The outing spot wasn't far from the station, but by the time we arrived, I was already feeling the weight of anticipation.
Kenta practically ran ahead, pointing at everything like he was discovering it for the first time. "First stop, food! Then games! Then—oh, you'll see!"
Mei sighed, walking at a steady pace beside him. "You literally just suggested this yesterday. Calm down."
Saki fell into step beside me, adjusting her bag strap. She laughed softly at something Kenta said, the sound familiar and comforting—but today, it carried a different weight. I couldn't tell if it was the sunlight, the morning, or just me, but for some reason, I found myself staring a moment longer than I intended.
Why does she seem… brighter today? I wondered.
I shook my head, trying to focus on the conversation. Kenta was already juggling suggestions and complaints at once. Mei countered each of his ridiculous ideas with calm precision, and somehow the chaos felt manageable.
Saki nudged me lightly as we passed a small fountain. "You're awfully quiet," she said.
I blinked. "Just… taking it all in, I guess."
Her laugh was soft, and I felt my chest tighten without understanding why.
We reached the main area of the outing spot, the smells of food and laughter filling the air. Kenta immediately spotted a small game stall and dragged Mei and me toward it. Saki followed naturally, still laughing at his antics, completely unaware of the storm of thoughts brewing in my head.
Focus, I told myself. Just a normal hangout. That's all it is.
And yet, the more I looked at her, the more ordinary everything else felt.
Kenta stopped abruptly in front of a small game stall, the kind with simple challenges and prizes that looked way too optimistic for how hard they actually were.
"This one," he declared. "We're doing this."
Mei crossed her arms. "You say that about every stall."
"And I'm right every time," Kenta shot back, already reaching for his wallet. Then he glanced at me and grinned. "Haruto, you're up first."
"Why me?" I asked.
"Because you look like someone who needs to prove something."
I didn't even get the chance to argue before he shoved the game equipment into my hands. Saki stood beside me, watching with an amused smile that somehow made the pressure worse.
"You've got this," she said casually.
That was all it took.
I took a breath and tried to focus, but halfway through, Kenta started heckling from behind. "Wow, amazing form. Truly inspiring."
"Shut up," I muttered, barely holding it together.
Mei shook her head. "You're definitely making him worse."
Saki laughed, covering her mouth. "You're doing fine, Haruto. Ignore him."
I tried. I really did. But the awareness that she was watching me, standing just a little closer than before, made my heart beat faster than the game ever could.
When it was over, the result was… decent. Not great, not embarrassing either.
Kenta clicked his tongue. "So close. Guess you're saving your true power for later."
"For what, exactly?" I asked.
He leaned in, lowering his voice dramatically. "That's a surprise."
Mei sighed. "Please don't scare him for no reason."
Saki smiled at me again, and I realized something unsettling.
I wasn't nervous about the game anymore.
I was nervous because I wanted her to keep looking at me like that.
I quickly looked away, pretending to stretch. Get it together, I told myself. You're overthinking again.
But as we moved on to the next spot, walking side by side, I couldn't ignore it anymore.
Something about today felt different. And I had a feeling it was only just starting.
We ended up stepping away from the noise without really planning to. Kenta and Mei were still arguing over what to do next, their voices fading as Saki and I stopped near a shaded bench off to the side.
I sat down first, exhaling slowly. My legs felt heavier than they should've, like I'd been running instead of walking around.
Saki sat beside me, close enough that I could sense her presence without looking. For a moment, neither of us said anything. The background noise of the outing filled the silence instead.
"This is… nice," she said eventually.
I nodded. "Yeah. It is."
The words came out easier than I expected.
A light breeze passed through, rustling the trees above us. Saki tilted her head slightly, watching people pass by. The way she looked right then, relaxed and unguarded, felt different from school. Less rushed. More real.
I caught myself staring again and quickly looked away.
Seriously. What's wrong with me today?
She swung her feet lightly, then glanced at me. "You've been quiet since earlier."
"Have I?" I asked.
She smiled. "A little."
I scratched the back of my neck. "Guess I'm just not used to… this."
"This?" she repeated.
"Going out like this. Together." I paused, then added quickly, "As a group."
She laughed softly. "Yeah. It's kind of rare."
The way she said it made my chest tighten, not in a bad way. Just… aware.
For a brief second, our eyes met. I didn't look away this time.
