Aiwa Matsuki, despite being the catalyst for my current existential crisis, remains an island of quiet normalcy in the raging sea of my school day. She is polite, studious, and generally keeps to herself, a stark contrast to the demanding presences of Rina and Haruka. But I know the truth (or at least, I think I do), and it makes every interaction with her feel like I am trying to defuse a bomb while wearing oven mitts.
She seems determined, however, to bridge the gap between us, using our one shared, undeniable connection: 'Starlight Paladin.'
During a lull in English class, she leans over slightly. "Hinamata-kun," she whispers, her voice the soft, shy tone of Aiwa, completely different from the commanding voice of LUNA.
"Yeah?" I whisper back, trying not to look directly at her, lest Rina, who sits two rows behind us, senses the interaction and vaporizes Aiwa with a jealous death glare.
"I was re-watching 'Starlight Paladin' last night," she continues, her eyes sparkling with that familiar, genuine enthusiasm. "Episode 17? The one where Princess Astra has to learn to trust her own strength after losing her magic sword? It is just so good."
"Oh, yeah, 'The Swordless Star'!" I whisper back, my own inner otaku momentarily forgetting the layers of suspicion and panic. "That episode is a masterpiece! The animation is a bit rough, but the character development is peak!"
"Exactly!" she agrees, her smile widening. "It reminds you that true strength comes from within, not from external weapons."
We are having a normal, nerdy conversation. It feels dangerously good. Too good. I can feel the collective gaze of the entire classroom zeroing in on us. I can practically hear the gossip network buzzing. 'Look! Hinamata is talking to the transfer student again! What is their secret?!'
Suddenly, Kenji leans across the aisle from his desk on the other side. "Are you guys talking about 'Starlight Paladin'?" he asks loudly, his voice full of wounded betrayal. "Without me?! That show is a classic! Princess Astra is totally my first anime crush! After Sailor Moon, obviously."
"Kenji, shut up, we are in class!" I hiss, trying to wave him away.
But it is too late. The damage is done. Aiwa flinches back, startled by Kenji's sudden intrusion, her brief moment of comfortable conversation shattered. She gives me a small, apologetic smile and turns back to her notes, her shy facade firmly back in place.
Across the classroom, I see Rina and Haruka, who just happened to be "walking past" my classroom door at that exact moment, peering in through the window. Their expressions are identical masks of narrowed eyes and simmering suspicion. They saw Aiwa talking to me. They saw her smile.
Kenji, oblivious, continues to whisper theories about 'Starlight Paladin' lore to me for the rest of the class. I just stare blankly ahead, my mind racing. Aiwa's passion for the show is real. It is the one thing about her that feels completely genuine, completely unrelated to the LUNA persona. But why? What is her connection to it? And why does it feel like this shared interest is the key to unlocking the entire mystery?