2.29: A World Too PreciousBy the time we finished training, the sun had nearly slipped below the horizon. The athletic field was empty except for a few straggling club members packing up cones and balls. Inside the school, scattered cssroom lights glowed faintly against the dusk.

  We went back into the gymnasium to change out of our gym clothes and freshen up.

  The building was completely empty. We slipped into the locker room without being intercepted, and it was just as empty inside, which made me a little nervous. I tried not to look at Aoi as we returned to our lockers and pulled our uniforms out.

  “Do you want to take a quick shower?” Aoi asked, the corner of her lips quirking upward.

  I blushed incandescently, nearly fuming. My eyes slid away and down as I fidgeted. “W-well… If it’s just us two, I’m not sure that…”

  “Not sure it would just be a quick shower?” Aoi asked, giggling.

  I gasped and turned away, doing my best not to think about it. My fingers were a little clumsy as I tugged off my damp gym uniform. It clung in pces that it didn’t usually.

  As I undressed, a strange little shiver ran through me as I got that same feeling that I shouldn’t be here.

  The thought was a little jarring, crawling in my chest, almost like someone else’s memory brushing against mine.

  But then I inhaled, forcing myself to rex and shook my head, and the feeling dissolved.

  I self-consciously stepped out of my shorts, managing to keep my eyes off Aoi’s body for a while… I was truly proud of myself, but I caught myself peeking.

  DOKI-DOKI… BADUMP

  My head jerked forward and I twitched my lips tightening into a line.

  I failed. Clutching my hands over my chest, I peeked again, my cheeks pink. Even though I’d changed around other girls many times, I’d only ever felt compelled to sneak gnces at Aoi.

  She had slipped out of her gym clothes, standing nearby, her posture straight and confident, her body toned and well-built. Her ponytail was still damp with sweat. … And she was openly looking at me, not peeking like me even though her cheeks were flushed like mine.

  I stiffened as a shiver went up my spine and wetted my lips.

  I gasped quietly at the sight of her like this, absorbing how she was openly staring at me. I got hot and started sweating again.

  DOKI-DOKI… BADUMP

  Aoi-chan was beautiful even when she was covered in a thin sheen of sweat.

  I blushed harder, nearly staggering. Overload!

  “Sorry,” she said, her breathing a little uneven as she giggled, showing how affected she was by the sight of me in my cy bra and panties. “I didn’t mean to stare at you this much…” She looked away briefly. “I just… have to admit that it’s sometimes hard not to look at you. Especially today, after everything.”

  Kyaaaaa! She feels the same way about me?!

  I forced myself to rex, feeling tingles at the back of my head, racing down my arms and focused on pying it cool.

  “Hard to look at me? W-Why do you think?” I asked softly as I reached for my towel and carefully dried the st of the sweat from my skin.

  “Hehe… There’s something I can’t help remembering,” she said with a faint, dry smile. “But then I remember you’re my Susu, and when I put those together…” She trailed off, rubbing the back of her neck. “It gets a little hard to hold back.”

  I gasped, blushing. Hard to hold back? What does she want to do with me? My breathing was a little shallow as I asked, “Remembering what?”

  She gave me a ft look that shocked me, but it softened almost immediately. “It’s nothing important. What matters is that we’re here. Together.”

  My heart fluttered at how she said that.

  I looked away quickly, my cheeks burning as I folded my towel and put it away, and then took my uniform out of my locker. As I did, I caught my reflection in the locker’ mirror. My green eyes were wide, my lips slightly parted, my cheeks too pink, and my long brown hair still damp and clinging lightly to my back.

  For a brief second, our eyes met in the reflection again. I got tingles.

  We both snapped our gazes away at the same time.

  “I think we should hurry up… before we…” I squeaked.

  “Agreed,” Aoi muttered, her ears pink. “I wasn’t staring. I WASN’T STARING! Got that? Don’t make it sound so ecchi.”

  I blinked, not looking at her.

  “You weren’t?” I asked.

  “Yeah… I was just analyzing your… form. Gauging your bance. Thinking about future lessons. That’s what I meant earlier. You have a pretty good center of gravity. It just needs some work.”

  “I see,” I giggled softly. “Is that really the only reason you were looking?”

  She ughed quietly, the sound low and fond.

  Once we finished changing into our seifuku, she jerked her chin toward the door leading out of the gymnasium and then outside and up the path to the front of the school building where my bike was parked, the only one left.

  “Come on,” Aoi said, her voice tense. “Hurry up before I lose control and end up kissing you senselessly right here. You know, if we’d showered together, it might not have stopped just at kisses.”

  My knees nearly gave out. Heat rushed from my toes all the way to my scalp.

  “R-really?” I wanted more than just kissing, but the shower room wasn’t the right time or pce for that. “I-I’m fine with just kissing…” I lied.

  DOKI-DOKI… BADUMP

  “So far,” Aoi said, smirking.

  It was hard to keep up with Aoi. I felt a little dizzy.

  DOKI-DOKI… BADUMP

  When I reached for the lock to unfasten it, my wrist gave a sharp little pop and went numb. I winced.

