"Is that Haruki Sato's hoodie?"
Yuki looked up from her breakfast to find Hana and Mei standing over her table in the campus cafeteria, identical expressions of shock on their faces. She'd been thinking about last night... maybe too much. Didn't even see them coming.
"What? No," she said automatically, then glanced down at herself. She was, in fact, still wearing his gray hoodie. She'd fallen asleep in it last night and hadn't bothered to change it this morning. "I mean, yes. It is."
Hana slid into the seat across from her, leaning over the table, eyes wide. "Explain... now."
"Uh... there's nothing to explain," Yuki said, taking a bite of her toast to buy time. "It was cold, and he... just lent it to me."
"Haruki Sato, the campus ghost who barely speaks to anyone, just happened to lend you his hoodie?" Mei sat down beside Hana, leaning forward eagerly. "Come on, Yuki. We're your friends. Spill."
Yuki sighed, fidgeting with her napkin. Why am I still wearing this thing? I probably smell like laundry detergent and regret.
"We've been talking a little," she admitted. "It's not a big deal."
"Not a big deal?" Hana repeated incredulously. "The guy who turned down Rika Miyazaki," she paused, eyebrows raised, "suddenly lending you his clothes, and you say it's not a big deal?"
"He turned down Rika?" This was news to Yuki.
Mei nodded, stealing a piece of Yuki's toast. "Last semester. She asked him to the spring formal in front of everyone at the library. He just said 'no thanks' and walked away. It was brutal."
Yuki frowned. That didn't sound like the Haruki she was getting to know. "Maybe he had his reasons."
"Oh, he definitely has reasons for everything," Hana said, stirring her coffee with more force than necessary. "The question is, what's his reason for suddenly noticing you?"
The words stung more than Yuki wanted to admit. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Hana's expression softened. "I didn't... God, that came out wrong. You're amazing, Yuki. But Haruki Sato doesn't notice anyone. And now he's noticing you. A lot, apparently."
"We're just friends," Yuki said, though the word felt inadequate for whatever was developing between them.
"Friends who share clothes?" Mei raised an eyebrow, smirking.
"It was cold," Yuki repeated, tugging at the sleeve self consciously. "He was being nice."
"Nice isn't a word anyone uses to describe Haruki Sato," Hana said, glancing around as if someone might overhear. "Mysterious, sure. Hot, definitely. But nice? That's new."
Yuki felt a surge of protectiveness. "Maybe people don't know him as well as they think they do."
Mei and Hana exchanged a look that Yuki couldn't quite interpret.
"What?" she asked, her voice sharper than intended.
"Nothing," Mei said quickly, picking at her nail polish. "It's just... be careful, okay?"
"Careful of what?"
Hana hesitated, lowering her voice. "There are rumors about him, Yuki. Not just the usual campus gossip."
"What kind of rumors?" Yuki asked, though she wasn't sure she wanted to know.
"That he got kicked out of his last school for fighting," Mei said. "That he has some kind of connection to those guys who hang out by the train station."
"You mean the ones who are always smoking outside the convenience store?" Yuki asked skeptically. "That's ridiculous. Haruki works nights at a factory. When would he even have time to hang out with them?"
"I'm just telling you what I've heard," Mei said, holding up her hands defensively.
"Well, I've actually spent time with him," Yuki countered, pushing her plate away. "And he's nothing like that."
"Okay, okay," Hana said soothingly. "We believe you. We're just looking out for you."
Yuki softened slightly. "I know. And I appreciate it. But Haruki is... he's different than people think."
"Different how?" Mei asked, curiosity evident in her voice.
Yuki thought about it. How could she explain the quiet intensity of his gaze? The way he listened like every word mattered? The vulnerability in his admission about sleep?
"He's thoughtful," she said finally. "And kind, in his own way. He's just... private."
"Private is one thing," Hana said. "Mysterious is another. No one knows anything real about him, Yuki. Where he lives, why he works that factory job, why he keeps to himself."
"Maybe he has good reasons," Yuki suggested.
"Or maybe there's something he's hiding," Mei countered.
Yuki was about to respond when she spotted a familiar figure entering the cafeteria. Haruki. He was wearing a black t shirt and jeans, his hair slightly disheveled as always. He didn't look in her direction as he made his way to the coffee station.
"Speaking of your mystery man," Hana murmured, following Yuki's gaze.
"He's not my mystery man," Yuki said automatically, though she couldn't tear her eyes away from him.
"Your hoodie says otherwise," Mei teased, poking Yuki's arm.
Her cheeks heated up. She looked down at the floor, hoping they hadn't noticed. "Stop it."
"Are you going to talk to him?" Hana asked.
"I don't know. Maybe." Yuki ran a hand through her hair, suddenly aware she hadn't even brushed it properly this morning.
"Well, decide quickly, because he's coming this way."
Yuki's head snapped up. Sure enough, Haruki was walking toward their table, coffee in hand. His eyes met hers briefly before sliding to Hana and Mei, his expression becoming more guarded.
"Hi," Yuki said, suddenly feeling self conscious about wearing his hoodie in front of her friends.
"Hey," Haruki replied, stopping a few feet from their table. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Sorry to interrupt."
"You're not interrupting," Yuki assured him quickly. "These are my friends, Hana and Mei."
Haruki nodded to them, his expression neutral. "Nice to meet you."
