Thursday morning arrived softly, sunlight threading through the curtains like strands of gold.
Outside, the pale-blue sky shimmered with calm — but for certain hearts in the academy, this morning was far from ordinary.
[Miss Hanabira's Residence]
Miss Hanabira stood before her tall mirror.
Her hair was still half-wet — she hadn't completely dried it, as if she didn't want to wash away the remnants of last night.
Droplets slid down from the end of her braid, tracing fine lines across her shoulder.
She touched her lips lightly, a faint smile breaking through.
"I can still feel his heartbeat…"
"... and his smelled... "
The reflection staring back at her wasn't the usual stern, composed teacher — but a woman who had allowed herself to feel alive.
She chuckled softly, then pinched her cheek.
"Breathe, Hanabira. It's Thursday. Students. Class. Professional."
But the moment she said that last word, her thoughts betrayed her — flashing back to his voice, his touch, the quiet storm that was Kiryuu.
She closed her eyes, exhaling slowly.
"There is nothing wrong…" she whispered, "then why do I scared?"
[The Kizaki Residence]
At the same hour, Kiryuu Kizaki stood in the kitchen, a mug of black coffee in his hand.
He wore a white shirt, unbuttoned halfway, and casual pants.
The morning was peaceful — his mother and sister had already left.
He sat at the dining table, scrolling through his phone.
Unread messages piled up.
The top thread: Mizuno Airi.
Airi: "You alive?"
Airi: "I waited till 2 a.m. Seriously, did you fall asleep?"
Airi: "If you did, you could've at least said goodnight."
Kiryuu read them one by one, then typed calmly:
Kiryuu: "Sorry. Yesterday was long. I fell asleep."
Not even a minute later, her reply came:
Airi: "Fell asleep? Or slept with someone?"
He smirked, pressing his lips together to stifle a laugh.
"She's good at teasing… even when she doesn't mean to."
He typed again:
Kiryuu: "If I said I slept alone, would you believe me?"
Airi: "No."
Kiryuu: "Good. Never believe too easily."
Somewhere across campus, Airi threw her pillow — half annoyed, half smiling.
Kiryuu finished his coffee and stood.
The mirror by the wall caught his reflection — calm, but with eyes that carried last night's shadow.
"This world moves too slow," he murmured. "Or maybe I move too fast."
He slipped on his academy jacket — the same one that still carried Hanabira's scent.
A faint smile tugged at his lips — both ironic and warm.
"If they knew who I really am, they'd stop come near me."
[International Academy – Main Faculty Wing]
Miss Hanabira walked down the corridor, book in hand, but her steps were lighter than usual.
Some students greeted her politely, others whispered — not gossip, just wonder.
She looked… radiant.
Passing by, Noel Hoshikawa raised a brow.
> Noel: "Miss Hanabira looks different today…"
Rika: "Like someone who just got good news."
Airi: (quietly) "Or just had a good night."
They laughed softly — not knowing how close that joke really was.
---
When the first bell rang, Kiryuu was already in class.
He sat as usual, jotting something down — maybe notes, maybe thoughts.
Then Hanabira entered.
Their eyes met — only for a second, but it was enough.
Enough to send a quiet pulse through the air that only the two of them could feel.
She taught normally, voice steady, but each time she walked past his desk, her steps slowed ever so slightly.
> "Don't show it. Don't smile. But please… don't stop looking."
---
After the first period, Kiryuu leaned back, eyes half-closed.
Across from him, Airi watched in silence — her gaze caught somewhere between longing and jealousy.
> Airi: "You know, I hate how calm you always are."
Kiryuu: "You prefer loud men?"
Airi: "No. I just hate that when you're silent… my head gets noisy."
He opened his eyes, smiling faintly.
> "Don't worry. I can hear your noise."
---
That day had barely begun, yet the ripples from the night before were already spreading —
in a teacher's smile, a girl's message,
and a man's eyes that quietly drew everyone into his gravity.
> "One by one, they're all getting pulled into my orbit.
But I'm human too… how long can I pretend not to feel it?"
---
[Later That Morning – Campus Rumors]
The halls buzzed with whispers, echoing from corner to corner.
Not about grades or tests — but about one name that had taken over the academy overnight.
