The moment Arashi, Mizuki, and Ayane stepped into the classroom, the atmosphere shifted.
It wasn't loud.
It wasn't dramatic.
But it was obvious.
Whispers.
Eyes.
Curiosity hanging in the air like invisible smoke.
Students who were pretending to talk about something else were clearly watching them. A few leaned closer to each other, murmuring. Some glanced quickly and then looked away when Arashi's gaze moved even slightly in their direction.
"They're the ones…"
"What would have happened?"
"Was it something serious?"
Ayane lowered her eyes instinctively. Arashi felt the weight of the stares but kept his expression calm.
Mizuki?
She didn't react.
Her face was neutral. Controlled. As if none of this mattered.
Without saying a word, the three of them walked to their seats and sat down.
No explanation.
No reaction.
No weakness.
The whispers slowly faded when students realized they weren't going to get any entertainment.
Time passed quietly.
The lesson started. Pens moved across notebooks. The tension dissolved into normal classroom noise.
When the break bell rang, chairs scraped against the floor and the usual chaos returned.
Takumi and Satoru immediately made their way toward Arashi.
Takumi dropped into the chair beside him.
Satoru stood with his hands in his pockets.
"So…" Takumi said casually, though his eyes were serious. "What happened in the office?"
Satoru nodded slightly. "Yeah. It didn't look normal."
Arashi leaned back in his chair.
"It wasn't anything dramatic," Arashi calmly explains everything to them.
Satoru exhaled. "Wait seriously, that was unexpected."
Takumi crossed his arms. "Good. For a second I thought you were getting suspended or something."
Later, during lunch, everyone gathered as usual.
Food containers opened. The smell of homemade dishes mixed in the air. Conversations overlapped naturally.
Miyu suddenly sighed dramatically and rested her chin on her hand.
"Exams are coming closer… and I'm not prepared at all."
She looked genuinely troubled.
She complained. "I seriously hate exams."
Takumi laughed lightly. "Who does?"
Miyu glared at him. "I'm serious!"
Hina, who had been quietly eating, paused mid-bite.
Her expression changed slightly — like a switch turning on in her head.
"Wait…" she said slowly.
Everyone looked at her.
"What if…" she continued, "…we do group study?"
Takumi froze. "Group study?"
Hina nodded, now fully convinced by her own idea. "Yes. In Library. Together. We still have time before exams. If we study together, we'll stay consistent. It'll help."
Miyu's eyes lit up. "That actually sounds good…"
Ayane tilted her head. "Hmm… maybe…"
Takumi raised an eyebrow. "Let's be honest. If we say 'group study,' we won't study at all."
Everyone laughed.
Hina slowly turned her head toward Takumi.
The look in her eyes changed.
"Anyone who doesn't study," she said calmly, "I'll deal with them personally."
There was silence.
Takumi immediately straightened. "Okay. I was joking. No need to activate scary mode."
Hina narrowed her eyes.
Takumi raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. I'll study."
Miyu giggled. Even Ayane smiled.
Arashi watched the interaction quietly.
This…
This felt normal.
Mizuki smiled faintly. "We still have some time before exams. Let's start seriously one week before they begin."
Satoru nodded. "Structured plan. Makes sense."
Takumi sighed dramatically. "So, it's decided. One week before exams — library — forced suffering."
Hina kicked his leg lightly under the table.
He winced. "I mean… productive academic enhancement."
Everyone laughed again.
For the first time since the office incident, the air around them felt light.
No whispers.
No tension.
Just friends planning something simple.
Arashi leaned slightly back, observing everyone.
Miyu complaining.
Takumi joking.
Hina acting strict.
Satoru thinking practically.
Ayane quietly smiling.
Mizuki relaxed.
He realized something quietly.
Moments like these…
They were fragile.
And that's why they mattered.
The bell rang again, signaling the end of lunch.
Chairs moved. Conversations faded. Everyone stood up.
"Library next week then," Hina reminded firmly.
Takumi saluted jokingly. "Yes, ma'am."
