I thought Team Arata would be the only ones paying attention.
I was wrong.
Rei appeared beside me in the empty music room. Calm. Observant. Eyes tired from seeing too much.
"You play like you don't care if anyone hears," she said quietly.
I didn't answer.
"I usually am here," she continued. "People don't notice."
Figures.
"You're not one of them," I said.
"No," she said. "Good. I don't like teams."
She added, "I'm Rei. Support division. Logistics. Cleanup. Not flashy. Not heroic."
"I'm not a hero," I muttered.
"I know," she said. "Heroes want recognition. You don't."
I returned to the keys. Silence fell between us. Comfortable. Rare.
"They're watching," she said quietly. "Team Arata."
"I know."
"They think you're dangerous because you don't chase anything."
"That's not danger," I said. "That's exhaustion."
She nodded, leaving before I could reply.
From a distance, unseen eyes recorded the room. Team Arata noted something new.
Not my strength. Not my skills.
A connection.