> "Did you hear? Kiryuu Kizaki beat Takizawa Ren yesterday."
"Wait, that Takizawa? The football captain?"
"One-on-one. No ref. During the training program."
"Word is, Kiryuu made him look like a rookie."
By noon, his name had spread across every forum, cafeteria, and hallway —
the myth of a boy from Class F who challenged the academy's hierarchy and won.
---
[Class 1-F – Mid-Morning Break]
Rika Tendo scrolled through her phone, laughing.
> Rika: "Look at this! The student forum's flooded with your pictures, Kiryuu."
Airi: "You're kidding."
Rika: "Nope. Someone took photos yesterday. Caption says: 'The Ice King of Class F.'"
Kiryuu crossed his arms, unimpressed.
> Kiryuu: "Ice King? They really need better hobbies."
Noel spoke calmly, his tone diplomatic.
> Noel: "It's serious, Kiryuu. Takizawa isn't just any student.
He's a senior, team captain, a name with weight.
Losing to a first-year like you… it's public humiliation."
From the front, Elena Krauss added sharply:
> Elena: "Worse than humiliation. In this academy, sports mean power.
You didn't just beat him — you disrupted the social balance."
Kiryuu: "And?"
Elena: "And they won't stay quiet."
Kiryuu turned to the window, sunlight glinting against his eyes.
> "If they can't handle reality, that's not my problem."
---
At the back of the room, Sakura Meiyuu listened in silence.
Her hands clutched the folded jacket he had lent her yesterday.
It was washed, neat, yet still carried his scent.
Every time someone said "Takizawa Ren," her stomach turned cold —
but when she heard "Kiryuu Kizaki," her heart beat faster.
> "He didn't fight to show off… he fought to protect our class.
But why does it feel like… he saved me?"
---
When the bell rang, the students poured out.
Airi walked beside Kiryuu, her tone teasing yet curious.
> Airi: "You know, since yesterday, you've become a campus celebrity. Everyone's talking about you."
Kiryuu: "Rumors spread fast. Brains don't."
Airi: "Meaning?"
Kiryuu: "They saw my goal. They just didn't realize I wasn't playing to win —
I was playing to shut the mouths that trample my class."
Airi smiled faintly, eyes lingering on his face.
> "You do big things without showing your intentions. That's dangerous, you know."
"Dangerous?"
"Yeah. Guys like that… make girls fall for them before they even realize it."
Kiryuu tilted his head slightly, eyes soft yet sharp.
> "Are you one of those girls, Mizuno?"
Airi laughed, turning away to hide the blush burning her cheeks.
> "Ask me again when no one's watching."
---
Outside the faculty office, Miss Hanabira sipped her coffee, eavesdropping on a group of teachers.
> "You heard about your student, Hanabira?"
"The one who beat Ren?"
"Yeah. I saw it myself. His movement — clean, like a pro."
"But… he's from Class F, right?"
"That's what confuses everyone."
Hanabira hid her smile behind the rim of her cup.
> "Of course he did. He's not just any boy."
She turned to the window, gazing toward the field where it all began.
> "Kiryuu Kizaki… whoever you really are, I already know.
But danger or not, I can't stop wanting to be near you."
---
By midday, an official notice appeared on the academy's bulletin board:
> "Due to the incident during the Annual Outdoor Training Program, all inter-class challenges are suspended until further notice."
But the memo didn't stop anything.
Kiryuu's name continued to spread — through whispers, through screens, through stares.
For some, he was a threat.
For others… the center of everything.
> "In one night, he broke the academy's hierarchy."
"Yet when I look at him, I only see someone who doesn't care about power at all."
"Maybe that's why everyone's drawn to him — he wins without trying to."
— Excerpt from Sakura Meiyuu's journal, Thursday noon.
---
[Rooftop – Twilight]
The sky above the academy blazed in deep orange, like a wound almost healed.
Sakura Meiyuu climbed to the rooftop, hugging her camera close.
It was her ritual — chasing the last light of the day.
> "Twilight feels strange," she murmured. "Like the world's breathing slowly before dying for a while."
She stood by the safety rail, the wind tugging her pastel-pink hair.
Her blouse's top button had come undone — not on purpose, just from rushing up the stairs.
She raised her camera toward the sports building in the distance.
