Noise Ever Could.
She Didn't Turn Around. But She Didn't Have To.
—
"Alright," Vicky Announced Suddenly, Snapping His Fingers. "Let's Plan. First Thing We Do When We Get There?"
"Sleep," Mahito Replied Instantly, Not Bothering To Remove His Hood.
"Wrong," Kaito Said. "We Scout The Area For Vending Machines."
Ren Raised An Eyebrow. "You Guys Sound Like We're Invading A Base."
"We Are The Chaos Unit," Vicky Grinned. "Don't You Know The Teachers Call The Back Row Students The 'Risk Zone'?"
Their Laughter Rippled Through The Space. Even Ren Smiled—Genuinely. The Warmth In The Bus Wasn't Just From The Morning Sun; It Came From The Way Their Voices Bounced Off One Another. It Wasn't Loud, But It Was Alive.
—
Minutes Passed In A Gentle Rhythm. Ren Leaned His Head Slightly Against The Window, Watching The Road Unravel Like A Ribbon. In The Reflection, His Eyes Caught Hers For A Brief Moment.
Miyu Had Shifted Her Head Too, Perhaps Also Watching The Trees.
Their Gazes Met—just Faintly, Flickering In The Glass.
No Words.
No Reaction.
But The Air Between Them Grew Warmer.
—
Chika Suddenly Sat Up Straighter. "Wait—Do You Guys Think We'll Have To Share Rooms With Random Classmates?"
"If I Get Paired With Someone Who Snores," Kaito Said From The Back, "I'm Setting Up A Tent Outside."
"Even Better—Imagine Mahito Sleep-Talking Again," Vicky Added.
"I Don't Sleep-talk," Mahito Said Flatly. "You Made That Up."
"Then Who," Kaito Countered, "Said 'Pasta Shouldn't Judge You' At Two A.m. Last Trip?"
The Bus Roared With Laughter. Miyu, Hiding Her Smile, Turned Just Slightly To Glance Back—And This Time, Ren Was Already Looking Ahead. Not At Her Exactly, But Somewhere Close Enough That Their Worlds Brushed Like The Edge Of A Page Turning.
She Turned Back, Cheeks Warm.
—
The Road Stretched On. Conversations Melted In And Out. Playlists Changed In The Background. A Few Students Had Already Begun Dozing Off.
Teachers In The Front Seats Occasionally Glanced Back, Issuing Warnings About Noise Levels, Only To Give Up Seconds Later.
Ren Found Himself Leaning Forward A Bit, Nudging Vicky And Kaito Away From An Escalating Cookie Debate.
Up Ahead, Miyu Leaned Sideways On The Window, Her Eyes Drifting Shut While Chika Hummed Softly Beside Her.
And Slowly, The First Chapter Of Their Trip Settled Into Motion.
Not With Any Grand Event.
Not With Any Dramatic Declaration.
But With Shared Air. Shared Glances. Shared Silences.
And The Gentle Hum Of A Bus Carrying Them All Into Something Unknown—
But Maybe, Quietly Beautiful.
—
The Rhythm Of The Road Felt Almost Like A Lullaby Now.
Somewhere Halfway Through The Ride, The Bus Had Mellowed Into A Softer Hum — Voices Lowering, Snacks Half-finished, The Engine Humming Like A Gentle Heartbeat.
A Few Students Leaned Their Heads Against The Windows, Swaying Slightly With Each Curve Of The Road. Others Whispered Quietly Or Tapped Away On Their Phones.
Yet In The Back Row, The Chaos Unit Wasn't Quite Ready To Sleep.
Kaito Had A Deck Of Cards Out. Yes, Actual Cards.
"Loser Has To… Do A Dare At The Inn," He Whispered.
Vicky Raised An Eyebrow. "We're On A School Trip, Not Summer Camp."
Mahito Leaned Back, Feigning A Yawn. "Do I Still Lose If I Pretend To Sleep Now?"
"You're Already Playing," Ren Said, His Tone Dry. "No Escape."
They Played Quietly, Not Loud Enough To Disturb The Others, But With Enough Energy To Attract Occasional Shushes From The Front Rows.
Ren Wasn't Much For Games, But Something About This Felt Different. Small, Harmless. Like Being Included Without Pressure. He Let Himself Smile, Even When He Lost Two Rounds In A Row.
"Alright, Ren," Kaito Said, Smirking, "Your Dare Is… You Have To Wave At The Teacher Next Time She Looks Back."
"That's Not A Dare," Ren Replied.
"For Him, It Is," Vicky Said, Grinning.
The Others Chuckled.
Ren Shook His Head And Leaned Back, The Window Light Catching The Side Of His Face. He Didn't Mind. Not Really.