I noticed things I never had before. The way her expression softened when she smiled. How comfortable she seemed sitting there, like she belonged exactly where she was.
"Hey," Kenta's voice suddenly cut through the moment from a distance. "You two alive over there or what?"
Saki stood up first, brushing off her skirt. "We're coming."
I followed, heart still beating faster than it should've been.
As we walked back toward the others, one thought stayed with me.
This wasn't just a hangout anymore.
At least… not to me.
Kenta noticed us the moment we got close.
"There you are," he said, narrowing his eyes. "What, did you two run off to have some secret strategy meeting?"
Saki blinked. "What? No."
"We were just sitting," I added quickly.
"Uh-huh," Kenta replied, clearly unconvinced. He leaned closer, lowering his voice in a mock-serious way. "You know, from a distance, it really looked like you were having a moment."
Mei sighed. "You're imagining things."
"Am I?" Kenta grinned, clearly enjoying himself. "Because Haruto looks way calmer than earlier. Suspiciously calm."
I felt heat rise to my face. "I'm always calm."
"That's the most unconvincing thing you've said all day," he shot back.
Saki laughed, shaking her head. "Ignore him. He feeds off reactions."
"Then why do you keep reacting?" Kenta asked, pointing at me.
Before I could respond, Mei stepped in. "If you're done interrogating them, we still haven't decided what to do next."
Kenta snapped his fingers. "Right. Next activity."
He looked around, scanning the nearby stalls like a commander surveying a battlefield. Then his eyes lit up.
"Oh. This is perfect."
Mei frowned. "That sentence never leads to anything good."
Kenta ignored her and turned to us. "We split up. Pairs."
I opened my mouth to object, but he was already assigning roles.
"Mei, you're with me. Obviously."
Then he looked at Saki.
"And that leaves you with Haruto."
My heart skipped, just a little.
Saki seemed unfazed. "Okay."
Too calm. Way too calm.
Kenta clapped his hands. "Decided! Let's go."
As everyone started moving, I glanced at Saki. She met my eyes and smiled, like this was the most natural thing in the world.
And somehow, that made my chest feel lighter.
The stall Kenta dragged us toward was simple. Two handles, a small platform, and a digital counter flashing instructions I didn't bother reading properly.
"Team coordination," the attendant said. "You mess up the timing, you lose."
Kenta smirked. "Perfect for you two."
Mei shot him a look. "Go. Before I change my mind."
Saki stepped closer to the platform, reading the rules carefully. "Looks like we take turns. One presses, the other releases."
I nodded, though my brain was still catching up. "You want to go first?"
She shook her head. "You start. I'll match you."
We took our positions. For a moment, neither of us moved.
I hesitated, fingers hovering over the handle. Don't mess this up, I told myself, for reasons that had nothing to do with the game.
"Hey," Saki said softly. "Just relax. It's not that serious."
I exhaled and pressed down.
"Now," she said.
I released. She pressed. The counter ticked up.
Again. And again.
At first, we were off by just a fraction of a second. The counter stuttered, dropping back to zero once. I muttered under my breath.
"Sorry," I said.
She smiled. "We're learning."
Something about the way she said it made me stop overthinking. I focused on her voice instead of the counter.
"Now."
"Wait."
"Okay."
Our timing smoothed out. The numbers climbed steadily, faster than I expected. I realized I wasn't watching the screen anymore. I was listening to her.
When the timer buzzed, we both looked up.
Not a record. Not even close.
Kenta groaned loudly from the side. "Unbelievable. I trusted you."
Mei checked the score. "You did fine."
Saki laughed, a little breathless. "That was actually fun."
I nodded, feeling strangely satisfied. "Yeah. It was."
And that was when it hit me.
Working with her felt easy. Not forced. Not awkward. Just… right.
As we stepped away from the stall, she walked beside me without thinking about it, like that was where she belonged.
I didn't say anything.
But I knew one thing for sure.
This wasn't just about the outing anymore.
We ended up at a small café tucked away from the main street. It wasn't flashy or crowded, just warm light spilling through the windows and the quiet hum of conversation inside. The kind of place you'd walk past a hundred times without noticing unless someone dragged you in.
Kenta pushed the door open like he owned the place. "Alright, strategic retreat. My legs are officially dead."
Mei followed him in, scanning the menu board immediately. "You say that after walking for twenty minutes."