One click. Two clicks.
The light shifted; she captured every change — silent, focused, alive.
Then — heavy footsteps broke the quiet.
> "Heh. So it's the cute little photographer from Class F."
Sakura turned sharply.
Three senior boys stood at the doorway — uniforms messy, smirks cruel.
The one in front — short blond hair, sharp jaw — she recognized immediately.
Takizawa Ren.
A faint cut marked his cheek — a souvenir from yesterday.
His eyes burned red with humiliation.
> Sakura: "S–Senior Takizawa…"
Takizawa: "You're from 1-F, right? That Kiryuu's class."
Sakura: "We're just classmates, that's all."
Takizawa: "That's enough. I wanna know what makes that freak so special."
He stepped closer. His friends followed, grinning.
> Sakura: "Please, don't come near. I was just taking pictures."
Takizawa: "Then take one of me — the guy who lost to your hero."
He suddenly yanked her camera strap.
Snap.
The strap broke. The camera fell, cracking against the rooftop.
Sakura gasped, her voice trembling.
> Takizawa: "You know, girls like you need to learn the difference between legends and luck.
That boy just got lucky yesterday."
> Sakura: "Please don't—"
> Takizawa: "What? You gonna call him again? Kiryuu Kizaki, your Class F savior?"
He leaned in. Their distance vanished.
The air smelled of metal — rage, fear, and humiliation.
> Takizawa: "I'll show you the difference between a weak boy and a real man—"
The sentence cut short.
Not by mercy — by something behind him.
A sound.
Footsteps. Slow. Heavy. Calm.
Each one hitting the concrete like a drumbeat before a storm.
Sakura turned — and her eyes widened.
Kiryuu.
He stood at the entrance, the sunset framing his silhouette.
Half his face was shadow; the other, burning gold.
> Kiryuu: "Ren. I thought yesterday was enough to teach you the difference between ego and stupidity."
His tone was quiet — but sharp enough to slice through the air.
Ren spun around, jaw tight.
> Ren: "You followed me here?"
Kiryuu: "No. I was just passing by. Lucky me."
He took a step forward.
Ren's friends braced, but Kiryuu didn't stop.
> Kiryuu: "Three on one again? Guess you didn't learn."
Ren: "You think you're some kind of hero?!"
Kiryuu: "No. Just the guy making sure you never touch anyone from my class again."
Then — movement.
The world blurred.
Kiryuu moved with precision, not fury — trained, measured, lethal.
Right hand deflected the first punch. Left knee slammed into ribs.
Ren staggered. Another came swinging — elbow to jaw. The third collapsed from a shoulder strike.
Three seconds.
Over.
Silence, broken only by the sound of breathing — and Sakura's trembling heartbeat.
---
Kiryuu turned toward her.
His expression softened.
> Kiryuu: "You okay?"
She nodded faintly, voice lost.
Her trembling hands tried to fix the buttons of her blouse.
Kiryuu unbuttoned his jacket, took it off, and placed it gently around her shoulders.
Kiryuu: "Wear it. The world's already crazy enough without adding idiots like them."
Sakura looked up — tears glimmering, not from fear but from relief.
She slipped on the jacket. It was still warm, still smelled like him.
"He smells like the air after rain…"
When she looked back, Kiryuu stood facing the sunset —
his silhouette wrapped in fading gold.
The staircase felt longer than usual.
Their footsteps echoed softly between concrete walls tinted by the last light of dusk.
Sakura walked a few steps ahead, clutching Kiryuu's jacket tightly against her chest.
It hung loose on her small frame, reaching halfway down her thighs, yet every time a draft slipped through the stairwell window, the faint scent returned — warm, masculine, strangely calming.
Behind her, Kiryuu walked slowly.
His steps were measured, never rushed, close enough that he could catch her if she stumbled.
They didn't speak.
Only the sound of shoes against the floor, the whisper of evening wind.
But inside that silence… something was quietly growing.
---
At the second floor landing, Sakura stopped and turned.
Her eyes found the man who had just saved her from something she couldn't even bear to imagine.
Kiryuu stood a few steps below — broad-shouldered, half-bathed in golden light.
His gaze asked for no thanks, no pity; only calm, as if what he'd done was nothing more than part of an ordinary day.
