Mari didn't stay long at Haruto's apartment—just enough to hand over the bill from yesterday and chat briefly about their creative work. Soon after receiving a phone call, she hurried off.
Left alone in his apartment, Haruto looked around the room. He tilted his head back to glance at the ceiling, then lowered his gaze to the cup on the table. With a sigh, he got up and began tidying the cup Mari had used.
That night, after returning from the Kiyoura household, Haruto stepped into the bathroom. As he undressed, he pulled down his underwear—only to notice a smudge of red. His eyes narrowed, and he bent down to take a closer look.
"...Blood?"
Staring in surprise, anxiety immediately took hold of him. Blood on underwear—whether at the front or the back—was a serious matter, both physically and, frankly, in terms of dignity.
Looking himself over carefully, he saw no cuts or bruises on his body. Just that faint stain on the underwear.
He took them off completely, holding them up for inspection. The location of the stain made him frown. Cross-referencing with his body, there were no visible wounds. So how did this get here?
He thought back through his day. He hadn't done anything particularly strenuous. He hadn't bumped into anyone or gotten hurt...
"No way…"
His brows furrowed. The only suspicious moment was around noon—when he fainted in Rio Futaba's lab. He'd lost consciousness, and remembered nothing of what happened during that time.
Could it be that Rio… did something to him while he was out?
Still staring at the underwear, Haruto slowly raised his head and looked at himself in the mirror, falling into a long silence.
"If it really was her… then maybe what happened today wasn't just some accident, was it?"
His brows drew tighter together. Uncertain what had actually occurred during his blackout, he decided not to speculate further. For now, he needed a shower.
He placed the underwear aside, turned on the water, and let the spray wash over him.
Later that night, lying in bed with the lights off, Haruto stared into the darkness. After a moment, he picked up his phone and opened Line. Scrolling through his contacts, he found Rio Futaba's icon.
He typed out a message—then paused, stared at the screen, and quietly deleted every word.
"…I'll just ask her tomorrow. Face to face."
Even if he sent a message now, it wouldn't change much. Better to hear it directly from her.
With that, he closed his eyes.
_ _ _ _
The next morning at school, as he set down his bag, Haruto noticed Hinami Aoi standing beside his desk.
"We didn't see you at all yesterday afternoon," she said. "A bunch of people were wondering what happened to you."
"Nothing serious. I just wasn't feeling well," he replied casually. "Why?"
"I went with Eriri to check the nurse's office, but you weren't there. She was really worried about you, you know."
Haruto glanced over at Eriri's desk—still empty—before turning back to Aoi.
"Thanks for your concern, but I'm fine now."
"Mm, that's what matters most—your health~"
Seeing that Haruto wasn't inclined to explain further, Aoi smiled and returned to her seat. She understood that pushing him might only lead to discomfort between them.
Haruto watched her leave, then turned toward the window. Resting his chin on his hand, he stared at the sky, watching birds streak across the horizon, lost in thought.
Eriri walked into the classroom shortly after. She saw Haruto at his desk, gazing out the window, but didn't approach him. Instead, she gave a small huff and went to her seat without a word.
Aoi, sitting beside her, gave a quiet sigh. The way those two interacted was truly a mystery.
At lunch, Haruto left the classroom and headed for the lab, only to find it completely empty.
"She's not here?"
Something definitely felt off. He could tell now—something must've happened yesterday that he still didn't know about. And that gnawed at him.
After waiting a bit and seeing no sign of Rio, he quietly left the lab.
Not far down the hall, a girl stood at the corner, watching Haruto's silhouette fade into the distance. Her gaze lingered for a moment before she turned and walked away, in the opposite direction.
_ _ _ _
"Just because you know Miyamizu-kun, don't you think you're getting a little full of yourself?"
"Seriously, what a shameless girl. I bet she used her filthy body to seduce Miyamizu-kun."
In the girls' bathroom, Yoshida Saki stood cornered by two classmates. Her head was bowed, hands tightly gripping the hem of her skirt. She didn't dare speak.
Smack!
A stinging slap landed on her cheek.
"We're talking to you! What, playing mute now? Didn't you hear us?!"
The searing pain across her face made her bite down hard on her lower lip. She lowered her head even more.
"Hey!"
One of the girls shoved her shoulders, forcing her backward. The other pushed again, and Saki staggered until her back hit the cold tile wall.
Girls came and went through the bathroom—some pausing at the sight, others ignoring it altogether. Some pretended not to see. A few just watched.
Not one of them stepped in to help.
And so, Saki endured the shoves, the slaps, the jeers—until the bell rang, and the bullies casually walked away.
"Tch. Pathetic."
The two girls tossed the insult over their shoulders and left, leaving Saki alone in the echoing bathroom. Slowly, she slid down the wall and crouched there, hugging herself as hot tears poured down her cheeks. She bit her lip to keep from making a sound, choking back sobs that clawed at her throat.
It all began after Haruto had helped her once—refusing to share class duty with the very same girls bullying her now. Since then, they'd made her a target. Cold glares, snide comments, subtle mockery.
Over time, the malice intensified.