As they returned to their seats, Mizuki walked beside Arashi.
"You, okay?" she asked softly.
Arashi glanced at her.
"Yeah."
A few weeks passed quietly.
The normal school days slowly transformed into something heavier.
Exam week had arrived.
Now there were no excuses.
It was time.
That afternoon, Arashi walked beside Ayane toward the library. The sun was still strong, and the air felt warm and slightly suffocating.
"You ready?" Ayane asked nervously.
Arashi adjusted the strap of his bag. "Ready or not, we don't have a choice."
They reached the library entrance and stepped inside.
Cool air.
Silence.
The soft sound of pages turning.
Arashi scanned the room.
Only Satoru and Miyu were already there, sitting at one of the large wooden tables.
Satoru had books neatly stacked. Miyu had highlighters scattered everywhere.
Arashi and Ayane walked over and sat down.
"Where is everyone else?" Arashi asked.
Satoru looked up from his notebook. "Hina and Takumi are on their way. They're close. Mizuki too. They should be here in five minutes."
Miyu sighed dramatically. "I can't believe we're actually doing this."
"I regret not studying."
Ayane laughed softly.
A few minutes later, Takumi and Hina entered together.
Takumi looked unusually serious for once. Hina already had a book open in her hands.
"Look at us," Takumi said quietly as he sat down. "We actually came."
"Shocking," Satoru replied without looking up.
They had barely settled when footsteps approached again.
Mizuki.
She walked toward them slightly hurried, her breathing uneven.
She stopped at the table.
"Sorry… I'm late," she said, trying to catch her breath.
Hina immediately looked at her carefully. "We just arrived too. Why are you so out of breath?"
Mizuki quickly adjusted her hair. "It's nothing. It's just hot outside."
Arashi glanced at her for a second longer than the others.
Something felt slightly off.
But he didn't say anything.
And just like that—
They began.
The atmosphere changed completely.
No loud talking.
No joking.
Only focus.
Takumi was solving physics numericals with surprising seriousness.
Hina was reviewing history notes, underlining important dates.
Miyu was practicing grammar exercises, whispering rules to herself.
Satoru was calmly revising formulas.
Ayane quietly worked through biology diagrams.
Arashi opened his math notebook.
One question.
Simple on the surface.
Find the value.
He began solving it step by step.
First attempt.
Different answer.
He frowned slightly.
Second attempt.
Another answer.
Third attempt.
Different again.
His pen paused.
His expression changed — subtle, but noticeable.
Beside him, Mizuki noticed.
She slowly turned her head toward him.
"You've been staring at that for five minutes," she whispered.
Arashi exhaled lightly. "The answer isn't coming out right."
"Let me see."
He turned the notebook toward her.
"I keep getting different values," he said quietly. "Something's wrong."
Mizuki leaned closer.
Not too close.
Just enough to see clearly.
She scanned his steps carefully.
"You made a small mistake here," she said gently, pointing at one line. "You changed the sign."
Arashi looked at it again.
She was right.
He clicked his tongue softly. "I didn't even notice that."
"It happens," she said calmly. "You're overthinking it."
He erased the mistake and solved it again.
This time—
The correct value appeared.
He stared at it for a second.
"…Yeah. That's it."
Mizuki smiled faintly. "See?"
There was something warm in that small moment.
Not dramatic.
Not loud.
Just quiet understanding.
For a few seconds, neither of them said anything.
Then—
Takumi suddenly groaned from across the table. "Why does physics hate me?"
"Because you don't study," Hina replied without looking up.
"I am studying!"
"Barely."
Miyu giggled quietly.
The tension dissolved again into soft, focused energy.
Arashi glanced once more at Mizuki.
She was already back to her own notes, completely focused.
But her breathing—
It still wasn't completely steady.
He noticed.
He didn't mention it.
Yet.
Outside the library windows, the sunlight slowly began to fade.
Inside—
Six students sat together.
Studying.
Trying.
Preparing.
Not just for exams.
But for whatever came next.