The automatic doors of the convenience store slid open with a ding, like it was welcoming two emotionally exhausted survivors.
Cold air hit my face.
I immediately felt ten percent more alive.
Saki made a beeline for the freezer section like a woman on a mission.
"I need sugar," she declared. "Immediately."
"You just had lunch," I said.
"That was before the interrogation," she replied. "This is after."
Fair.
She crouched in front of the freezer, eyes scanning intensely, like she was choosing a weapon.
"Chocolate… vanilla… mint—no, mint is dangerous right now."
"Dangerous?"
"It makes me think too much."
I nodded like that made complete sense.
She grabbed two cups. Then paused. Grabbed a third.
Then glanced at me.
"…You want one?"
"Yes," I said instantly. "I also experienced trauma."
She handed me one without comment.
We paid, stepped back outside, and sat on the low concrete wall near the store, legs dangling.
For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.
Just the sound of wrappers opening.
The first bite hit.
Cold. Sweet. Perfect.
"…Oh wow," I muttered.
Saki closed her eyes. "Right?"
Silence again.
A comfortable one this time.
Then she suddenly laughed.
I turned to her. "What?"
"I just realized," she said, still laughing softly, "my grandfather probably thinks we're either soulmates or criminals."
"I think I'm still under observation," I said. "I can feel it in my bones."
She snorted, then immediately covered her mouth. "Don't make me laugh. I'm still embarrassed."
I glanced at her.
Her cheeks were still faintly pink, but her shoulders had relaxed. The tension was finally loosening.
"…Hey," I said.
She looked at me.
"Thanks for pulling me out of there."
She blinked. "…I needed it too."
We sat closer than before. Not touching. But closer.
"I've never seen you like that," she admitted. "You were… really flustered."
"I was fighting for my life."
She smiled. "It was kind of cute."
I choked on ice cream.
"Saki!"
"What?" she said quickly, face heating up again. "I didn't mean— I mean— forget I said that."
"I cannot forget that."
She hid behind her cup. "Please forget."
"I will treasure it forever."
She kicked my leg lightly. "Idiot."
We finished eating.
The sun had shifted a little lower now. Afternoon edging toward evening.
"…We still haven't told anyone," she said quietly.
I nodded. "Yeah."
"…Are you scared?"
I thought about it.
"Yeah," I said honestly. "But not in a bad way."
She smiled at that.
"Me too."
We stood up together.
Back toward her house.
Back toward danger.
Back toward grandparents, brothers, and chaos.
But this time—
With ice cream strength.
And somehow, that felt enough.
We had just started walking again.
Ice cream finished.
Trauma slightly reduced.
Hands not held—because we were being careful.
That's when I heard it.
"…Huh?"
A voice.
A very familiar, very dangerous voice.
I froze.
Saki stopped too.
Slowly—painfully slowly—we both turned our heads.
Across the street.
Standing near a vending machine (of course).
Was Aoi.
Holding a drink.
Straw halfway to her mouth.
Eyes wide.
Processing.
Calculating.
"Oh," she said.
Just oh.
Not hey.
Not what are you doing.
Just.
"Oh."
My soul attempted to uninstall itself.
Saki stiffened beside me.
"…Aoi," Saki said carefully.
Aoi looked between us.
Once.
Twice.
Then her eyes narrowed.
"…Why are you two walking together."
Normal question.
Terrifying tone.
"We—uh—" I started.
Saki spoke at the exact same time.
"We just—"
We stopped.
Looked at each other.
Aoi's eyebrow twitched.
"…Finish the sentence," she said sweetly.
I gestured wildly. "Coincidence!"
Saki nodded too fast. "Yes!"
Aoi stared.
"…You live next to each other."
"Yes."
"And yet," she continued, "you're walking from the convenience store."
"…Yes."
"With ice cream."
"…Yes."
She leaned closer.
"…Together."
Saki cracked first.
"We ran into each other!"
Aoi tilted her head. "Inside the freezer?"
"…Emotionally?"
Aoi's stare sharpened.
I panicked. "We were escaping her grandfather!"
That was the wrong thing to say.
Aoi's eyes lit up.
"Wait."
She leaned in so close I could smell her drink.
"Why were you escaping her grandfather."
Silence.
Wind passed.
