Daniel didn't notice it at first.
Mika and Ryo weren't subtle—they never were—but Daniel was too busy pretending everything was normal to pay them any mind.
That is, until lunch.
He sat down at their usual table, tray in hand, only to find Mika already smirking, fork hovering over a plate of something unidentifiable.
"Hey," Mika said cheerfully, "you're glowing today. Must be that top-notch training regime."
Daniel blinked. "I'm fine."
Mika raised an eyebrow. "Sure, fine. Your face says otherwise."
Daniel scowled lightly. "It's not my face. It's the lighting."
Ryo, leaning casually against the table, grinned. "Uh-huh. Totally the lighting. Not the fact that you've been… distracted."
Daniel stiffened. "Distracted? By what?"
Mika and Ryo exchanged a look. The kind that said oh, he definitely is.
"By someone," Mika said, chewing slowly, eyes sharp. "Someone tall, dark, and apparently annoying enough to mess with your heart rate."
Daniel's fork froze halfway to his mouth. "I don't—"
"You do," Ryo interrupted, grinning. "Come on, we've seen you. Your hands twitch when he's near, your eyes… your eyes follow him, Daniel. And don't even try to deny it."
Daniel narrowed his eyes. "It's called paying attention to… training partners."
Mika leaned forward, poking his arm lightly. "Uh-huh. Training partners. And yet, you blush when he compliments you. That's a new tactic in self-defense?"
Daniel exhaled sharply, trying to act calm, but even he knew they'd spotted something.
"They're sharp," Daniel muttered, mostly to himself.
"Not as sharp as us," Ryo replied, leaning back, smug. "We know everything that happens in this academy before the instructors do."
Daniel groaned. "You're impossible."
Mika shrugged. "Only when we're not right."
Daniel lowered his head, pretending to eat, but every bite felt heavy. Every laugh from Leo's table echoed in his mind.
"You like him," Mika said bluntly.
Daniel froze. "I—"
"Shhh," Ryo said, waving a hand. "Not in public. Or the entire cafeteria will know in thirty seconds."
Daniel glared at them. "I do not like him."
Mika leaned closer, whispering conspiratorially. "You like him a lot. Admit it. You can't hide it anymore, Daniel."
Daniel pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're going to give me a headache."
Ryo smirked. "You've got bigger problems than headaches. That smirk he gives you? Yeah, we saw it yesterday during drills. Don't pretend you didn't feel it."
Daniel's stomach fluttered at the memory.
"I—" he started, but Mika cut him off.
"Nope," she said firmly. "Not allowed. You're not denying it. You just can't. We've got you pegged."
Daniel leaned back in his chair, sighing. "You two are relentless."
"But helpful," Ryo added with a wink. "Someone's got to keep you from drowning in your own feelings before you do something stupid."
Daniel didn't respond. He just stared at his food, knowing full well they were right.
And somewhere, in the back of his mind, he realized Leo probably noticed the shift too.