  Aoi noticed immediately, turning and smoothly caught my hand, her brows knitting as she examined it.

  “Oi. Sumire-chan. Does it hurt?”

  “A little,” I admitted. “It’s just numb and sore. I’m fine.” I smiled to reassure her.

  She looked at me for a moment in a pointed way. “You should have said something earlier,” she scolded softly. “I don’t want you getting discouraged on day one. And I definitely don’t want you to hate me because you’re sometimes getting hurt in the process.”

  “I could never hate you,” I said without thinking. “Not ever.”

  Aoi froze for just a breath.

  “There’s a lot that…” Aoi said softly.

  Before she could finish, a calm voice drifted in from behind us.

  “Shinohara-san… Did I just hear your wrist pop?”

  We both turned.

  Arisugawa Yuna stood on the stone pavement a short distance away. She was still in her uniform, a clipboard tucked under one arm and a pen hooked behind her ear. Wisps of her hair fell around her cheeks a little messy.

  “... And it was hard not to overhear your conversation. Did you injure it during club activities?”

  She looks like she’s been training too… in her own way.

  I had to suppress a giggle at the thought of Yuna training like we were. “Arisugawa-san? Were you helping out in the nurse’s office again overtime?”

  “That’s right,” Yuna said lightly. “There were a number of reports to finish. She’s not as organized as you might expect. I think she would struggle without my help.” She smiled faintly. “As usual, she went home early and left all the boring parts to me.”

  I gasped. “That’s awful!”

  “It’s fine,” Yuna replied. “I actually welcome it. Nothing could prepare me better for my future pns.” She winked.

  Her gaze dropped pointedly to my wrist.

  “Shinohara-san… may I py nurse with you and take a look at your wrist for a moment?”

  For some reason, an image of her wearing an exaggeratedly sexy nurse outfit showing a lot of cleavage fshed through my head. My face went steaming hot on the spot.

  “May I?” she asked again, her lips quirking slightly as she extended her hand for mine.

  I hesitated, then nodded, extending my hand.

  Aoi watched closely at us like a jealous hawk, but she said nothing.

  She’s so jealous…

  My heart raced at the thought that she wanted me so badly that she wanted me all to herself.

  “Don’t worry, Aoi-chan! She’s just checking my wrist. That’s all!” I said hopefully reassuring her, ughing.

  She didn’t look very convinced, though.

  Yuna stepped closer and gently cradled my hand between the both of hers, turning it over. Her touch was cool and careful, respectful, weirdly reverent, but still professional. She pressed along the tendons with her thumb, simir to how Riko had earlier, but with more precision.

  “You’re not badly hurt,” she murmured. “It’s just a light strain. It will feel numb if you move it the wrong way, but it should be fine by morning. Still, you’ve stressed it in a way your body isn’t used to. If you keep practicing without stretching the muscles in your hands and wrists regurly, you could infme the joint.”

  “O-oh…” I whispered. “Do I really have to train every single tiny part of my body?”

  “Yes,” Aoi answered immediately.

  My head hung over.

  Aoi turned to Yuna. “How did you know all that just by looking and touching her?”

  Yuna smiled serenely.“I see dozens of sprains like this every day. I also noticed Shinohara-san was trying very hard not to make a pained expression.”

  I jumped. Had I really been that obvious?

  “You were holding your arm closer to your body when you walked to your bike,” Yuna continued. “That usually signals discomfort. It was noticeable even before you reached the bike rack.”

  I hadn’t been conscious of doing that.

  Aoi huffed. “You’re way too perceptive. Just like Tachibana… just in a different way.”

  “Tachibana-san? What about her?” Yuna asked, subtly reminding Aoi of honorifics.

  Aoi’s expression cooled, and Yuna simply shrugged with a small smile.

  “She isn’t the only one here with an injury,” Yuna added, gncing at Aoi. “The way your fingers tense and rex suggests you’re compensating for a sensation of pressure between your thumb and fingers.”

  Aoi stiffened. “It’s nothing serious.”

  “Amazing!” I gasped. “Are you really going to medical college after graduation?”

  Yuna nodded. “Yes. And just to be clear, I don’t pn to just become a school nurse. I want to become a doctor.” She touched a finger lightly to her lips.

  “How did you notice that ache in my hand?” Aoi asked, her eyes narrowing.

  “People’s bodies say what their mouths won’t,” Yuna replied, winking. “I just listen.”

  She reached into her bag and pulled out a roll of athletic tape.

  “Last nurse’s office service of the day,” she said. “I can wrap your wrist so it doesn’t worsen on your way home. May I?”

  “Yes, please,” I said quickly so that Aoi couldn’t intercept.

  She bent her head and worked with careful precision, the tape cool against my skin. Up close, she smelled faintly herbal, a bit like citrus too, like the nurse’s office itself had been distilled into a scent that was strangely her own mixed with the products she used when she bathed.

  “It’s normal for this kind of training to leave bruises,” Yuna said calmly. “Let me guess… you’re learning some kind of martial arts in a hidden nook after hours?”

  Aoi stared at Yuna, offering nothing in response.

  “It’s to help me defend myself,” I said, looking away and biting my lip. I didn’t want to mention what had happened with the bckmailing senpai.