A leaf rolled by dramatically.
Saki slowly raised a hand. "…Haruto."
"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm weak."
Aoi looked between us again.
Then down.
Then—
She noticed our hands.
Which were not holding anymore.
But.
Were.
Suspiciously.
Close.
"…Why," she said slowly, "are your hands shaking."
I looked down.
They were.
Saki's too.
Aoi gasped.
A full, dramatic gasp.
"Oh my god."
"No," I said instantly.
"Oh my god."
"It's not—"
"Oh my god."
Saki snapped. "Stop saying that!"
Aoi grabbed Saki's shoulders.
"When," she demanded, "were you planning to tell me."
Saki froze.
"…Tell you what?"
Aoi screamed.
Not loudly.
But internally.
I could see it.
"You're together," Aoi said. Flat. Certain.
I opened my mouth.
Closed it.
Saki opened hers.
Closed it.
Aoi straightened.
"…How long."
Saki whispered, "…Recently."
Aoi looked at me.
"Confirm."
"…Yes."
She took a step back.
Then another.
Then pointed at us with both hands.
"I KNEW IT."
"You did not!" Saki shouted.
"I ABSOLUTELY DID," Aoi said. "I JUST DIDN'T HAVE PROOF."
She started pacing.
"When did this happen? How did this happen? Why am I the last to know?"
"You're not the last!" Saki said quickly.
"…I'm not?"
"Kenta and Mei know."
Aoi stopped.
"…I'm still offended."
She turned to me suddenly.
"You," she said, jabbing a finger at my chest. "When were you going to tell me."
"I was waiting for a moment when my heart wouldn't explode."
She nodded. "…Fair."
Then she squinted.
"…Did anything happen."
I choked. "NO."
Saki went red. "AOI!"
"I'm just asking," Aoi said innocently. "For safety."
She smiled.
A dangerous smile.
"Well," she said, clapping her hands, "congratulations."
Saki blinked. "You're… not mad?"
"Mad?" Aoi laughed. "No. I'm thrilled."
I felt dread.
Pure dread.
"Oh," she continued, eyes sparkling, "this is going to be fun."
Saki grabbed my sleeve.
"…What does that mean."
Aoi leaned in.
"It means," she whispered, "you two are never hearing the end of this."
I cursed every life choice I'd ever made.
And somehow—
The day still wasn't over.
Aoi clapped her hands again.
"Alright," she said brightly, "walk. Both of you. Now."
"…Where?" I asked carefully.
"Anywhere," she replied. "I just want to observe."
Saki stiffened. "Observe what."
Aoi smiled the smile of someone who had just been handed unlimited power.
"You."
We started walking.
Very stiffly.
With exactly enough distance between us to look suspicious to everyone.
Aoi walked behind us.
Like a documentary narrator.
"So," she said casually, "do couples usually walk like they're avoiding landmines?"
Saki's ears turned red. "We're just… adjusting."
"Ohhh, adjusting," Aoi echoed. "Is that what you call it when neither of you knows where to put your hands?"
I immediately shoved my hands into my pockets.
Saki crossed her arms.
Aoi laughed. "Wow. Textbook."
"Please stop," Saki muttered.
"Nope," Aoi said. "You don't understand. I've waited YEARS for this."
She suddenly leaned forward between us.
"So who confessed."
Both of us spoke at once.
"She—" "He—"
We froze.
Aoi's eyes gleamed.
"…Again. Slowly."
Saki looked away. "It was… complicated."
"That means embarrassing," Aoi said cheerfully.
I nodded. "Extremely."
Aoi hummed. "On a scale of one to 'I want to disappear,' where are we."
"…I saw her grandfather today," I said.
"Oh," Aoi said softly. "So like… eleven."
Saki buried her face in her hands while walking. "Why is today like this."
Aoi suddenly grabbed Saki's arm.
"Hey," she said, grinning, "do the thing."
Saki peeked. "What thing."
"The one where you act normal."
"I am acting normal!"
Aoi pointed at me. "Then why does he look like he's awaiting judgment."
"…Because he is," Saki said quietly.
Aoi burst out laughing.
She leaned toward me. "Relax. You survived her grandfather. You can survive dating her."
"I'm not sure those are comparable," I said.
