Morning arrived quietly.
Kai woke before his alarm, staring at the ceiling longer than usual. The house was still, wrapped in that early silence that made everything feel paused. For a moment, he wondered if the night had followed him into morning.
Then he sat up, and the feeling lingered.
Not strong.
Not close.
Just… there.
He ignored it.
By the time he stepped into the kitchen, Sora was already at the table, half-asleep, chin resting on her palm, cereal untouched.
"You're up early," she muttered.
"So are you," Kai replied.
"Unfortunately."
Their mother moved between the counter and the stove while their father sat nearby with the newspaper open.
"You two are going to be late," his father said without looking up.
Sora groaned. "We hear this every day and somehow it never helps."
Kai poured himself a glass of water and sat down. Breakfast passed in familiar silence, the kind that didn't feel awkward when you'd lived together your whole life.
Kai finished first and stood.
"Kai," his mother said.
He paused.
She handed him something wrapped neatly in cloth. "Take this."
He blinked. "What's this?"
"Lunch," she replied. "I packed it."
Sora looked between them, then leaned back in her chair.
"…Wow. He finally unlocked a new achievement."
Kai stared at the bundle. His mom had never done that before. He usually survived on canteen food, coffee, or whatever Sora forced into his hands.
"…Thanks," he said quietly.
She smiled and turned back to the sink.
Sora smirked. "Don't forget to eat it. I'm not reminding you later."
"You always remind me," Kai said.
"Exactly. I'm retiring."
They left the house together. Sora walked a step ahead, hoodie half-zipped.
"You're slow," she said. "Did you age overnight?"
"At least I woke up," Kai replied.
She gasped. "Rude."
At the corner, Joro was already waiting, hands in his pockets.
"Took you long enough," he said.
"Blame him," Sora replied instantly.
Joro looked at Kai. "You good?"
Kai nodded. "Yeah."
Joro accepted it, though his eyes lingered for a second longer than necessary.
They walked together until Ayko joined them a street later.
"You're late," Ayko said.
Sora checked the time dramatically. "By forty seconds."
"Unacceptable," Ayko replied.
Kai adjusted his bag strap. His hand brushed against it, and he felt the weight of the lunch inside.
He smiled, faintly.
School felt different.
Not louder.
Not quieter.
Focused.
Kai noticed the looks immediately. Conversations dipped when he passed.
Sora noticed too. "Why are people staring like you did something illegal?"
Ayko crossed her arms. "This is annoying."
"They'll stop," Kai said.
"They better," Sora muttered. "Because I'm not fighting people today."
Classes went on. Notes. Lectures. Routine. During second period, Kai's pen slipped and rolled off his desk.
A hand caught it mid-air.
"Careful," a voice whispered.
Kai glanced back. A girl sat two rows behind him, smiling slightly.
"…Thanks."
She nodded like it was nothing and went back to her notes.
Lunch came faster than expected.
They sat at their usual table. Kai reached into his bag and pulled out the wrapped lunch.
Immediate whispers.
"Is that Kai?"
"Since when does he bring food?"
Ayko leaned closer. "You brought lunch?"
"Yeah."
"From where?"
"My mom packed it."
Ayko froze. "She did?"
Sora leaned back smugly. "I know. I saw it this morning. Try to keep up."
Kai opened the lunch and took a bite.
Paused.
Ayko smiled. "You like it."
He nodded. "Yeah."
Sora glanced at him. "Good. Maybe you'll stop pretending food is optional."
"Big talk for someone stealing fries later," Kai said.
She pointed at him. "I never said I wouldn't."
A familiar voice interrupted.
"Okay, now I'm curious."
They looked up.
The same girl from class stood there, holding a juice box.
"You're Kai, right?"
"Yeah."
"I'm Mira," she said easily. "You dropped your pen earlier."
She handed it to him again, like returning it twice was normal.
"…Thanks."
She glanced at his lunch. "Didn't know you were the homemade-lunch type."
"I'm not," Sora said immediately. "This is a limited-time event."
Mira laughed. "That explains it."
She pulled a chair and sat sideways at the edge of the table, completely uninvited.
"So," she continued, "people have been staring at you all day. Any reason, or is it just your face?"
Kai blinked. "I—"
"It's his face," Sora said. "Very stare-worthy."
Ayko hid a smile.
Mira looked between them. "Good to know."
She took a sip of her juice. "You're quieter than I expected."
Kai shrugged. "I get that a lot."
"I like quiet," Mira said. "Makes people interesting."
Sora narrowed her eyes slightly. "Why are you interrogating my brother?"
Mira grinned. "Relax. I'm just observing."
Ayko tilted her head. "You do that often?"
"Only when something catches my attention," Mira replied casually, standing up. "See you around, Kai."
She walked off like nothing happened.
Sora stared after her.
"…Who was that."
"No idea," Kai said.
Ayko watched Mira disappear into the crowd, thoughtful. "She's… different."
Kai didn't reply.
The rest of the day felt lighter. Less staring. Less pressure.
After school, Sora split off first. Ayko walked with Kai for a bit.
"You made a new friend," she teased.
"No," Kai replied.
She smiled. "Sure."
At home, dinner was warm. Conversation stayed easy.
Later, Kai sat at his desk. The empty lunch cloth lay folded beside his bag.
The feeling returned.
Not closer.
Not farther.
Waiting.
Kai leaned back, staring at the ceiling.
Tomorrow would come.
School would continue.
And Mira would probably ask more questions.
For now, though, Kai let himself rest.
Some days didn't need answers.