  “I see.” Yuna nodded, not pressing the issue. “I’ll let the nurse know to expect you from time to time, then.”

  “By the way,” Yuna added, her gaze shifting between the two of us, “a couple of third years showed up in the nurse’s office earlier. Do you know anything about that?”

  Aoi shook her head. “Why would we?”

  I kept looking away, but I couldn’t stop my face from flushing. To change the subject, I asked, “What makes you think I’ll need to visit the nurse’s office?” I muttered, mortified.

  “Hehehe…” Yuna giggled. “Students in athletic clubs tend to show up there fairly regurly. This isn’t all that different. Your activities just aren’t formally registered.” She tilted her head toward Aoi. “Are you sure you have the time for this kind of thing, Kurobane-san? I thought you were part of the volleyball club.”

  “We just run a little overtime, that's all,” Aoi muttered. “It’s no big deal. I’m not in any hurry to get home early at night anyway.”

  “And have you thought about how Shinohara-san’s family might react if she keeps coming home ter because of this?” Yuna asked.

  “I’m okay,” I said quickly. “My parents are pretty open-minded, I think. I’ll tell them tonight at dinner that I’ll be staying ter at school from now on.”

  “Very well.” Yuna smiled. “If you ever need support, Shinohara-san—and you too, Kurobane-san—you can come to me anytime. I’ll be discreet. If you don’t feel comfortable going to the nurse’s office, that is. Just find me.” Her eyes lifted to meet mine, and there was a quiet intensity in them.

  “Thank you.” I bowed to Yuna, rubbing my freshly wrapped wrist. My hand brushed against the tiny metal clips she’d put in pce to keep it wrapped.

  She leaned down and peered into my eyes and lifted my face with her fingertips. “Shinohara-san… I should be honest with you.”

  I blinked at her, flushing at the soft touch of her fingertips at my neck.

  “There’s something about you. Your expressions…” Yuna continued slowly.

  I pulled back, squeaking, straightening.

  “Ehehe… Your reactions. You interest me,” Yuna crossed her arms under her breasts, tapping a finger against her clipboard that she still kept under her arm.

  “M-my… reactions?” I asked, my eyes a little higher pitched and my ears warm.

  “Just like that,” she said, smiling brightly. “Your pulse rises and throbs at your carotid artery,” she went on. “It flutters whenever you’re excited. I notice it every time you react strongly. Like right now.”

  DOKI-DOKI… BADUMP

  A strangled sound came from Aoi.

  Yuna turned to Aoi with a gentle smirk in response. If she wore gsses, she’d probably have adjusted them.

  “Now give me yours, Kurobane-san.”

  “No need,” Aoi said immediately. “I’m fine.”

  “If you insist.” Yuna bowed lightly, then looked back at me.“If it aches tonight, use a cold compress to bring down the swelling. And if Kurobane-san…” She paused delicately. “…is a bit too rough with you, I’ll take care of you.”

  She winked.

  Aoi gred daggers at her. Lock on.

  Yuna remained perfectly unbothered, despite how scary Aoi could be when she turned her full gre on.

  “Thank you, Arisugawa-san,” I said quickly, bowing again. There was something about her that really stood out. She was very elegant.

  “You’re very welcome,” she replied, adjusting her clipboard. “Please ride home safely, both of you. That thing you do is generally not a good idea without proper protective gear, but I imagine you’re trained enough to keep yourself from losing your bance, Kurobane-san.”

  I looked at her with a clueless expression as she bowed lightly and walked away toward the gate, her footsteps barely making a sound on the stone pavement.

  That thing we do? Kissing? With protective gear? What?!

  I watched her go, forgetting my confusion.

  “…She’s kind of amazing,” I murmured. “She’ll definitely be a doctor someday.”

  Aoi pinched my cheek again.

  “E-eeep! That hurts!” I protested, pouting.

  “Stop collecting women, Sumire-chan.”

  “I’m not doing anything!” I yelped.

  “You are,” she grumbled, crossing her arms and gring at the ground. “But whatever. It’s just your stupid Susu charm.”

  She stepped closer and hooked a finger under my chin, forcing me to look at her.

  “No one but me gets to have you.”

  She leaned in and brushed her lips briefly against mine.

  DOKI-DOKI… BADUMP

  Her voice softened on the st words, but the possessiveness in them made my knees wobble.

  We headed home with our hearts still racing.

  Outside the gate, the sky had deepened into indigo and Yuna had faded from view. The streetlights flickered on one by one, scattering halos of warm light across the pavement. My mint-green mamachari bicycle waited exactly where I’d left it that morning.

  I unlocked it, deposited my bag securely in the basket out of habit, and then gnced at Aoi with a bnk, clueless look. I started pushing my bike toward the gate—and then froze.

  Memories clicked into pce all at once, like falling dominoes.

  Aoi walked alongside me and tossed her own bag into the front basket. She didn’t comment on my hesitation. She only said, “Get on your bike. Let’s go.”

  I blushed. “Yes.”

  I had forgotten something important again. Today, my mind really did feel strangely fuzzy, but it seemed to be clearing up little by little. I nodded, climbed onto my bike, and waited.