Saki elbowed me lightly. "Hey."
"Sorry. I meant—you're scarier."
She flushed instantly. "Why would you say that like it's a compliment!"
"Because it is!"
Aoi stopped walking.
We stopped too.
She stared at us.
Then nodded slowly.
"…Yeah," she said. "You two are doomed."
Saki groaned. "AOI!"
"Oh relax," Aoi said, waving a hand. "I'll behave."
Pause.
"…Mostly."
She linked her arms with both of ours.
We both yelped.
"Since I'm the first witness," she announced, "I get front-row seats."
Saki tried to protest.
I tried to escape.
Neither worked.
And just like that—
Our peaceful recovery walk
had turned into
Aoi's personal teasing marathon.
And judging by her smile—
She was just getting started.
Aoi walked a little ahead of them.
Far enough that she didn't have to hear their breathing.
Far enough that she didn't have to see how close they were.
She kept smiling.
Because of course she did.
Good job, Aoi.
Gold medal performance.
Her hands were in her pockets now, clenched tight.
> So that's it, huh.
She didn't slow down.
Didn't look back.
If she did, she knew she'd crack.
> They finally said it out loud.
I always knew it would happen.
I just… didn't think it would hurt this much.
She laughed quietly to herself.
Not the kind people hear.
The kind you do when your chest feels weird and you don't want to think too hard about why.
> I like them both.
I really do.
Saki—bright, honest, always running ahead.
Haruto—awkward, kind, trying so hard it hurts to watch.
> Of course it's them.
Of course they fit.
Her throat tightened.
> And of course… I liked him too.
She stopped walking for half a second.
Then kept going.
> Not in a dramatic way.
Not in a "confess under cherry blossoms" way.
Just… quietly.
Slowly.
The kind you don't notice until it's already yours.
She exhaled.
> Guess I was late.
Her smile wobbled for a moment.
She straightened it immediately.
> Did I act normal enough?
I joked.
I teased.
I didn't make it weird.
She nodded to herself.
> Yeah.
I nailed it.
Her chest disagreed.
> It's fine.
I'm not angry.
I'm not jealous.
I don't want anything to change.
Another lie, but a gentle one.
> I just need a little time.
That's all.
She glanced back.
They were still there.
Still awkward.
Still flustered.
Still smiling.
Aoi turned away before her eyes could sting.
> Be happy, idiots.
Seriously.
Her steps didn't slow.
And even though it hurt—
She kept walking forward.
Because that's what she was always good at.
Aoi kept walking.
One step.
Then another.
> It's fine.
She nodded to herself.
> I'll get over it.
Easy.
Simple.
People do it all the time.
> I'm not the kind of person who clings to things that aren't mine.
She kicked a pebble on the sidewalk.
It bounced once.
Twice.
Landed in the gutter.
> See?
Letting go already.
Her chest tightened again.
Annoying.
> I mean, what was I even expecting?
That he'd suddenly notice me one day and go,
"Wow, Aoi, you were right here all along"?
She snorted.
> Please. This isn't a drama.
She slowed down.
Just a little.
> I'll laugh about this later.
"Remember when I almost fell for my friend? And on top of it, he was my junior."
Hilarious.
It's not like we were too close to begin with.
Her hands clenched in her pockets.
> I'm mature.
I'm supportive.
I'm—
Her breath hitched.
She stopped.
> …okay maybe I'm a little jealous.
Silence.
> Just a little.
Her voice cracked despite herself.
> And maybe it hurts more than I thought.
She pressed her palm flat against her chest.
> Which is stupid.
Because I never said anything.
I never crossed a line.
So I don't even get the right to be sad.
That thought hurt worst of all.
> I'll be fine tomorrow.
She wiped at her eyes quickly.
> Or the day after.
Or… eventually.
She forced herself to breathe.
In.
Out.
> I just need time.
The words sounded thinner now.
> Time fixes things.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket.
She didn't check it.
> I'll overcome it.
She said it again.
Slower.
> I will.
Her feet started moving again.
But this time—
They felt heavier.
And for the first time, she wondered if pretending to be okay
might be harder than actually not being okay.
She laughed softly, shakily.
> Wow, Aoi.
You're really bad at this.
And even as she walked forward—
She knew she was lying to herself.
At least for now.