The third-year corridor buzzed with morning chatter, but everything seemed to hush the moment Mei and Riku stepped in.
Their hands were gently intertwined.
It was a small gesture—but in a world full of rumors, secrets, and heartbreak, it was a bold declaration.
Students paused mid-conversation, eyes following them as they walked down the hallway.
"Is that really Mei and Riku...?"
"They're holding hands... in front of everyone?"
"Did they get back together...?"
Whispers flew like wind through tall grass, impossible to stop.
Riku said nothing. Mei didn't look at anyone but him.
Then came the storm.
"Asahi," someone murmured.
She appeared at the end of the hallway, eyes wide with disbelief and fire in her step. She marched toward them, stopping just a few feet away.
"Riku!" Asahi's voice pierced the corridor like a blade. "Why are you with that bratty girl?! I'm your girlfriend!"
Silence fell. The whispers stopped.
Riku turned to her with a calm expression—so calm it stung.
"You are… who, exactly?" he said flatly.
Asahi froze. Her breath caught.
Before she could lash out, a sharp sound cracked through the air.
Slap.
Mei's hand had moved before she realized it. Her fingers trembled from the impact, but her voice didn't.
"Say sorry."
Asahi clutched her cheek, stunned.
Mei's eyes didn't waver. "I know we've changed," she said softly. "But that doesn't give you the right to insult me."
The hallway held its breath.
Riku didn't move. He didn't need to. His silence stood behind Mei like a shield.
Asahi turned and ran.
And just like that, the whispers returned—but now, they sounded different.
Respectful. Awed. Maybe even afraid.
Riku looked down at Mei, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.
"We've changed, huh?"
Mei nodded, her voice quiet but sure.
"Yeah… we have."
The cafeteria was as noisy as ever, filled with trays clattering and students laughing. But for Riku and Mei, seated at the far end near the window, it felt strangely peaceful.
Sunlight poured in, casting a soft glow on Mei's hair as she poked her rice with her chopsticks.
She glanced up, her eyes playful. "So... you've really changed, huh?"
Riku looked up from his curry bread, smirking. "Of course."
Mei leaned in, resting her chin on her hand. "Then prove it."
"Hm?" Riku raised an eyebrow.
"You'll study. And you'll get into the top ten this term."
Riku blinked. "What are you, my teacher?"
"Nope," she said with a teasing grin. "Just the girl who's going to beat you if you don't."
He laughed quietly, then leaned back in his chair. "Top ten, huh? That's tough."
"You're smart when you try. You just never try." She poked his forehead with her chopstick. "If you've really changed, then show me."
Riku stared at her for a moment, then sighed.
"Alright," he said. "Top ten. If I make it, you owe me something."
Mei raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Like what?"
He grinned. "A kiss."
She choked on her rice. "idiot!"
Riku laughed harder this time, and Mei, flustered but smiling, smacked his shoulder with a napkin.
In that moment, nothing else mattered—their hands brushed again under the table, and neither of them pulled away.
The classroom was quiet after hours, the sun casting long shadows across the floor. Desks were empty, save for one where Riku slumped over a textbook, his face a picture of pure misery.
"Aaahh! I never studied in my life!" he groaned, tugging at his hair. "I always cheated! I don't understand any of this!"
Mei tapped her pencil against his desk, clearly unimpressed. "You're being dramatic again."
Riku lifted his head with the expression of a man who had just seen the end of the world. "Because it is dramatic! These formulas, these weird graphs… It's like they're written in another language!"
"It's math, Riku." She crossed her arms. "Not ancient wizard runes."
"But it feels cursed!" he whined, burying his face in the book.
Mei let out a sigh and stepped closer. "Rikuuu…" she said, dragging out his name, voice both stern and soft. "I'm helping you because I believe in you. Not because you're a genius, but because I know you can do this."
He looked up slowly, her face glowing in the warm afternoon light.
"You believe in me?" he asked, genuinely.
She smiled. "More than you believe in yourself."
For a moment, Riku was silent. Then he sat up straighter, grabbing his pencil.
"…Alright. Teach me again. But slowly. Like, super slowly. Like you're teaching a kindergartener."
Mei giggled. "Fine. But if you call me 'sensei,' I'm leaving."
"Aw, c'mon, Mei-sensei~"
"Rikuuuu!"
The light from the window dimmed, the golden sky turning a gentle pink as twilight neared. The classroom now had a soft warmth, the hum of silence broken only by the scratch of pencil on paper.
Riku furrowed his brow, deep in concentration. "So… if I carry the one here, and divide this part…"
Mei leaned over his shoulder, eyes scanning his notes. "Yes! That's right! You finally got it!"
He blinked. "Wait—really?"
"Yes!" she beamed, clapping her hands lightly. "See? You can do it, Riku!"
Riku smiled, clearly proud of himself. But then he glanced at Mei—how close she was, how her eyes sparkled when she was excited—and his smile softened into something gentler.
"…You know," he said, voice quieter, "I think this is the first time I've ever tried this hard at anything."
Mei tilted her head. "Really?"
He nodded. "Because it's not just about grades anymore. It's… because you're the one teaching me."
Mei's eyes widened slightly, a faint blush rising to her cheeks. "R-Riku…"
He looked at her then, more serious than she'd ever seen him. "Hey, Mei… Do you think—?"
The door slammed open.
"Asahi!?"
There she was, standing in the doorway, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
Mei immediately stepped back. Riku's expression dropped into confusion—and frustration.
"Asahi," he muttered. "What now…?"
Asahi stepped inside, her sharp heels clicking on the classroom tiles.
"You two," she said coldly. "Getting cozy in here?"
Mei's hands clenched the edge of her desk, but she kept her voice calm. "We're just studying."
"Oh, really?" Asahi scoffed. "Because it looks more like flirting."
Riku stood up, his chair sliding back. "Asahi, enough. Don't make things worse."
"Worse?" Her voice cracked, louder now. "You used to care about me, Riku! And now you're with this girl like I never existed?"
Mei stood up beside Riku. Her voice was soft but firm. "It's not about you anymore. People change."
"Change?" Asahi snapped. "What do you know about change?"
"I know I've changed," Mei said, stepping forward. "And I know Riku is trying to. That matters more than pretending nothing's wrong."
Asahi laughed bitterly, but Riku interrupted her.
"You're not my girlfriend anymore, Asahi. You haven't been for a long time."
Silence.
Asahi's gaze darted between the two of them. Her confidence cracked—for just a moment.
"I hate this version of you," she muttered.
Mei looked directly at her. "Then maybe you never knew him."
Asahi turned on her heel and stormed out. The door slammed behind her.
For a few seconds, there was only quiet.
"…Riku," Mei said gently. "Are you okay?"
He sat back down, exhaling hard. "That was… intense."
She sat beside him again, closer this time.
"Well," she said, trying to lift the mood, "if you pass the next test, I'll buy you ice cream."
He looked at her with a small grin. "Only if you feed me too."
"Rikuuu!!" she groaned, cheeks turning pink again.
And just like that, the storm outside the classroom felt far away.