Even when she did nothing, they'd kick her desk in passing just to see her flinch. Their sudden, sharp cruelty shook her every time, and they seemed to feed off her fear—smirking at the way she trembled.
This had gone on for nearly two weeks.
And today, an accidental brush in the bathroom was all it took to spark another round of torment.
Saki still didn't understand. What had she done to deserve this?
Tears slipped down her glasses, distorting everything. She removed them, wiped her face with her sleeve, and stayed hunched on the floor until the sting in her cheek dulled. Then, she wobbled to her feet and stumbled to the mirror.
Her hair was a tangled mess from being yanked. A red handprint blazed across her cheek. Her tear-streaked face was pale and blotchy, her uniform rumpled and stained.
She stared blankly at her reflection.
Pain bloomed deep inside—raw and bitter.
She bit her lip hard again, then turned away from the mirror and quietly exited the bathroom.
She didn't go back to class. Not looking like this. She couldn't bear the thought of anyone seeing her like this.
Instead, she found a deserted corner of the school and curled up on the floor, knees drawn tightly to her chest, arms hugging her legs.
No one will come here. No one will find me. Maybe… maybe I could just stay here and disappear.
Her hands clenched as she buried her face deeper. Her eyes grew dull.
She would stay here until sunset, until everyone went home. That was her plan. It was safer that way.
Then tomorrow… tomorrow she'd come back and pretend today never happened. Just like always.
Another day like this... again?
Her body trembled.
For the first time, Saki began to fear tomorrow.
She didn't know what awaited her—but she knew it wouldn't be kind.
As the sun dipped behind the western hills and the final school bell rang, she remained hidden in that lonely corner. Most students had gone home by now—except those in after-school clubs.
She didn't want to risk being seen. Not by anyone.
Not in this place where she no longer felt safe.
Where even bystanders had looked the other way.
"...So cold."
She whispered to no one, her nose stinging as fresh tears welled up again. She bit her lip hard, using the pain to hold them back. She took a deep breath, willing herself not to cry.
Tap. Tap.
Footsteps echoed through the empty hallway.
She lifted her head slightly, heart pounding.
A teacher? Or... those girls again?
She stared toward the door, wide-eyed and trembling.
The footsteps stopped just outside.
Creak.
The door opened.
She squeezed her eyes shut in fear—
But then, a familiar voice called out into the stillness of the empty classroom.
"I thought I'd find you quickly… but it actually took a while."
The voice was soft. Clear. Familiar.
Her breath caught.
She opened her eyes.
And standing there in the doorway—his silhouette lit by the fading light—was Miyamizu Haruto.
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"Mi-Miyamizu-kun... Why are you...?"
"I overheard some classmates talking in the room. They said a girl was getting bullied... and I heard your name. I asked around and realized you hadn't come back to class at all this afternoon. I figured maybe you were still somewhere in the school… I've been searching all over. Didn't expect to find you here."
He stepped inside the empty classroom and walked up to her.
Looking at her messy hair and tear-streaked face, Haruto gently reached out and placed a warm hand on her head.
He stroked her softly.
"Sorry it took me so long to find you."
The moment she saw the look in his eyes—sincere, apologetic—her tears, which she had tried so hard to hold back, broke free all at once.
Haruto stayed by her side until she stopped crying. His hand moved gently over her back, calming her.
Once she had quieted, he reached out his hand again.
"The sun's already setting. Let me walk you home."
Saki hesitated, still shaken. Her lips trembled, but she nodded.
"...Mm."
She placed her small hand in his, her fingers trembling slightly.
Haruto gently helped her to her feet—but the moment she stood, her knees buckled. She had been crouching too long; her legs were numb.
Without thinking, Haruto reached around and held her by the waist to steady her.
Their bodies touched—close.
Her face turned bright red.
In a soft, careful voice, Haruto asked—
"Are you okay?"
"…My legs… they're a little numb…"
Without a word, Haruto slipped one arm around Saki's slender waist. Then, squatting down slightly, he slid his other arm beneath her knees.
Before she could even react, he lifted her gently into his arms.
Saki's eyes widened in shock. She froze, utterly speechless, as she found herself cradled against his chest.
Haruto glanced down at her stunned expression and gave her a soft, reassuring smile.
Without another word, he carried her out of the empty classroom.
By now, school had long since ended. The hallways were quiet, deserted. Not a single soul crossed their path as Haruto carried her down the corridor, toward her classroom.
As they neared the door, he felt her tense.
Her body trembled slightly, and she pressed her face deeper into his chest, refusing to lift her head.
Haruto paused for a moment, then gently spoke.
"We're here. Go ahead and pack your things."
"…Okay."
Though her heart was still knotted with unease, Saki slowly lifted her head at Haruto's words. She glanced toward her desk, half-afraid of what she might see.
To her surprise, everything was intact.
No torn pages, no scribbles, no mess—none of the cruel vandalism she'd imagined.
Her tight grip on her chest loosened slightly.
Once Haruto carefully set her down and she found that she could walk again, Saki quietly made her way to her desk. She gathered her belongings, her motions small and silent.
Then she turned back toward Haruto, her lips parting—
"I—"
"Why haven't you gone home yet?"
A new voice cut through the stillness.