—-Ryu—-
By the time I finally made my way down to the school gates, Taishi was already waiting, tapping his foot against the pavement with a slight frown on his face and his arms folded neatly across his chest. His expression was sharp, but not annoyed, just that usual blend of calm and disapproval he wore whenever I was late.
"You sure took your time." He raised an eyebrow, his glasses catching the afternoon light.
Emilia stood beside him, her long, straight blonde hair fluttering slightly in the breeze. She didn't even look up from her phone. "Yeah, yeah. Let's just go already. The café gets crowded around this time."
"Alright, alright." I adjusted the strap of my bag over my shoulder, glancing at the sky as we began walking. The sun had dipped slightly lower, and the shadows on the pavement stretched longer.
We stepped out onto the streets just outside the academy, the soft rhythm of our footsteps blending into the hum of the city. Mikami Private Academy was nestled in one of the more upscale districts of the city. The sidewalks were spotless, lined with glass storefronts and well-tended trees, and the buildings rose high with sleek, modern designs. Office workers in suits passed us by, heads down, already engrossed in their evening routines, while students from various schools walked in clusters, their voices trailing behind them in waves.
The walk to the shopping district wasn't far, but it was enough time for the usual back-and-forth between Taishi and Emilia to begin,like clockwork.
"Are you seriously going to make me pay for your coffee?" Taishi groaned, glancing sideways at her.
Emilia looked up from her phone with a smirk. "A deal's a deal. You lost the bet, remember?"
"That was just dumb luck."
Their tone wasn't hostile, not even close. It was familiar, the kind of effortless exchange that came from spending way too much time together. I let out a quiet chuckle as I walked a step behind them. Taishi, calm and composed, always ended up losing ground to Emilia's quick wit and sharp tongue. No matter how prepared he thought he was, she always found a way to catch him off guard.
It was a pattern I had come to recognize quickly, and it always gave me something to smile at.
The streets grew livelier the closer we got to the shopping district. Cafés with outdoor seating, fashionable clothing boutiques, and bookshops lined both sides of the road. Neon signs flickered to life above the awnings, and the scent of freshly baked bread and roasted coffee beans drifted from nearby shops. Students in different uniforms clustered near vending machines or gathered by convenience store windows, laughing, chatting, and calling out to friends.
Even with the bustle, there was something comforting about the scene. This part of the city felt alive in a way that wasn't overwhelming, just warm and steady, like a place you could keep returning to without ever getting tired of it.
"Where are we going again?" I asked, falling into step beside Emilia.
She finally looked up from her screen and slipped her phone into her pocket. "That new café near the station. It's got good reviews, and I want to try their limited-edition frappé."
Taishi sighed, shaking his head. "So this is just an excuse for you to buy overpriced sugar water."
"Call it whatever you want, but you're still paying."
We navigated our way through the growing crowd, weaving between people and stepping aside for bicycles and passing delivery carts. Every few steps, the scent of caramel, vanilla, or fresh pastries hit us from another direction. The warm air buzzed with footsteps, voices, the clinking of café cups and distant street music.
It had been a while since I walked through the city like this. Back in middle school, my life moved through a different rhythm, one made of tight corners and hushed conversations, of expectations and names whispered behind closed doors. Always under the surface, always quiet.
But that world felt far away now.
"Ryu, you good?" Taishi's voice reached me, pulling me from my thoughts.
"Yeah. Just thinking."
"Thinking about what?" Emilia glanced at me with a grin. "A girl, maybe?"
I almost choked on my own breath. "W-What? No!"
Taishi adjusted his glasses, eyeing me in that way he always did when he knew I was dodging. "You do zone out a lot lately. If it's not about a girl, then what is it?"
I scratched the back of my neck, my fingers brushing through my hair. "Nothing important. Just stuff."
Emilia didn't believe a word of it, her expression said enough. But before she could press further, the café came into view, its glass doors already half-covered with condensation and the smell of coffee seeping out into the street.
"Alright, let's get inside." She walked ahead, her voice decisive. "I need that frappé in my hands. Now."
As expected, the place was packed.
The moment we stepped in, we were met with the blend of chatter, laughter, and the soft hum of music playing overhead. Office workers sat with half-finished laptops and cold brews. Students gathered at small tables, uniforms wrinkled and bags dropped at their feet. Couples leaned across booths, whispering over shared drinks.
The air was warm and filled with the scent of ground coffee, steamed milk, and something sweet,probably whatever Emilia had come here to order.
Taishi managed to find us a booth near the window while Emilia darted toward the counter. I sank into the cushioned seat, letting my bag slide down beside me. Outside, the streetlights were starting to flicker on, their glow mixing with the fading sunlight. The sky beyond the glass had softened into gentle shades of peach and indigo.
"You really weren't lying about this place getting crowded." I muttered.
"Told you." Taishi replied, adjusting his glasses. "She's been talking about this place all week."
"More like demanding." I added under my breath.
A few minutes later, Emilia returned with our drinks, balancing the tray with practiced ease. She slid into the seat across from us and placed the drinks down one by one—a regular iced coffee for Taishi, a plain black coffee for me, and in front of her, an absolutely massive frappé topped with an avalanche of whipped cream, chocolate drizzle, and a single cookie stuck into the side.
I stared at it. "...That's not even coffee anymore."
"Of course it is." She gave me a smug grin, sipping from the oversized straw like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Taishi took a quiet sip of his own drink before turning to me. "So, Ryu. Are you actually going to tell us why you ran off earlier, or are we supposed to keep guessing?"
I hesitated, stirring my coffee with the wooden stick, watching the dark swirl spiral to the bottom of the cup. "It's nothing, really. I was just… looking for something."
Emilia raised a brow. "Something? Or someone?"
I nearly flinched. "I told you. I… uhh… forgot something at the gym."
"Uh-huh." She didn't push, but her smirk lingered.
Taishi leaned back in the booth, his eyes narrowing slightly. "If you say so. Just don't go getting yourself into trouble. You've been acting kind of restless lately. Or maybe… ever since we became classmates a month ago."
Restless.
He wasn't wrong.
Ever since I had set foot in Mikami, something had been gnawing at the back of my thoughts. I wasn't even sure what I was hoping to find. A whole year had passed since that fleeting moment in spring, and I didn't even know her name.
Maybe she had already graduated.
Maybe it meant nothing at all.
Maybe I had built up a fantasy over a glance.
I shook the thought off, brought the coffee to my lips, and took a slow sip. It was dark, rich, and just a little bitter.
Fitting.