Riko stood by the main school gate, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the courtyard. The post-school exodus was in full swing—clusters of laughing students, friends making plans, a few parents and older siblings waiting. She was observing the flow, a habitual cataloging of social patterns, when a particular pair caught her eye.
A girl with an elegant, commanding air, her posture radiating a familiar, refined authority, was walking beside none other than Kaito Sato. It was his sister, the former Student Council president, Aiko Sato. Riko recognized her instantly from the framed group photo in the council room.
As they approached, Riko instinctively stepped forward and offered a deep, respectful bow. "Good afternoon, former President Sato."
Aiko stopped, a look of mild surprise on her face. Kaito, beside her, simply watched, his expression unreadable. "Oh? You know me?" Aiko asked, her voice warm but carrying the confident tone of a former leader.
"I saw your photograph in the Council room," Riko explained, straightening up but maintaining her polite demeanor. "I am Aoyama Riko, a new member of the Student Council."
Aiko waved a hand gently, a soft sigh escaping her. "There's no need for such formality. I'm just a graduate now. Please, relax." She then glanced at her brother beside her, a knowing glint in her eye.
At that moment, another figure approached from the side path. Hikari, her bag slung over one shoulder, slowed her steps as she saw the small group. Her eyes landed on Riko. "What are you doing here, Riko-senpai?" she asked, her tone carrying its usual blunt curiosity.
Aiko's gaze flicked between them. "You know each other?"
Hikari gave a small shrug. "Yeah. We're friends." She said it so simply, so naturally, as if stating the weather.
Aiko's expression softened into a knowing smile. She looked back at Riko with renewed interest. "If you're a friend of Hikari's," she said, her voice dropping to a more intimate, meaningful pitch, "then you might very well be a friend of Kaito's too."
The words hung in the air, creating a new connection. Riko felt a strange warmth at the implication.
It was then that Kaito spoke, his voice not cold, but carrying a note of straightforward acknowledgment that felt almost friendly in its directness. "Yeah, she is," he said, confirming his sister's assumption. "She helped me teach Hikari. For the tests."
Aiko's eyebrows lifted in genuine surprise, her smile widening. She turned fully to Riko. "Is that so? Riko-san, you must be quite intelligent and patient to manage that. Teaching Hikari is… a specialized skill." Her tone was playful, holding clear affection for both her brother and Hikari.
Riko, caught slightly off guard by the direct praise from the legendary former president, simply nodded. "It was a joint effort. Sato-senpai led the schedule."
Kaito's attention then shifted to Hikari. "Where's Kenji?" he asked, his tone shifting to one of practical curiosity.
Hikari jerked her thumb back toward the school building. "He's coming. I was here to pick him up, but I met you guys." Her explanation was casual, highlighting the unplanned, natural way their paths kept crossing.
The group stood together at the gate—a former president, a current strategist, a solitary king, and a class rebel—bound by study sessions, passed tests, an upcoming concert, and now, the simple, unfolding reality of being a group of friends waiting for one more to arrive. The unseen gathering had become a visible, quiet testament to connections that had grown, unseen, right beneath the school's surface.
(End of Chapter 44)