  She pced one foot lightly on the bolt on one side of the rear wheel, then swung her other leg around in a smooth, practiced motion as I began pedaling forward. She lifted her other foot, and suddenly we were in motion together.

  The rear tire dipped slightly under the extra weight. Her hands settled on my shoulders, steady and warm there. I could feel her bance herself, not wobbling even once.

  “Okay, chauffeur,” she said. “Take me home.”

  “I’m not a taxi,” I giggled.

  “Sumire-taxi-chan!” she amended, giggling softly in my ear.

  Her weight behind me was comforting, a familiar counterbance. Even if I had forgotten our morning and evening routine, my body had not.

  We rolled forward toward the gate and passed through it, my bike humming over the asphalt. The headlight cast a pale beam down the road. The evening air cooled the sweat on my neck, carrying scents with it. Simmering dinners drifted from open kitchen windows, making my stomach grumble. The sharp freshness of undry detergent lingered near a corner undromat we passed, mixing with the faint exhaust of passing cars.

  My body moved without needing any instructions. It was a straight shot from here, following the road we were already on. A gentle curve around the corner convenience store, then past Oba-chan’s shop. Everything was familiar.

  After a stretch of quiet pedaling, Aoi’s fingers slid a little lower, resting lightly on my upper arms. She wasn’t gripping me. She was just touching me, I could tell.

  “Are you tired?” she asked.

  “A little,” I admitted.

  “You did well today,” she murmured. “I’m proud of you. You learned how to escape grapples quickly.”

  My throat tightened.

  No one had ever said anything like that to me before. Not like this. Not with real weight behind it.

  No one ever really praised me for my achievements, whether they were big or small.

  No… that wasn’t entirely true. Mom and Dad praised me all the time. And Aoi-chan did too.

  But this feeling was different. Sharper. Much more exposed and raw.

  “I… I’ll work harder tomorrow,” I said.

  “Don’t push yourself too hard,” she countered immediately. “We’re not training haphazardly. I don’t want you colpsing when it matters. We’re training so that next time someone corners you, you act properly—whether that means fighting or running.”

  Her voice softened. “And someday, you’ll be my equal in a fight. Or maybe even better.”

  “I was so useless today,” I whispered, the words slipping out before I could stop them. “I couldn’t move when the senpai cornered me. If you hadn’t come right when you did… if something like that happens again, I’ll probably just–.”

  Her hands tightened just slightly on my arms.

  “Don’t…” she said. “Don’t finish that sentence.”

  The wind brushed my face. I didn’t even realize I’d started crying until the air started cooling the streaks on my cheeks.

  “…Okay,” I whispered. “I won’t.” I sniffled.

  “From now on,” Aoi murmured, leaning a little closer as if sharing a secret with the dusk, perhaps unintentionally pressing her chest against my back, “we’re going to rewrite that memory of you being helpless. Little by little. With new ones. Ones where you move… powerfully.”

  My fingers tightened around the handlebars.

  DOKI… DOKI…

  “...I want that,” I breathed.

  “I know.” Her voice melted into the wind. “And even when you’re strong, you’ll still always have me at your side.”

  My bicycle rolled on, carrying us through the mplit streets.

  When we reached my house, she hopped off the back and steadied my bike for me as I dismounted.

  “Text me when you’re done with homework,” she said. “And don’t make me nag you about stretching. I want you to exercise and stretch each night before sleeping.”

  “You like nagging me.” I sniffed, half-giggling.

  “Obviously.” She smirked softly, knowingly… and added, “I love you.”

  Her tone didn’t sound fake.Nor hesitant.Just completely sincere.

  My brain stalled.

  Then my heart exploded.

  “I— I— I—” I squeaked, my whole body jolting like I was short-circuiting. “Wh-what— Aoi-chan—!?”

  Her ears flushed bright red. She leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to my lips, almost too fast for me to react.

  “See you tomorrow, Sumire-chan,” she murmured, looking cool as she turned away, her hands held behind her back, her bag slung over her shoulder.

  She took several steps away.

  My chest swelled so tight it almost hurt.

  I couldn’t hold it.Not for a second longer.

  “I LOVE YOU TOO!” I shouted down the quiet street.

  Aoi stopped mid-step.

  Slowly… slowly… she looked back at me.

  Her eyes shone. Not with tears exactly, but with warm feelings… warm enough to melt every lonely pce inside me.

  She wiped at the corner of one eye with her sleeve, pretending she wasn’t doing it.

  Then she beamed.

  It was a genuine smile from the bottom of her heart… unfiltered, unguarded, overflowing.

  “I’m gd,” she said softly.

  And she walked off into the indigo evening, leaving me breathless and trembling and so full of happiness it felt like my whole chest glowed.

  Dinner was a whirlwind, although the fact that I’d gotten home very te made it a slightly tense one. My parents were understandably worried, but also clearly relieved to see me.

  “You’re te,” my father said, lowering his tablet onto the table.

  I settled down at my pce at the table, bowing my head.

  “Sorry, Dad.” I bowed my head. “Club… practice ran a bit long.”

