The infirmary had settled into a comfortable rhythm. Yuki's natural energy filled the space, her chatter bouncing off the sterile walls as she alternated between asking questions about school life and sharing exaggerated stories from Osaka.
Riko listened with half her attention, her mind still processing the revelation that Yuki had been inside Kaito's home. Hikari contributed occasional grunts and nods, her version of active participation.
The door slid open.
A girl entered quietly, her uniform indicating she was from a different class. She moved to the farthest bed, lay down without a word, and stared at the ceiling. Dark circles shadowed her eyes. She looked exhausted.
Yuki, ever the social butterfly, immediately perked up. "Hey! You should come talk with us instead of just sleeping! We're doing nothing important anyway!"
The girl turned her head slowly, as if surprised anyone had noticed her. "Are you from Class 2-B?"
Riko nodded. "Yes. I'm Aoyama Riko. This is Tanaka Hikari and Nakamura Yuki."
The girl sat up slightly, her expression shifting to something almost hopeful. "I'm Suzuki Mei, from 2-C." She hesitated, then asked, "Do you... do you know a student named Kaito Sato? From your class?"
The atmosphere shifted.
Riko's spine straightened. Hikari's half-lidded eyes snapped into focus. Yuki's smile became impossibly curious.
"Why do you ask?" Riko's voice was carefully neutral.
Suzuki looked down at her hands. "I wanted to thank him. I don't know if I'll ever get the chance to say it directly, but..." She took a breath. "There are some third-years who've been bullying students in my class for months. Nothing the teachers could prove, but it was constant. Scary."
She paused, and when she continued, her voice held a tremor of relief. "After what happened with Takeda—the fight—everyone heard about it. The bullies in my class... they got scared. Really scared. They stopped. Completely." She looked up, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "I can finally walk home without looking over my shoulder. All because of him."
The infirmary fell silent.
Suzuki smiled weakly. "I know he probably didn't do it for me. He doesn't even know I exist. But I admire him. He's like... a hero. A quiet one." She stood, brushing off her uniform. "Sorry for bothering you. I just wanted to say it to someone who might know him. If you ever get a chance... tell him thank you for me."
She walked out before anyone could respond.
The door clicked shut.
Silence.
Heavy. Awkward. Loaded with unspoken thoughts.
Yuki was the first to break it, her voice uncharacteristically soft. "Wow. So Kaito-san has secret admirers even in other classes."
Riko said nothing. Her mind was racing, but one thought surfaced above all others: Others also like him. Not just me. Not just Hikari. Others see it too. The kindness beneath the ice.
Hikari stared at the door Suzuki had disappeared through, her expression unreadable. But her hands, resting on the bed, had curled into loose fists.
The silence stretched.
Then Yuki clapped her hands together, her bright smile returning with visible effort. "Okay! This is getting too heavy. Let's eat lunch together! All of us! Right now!"
Riko blinked. "What?"
"Lunch! Food! Distraction!" Yuki was already standing, pulling at their sleeves. "Come on, come on! We're friends now, right? Friends eat together!"
Hikari looked at Riko. Riko looked at Hikari. Something passed between them—an acknowledgment of the strange new bond forming, of the unspoken competition neither would admit to, of the girl who had just reminded them that Kaito Sato's heart was not a prize to be won, but a fortress many were beginning to notice.
"Yeah," Hikari said quietly. "Okay."
Riko nodded. "Alright."
Yuki beamed, dragging them toward the door. "This is going to be great! I know this amazing spot near the cherry trees—"
The unseen admiration had been voiced. And the three girls, bound by their connection to one boy, walked out of the infirmary together.
(End of Chapter 58)