The next day felt unusually long. The classroom buzzed with chatter, laughter, and the shuffle of feet, but Toshio barely heard any of it. His mind kept circling back to last night — the way Airi's eyes shimmered in the sunset, and how she had said his name.
Every time he remembered it, something warm stirred in his chest.
"See you tomorrow, Toshio."
Those words had echoed in his head all night.
And now, here she was — sitting by the window, sunlight brushing her hair with gold. Her expression was calm as always, but there was a faint smile on her lips, the kind that made his pulse skip without warning.
He thought about saying something — maybe a casual "good morning." But before he could, the door slid open.
A tall figure stepped in, wearing the same uniform but with an air of quiet confidence. His hair was dark silver, his smile easy, his presence commanding.
The teacher looked up. "Ah, class, we have another transfer student today."
Another one?
"I'm Ren Kurogane," the new boy said smoothly. "I transferred here from Tokyo. Hope we get along."
The girls in class immediately started whispering.
"He's so cool.""Is he a model?""He looks like he belongs in a drama."
Toshio felt a faint chill — the kind that comes when you can sense something about to change.
Then, Ren's gaze swept across the room… and stopped at Airi.
He smiled. "Hey, Misaki. It's been a while."
Airi froze. Toshio saw it instantly — the way her hand tightened on her pen, the flicker of recognition in her eyes.
"Ren…" she whispered.
During lunch, Toshio found himself on the rooftop again, but this time, Airi didn't come alone.
Ren followed her, his easy smile never fading.
Toshio greeted them awkwardly. "Oh… hey."
Ren grinned. "You must be Toshio. I've heard about you."
"From who?" Toshio asked cautiously.
Airi looked between them, her expression unreadable. "Ren and I… used to know each other," she said softly. "Back when I lived in Tokyo."
Ren chuckled. "Yeah. We were childhood friends. She hasn't changed a bit."
Something about the way he said it — too familiar, too smooth — made Toshio's chest tighten.
Airi gave a polite smile but didn't reply. She quietly unwrapped her bento box and sat beside Toshio, leaving Ren to stand near the railing.
"So, Toshio," Ren continued, his tone light but edged with curiosity. "You're pretty close to Airi, huh?"
Toshio shrugged. "We're… friends."
"Friends, huh?" Ren smirked. "That's good. She needs people she can trust."
Airi's eyes flickered toward him. "Ren…"
He laughed softly. "Don't worry, I'm just saying. You've always had a habit of getting too close to people too fast."
Toshio frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Ren looked at him, still smiling. "Nothing bad. Just… be careful, okay?"
The tension was subtle but heavy — like two swords brushing in silence.
Airi quickly changed the subject, offering Toshio a piece of her lunch again, trying to diffuse the moment. But even as they ate, Toshio couldn't stop thinking about Ren's words… and the way Airi avoided looking at him afterward.
After school, Toshio walked home alone. The sky was already turning orange, the same color as the moment they had shared yesterday.
He tried not to overthink it, but his heart felt heavier with each step.
"They knew each other. Childhood friends. Maybe… maybe she liked him once."
The thought stung more than he wanted to admit.
As he reached his street, he noticed the light from Airi's house glowing faintly through her window. Piano notes drifted out — the same melody she had played before, only this time… it was slower. Sadder.
He stood there for a long while, just listening.
The music felt like it was calling him — or maybe apologizing.
But before he could decide what to do, his phone buzzed.
A message.
From Airi:
"Thank you for today. Sorry if things were awkward. Ren… is complicated."
Toshio stared at the screen for a moment before replying.
Toshio:
"It's okay. Just wanted to make sure you're alright."
Her reply came quickly.
Airi:
"I will be. Thank you… Toshio."
He smiled faintly, pocketing his phone. The tension in his chest eased a little — but not completely.
Something told him that whatever history Airi shared with Ren… it wasn't over.
And whether he wanted to or not, Toshio was already part of it.
That night, he couldn't sleep. He kept hearing Airi's piano and Ren's voice overlapping in his head.
Two melodies clashing.
Two worlds colliding.
And somewhere in between them — his heart, caught in the quiet storm of a feeling he could no longer deny.