  “Oh?” My mother’s eyes brightened. “You joined a club? You didn’t st year. Is that what this is?”

  My heart jumped into my throat.

  “Sort of,” I said carefully. “A… self-improvement club, actually.”

  “Self-improvement?” my father echoed, sounding amused. He gave me a proud look that made my chest tighten. “My daughter doesn’t need any improving,” he said with an easy ugh. “But if it’s something you want to work on, then keep at it. Just make sure your grades stay where they should.”

  My little brother, Haru, watched me for a moment before giving me a doubtful smirk.

  “We waited to eat,” Mom said firmly. “We were hoping we wouldn’t have to call your school to find out where you were, or even call your phone… But knowing you, we trusted that you would come home.” She softened. “Everything’s fine since you’re home safe, but please let us know next time you do something unpnned. Call or text so we’re not worrying.”

  “Okay, Mom.” I smiled. Strangely, I felt more comforted by her concern than I would have if she hadn’t said anything at all.

  Mom set a pte in front of me with two golden croquettes resting beside a small mound of finely shredded cabbage, a drizzle of sauce already soaking into the crisp coating. A bowl of miso soup steamed quietly to the side, and a scoop of rice waited beside a few slices of pickled daikon.

  “Eat while it’s hot,” she said gently.

  “I will.” I picked up my chopsticks and broke into one of the croquettes with them. The crust gave way with a soft crunch, releasing a small puff of steam. I took a careful bite, enjoying the feel of the coating in my mouth, the way it gave between my teeth with a satisfying crunch, and warmth spread through my chest almost immediately as the fvor coated my tongue.

  Yum! Mom’s cooking is so good!

  I realized I was hungrier than usual and ended up finishing the croquette much faster than I normally would.

  Haru snorted, gazing at my wrapped wrist. “That bandage…”

  “Huh?” I couldn’t help scowling at him, focusing on eating more than him.

  “Does that mean that you’re learning something like karate?” he asked.

  I just kept eating, ignoring him, unsure of what exactly Aoi was teaching me. All I knew so far was how to grab someone and how to break away from a simir grapple.

  He looked at our parents, stuffing food in his mouth. “She’s a total baby.”

  I frowned. “Shut up.” I muttered, eating some of the cabbage and a big bite of sticky rice. The cabbage was crisp and fresh. I wanted more croquettes, but I focused on what was on my pte.

  “Heh…” Haru smirked. “If she gets into a fight and gets in trouble with her super cool martial arts skills, I’m not pying Tekku with her anymore.”

  Tekku… I frowned. I already knew what that was without any rush of memories. I thought about pying with a girl whose face I couldn’t recall, our hips resting against each other. But abruptly her face solidified into Haru’s.

  What? I thought it was someone else for a moment… weird… But it was always Haru, dragging me into his room whenever he was bored and wanted to beat up someone easier than the computer.

  “She’ll probably punch the screen whenever she loses now.”

  I chewed slowly, swallowing before answering, and reached for some more cabbage and daikon pickles. Sweet, tangy, and slightly salty.

  I sputtered after swallowing. “I’m not that violent, brat!”

  My mother hid a smile behind her chopsticks. My father cleared his throat, fighting one of his own.

  “You did demolish those croquettes just now,” my mother teased gently as she rose from her chair and set another on my pte. “Eat a little slower, Sumire-chan. You’ll choke.”

  I slowed down, my cheeks heating.

  I wasn’t even the one doing all the talking, but I was still embarrassed.

  Mom’s eyes were warm. Everyone except for Haru’s.

  This is normal life, I told myself.This is my family.

  Every casual scolding, every small bit of concern they showed… it all felt like a miracle.

  I crunched eagerly into the third croquette.

  Mom read my mind! I love her croquettes!

  After dinner, I sat at the low table in my room and finished my homework with my wrapped wrist propped on a cushion. My pencil scratched quietly across the page, but my thoughts refused to stay put. They kept drifting back to the warm press of Aoi’s hands as she guided mine behind the gym, to our kisses, the locker room, then to Riko’s cool, unreadable gaze, to Riko’s curiosity, unable to help wondering what it’d be like ying my head in her p… but I shook my head to clear it. But then I thought about Yuna’s careful, clinical touch.

  I kept working, putting these thoughts out of my mind, but no matter where my mind wandered, it always circled back to Aoi, to the intensity in her voice when she said I love you to me as naturally as if she were breathing.

  DOKI-DOKI

  My girlfriend… The thought that we were connected that way filled my body with tingles.

  When I finished, I knelt on the floor of my bedroom and started stretching like in P.E., carefully following the ones Aoi-chan had specifically told me to do. I made sure not to overdo my sprained wrist. Stretching wasn’t too hard, and it felt easier than I remembered. I worked through my muscles one by one until I was faintly sweaty, then stopped.

  I considered taking a bath, but a wide yawn decided things for me. I was also worried about Yuna’s wrapping getting soaked. I could have just taken it off, but I doubted I would be able to rewrap it as neatly on my own, so I left it alone.

