The next morning, Hana arrived at school earlier than usual.
She told herself it was because she wanted to enjoy the cherry blossoms before the crowds filled the garden.
But deep down, she knew that wasn't the only reason.
The air was cooler than yesterday, carrying the faint scent of spring rain from the night before. Pink petals clung to the stone path, creating a fragile carpet beneath her feet.
Her heart beat a little faster as she approached the familiar tree.
And there he was.
Takumi sat beneath the cherry blossoms, sketchbook resting on his knees. The early sunlight filtered through the branches above him, casting soft shadows across his face.
For a moment, Hana simply stood there.
Watching.
He looked peaceful when he was drawing — focused, almost distant from the world.
As if sensing her presence, he looked up.
And smiled.
"You're early," he said.
She hesitated before replying. "So are you."
He tilted his head slightly. "I come here every morning."
"Oh."
A small silence stretched between them.
"Do you always stand there," he added, amusement flickering in his amber eyes, "or are you planning to sit?"
Her cheeks warmed.
She walked over and sat beside him — not too close.
Just enough.
The petals continued to fall gently around them.
"What are you drawing today?" she asked, surprising herself.
Takumi turned the sketchbook slightly so she could see.
It wasn't a landscape this time.
It was hands.
Two hands reaching toward each other, almost touching but not quite.
"Why hands?" she asked softly.
"Because," he said thoughtfully, "sometimes the space between two people says more than the touch itself."
Her breath caught.
He closed the sketchbook before she could look too long.
"You like being alone," he said suddenly.
It wasn't a question.
Hana looked down at her fingers. "It's easier."
"Easier?"
"If you stay quiet… no one expects anything from you."
Takumi studied her expression carefully.
"You're afraid of expectations?"
"I'm afraid of disappointing people."
The words slipped out before she could stop them.
For a moment, the world felt very still.
Takumi didn't laugh. He didn't tease.
Instead, he said gently, "You don't look like someone who disappoints."
She looked at him quickly.
"Sometimes," he continued, "the people who stay quiet feel the most."
Her chest tightened.
Why does he understand?
A gust of wind swept through the garden. Petals rained down around them, catching in her hair.
Without thinking, Takumi reached out and brushed one away.
The movement was small.
Soft.
But her heart reacted violently.
He seemed to realize what he had done and pulled his hand back slightly.
"Sorry," he murmured.
"It's okay."
Neither of them moved for a few seconds.
Then—
"Takumi!"
A clear, confident voice broke the moment.
Hana turned.
A girl approached from the school building, long dark hair tied neatly, posture straight and elegant.
She walked with natural confidence.
When she reached them, she placed a hand casually on Takumi's shoulder.
"You skipped club yesterday," she said, her tone light but familiar.
Takumi smiled faintly. "I know, Sizu."
So this is Sizu.
Hana suddenly felt very aware of how close she was sitting.
Sizu's gaze shifted to her.
Warm.
Polite.
But observant.
"And who is this?" Sizu asked.
"Hana," Takumi answered before she could. "Second year. Literature club."
Sizu offered a small smile. "Nice to meet you. I'm Sizu Arai. Vice captain of the Art Club."
Vice captain.
That explained the confidence.
"You should come by the club room today," Sizu continued, still smiling. "Takumi actually listens to people there."
"I do listen," Takumi protested lightly.
Sizu laughed softly.
Hana watched the interaction quietly.
They looked comfortable together.
Familiar.
"How long have you known each other?" Hana found herself asking.
"Since we were kids," Sizu replied easily. "Our families are close."
Something in Hana's chest shifted.
"Oh."
Takumi stood up, brushing petals from his uniform. "We should head inside."
As they walked toward the building, Sizu remained beside Takumi, occasionally leaning closer to say something that made him smile.
Hana followed a few steps behind.
Why am I walking behind them?
She didn't know when that small distance began to feel large.
Afternoon – Art Club Room
Hana didn't intend to go.
She told herself she wouldn't.
But when the final bell rang, her feet carried her toward the art room anyway.
The door was slightly open.
Inside, several students worked quietly on canvases and sketches.
The atmosphere was calm — focused.
She liked that.
Takumi noticed her first.
"You came."
There was no surprise in his voice.
As if he had expected it.
Sizu looked up as well.
"Welcome," she said warmly. "Feel free to look around."
Hana stepped inside.
Paintings lined the walls — landscapes, portraits, abstract colors blending together.
Takumi walked toward his desk and pulled out a blank sheet.
"Sit," he said gently.
She obeyed before thinking.
"Are you going to draw?" she asked.
"Maybe."
Sizu approached them again, arms loosely folded.
"You've never brought someone here before," she commented lightly.
