We arrived at school just as the morning sun climbed higher, casting soft light across the courtyard. The air buzzed with chatter and laughter—typical for the first day of school.
As we stepped into the classroom, a few of our friends immediately spotted us. And, as usual, they didn't hold back.
"Oii, you two came together again," one of them said with a smirk. "You're totally dating, aren't you?"
I felt my cheeks heat up.
Beside me, Kuruha's face turned pink too.
At the same time, we both stammered out the usual reply:
"W-we're not dating! We're just friends!"
Our classmates burst into laughter, and despite our embarrassment, we couldn't help but laugh too. There was something about their teasing—it was annoying, sure, but also kind of warm. Familiar.
Suddenly, the door slid open, and our homeroom teacher stepped in. The bell rang, cutting through the noise and signaling the start of our first class as seventh graders.
Everyone scrambled back to their seats.
I sat by the window, next to Kuruha as always.
The lesson began… but my attention didn't stay on the whiteboard for long.
Instead, my eyes kept drifting toward her.
Her long blue hair shimmered in the sunlight pouring through the windows. She twirled her pen as she listened to the teacher, her face focused, lips pursed slightly in concentration.
My heart thumped loudly in my chest.
"She's as beautiful as ever… I can't stop myself from falling for you, Kuruha," I whispered under my breath, smiling unconsciously.
As if she heard it, she turned and looked at me.
Startled, I quickly looked away, my ears burning.
But when I glanced back, I caught her mouthing something with a soft smile on her face.
"Let's lunch together later."
I grinned and mouthed back:
"Of course. I'm excited."
The morning passed quickly, and before I knew it, the lunch bell rang.
Suddenly—whump!
I felt arms wrap around me from behind.
"Let's go eat!" Kuruha said brightly, practically bouncing with excitement. "I made our lunch today!"
My eyes lit up. "You made lunch? For me?"
She nodded proudly.
Before I could say anything else, one of our friends spotted us.
"OHH~ The school couple's having a romantic lunch together!" they teased, pointing dramatically.
"Shut up!" I snapped, flustered. My cheeks were probably glowing red.
Kuruha was blushing too, hiding her face behind her hands.
We made our way up to the rooftop—a quiet place where the breeze was cool, and the view of the sky stretched wide and endless.
But unseen from below, a figure stood by the stairwell window, hidden in the shadows.
A girl. Still. Watching.
Her violet-blue eyes narrowed as she silently observed the two of us disappearing behind the rooftop door.
Then she turned, footsteps light, and walked away without a sound.
Sitting down side by side on a bench, Kuruha pulled out a small insulated bag and took out two bento boxes.
She handed one to me with a bright smile.
When I opened it, I froze. Inside was all my favorite food—carefully arranged, still warm, and looking absolutely perfect.
"You really made this?" I asked, stunned.
She nodded, beaming. "Of course! Who do you think I am?"
"You really know everything I like… Thank you, Kuruha," I said softly, my voice warmer than I expected.
We began to eat, and as I glanced at her while she chewed with puffed cheeks like a squirrel, my heart skipped a beat again.
"So beautiful…" I mumbled without thinking.
She blinked and turned to me. "Did you say something?"
I hesitated, my face heating up again.
"I… I said you're beautiful," I answered shyly, meeting her eyes.
Her face turned a deep shade of pink. She looked away for a moment, then looked back at me with a playful smirk.
Still blushing, she lifted her spoon and held it toward me.
"Say ahh~," she said sweetly.
I stared, completely flustered, but opened my mouth.
"Ahh…"
She giggled as she fed me, and both of us turned away to hide our burning faces.
Even after we finished eating, the warmth between us lingered like the sunshine on our skin.
Then the bell rang again.
"We should go… or we'll be late," I said quietly.
"You're right. Let's go," she replied, tucking the boxes back into her bag.
We walked down the stairs together, side by side. I tried to focus on class, but my thoughts kept returning to that rooftop… and to her.
Later, after the final bell rang, our friends gathered around again.
Shina, the boldest among them, raised her eyebrows and smirked.
"So~ How was your little date earlier?" she teased.
"It wasn't a date!" Kuruha snapped, flustered. Her entire face turned red again. "We just ate lunch, that's all!"
I chuckled at her reaction, which only made her glare at me.
Our other friends laughed along. The room felt lighter, full of warmth and teasing.
But in the corner of the room, someone sat quietly.
Aliyah Fujikawa. Calm. Silent. Eyes sharp.
She looked toward us only once—briefly—then lowered her gaze back to her notebook.
As we packed up our bags, I called out to the group, "Guys, we'll go ahead. See you tomorrow."
"Oooh~ you're really going on a date now!" Sarah chimed in, laughing.
I just smiled and waved. Kuruha, still blushing furiously, followed beside me.
We walked in comfortable silence as the sun began its descent, painting the sky with streaks of orange and pink. The soft rustle of wind in the trees followed us all the way home.
Like always, I walked her to her door.
"See you tomorrow, Kuruha," I said, hands in my pockets, smiling gently.
She turned and gave me a small wave, her face glowing in the sunset.
"Bye! See you!"
As the door closed behind her, I stood there for a moment, feeling strangely light.
Then I turned and walked home—my heart full, my thoughts loud, and her smile still echoing in my mind.