  I changed out of my seifuku, folding it carefully and pcing it where I always did, on the chair beside my bed. Then I took a set of pajamas from my dresser. I had several sets, all with cute mascot characters printed on them. The ones I was wearing st night with the riceball chasing bunnies had been repced. The ones I chose tonight had a little peach character on them.

  I crawled under the covers a little after ten, the weight of the day finally settling over me. I buried my face in my spare pillow and squealed into it for a while until the rush of emotion eased, thinking about Aoi. I imagined hugging her here.

  Then I forced myself to rex, reaching over and picking up my phone, my heart beating faster. I swallowed nervously as I opened the messaging app and pulled up my messages with Aoi. As I skimmed through them I realized they weren’t as flirty as I might have expected. They were mostly the kinds of things friends would say to each other—small check-ins, shared jokes, reminders about homework and dinner, comments about her club activities and how te she’d be finishing up. Between them were quiet reassurances meant just for me, subtle encouragement that still made my chest feel warm.

  I scrolled to the bottom and tapped out a message.

  しのまみちり311: Excercises done! *≧?≦*

  ブルーテックホエール: Good! (n?v??)?

  ブルーテックホエール: Did you stretch your wrist after?

  しのまみちり311: I did! I was careful like you said

  ブルーテックホエール: I’m gd. Don’t be reckless

  しのまみちり311: …Thank you for today Aoi-chan

  ブルーテックホエール: Always ?

  しのまみちり311: ??? I love you

  ブルーテックホエール: I love you more. Good night ◎[???]◎

  I set my phone aside and hugged my pillow a little longer. The sheets were warm. Moonlight snted through the curtains, painting soft rectangles across the bedspread and the floor. My body ached pleasantly, my muscles humming in ways they hadn’t before.

  I curled onto my side, clutching the pillow as tightly as if it were Aoi-chan herself, nuzzling at a corner of it. I wished it really was her, but even so, I felt happy.

  Please… don’t let these precious days disappear, I prayed to no one in particur.Let tomorrow be the same. And the next. And the next!

  Please let me wake up here every morning, ready to see her smile, ready to spend another day at school with Aoi-chan.

  The thought warmed my chest until it ached in the best way.

  Sleep took me quickly, as if I were being gathered into gentle arms.

  Morning came with soft light and the smell of grilled fish.

  “Sumire-chan, time to wake up!” my mother called from my bedroom door.

  I sat up, my heart pounding for reasons that had nothing to do with her arm-clock-like voice. My uniform hung neatly from the chair where I’d left it—neater than I remembered. It had been freshly ironed and carried the faint scent of Mom’s flowery detergent.

  Relief washed through me in a dizzy, almost shimmering wave.

  This is my wonderful, normal life.

  Breakfast was the same as always.

  “I told you I’d do it, Dad,” Haru muttered, stabbing at his rice while his notebook y unopened beside his bowl.

  “You said that yesterday,” Dad replied without looking up from his coffee. “And the day before. At this rate, your GameStation is going to stay in our closet for a few weeks.”

  “Hey—!” Haru shot upright. “I will! I’ll work extra hard today, okay?”

  Dad snorted and rubbed at his temple. “If only my boss believed such promises that easily.” He gnced toward Mom. “He wants me to work overtime again, by the way, saying it’s ‘non-negotiable.’”

  “That’s terrible,” Mom said, already leaning over to set my pte down in front of me. It held a neat portion of grilled fish, glistening alongside a generous serving of her tamagoyaki, with rice and a small dish of pickles set beside it. “Eat up, Sumire. You’ll need the energy. There’s seconds if you hurry.”

  She paused, then tilted her head at me, her eyes narrowing pyfully. “You’re in a really good mood this morning, Sumire.”

  I clutched my chopsticks a little tighter. “My wrist feels better… and…”

  “And?” she prompted, smiling.

  I blushed hard. “I’m just… excited for school today.”

  My parents’ eyes widened, looking at each other. Mom rested her hand on one of Dad’s in an embarrassing way. Her eyes shone with pride.

  “Did you hear that?” Dad decred. “We’re blessed. A model student, right here in our home.”

  “I’m scared,” Haru muttered, looking at me crossways like a stranger. “Are you an imposter?”

  I flicked a grain of rice at him and stuck out my tongue, earning an immediate scolding from Mom and Dad.

  My family was perfect.

  Aoi was waiting outside the gate when I rolled my bicycle out.

  She stood in her seifuku with her bag slung over one shoulder, her hair pulled into its usual ponytail—with one tiny difference. Her bangs were a little neater than usual, like she’d fixed them more than once while waiting. She leaned against the gatepost with her ankles crossed, pretending to be rexed, but her eyes were unmistakably searching for me.

  She was trying to look cool and succeeding.

  DOKI

  “You’re te today,” she said.

  “I rushed, I promise! I’m sorry I kept you waiting, Aoi-chan,” I protested, a little breathless.

  “Pft. Then go eat faster tomorrow morning.” Aoi smirked.

  My jaw dropped. “That’s not humanly possible! Be reasonable!”

  “Hehehe… true, my girlfriend,” she purred, her grin wicked.

  DOKI-DOKI… BADUMP

  “A-anyway…” I fidgeted. “You l-look extra beautiful this morning.”

