The next day, the morning classes ended with the clear ring of the bell, signaling the start of lunch break.
Sunlight spilled lazily through the windows, painting long streaks of warmth across the desks as chatter quickly filled the room. The air carried the familiar mix of laughter, rustling lunch bags, and the faint scent of cafeteria bread.
Shun was already reaching across the table, chopsticks in hand, trying to steal Rika's side dish before she could even open her lunchbox.
"Hands off," Rika said, smacking his chopsticks away. "You've already eaten half of yours."
Shun pouted dramatically. "Half my soul still craves variety."
"Then crave it somewhere else," Rika replied, pulling her bento closer like it was a national treasure.
Kaito laughed, opening his own lunch. "You two argue more than married couples."
"Divorce granted," Rika said flatly.
Ren ate quietly beside them, half-listening, half-lost in thought.
Then, while picking at her bento, Rika suddenly said, "Oh yeah—how'd your club-hunting adventure go yesterday?"
Kaito groaned immediately. "Don't remind me. We walked half the school, and all I got were sore legs and psychological trauma."
Shun raised a brow. "So you didn't join anything?"
Kaito crossed his arms. "Nope. And neither did this guy." He gestured at Ren with his chopsticks.
Rika smirked. "I'm shocked. Hayashi Ren didn't join the Go-Home Club or something?"
Ren said calmly, "I didn't know those existed."
"They don't," Rika said with a grin. "Congratulations, you invented it."
Shun leaned forward, amused. "So, did you at least find something interesting?"
Kaito shrugged. "He almost did."
Ren gave him a look. "That's an exaggeration."
Rika tilted her head. "Oh? Which one?"
"The Literature Club," Kaito said. "We saw their booth near the courtyard yesterday. One of the members—Nishimori Hana—talked to us and invited us to drop by sometime."
Rika's eyebrows rose. "A girl, huh?"
Kaito rolled his eyes. "Relax, she was just being polite."
"Sure," Rika teased. "That's what they all say right before falling in love and writing poetry."
Kaito gasped. "If I ever write poetry, it's because I hit my head."
Shun nodded wisely. "We'll keep an ambulance on standby."
Ren quietly took another bite. "You're all ridiculous."
"Correction," Rika said, pointing her chopsticks. "We're entertaining. You're the moody background character."
Ren blinked. "That sounds like less work."
Rika groaned. "You're impossible."
The lunch break ended with the sharp ring of the bell echoing through the classroom.
"Alright, lunch's over!" Shun groaned, slumping over his desk. "Tragic."
"Maybe don't eat half of Rika's bento next time," Kaito said.
"Worth it," Shun mumbled, already half asleep.
Ren glanced out the window as students returned to their seats, the soft buzz fading when Ms. Sato entered with her clipboard tucked under one arm.
"Okay, everyone," she said, tapping the board lightly. "Let's settle down. Math next."
A collective groan rippled through the class.
Ms. Sato smiled wryly. "Oh, don't sound so excited. It's just quadratic equations—nothing that'll kill you."
Kaito whispered, "Speak for yourself," earning a snicker from Rika.
Time moved lazily after that — the squeak of chalk, the rhythmic turning of notebook pages, the hum of the ceiling fan filling the spaces between Ms. Sato's explanations.
By the time the final bell rang, the golden light outside had shifted, spilling long shadows across the desks.
Ms. Sato looked up from her notes and clapped her hands together. "Alright, that's it for today. Those of you with clubs, you can go ahead and head out. And if you still haven't joined one yet—" her eyes flicked toward the back row, right where Ren sat, "—please, at least take a look around before going straight home."
Kaito stretched his arms. "Heard that, Ren. Fate's calling."
Ren closed his notebook with a quiet thud. "It's math homework calling, actually."
"Same thing," Kaito said, grinning.
As the rest of the class packed up, the chatter grew again — chairs scraping, bags zipping, the soft rustle of pages closing.
