The old faculty building was quiet again.
Almost like it was waiting.
Seiji stood in front of the storage room door, staring at the key in his hand.
"I'm actually doing this…" he mutered.
He glanced around the empty hallway before quickly unlocking the door and stepping inside.
The familiar dusty air greeted him.
For some reason, his chest felt a little tight.
"…He might not even come today."
Seiji clicked his tongue and dropped his bag on the table.
"Why am I even thinking about that?"
He pulled out his notebook and sat down.
"I came here to study. That's it."
But five minutes passed.
Then ten.
He hadn't written a single word.
His eyes kept drifting toward the door.
"…This is stupid."
Just as he was about to give up—
Click.
The door opened.
Seiji froze.
Slow footsteps echoed lightly across the room.
"You're early."
That voice.
Seiji turned immediately.
Ryuunosuke Kurogane stood by the door, closing it behind him like this was the most normal thing in the world.
For a second, neither of them spoke.
Then Seiji looked away quickly.
"I just got here."
Ryuunosuke hummed, unconvinced.
"Really?"
Seiji frowned.
"Why would I lie about that?"
Ryuunosuke walked closer, his gaze steady.
"I don't know."
Step.
"Why would you?"
Step.
Seiji's grip tightened slightly on his pen.
"…You're overthinking it."
Ryuunosuke stopped right in front of his desk.
Too close.
Seiji could feel it.
That quiet pressure again.
"Am I?" Ryuunosuke said softly.
Seiji forced himself to look up—
—and immediately regretted it.
They were closer than he expected.
"…Yes."
His voice wasn't as steady as he wanted.
Ryuunosuke's lips curved slightly.
"You're bad at lying."
Seiji's ears turned red.
"I'm not lying!"
"Then why do you keep looking at the door?"
Seiji froze.
"…I wasn't."
"You were."
"I wasn't!"
Ryuunosuke leaned down slightly, resting one hand on the desk.
"Do you want me to prove it?"
Seiji's brain short-circuited.
"H-How would you even—"
"You looked at it six times."
Seiji went completely still.
"…You counted?"
Ryuunosuke shrugged.
"I got bored."
Seiji stared at him.
"You're creepy."
"And you're obvious."
Seiji looked away, defeated.
"…Whatever."
For a moment, the room went quiet again.
But it felt different this time.
Closer.
Ryuunosuke didn't move away.
If anything, he leaned in just a little more.
"Seiji."
Seiji's heart skipped.
"…What?"
"Why do you come here?"
The question caught him off guard.
"I told you. It's quiet."
Ryuunosuke's gaze didn't leave him.
"That's not the real reason."
Seiji frowned.
"You don't know me well enough to say that."
"Maybe not."
Ryuunosuke's voice dropped slightly.
"But I know you waited."
Silence.
Seiji's fingers tightened around his pen.
"…You're full of yourself."
Ryuunosuke smiled faintly.
"Am I wrong?"
Seiji didn't answer.
That was enough.
Ryuunosuke straightened slightly, but didn't step back.
"Relax," he said. "I'm not making fun of you."
"It feels like you are."
"Then that's your problem."
Seiji glared at him.
"You're seriously annoying."
"And you're still here."
"…That's because this place isn't yours."
Ryuunosuke tilted his head.
"Then why didn't you leave when I came in?"
Seiji opened his mouth—
Then stopped.
"…I don't know."
For the first time, Ryuunosuke looked genuinely amused.
"Honest again."
Seiji groaned quietly.
"Can you stop analyzing everything I say?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because it's interesting."
Seiji frowned.
"…What is?"
"You."
Seiji's brain froze.
"…What?"
Ryuunosuke didn't look away.
"You don't act like everyone else."
"That's a normal thing."
"No, it's not."
Seiji swallowed.
For some reason, the air felt heavier.
Ryuunosuke took a small step closer again.
Now there was barely any space between them.
"If it was normal," he said quietly, "you wouldn't be reacting like this."
Seiji's heartbeat started to speed up.
"…Reacting how?"
Ryuunosuke's eyes dropped slightly—just for a second.
Then back to his face.
"Like you want to run away."
Seiji's breath caught.
"…I don't."
"Then don't."
Silence.
Neither of them moved.
Seiji could feel it now.
The distance.
Or rather—
The lack of it.
Ryuunosuke's hand moved.
Seiji tensed instantly.
But instead of grabbing him—
Ryuunosuke simply picked up the pen from his hand.
"…Hey—"
"You're not even studying."
Seiji blinked.
"…Give that back."
Ryuunosuke ignored him and glanced at the empty page.
"Ten minutes. Nothing written."
Seiji reached for it—
Ryuunosuke lifted it slightly out of reach.
"Hey!"
"You're terrible at this."
"You just got here!"
"And I already know."
Seiji stood up abruptly.
Now they were even closer than before.
"Give it back."
Ryuunosuke looked down at him calmly.
"Make me."
Seiji froze.
"…What?"
A small smirk appeared.
"Take it."
He held the pen just slightly behind him.
Close enough.
But not easy.
Seiji hesitated.
"…You're doing this on purpose."
"Of course."
"…Why?"
Ryuunosuke's voice dropped again.
"Because I want to see what you'll do."
Seiji stared at him.
Then slowly reached forward—
Their hands brushed.
Just for a second.
But it was enough.
Seiji pulled back instantly like he got burned.
"…You're the worst."
Ryuunosuke chuckled quietly and finally handed the pen back.
"Too slow."
Seiji snatched it.
"You're unbelievable."
"And you're easy to read."
Seiji turned away, trying to calm down.
"…I'm never coming here again."
"Liar."
Seiji paused.
"…I'm serious."
Ryuunosuke walked past him toward the window.
"Then don't come tomorrow."
Seiji frowned.
"…What?"
Ryuunosuke glanced back slightly.
"Let's see if you can actually stay away."
Seiji stared at him.
"…You think I can't?"
"I know you can't."
Silence.
"…You're so annoying."
"And yet—"
Ryuunosuke opened the door.
"—you'll still come."
He stepped out.
Then stopped for a second.
"…Seiji."
Seiji looked up.
"Try not to think about me too much."
The door closed.
Seiji stood there alone.
"…What the hell is wrong with that guy?"
He sat down slowly, staring at his notebook.
Then at the door.
Then back again.
"…I'm definitely not coming tomorrow."
Pause.
"…Right?"
He looked at the pen in his hand.
For some reason—
His heart still hadn't calmed down.
That night at the café—
"You're distracted," Aya said immediately.
"I'm not."
"You are."
"I'm not!"
Ken adjusted his glasses.
"He has repeated the same mistake three times."
Seiji froze.
"…What mistake?"
Ken pointed at the tray.
"You gave table four the wrong order. Twice."
"…Oh."
Aya leaned in, eyes narrowing.
"This is not normal behavior."
"It is normal!"
"It's not," she said firmly.
Ken nodded.
"Conclusion: external factor affecting subject."
"STOP CALLING ME A SUBJECT!"
Aya crossed her arms.
"…It's a person."
Seiji went still.
"…What?"
"A person," she repeated. "You only act like this when it's about someone."
"…That's not true."
"It is."
Ken flipped a page in his notebook.
"Evidence supports her claim."
Seiji looked away.
"…You guys are overthinking it."
Aya smirked.
"Sure."
She leaned closer.
"So… who is it?"
Seiji immediately grabbed a cloth and turned away.
"No one."
But no matter how much he tried to deny it—
A certain voice kept replaying in his head.
"Try not to think about me too much."
Seiji clicked his tongue.
"…So annoying."
And somehow—
That only made it worse.