  Aoi’s smile softened. “Not as beautiful as you.” Her gaze flicked briefly toward my front door, making sure we weren’t being overheard.

  I blushed and giggled.

  “I can’t keep up with you, Aoi-chan,” I protested weakly, flustered.

  I pushed my mamachari up to the gate and hopped on, setting my bag and bento into the basket. Aoi added hers on top.

  My hands jerked on the handlebars and I nearly clipped the gate on the way out, the front tire grazing the post.

  Before I could panic, Aoi hopped lightly onto the rear bolts in one smooth, practiced movement. One foot steadied us as her hands settled on my shoulders. Her touch was warm, familiar, and possessive.

  “Let’s go, taxi-girlfriend,” she said.

  “Yes, ma’am,” I replied automatically, grinning as my face heated.

  We rode toward school together, the morning sun bright on our faces, the air crisp and cool.

  For a moment, the world felt utterly complete.

  Our mood cracked a little when we got to school and css.

  “Pon-chan’s missing!” Megumi’s yell echoed down the hall as soon as we stepped out of our indoor shoes.

  Students clustered around the table by the windows where the cage sat.

  I froze in shock.

  The cage door hung half open, the tch bent slightly outward. Inside, his hammock was empty. He wasn’t using the exercise wheel either. The food dish was overturned, pellets scattered everywhere. The water bottle dripped sadly onto his bedding.

  “Did someone forget to close it yesterday after cleaning?” Daichi fretted. “If the teachers find out, they’ll—”

  “He wouldn’t just vanish like this, he’s so happy here!” Hinata whispered, her eyes huge. “Oh no—what if he ascended to ferret heaven? How old was he?!”

  “Don’t say morbid things like that!” someone wailed.

  The cssroom dissolved into chaos, voices overpping in panic, until Kurosawa-sensei stepped into the cssroom and pinched the bridge of her nose.

  Her eyes swept the room, taking in the tension immediately.

  “Everyone, calm down,” she said, her usual smile vanishing.

  She walked over, looked into the empty cage, and let out a quiet sigh.

  “Hm… I see.” She straightened. “Alright. We’ll organize a quick search before the first period. Pon-chan couldn’t have gone far. He likes people far too much to actually run away for long.”

  “Maybe he’s somewhere in the corridors,” Megumi suggested. “Or hiding in someone’s shoe locker!”

  Half the css shrieked at the thought.

  “Not mine!”

  “Do you hate Pon-chan?!”

  “I don’t! I just think I might be a little allergic to his fur!”

  “Oh… right…”

  We broke into pairs immediately, sweeping the cssroom like it was a disaster drill. People crouched under desks, tugged back curtains, and peered behind the rolling bckboard. Kurosawa-sensei coordinated the chaos with surprising efficiency, issuing calm instructions over the rising chatter, while Daichi commandeered the chalkboard and began assigning search zones like a military commander. He even sketched out a bizarre “Pon-chan Retionship Diagram,” apparently meant to predict Pon-chan’s most likely hiding spots. For reasons I couldn’t begin to understand, far too many of those lines pointed directly at me.

  “Shinohara, Kurobane,” Kurosawa-sensei called. “Check the stairwells and the hallway by the science rooms.”

  “Yes!” we chorused.

  We walked down the hall together, calling softly.

  “Pon-chan!” I called softly, crouching to peer under a radiator. “Where are you? Come out, little guy…”

  Aoi snorted. “You sound like a mom.”

  Heat rushed straight to my ears.

  “Well, I like him,” I said defensively. “He’s cute.”

  “You’ve never called me cute…” she muttered under her breath.

  My heart crashed into my ribs.

  “You are!” I blurted. “Very—amazingly—cute!”

  The st word came out in a squeak, and I bit back the rest of what I wanted to say.

  …I love you.

  Aoi’s ears went pink. She tried and failed to hide it, fshing me a crooked little grin that was way too happy, considering that she was pying it cool, pretending she wasn’t flustered.

  “…” she muttered. “I don’t mind if you keep saying stuff like that to me.”

  My mouth quirked up as we kept moving, checking under benches and behind empty dispy cases. Nothing.

  On the third floor close to the abandoned wing, near a turn in the stairwell, I heard a faint scratching sound.

  “Shh.” I held up a hand.

  We both stopped.

  Scratch-scratch.It was the sound of tiny cws against wood.

  I turned slowly toward a nearby cleaning cabinet. The door was slightly ajar.

  Very gently, I tugged it open.

  A long shadowy figure unched itself at me.

  “Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa—!”

  It scrambled up my bzer like a rocket. In seconds, something fuzzy rubbed against my cheek. It was Pon-chan! He was perched on my shoulder, clinging to my colr with little paws, his nose twitching frantically.

  I stared at him, my heart racing. I took a few calming breaths.

  “You scared me, little one,” I whispered.

  Pon-chan chirred softly and nuzzled into my neck, his whiskers tickling my skin as if offering the tiniest, fluffy apology.

  “He really does like you,” Aoi said, sounding equal parts impressed and mildly jealous. “Don’t get too comfortable there.”

  Oh Kami… she’s even jealous of a ferret! I giggled.

