Haruto left his seat, slowly folding up his sleeves.
Yuji noticed and quickly stepped in front of him, trying to stop him—but Haruto was in no mood to listen.
Ishida and Sachi watched silently.
"Something big is about to happen," Ishida muttered.
Suddenly, Sakura stepped forward.
"Haruto…"
Her voice was calm—steady enough to almost restrain the anger burning inside him.
Yukino kept staring at Aizuki's seat, her fingers tightening.
*I hate him…*
Aizuki didn't keep his mouth shut. He started speaking again, his tone loud and mocking.
"In every school, teachers are respected only on their birthdays and on Teachers' Day."
He smirked and continued.
"After that, the same people bad-mouth them."
His eyes shifted toward Yuji.
"Am I right, Yu… what's your name again?"
Yuji stepped closer to him.
"I just want to clarify one thing," he said evenly. "I never forced anyone to give money. I only asked—if you're willing, you can give."
He met Aizuki's eyes.
"I'm Yuji. And I have no idea how your old classmates treated their teachers."
Yuji continued, his voice steady yet resolute.
"Our class isn't like that. She's only twenty-one, and we're eighteen. She's taught us for two years—this is her third. She's never felt uncomfortable with us, and we've never spoken badly about her."
With every step Yuji took forward, Aizuki slowly lowered his leg from the table.
"So if you're willing, you can give," Yuji finished. "Otherwise, leave it."
A few minutes later, Yuji gathered the collected amount.
No one had given anything except Yukino, Ishida, Sachi, Sakura and Haruto.
Soon, everyone left for the break. Haruto remained behind for a moment, still thinking about the incident.
Yuji counted the money, then walked over to Yukino.
"Will you come with me?" he asked. "Let's go to the class president's room and call them to join us."
Yukino nodded in agreement.
The two of them walked away together.
They entered the class president's room.
Inside, a boy with a pale, beautiful face and crimson-red hair sat at the desk. He wore glasses and was lightly hitting his own head with a book, as if trying to wake himself up.
Yuji looked at him and shouted.
"Oi! Natsuki!"
Natsuki Kaname lifted his head and looked toward them.
Yukino stared at him.
*Is he a psychopath? Why is he hitting himself like that?* she thought.
Natsuki walked toward them, his sharp eyes scanning Yukino from head to toe.
Yukino stiffened, confused by his sudden scrutiny.
Suddenly, he turned to Yuji.
"What's her name? Are you two dating?"
Yuji quickly cut him off.
"No—no. She's just my friend."
*He's really a psychopath,* Yukino thought.
The three of them walked to the ground and sat on the bench beneath the shade of a large tree.
Natsuki suddenly stood up and held out his hand.
"Natsuki Kaname."
Yukino shook his hand.
"Yukino Hayashi."
As she said it, Yukino broke into a bright, wide smile.
The moment Natsuki saw it—
THUMP!
He jerked back as if jump-scared, clutching his chest.
Yuji looked at Natsuki and gave an awkward smile, subtly gesturing for him not to smile.
*Your smile is way scarier than hers,* Natsuki thought.
Natsuki looked at them, then lowered his gaze.
"Yuji… I think… I'm in love with Suzume."
Yukino's eyes widened, her lips curving into a small, knowing smile. For a moment, her mind drifted back to middle school—how she used to sit alone beneath a tree, and how the girls who were already there would quietly stand up and walk away the moment she arrived.
"I've fallen for her," Natsuki said softly.
"Fallen into a grave," Yuji muttered under his breath.
Yukino glanced at him. "Yuji, your inner voice is way too loud," she murmured with a smile.
Yuji smiled innocently at Natsuki—but Natsuki didn't hear a thing.
Natsuki added, "I don't know whether she has feelings for me or not."
Yuji looked at him seriously.
"See, Natsuki, just go to her and say it. If she says yes, she's in love with you. If she says no, then she has no feelings."
"Yeah," Natsuki replied, nodding as if this was deep wisdom.
Yukino stared at the two of them, utterly confused.
*Do these guys even have a brain?*
"No—no, you shouldn't do it like that," Yukino said, shaking her head.
Both of them turned toward her.
Yukino grew nervous and quickly looked away.
"You should… do it like that…" she murmured.
Natsuki tilted his head.
"Yukino, give me an idea. I'm confused."
Yuji smiled at her, encouraging.
Yukino took a small breath. She was still nervous, but she began to speak.
"What if… she says no?"
She clasped her hands lightly.
"If she rejects you, things won't stay the same. Even friendship can feel awkward—like an invisible wall standing between you."
She looked up, her voice gaining quiet confidence.
"So instead, just show yourself to her. Make her feel that you'll never leave her. When she feels safe with you… then she'll come to you on her own."
Yukino let out a long breath.
*I'm nervous.*
Natsuki thought for a moment.
"Yeah… it's better than Yuji's plan."
No, mine is better, Yuji argued silently.
Natsuki then turned to her, wearing a wide, bright smile.
"Yukino… thanks."
Yukino's heart fluttered. Her eyes widened as warmth rushed to her cheeks.
She didn't know how—or even what—to say in response.
"Who gave her this dialogue…?" a lazy voice muttered from beneath the bench.
Before anyone could react, Haruto crawled out from under it, brushing dust off his hair like this was completely normal.
"W–What the—?!"
Yuji and Natsuki yelped in shock and fell straight off the bench.
"What are you doing there?!" Natsuki shouted, pointing at him with both hands, his face red with panic.
"I was—" Before Haruto could finish his words, a soft sound reached his ears.
It wasn't a voice of panic or surprise.
Yukino had smiled.
Yukino stiffened at the sudden chaos, her heart skipping a beat. For a moment, she had been scared too—
but then she saw Yuji lying on the ground, groaning in embarrassment.
A smile bloomed on her lips.
It wasn't a quiet smile.
Soft laughter slipped from her, light and warm.
Yuji heard it—the beautiful sound of Yukino's laughter—and in that moment, even the pain of falling didn't matter anymore.
"Why are you here? When did you even get here?" Natsuki blurted out, sucking in a sharp breath.
Haruto shrugged.
"Before you guys showed up. I was just playing hide-and-seek with the juniors."
Natsuki stepped closer, clasping Haruto by the shoulders.
"Haruto… my dear friend… please keep your mouth shut. Don't tell anyone. I'm begging you."
Haruto tilted his head, dead serious.
"No. No… no. I'll just tell this to Suzume."