Saki and I stepped inside last. The air smelled faintly of coffee and something sweet, maybe vanilla. It felt calmer here, like the outside noise had been shut off the moment the door closed.
We took a booth near the window. Kenta dropped into his seat dramatically, stretching his arms. "I'm ordering first. No objections allowed."
"No one's objecting," Mei said. "We're just judging."
While they argued over drinks, I glanced around the café. Sunlight filtered in through the glass, catching dust particles in the air. The clink of cups, the low music in the background, everything felt… slower.
Saki sat across from me, resting her elbows lightly on the table as she looked at the menu. Her expression was focused, serious in that quiet way she got when deciding something small.
"What are you getting?" she asked, looking up.
"Uh… coffee, probably," I said.
She smiled. "That's vague."
"I don't know. Whatever doesn't taste terrible."
She laughed softly. "You're impossible."
Somehow, hearing that didn't sting. It felt familiar. Comfortable.
When Kenta finally finished ordering for half the table, the conversation drifted aimlessly. Mei talked about a book she'd started. Kenta complained about his drink being smaller than expected. Saki listened, adding comments here and there, her eyes lighting up whenever she laughed.
And I noticed it. Again.
The way she leaned forward when she spoke. The way she tucked her hair behind her ear without thinking. The way her smile wasn't loud, but warm enough to pull you in.
Have I always been this aware of her?
Our drinks arrived, steam curling up from the cups. I took a sip and nearly burned my tongue, biting back a reaction.
Saki noticed immediately. "Too hot?"
"I'm fine," I said, way too quickly.
She pushed her cup slightly toward me. "Wait a bit.
Moment, everything settled. The noise, the movement, even my thoughts.
Kenta leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "You know, this is actually nice. Way better than standing around outside."
Mei nodded. "Because you finally stopped moving."
"Hey, movement is essential to the human spirit."
Saki rolled her eyes, smiling. "You'll survive sitting still for ten minutes."
I took another sip, careful this time. The coffee was still hot, but bearable. Across the table, Saki wrapped her hands around her cup, shoulders relaxing as she breathed in the steam.
"Thanks," I said quietly.
She looked up. "For what?"
"The… advice," I said, then immediately regretted how awkward that sounded.
She laughed, soft and easy. "Anytime."
The sunlight shifted slightly, casting a gentle glow across the table. Outside the window, people passed by, unaware of how still the moment felt inside. I found myself wishing it would last just a little longer.
Kenta suddenly leaned forward, resting his chin on his hands. "So," he said, eyes darting between Saki and me, "having fun?"
Mei shot him a warning look. "Don't start."
"I'm just asking!" he protested. "Group outing. Quality bonding time."
Saki answered before I could. "Yeah. I am."
She said it simply, without hesitation. And for some reason, that mattered to me more than it should have.
I nodded. "Same."
The word felt heavier than expected.
Conversation drifted again, jumping from school complaints to random weekend plans. I listened, chiming in when needed, but part of me stayed anchored to the quiet rhythm of the café. To the way Saki met my gaze across the table without it feeling awkward. To the sense that something unspoken was forming, slow and steady.
Eventually, Mei checked the time. "We should head out soon if we want to do anything else."
Kenta groaned. "Already?"
"Already," she repeated.
We gathered our things, standing up one by one. As I slipped my bag over my shoulder, I caught Saki looking at the window, then back at me.
"This was nice," she said again, softer this time.
"Yeah," I replied. "It really was."
As we stepped back outside, the noise of the street rushed in, breaking the spell. But the warmth lingered, settling somewhere deep in my chest.
I walked alongside Saki, not saying anything, not needing to.
And for the first time, I realized that being with her like this felt… natural.
Too natural to ignore.
Kenta stepped out first, stretching his arms like he'd just woken up. "Alright, next stop. No objections this time."
Mei sighed but followed him anyway. "You never listen to objections."
Saki and I walked out last. The afternoon light felt warmer now, softer than before. The street ahead was unfamiliar, full of places I hadn't noticed until today.
"So," Saki said, adjusting her bag, "where to next?"
I glanced at Kenta arguing with Mei a few steps ahead, then back at her.
"I guess we'll find out," I said.
She smiled, falling into step beside me as we followed the others.
I didn't know what the next spot would be, or how the day would unfold from here.
But as we walked forward together, I realized something quietly, without panic or excitement.
Where we were going mattered less than who I was walking with.