  Pon-chan ignored her completely, burrowing deeper against my colr like I was his rightful owner.

  His tiny rapid heartbeat thudded against my jaw.

  As I turned to carry him back to our homeroom, his body suddenly stiffened.

  All his fur puffed up.

  His little head rotated toward the empty air above the nding, just past the ceiling light. His eyes locked on a spot I couldn’t see anything that he might be so fixated on. His pupils widened. His tail puffed to ridiculous proportions.

  “Pon-chan?” I asked softly.

  He stared. I followed his line of sight curiously, tingles racing down my arms.

  For a second, the air in that corner looked weirdly… thicker. I got the sense that something was breathing up there, but I didn’t see much.

  A faint chill ran along my spine, wondering at what it was that I felt.

  I blinked.

  But then the air looked normal again.

  “Did you see something?” Aoi asked.

  “I… don’t know,” I whispered. “Maybe I’m just tired already.”

  Pon-chan shook himself all over, then butted his tiny head against my jaw insistently, like he wanted to distract me.

  “Let’s just take him back,” Aoi said. “Before Pres has a heart attack.”

  We returned to css victorious.

  “Pon-chan!” half the css shouted at once.

  The ferret soaked in the attention it got, preening shamelessly as people reached out to pet him before we returned him to his cage. His tail finally smoothed down. He scurried to his hammock, then back to the bars as if to say: Did you miss me? You all should have. Of course you did.

  “Thank goodness,” Kurosawa-sensei sighed. “Hanawa, Kondo, please make sure that tch is properly fixed after school, alright?”

  “Yes, sensei!”

  Normalcy flowed back into the room.

  People returned to their seats. The hum of voices softened. Kurosawa-sensei picked up her chalk, smiling.

  It felt like it was just another day of our perfect high school life, despite how exciting today started.

  Far away, in the stone chamber lit by foxfire and embers, shogi pieces clicked softly across the board.

  Baku leaned back on his cushion, his trunk curling thoughtfully as he studied the faint mirage floating over the game. The image shimmered and then stabilized looking into a cssroom in gentle focus. A teacher at the bckboard, girls whispering and giggling behind their textbooks, and a small ferret washing its face in its hammock as if nothing in the world could possibly go wrong.

  “Nothing too exciting is going on in the dream so far,” Baku remarked, nudging a rook forward. “There was a rather rousing encounter the other day, but her strength has risen slowly since then… more on the inside than the outside. But there is a problem… She keeps praying that the dream will never end.” His elephantine ears twitched. “I suppose this world is too appealing.”

  “Don’t change a single thing if the desired growth is occurring,” Natalia-sama replied, pcing her own piece with elegant precision. “This was still only her first full day, wasn’t it?”

  “Yes, but the danger,” Baku mused, tapping his trunk on the tatami, “is that the dream might become too seductive. Even though it’s very much like a normal life… good and bad experiences included, it is so warm, so fulfilling, so gentle that she may never want to leave.”

  “Eventually, little chicks must leave the nest,” Natalia-sama said softly, not looking up from the board. “Don’t worry so much, Baku.”

  The mirage flickered again, shifting to the moment Sumire and Aoi confessed their love to one another… their quick kiss on the gate path, their trembling voices, the look of two hearts recognizing each other.

  “Ah… youth…” Baku sighed, pressing his hand to his chest. “If only I could experience such things as love myself.”

  “Then hurry up and master your human form,” Natalia-sama said with a mild smile. “When you’ve done that, I’ll gdly take you on a stroll through the neighborhood. I’m certain you’ll be a pilr of the community in no time.”

  “Yes… yes. It’s never too te to make precious memories.”Baku nodded earnestly.

  The mirage shifted again.

  Sumire, Aoi, and Pon-chan stood together in a quiet hallway near a cleaning cabinet.The ferret’s fur was bristling, its tiny body rigid, staring at a patch of air beside the ceiling light… at nothing visible, but seemingly at something.

  Something lurking behind the dream, perhaps.

  Baku squinted.

  Pon-chan’s gaze wasn’t on a person, or a shadow, or even a trick of the light.It was fixed on a thin distortion in the air… just a ripple, just a narrowing… as if a silhouette with a fuzzy outline was standing there.

  It had a pressure.A feel of wrongness about it.A figure that only showed itself when you didn’t look directly at it.

  “…Huh,” Baku murmured. His ears dipped. “What a curious defect…”

  Natalia-sama gnced up. “Is there something wrong?”

  “No, no,” Baku said quickly, waving his trunk dismissively. “It’s probably just a stray seam in the dream’s fabric. A little thread out of pce, so to speak. Nothing especially dangerous. Perhaps it’s reacting to our little onion.”

  He stopped himself.“But it’s probably nothing of note.”

  Pon-chan’s hackles remained raised in the mirage.

  Baku adjusted a shogi piece, but his eyes lingered on the ripple a moment longer.

  Just a moment.

  Then he forcibly smoothed his expression.

  He dismissed it with a shrug.

  But the unease did not leave his eyes.

  Baku did not see everything inside his own dream clearly.

  Not yet.

  Relwing