"Likewise," Hana said, studying him with undisguised curiosity. "We've heard a lot about you."
Haruki's eyebrows rose slightly as he glanced at Yuki. "Have you?"
"Not from me," Yuki clarified, shooting Hana a warning look. "Just... you know. Around campus."
"Ah." His expression closed off slightly. "Campus rumors. Always reliable."
There was a hint of bitterness in his tone that made Yuki's chest ache. She wanted to say something to ease the sudden tension, but before she could, Haruki turned his attention back to her.
"I just wanted to let you know I won't be at the roof today," he said, taking a sip of his coffee. "Extra shift at work."
"Oh." Yuki tried to hide her disappointment. "That's okay. Another time?"
He nodded. "Tomorrow, maybe. If you want."
"I want," she said, then immediately regretted her eagerness when she heard Mei stifle a giggle. "I mean... yeah, tomorrow works."
Haruki's lips twitched in what might have been the beginning of a smile. "Okay. Tomorrow then."
An awkward silence fell over the table. Haruki shifted his weight again, clearly uncomfortable under the scrutiny of Yuki's friends.
"I should go," he said finally, glancing at his watch. "Class in ten minutes."
"Which class?" Mei asked innocently.
Haruki hesitated, as if debating whether to answer. "Advanced Programming. Yamada."
"That's in the tech building, right?" Hana chimed in. "Yuki has a class there too. Don't you, Yuki?"
Yuki wanted to sink into the floor. "Um, yeah. Statistics."
"You could walk together," Mei suggested brightly.
Haruki looked at Yuki, his expression unreadable. "If you want."
"Sure," Yuki said, gathering her things quickly, nearly knocking over her water bottle. "I'm done here anyway."
She stood, acutely aware of Hana and Mei watching them with barely concealed interest. "I'll see you guys later?"
"Definitely," Hana said with a meaningful look. "We have a lot to talk about."
Yuki resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she followed Haruki out of the cafeteria. Once they were outside, she let out a sigh of relief.
"Sorry about that," she said. "They can be a bit... much."
"It's fine," Haruki replied, though his shoulders were still tense. "They care about you."
"They're just nosy," Yuki corrected, kicking at a pebble on the path. "And they believe every rumor they hear."
Haruki was quiet for a moment as they walked. "What rumors have they heard about me?"
Yuki hesitated. "Nothing worth repeating."
"That bad, huh?"
"No, it's not... I mean..." Yuki fumbled for words. "People just don't know you, so they make things up."
Haruki nodded, his expression thoughtful. "And you? What do you think you know about me?"
The question caught her off guard. "I know you work nights at a factory. I know you study computer science. I know you have a brother who graduated from here. I know you're kind enough to lend your hoodie to someone who's cold."
She glanced down at the gray hoodie she was still wearing. "Speaking of which, I should give this back."
"Keep it," Haruki said. "It looks better on you anyway."
Her cheeks heated up again. She looked down at the path, hoping he hadn't noticed. "Thanks."
They walked in comfortable silence for a few moments before Haruki spoke again.
"Your friends are right to be cautious," he said quietly. "You don't really know me, Yuki."
"I know enough," she replied.
"Do you?" He stopped walking, turning to face her. "What if the rumors are true?"
"Are they?"
Haruki held her gaze. "Some might be. Some definitely aren't. The point is, you're taking a lot on faith here."
"Faith in what?"
"In me," he said simply. "In the idea that I'm worth your time."
Yuki studied his face, noting the shadows under his eyes, the tension in his jaw, the wariness in his gaze. He looked like someone who expected to be judged and found wanting.
"I think you are," she said softly. "Worth my time, I mean."
Something flickered in his eyes, too quick to identify. "Even if your friends think otherwise?"
"They don't know you," Yuki said firmly. "I'm starting to."
Haruki looked like he wanted to say more, but the warning bell rang, signaling five minutes until the next class period.
"We should go," he said instead, running a hand through his hair. "Don't want to be late."
As they resumed walking, Yuki noticed a group of students watching them from across the quad. One of them, a tall girl with perfectly styled hair, was staring at them with particular intensity.
"Who's that?" Yuki asked, nodding discreetly in their direction.
Haruki followed her gaze and immediately tensed. "Rika Miyazaki."
"The one who asked you to the spring formal?"
He glanced at her sharply. "Your friends told you about that?"
"Just now," Yuki admitted, feeling suddenly guilty. "Was it true?"
Haruki sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yes. But not the way people tell it."
"What do you mean?"
"She didn't ask because she was interested in me," he said, his voice low. "She asked because her friends dared her to. They thought it would be funny to see if they could get the campus loner to show up at a dance."
Yuki felt a surge of anger on his behalf. "That's awful."
Haruki shrugged, but she could see the hurt beneath his casual demeanor. "People do worse things."
They reached the tech building, and Haruki held the door open for her. As Yuki passed him, she impulsively touched his arm.
"For what it's worth," she said quietly, "I think they're the ones missing out. Not you."
Haruki looked startled, then something in his expression softened. "Thanks."
They parted ways in the hallway, Yuki heading to her statistics class and Haruki continuing toward the computer labs. As she watched him walk away, Yuki couldn't help but wonder about the rumors, about the parts of his life he kept hidden.
But one thing she knew for certain: whatever her friends or anyone else on campus might think, Haruki Sato was far more than the mysterious loner everyone made him out to be.
And she was determined to learn more.