The sunlight outside had mellowed, turning the walls gold.
Kaito slung his bag over one shoulder and leaned against Ren's desk. "So… you heard Sensei. Clubs, remember?"
Ren gave him a sideways glance. "You're unusually motivated today."
"I call it curiosity," Kaito said, grinning. "Besides, it's not like we have anything better to do."
Rika strolled past with her bag in hand, smirking. "Going club hunting again? Try not to wander into the Gardening Club this time. They'll make you water plants for life."
Kaito scoffed. "Relax, we're professionals now."
Then he turned back to Ren. "Come on. Let's go see if that Literature Club actually exists."
Ren paused, then sighed quietly. "…You're not giving me a choice, are you?"
"Correct."
Shun waved lazily from his seat. "Good luck, you two. If they ask for an essay, just fake a tragic backstory."
Ren muttered, "Fitting."
Kaito grinned. "Alright, adventure time."
The hallway buzzed with after-class chatter and music club riffs leaking faintly from a nearby room.
Kaito stopped in front of a door labeled Literature Club. "So this is the place, huh?"
Ren hummed. "Seems like it."
Kaito cracked his knuckles dramatically. "Alright. Time to meet the book nerds."
Ren sighed. "That's one way to get banned before entering."
He slid the door open. Warm light poured out, carrying the faint scent of tea and paper.
Inside, Hana was stacking books neatly by the window. She looked up and smiled softly.
"Oh, Hayashi-kun. You came back."
Ren nodded. "You said visitors were welcome."
"They are," she said gently. "I'm glad you did."
Kaito peeked around him. "Nice place. You guys got snacks?"
Hana laughed quietly. "Sometimes."
A soft thud came from the back — a boy asleep at his desk, a book draped over his face.
"That's Mori Itsuki," Hana said. "He's our professional sleeper."
Kaito whispered, "Man, living the dream."
Ren exhaled faintly, halfway between amusement and envy.
Then—
"Oh! Visitors?"
A girl with short brown hair and an overly bright smile entered carrying a box of tea.
"Shizue-senpai," Hana sighed. "You're loud again."
"I'm energetic," Shizue said proudly. "Welcome to the Literature Club—where we read, write, and occasionally overheat the kettle."
Kaito blinked. "You're the president?"
"Yup! Miyako Shizue, at your service."
Before Ren could respond, a familiar voice spoke up from near the back corner.
"…Hayashi-kun?"
Both Ren and Kaito turned.
Sitting near the window, a notebook in hand, was Mei Sakuragi.
"Mei?" Kaito blurted. "Wait—you're in this club?!"
She smiled faintly. "I joined the other day. I didn't think you'd come here."
Kaito dramatically pointed at Ren. "This guy dragged me!"
Ren blinked. "You dragged me."
"Details," Kaito said quickly.
Shizue tilted her head. "Oh, you know Sakuragi-san?"
Ren nodded. "We're classmates."
Kaito added, "And she's like, the calm version of Rika."
Mei chuckled softly. "That's… a strange compliment."
The minutes passed easily after that — Kaito chatting with Shizuka about snacks, Hana arranging papers, Itsuki snoring steadily, and Mei helping tidy the shelves.
At one point, Kaito picked up a book upside down, and Hana silently rotated it for him. Again.
Ren almost smiled.
When they finally stepped out into the hallway, the sun had already begun to set, painting everything in amber.
Kaito stretched, yawning. "You know… that wasn't half bad."
Ren adjusted his bag. "No, it wasn't."
"So?" Kaito nudged him. "You thinking of joining?"
Ren looked back once, the light from the clubroom spilling into the hallway.
"Maybe."
Kaito grinned. "That's basically a yes in your language."
Ren didn't respond, but a small smile ghosted across his face.
They walked off quietly — laughter and voices echoing faintly behind them — as another ordinary day slipped into something that felt a little less ordinary.