Her voice came out barely above a whisper.
> "Thank you…"
Kiryuu said nothing.
He simply gave a small nod and gestured for her to keep walking.
---
At the bottom, the exit door opened wide to the courtyard.
Evening air greeted them with the smell of wet leaves and the dying glow of sunlight across the ground.
Above them, the sky burned orange fading into violet, and beneath it — two shadows walked side by side.
Sakura kept her eyes forward, but from the corner of her vision, she watched him.
He walked silently, hands in pockets, face composed — untouched by the anger or adrenaline that should have lingered.
> "He fought three people… and still looks this calm.
Like nothing in the world could shake him."
A small smile found her lips — unplanned, delicate.
What fluttered in her chest was no longer fear.
It was something softer.
Admiration.
Curiosity.
The seed of a feeling not yet named.
---
They reached the dorm gate.
Kiryuu's jacket still wrapped around her.
She turned to face him once more.
> Kiryuu: "You all right?"
Sakura: "Yeah… I just—" She exhaled. "It still feels like a dream."
He nodded slowly.
> "Then let that dream be where you start again."
She had no reply.
Only silence, and the wind that lifted the pink ends of her hair.
For that brief moment, time itself hesitated.
She wanted to say something — anything — but her tongue froze, leaving only her heart to speak:
> You didn't just save me, Kiryuu…
You changed the way I see the world.
---
Kiryuu turned and walked toward the boys' dorm across the courtyard.
His stride was steady, rippling like quiet waves.
Sakura stood watching until his figure disappeared behind the building.
She looked down, fingers brushing the hem of the jacket.
The last trace of sunset vanished, leaving only the violet hue of approaching night.
> "Maybe I'm crazy… but if I keep wearing this, it feels like he's still close."
A small smile curved her lips — not relief, but the smile of someone who'd just realized her heart had begun to move in a new direction.
---
The Next Morning
Gray clouds veiled part of the sun.
Over the International Academy, the sky looked heavy — as if the entire campus sensed something stirring beneath the surface.
Whispers had already begun.
Rumors of the rooftop incident spread fast, though no one knew the full story.
Some said Kiryuu fought seniors.
Others said he protected a girl.
Either way, his name had once again become the academy's center of gravity.
---
[Faculty Office – Morning, After First Period]
Miss Hanabira stood by her office window.
Outside, students passed by, unaware of the sharp gaze behind the glass.
Her coffee had gone cold, but she still held the cup — not for thirst, but to steady her hands.
The official report lay open on her desk:
> "Minor altercation on the rooftop. No serious injuries.
Involved students: Takizawa Ren, two associates, and Kiryuu Kizaki."
She read the name again and again.
Each time, her chest tightened — pride, worry, and something she couldn't quite name.
A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.
> "Come in," she said.
The door opened.
Kiryuu entered — uniform crisp, expression calm, as if nothing had happened.
> Hanabira: "Sit down."
Kiryuu: "Yes, Sensei."
He obeyed without hesitation, posture straight, gaze forward.
> Hanabira: "I received the report. You were involved in a fight on the rooftop."
Kiryuu: "Yes."
"Why?"
"Someone was harassing a female student. I stopped it."
Hanabira drew a quiet breath, struggling to stay professional.
> "You realize that could've gotten you suspended?"
"I do. But if I'd done nothing, what would've happened to her?"
His tone was calm, yet every word struck through logic like truth cutting glass.
She lowered her eyes before speaking again.
> "The girl… Sakura Meiyuu. She's fine now."
"I know. She's strong."
"You met her?"
"I walked her back to her dorm."
Hanabira nodded faintly.
Silence settled — not awkward, just heavy with meaning.
> Hanabira: "You made the right choice… but don't let the world see everything about you."
Kiryuu: "The world doesn't need to."
"You're standing out too much, Kiryuu. In this academy, those who shine too bright become targets."
"I'm used to it, Sensei."
He rose slowly, bowed once.
> "If that's all, I'll take my leave."
Just before he reached the door, her voice trembled slightly.
> "Kiryuu…"
He half-turned.
> "Be careful."
Two words — yet her tone carried everything else she couldn't say.
Kiryuu nodded once and left.
---
Outside, the hallway buzzed with noise again.