Takumi paused for half a second.
"Maybe I just didn't find the right person."
The words weren't directed at anyone specifically.
But Hana felt them.
Sizu's expression didn't change.
If anything, her smile softened.
"You're improving," she said calmly. "You used to avoid people."
Takumi didn't respond.
Instead, he began sketching.
Hana sat quietly, aware of Sizu standing nearby.
After a moment, Sizu spoke again.
"Hana, do you draw?"
"No."
"Then why art club?"
The question wasn't sharp.
But it wasn't careless either.
Hana hesitated.
"I just… wanted to see."
Sizu studied her face for a second longer than necessary.
"Well," she said finally, "observation is important in art."
Then she turned and walked away.
Takumi exhaled quietly.
"She doesn't mean harm."
"I know."
"Do you?"
Hana looked at him.
"She's important to you."
The words came out softer than she intended.
Takumi stopped drawing.
"Sizu is my friend."
Just a friend?
She didn't ask.
Instead, she noticed something on his desk.
A half-finished sketch.
It was her again.
Sitting beneath the cherry blossoms.
But this time—
There was someone standing beside her.
He quickly flipped the page.
"Not finished," he said.
But she had already seen enough.
Her heart felt heavy and light at the same time.
Confusing.
The club meeting ended an hour later.
As students packed up, Sizu approached Hana once more.
"You're quiet," she said gently.
"I'm just like that."
Sizu nodded.
"Takumi likes quiet people."
The statement lingered in the air.
"But," Sizu added softly, "he also gets bored easily."
It wasn't a threat.
It wasn't cruel.
It was simply said.
And somehow, that made it more unsettling.
Evening – Outside the School Gates
Hana walked alone toward the bus stop.
The sky glowed orange with sunset.
Footsteps approached from behind.
"You're thinking too much."
Takumi's voice.
She didn't turn immediately.
"About what?" she asked.
"About Sizu."
She stopped walking.
He moved to stand beside her.
"She's important to me," he said honestly. "But that doesn't mean you're not."
Her heart stumbled.
"Why am I important?" she whispered.
He looked at her carefully.
"Because when you're around… I don't feel like I'm pretending."
The world seemed to quiet again.
Cars passed.
Wind moved gently.
But in that moment, everything felt suspended.
Hana wanted to believe him.
She really did.
But the image of Sizu's hand resting comfortably on his shoulder replayed in her mind.
She forced a small smile.
"See you tomorrow."
She boarded the bus before he could say anything else.
As the bus pulled away, she looked out the window.
Takumi remained standing there, watching.
Back at the school gate—
Sizu stepped out from the shadows.
She had seen everything.
And though her expression remained calm—
Her eyes were no longer unreadable.
The wind grew softer as the afternoon light faded into gold. Sakura petals drifted slowly through the air, brushing against Hana's hair and shoulders as if trying to comfort her.
Arai was still smiling — that same warm smile she had memorized without even realizing it. But today, it felt distant. Not because he had changed… but because she suddenly felt like she was standing outside a circle she didn't even know she wanted to belong to.
She tightened her grip on her notebook.
Why am I overthinking this? she asked herself quietly.
He was just talking. Just smiling. Just being himself.
So why did her chest feel so unbearably heavy?
The laughter carried by the wind sounded softer now, almost blurred. Hana lowered her gaze, pretending to be focused on the sakura petals scattered across the ground.
Maybe she was being foolish.
Maybe she had misunderstood her own heart.
But somewhere deep inside, a fragile fear had already taken root.
Cliffhanger Thought (Hana):
If I was never part of his world before… why does it feel like I'm already afraid of losing my place in it?
Hana walked alone toward the bus stop.
The sky glowed orange with sunset.
Footsteps approached from behind.
"You're thinking too much."
Takumi's voice.
She didn't turn immediately.
"About what?" she asked.
"About Sizu."
She stopped walking.
He moved to stand beside her.
"She's important to me," he said honestly. "But that doesn't mean you're not."
Her heart stumbled.
"Why am I important?" she whispered.
He looked at her carefully.
"Because when you're around… I don't feel like I'm pretending."
The world seemed to quiet again.
Cars passed.
Wind moved gently.
But in that moment, everything felt suspended.
Hana wanted to believe him.
She really did.
But the image of Sizu's hand resting comfortably on his shoulder replayed in her mind.
She forced a small smile.
"See you tomorrow."
She boarded the bus before he could say anything else.
As the bus pulled away, she looked out the window.
Takumi remained standing there, watching.
Back at the school gate—
Sizu stepped out from the shadows.
She had seen everything.
And though her expression remained calm—
Her eyes were no longer unreadable.