—
Across A Few Rows, Miyu Heard The Laughter And Turned Slightly. She Couldn't See Much — Just Glimpses Between Seats — But She Caught The Sound Of Ren's Voice. Quiet. Slightly Teasing. Different From The Version She Knew.
"You Hearing This?" Chika Asked, Tilting Her Head Toward The Back. "Our Boys Are Getting Dangerously Loud Back There."
Miyu Gave Her A Questioning Look. "Dangerous?"
"Laughter Past Acceptable Levels. Should We Report Them?" Chika Teased.
Miyu Shook Her Head, Amused. She Wasn't Exactly Sure What Had Changed, But The Quiet In Her Chest Wasn't So Heavy This Time.
Instead, It Felt… Light.
Not Gone — Just… Light.
She Turned To The Window And Pulled Out Her Phone. No Messages. She Hesitated, Then Typed:
[Miyu] : Looks Like You're Losing.
Three Rows Behind, Ren's Phone Buzzed On His Thigh. He Glanced At It And Felt His Chest Tighten Just Slightly — In The Good Way.
He Typed Back.
[Ren] : They Cheat. Obviously.
Miyu Let Out The Smallest Smile, Her Fingers Moving Again.
[Miyu] : So Do Something About It.
Ren Glanced Toward The Front. The Back Of Her Head Was Barely Visible Past Chika's Fluffy Hoodie. But Even From That, He Could Tell She Was Smiling Too.
He Typed:
[Ren] : Too Risky. Might Lose My Silent Reputation.
[Miyu] : You Lost That The Moment You Joined A Card Game.
[Ren] : …Fair.
He Tucked His Phone Away Slowly, The Heat Behind His Ears Lingering Longer Than It Should Have.
—
The Bus Gradually Fell Quieter As The Hours Stretched.
Students Dozed Off One By One, Slumped Over Travel Pillows, Hoodies Pulled Over Heads. Even Kaito, Once Buzzing With Sugar, Leaned Back And Gave Up Trying To Keep His Eyes Open. Vicky Had Started Snoring Faintly — To No One's Surprise.
Ren Remained Half-awake. Eyes Open, Unfocused.
The Warmth In The Bus Wasn't Just From Sunlight Now — It Came From What Was Unspoken.
He Glanced At The Row Ahead.
Miyu Sat Beside The Window, Head Tilted Slightly To The Side, Her Hair Catching The Gold Glow Of Afternoon.
He Thought About That Short Walk Earlier — The Moment Kaito And Chika Had Gone Ahead And It Had Just Been The Two Of Them. The Silence. The Rhythm Of Steps. Her Voice So Soft It Almost Didn't Reach Him When She Said, It Feels More Real Now.
She Hadn't Meant It To Sound Deep. But It Was.
Even Now, It Stayed In Him Like A Quiet Thread Tying The Morning To This Moment.
—
The Bus Hit A Small Bump. Chika Stirred. Mahito Muttered Something Incomprehensible. Someone Up Front Asked The Teacher How Much Longer.
Ren Sat Up A Bit Straighter.
Out The Window Now, The Trees Were Starting To Thin. The Road Widened Slightly. Fewer Buildings. The Light Outside Had Softened — No Longer Morning, Not Quite Evening. That Floating Hour Where The Day Seems Unsure Of Itself.
The Sense Of Arrival Began To Settle Over The Bus Like A Quiet Breath.
Voices Picked Up Again. Some Students Stretched Their Arms. Others Began Pulling Bags Out From Under Seats.
From The Front, Someone Shouted, "We There Yet?!"
"Almost, I Think!" Came Another Voice In Reply.
Ren's Phone Buzzed Again.
[Miyu] : You Awake?
[Ren] : Yeah. You?
[Miyu] : Mm. Kind Of.
A Pause.
[Miyu] : Feels Strange.
Ren Stared At The Message For A Long Second. Then Typed:
[Ren] : Yeah. But In A Good Way.
[Miyu] : I Think So Too.
He Read It Again Before Tucking His Phone Away.
Outside The Window, The Sky Was Starting To Open Wider. The Bus Slowed Down Slightly As It Turned Off The Main Road.
The First Glimpses Of Where They Were Going Came Into View — But Not Fully. Just Shadows. Shapes. A Road Leading Up Into Something Not Yet Revealed.
Miyu Pressed Her Hand Lightly To The Window, As If Trying To Feel The Place Before Seeing It.
The Teacher Stood Up And Called Over The Low Murmur Of Voices, "Everyone, Start Gathering Your Things. We'll Be Arriving Shortly. Please Make Sure You Haven't Left Anything Behind."
Bags Zipped. Seats Creaked. Voices Returned.
— × —
To Be Continued