At the far end, Airi pretended to wait for her next class, though her eyes never left Kiryuu's back.
She didn't call out — it was enough just to know he was there, the source of her irritation, jealousy, and longing all tangled into one.
Meanwhile, on the girls' dorm rooftop, Sakura sat with her camera in her lap.
She scrolled through old photos until one image stopped her —
Kiryuu's silhouette standing between her and danger beneath a dying sun.
> "Sometimes, the thing that saves you isn't a hand…
but the courage of someone willing to stand in front of you."
---
The day passed as if nothing had changed on the surface,
but beneath it, quiet currents began to move —
currents that would pull everyone connected to Kiryuu Kizaki toward their own fates.
---
Nightfall – The Academy
Dorm lights flickered on one by one, casting a honey glow through rows of windows.
From afar came the hum of insects, the whisper of wind through leaves.
The world looked peaceful — but human hearts rarely rest together.
---
🌸 [Girls' Dorm – Sakura Meiyuu's Room]
Sakura lay on her bed, pink hair fanned across the pillow.
Her bedside lamp painted the room in warm amber.
In her arms rested Kiryuu's white shirt — clean and dry now, but not stored away.
She held it close, like something precious to protect.
Pressing her palms against the fabric, she smiled softly.
> "It still smells like him…"
She rolled onto her side, burying her face into the cloth, laughing quietly to herself.
In her mind, the rooftop replayed like a film — the light, the voice, the way he stood between her and danger.
> "Kiryuu Kizaki…"
"That name sounds like my heartbeat now."
She giggled, embarrassed by her own words, then stared at the ceiling.
A new kind of warmth filled her chest —
not planned, not reasonable, but real.
> Love that never asked permission.
---
💧 [Girls' Dorm – Mizuno Airi's Room]
Elsewhere, Airi sat at her desk, phone glowing in her hand.
Kiryuu's name hovered on the screen, unsent message blinking.
> "Should I text him?
…But what if he doesn't reply?"
She shut her eyes, sighed.
The open textbook before her blurred; every word drowned by memories — his voice, his scent, the closeness she tried to forget.
She bit her lip — half angry, half yearning.
"Idiot… why am I still thinking about you?"
The harder she tried to erase him, the stronger the feeling returned.
She exhaled in defeat, a small laugh escaping.
"Kiryuu… if I see you tomorrow, don't pretend you don't know what I mean, okay?"
[Kizaki House – Kiryuu's Room]
Kiryuu sat at the edge of his bed, wearing only loose pants.
Moonlight spilled through the window, drawing hard lines of shadow across his quiet, toned frame.
On the table lay an open notebook.
He wrote slowly, thoughts like a strategist mapping out a battlefield.
"Tomorrow — physics class, then outdoor drills.
I'll need to make sure Ren doesn't try anything stupid again."
He closed the notebook and leaned back against the wall.
His gaze lifted to the ceiling — not empty, but focused on something unseen.
"The world itself is simple.
It's people who make it complicated."
A long breath escaped him, somewhere between boredom and peace.
The ticking clock became the only sound.
For once, his mind fell silent — not haunted, not yearning, just ready for what would come next.
---
🌹 [Miss Hanabira's Apartment]
Soft light from the living-room lamp shimmered against half a glass of wine.
Hanabira reclined on her sofa, her hair loose down her shoulders — no longer the strict coil of a teacher.
She closed her eyes, recalling the night before:
his face, his voice, the distance that had vanished between them.
The wine glass turned slowly between her fingers.
"I'm supposed to be his teacher…"
"So why does the world lose shape every time I think of him?"
A quiet smile touched her lips — not from joy, but surrender to something uncontrollable.
"Kiryuu Kizaki…"
"You're the kind of danger I don't mind walking toward."
She raised the glass slightly, as if to toast the shadow only she could see.
One sip.
And in the hush of the night, her breath mingled with a peace that tasted of sin and longing, hidden behind the veil of the academy.
---
Outside, the sky deepened.
The first stars appeared — eyes of a sleepless world.
In four different places, four hearts beat to four different rhythms:
one in longing,
one in confusion,
one in quiet resolve,
one in secret desire.
And at the center of them all,
Kiryuu Kizaki —
the gravity none of them could escape.
---