(Kiyomi's POV)
Monday mornings have their own sound.
The clatter of shoes against the corridor floor.
The chatter of students trying to sound alive after a weekend that ended too fast.
And then… the first bell.
That sharp, echoing ring that tells you — whatever happened over the weekend stays with you, quietly.
I stood at the school gate for a moment, staring at the crowd of uniforms and laughter.
Everything looked normal, but my chest tightened.
Because I knew it wasn't.
When I walked into class, the air felt… different.
Not heavy. Not loud.
Just filled with things no one wanted to say.
Hinata sat by the window, head resting on her hand, pretending to scroll through her phone.
Akio was by the back, talking to some boys — but his laugh sounded off, forced.
Minato sat at his desk, reading, calm as always. But when he saw me, he smiled softly — that small, quiet smile that felt like a secret between us.
I smiled back.
And that's when the whispers started.
"They're really close now, huh?"
"Weren't they together after the rain too?"
"I heard she took him to her house again."
Their voices were low, but sharp enough to cut.
I pretended not to hear — I'd gotten good at that.
But when I looked around, Hinata's eyes met mine for a split second.
She looked away immediately.
It hurt more than I expected.
The teacher arrived — Mr. Sakamoto — and class began, but I barely heard anything.
Every tick of the clock, every whisper between pages turning, every accidental glance felt louder than his voice.
At one point, Minato passed me a note under the table.
"Don't mind the rumours. Just focus on the day."
I smiled faintly. He always knew how to calm me — even when he was the storm himself.
But when I looked up, I saw Akio staring at us.
Not angrily. Just… blank.
That kind of look you give when you've stopped trying to understand something.
Recess came.
The hallway was alive with noise, but between us, silence ruled.
Hinata was with Asahi near the stairs, laughing — or trying to.
Akio stood by the lockers, tapping his phone like it owed him answers.
And Minato?
He was beside me, walking slowly, quietly.
Kiyomi: They're all acting weird.
Minato: Maybe everyone's just trying to figure out how to act normal again.
Kiyomi: Normal… doesn't feel possible anymore.
He didn't answer. He just looked at me — and that look alone said everything.
Later in class, Hinata dropped her pencil, and Akio picked it up.
For a second, their hands touched.
She smiled faintly. He didn't.
And yet, something in that small moment felt like an echo of what we'd all lost — how simple things used to be.
I missed it.
All of it.
The jokes, the easy laughter, the friendship that didn't feel like walking on thin ice.
When the final bell rang, I felt a strange mix of relief and sadness.
Everyone left the classroom quickly — no goodbyes, no group chatter, just a quiet rush.
Minato waited by the door, holding my bag like he always did.
Minato: You ready?
I nodded.
As we walked out together, I saw Hinata watching us from her seat — her face unreadable.
And Akio, standing by the window, pretending to look outside, even though I knew he could see our reflection in the glass.
Outside, the sky was bright but heavy — the kind of day that feels like it's waiting for something to happen.
We didn't talk much on the way home.
But Minato's hand brushed against mine once — not by accident.
And I didn't pull away.
That small touch said what words couldn't.
That despite everything… despite the distance and whispers and looks… we still found a quiet warmth between us.
But deep down, I could feel it…
This warmth wouldn't last forever.
Because when the bell rings again… something in all of us would have changed completely.