The next day, the art room buzzed with quiet chatter. Students moved between tables, examining sketches, paintings, and photographs displayed neatly across the room. Sunlight filtered through the windows, casting soft golden lines across the artwork.
Rai walked in beside Yuki and Shoto. Her calm eyes scanned the room, showing almost no reaction.
Nearby, a small painting rested on an easel.
Hers.
Yuki suddenly froze, her eyes widening.
"Whoa—wait a second! Rai-chan, is this yours?!" she exclaimed, pointing dramatically at the painting. She tugged on Shoto's sleeve. "Shoto, look at this!"
Shoto leaned closer to examine it.
"Whoa… this is the first time I've seen something Rai made," he said.
Rai tilted her head slightly.
"…Nah. It's nothing special."
The moment Yuki heard that—
Smack!
She lightly tapped Rai on the top of her head.
Rai blinked and rubbed it.
"…That hurts. What was that for?"
Yuki crossed her arms.
"Don't say 'nothing special' when it's clearly good!"
Shoto chuckled quietly beside them.
As they continued walking through the room, Yuki suddenly stopped again.
"Whoa…"
She leaned closer to another display. A detailed drawing, a vibrant painting, and a photograph with incredible precision sat side by side.
"These are amazing…" Yuki murmured as she read the labels.
"…Kousaki."
Another piece.
"…Kousaki."
And another.
"…Kousaki?"
She blinked in surprise.
"Wait… why is the same name on all of them?"
She glanced back at the artwork she and Shoto had made. Compared to these, theirs looked like something made in kindergarten.
Shoto and Rai stepped closer.
"Who is this Kousaki? A girl or a boy?" Shoto asked.
Yuki raised an eyebrow.
"Isn't it obvious it's a girl?"
Shoto crossed his arms dramatically.
"Well… whoever she is, I think I already want to marry her," he joked.
Yuki rolled her eyes.
"Ah… some idiot dreaming again."
Rai quietly observed the artwork.
"…Hmm."
Yuki turned toward her.
"Whoa… Rai-chan looks impressed!"
Rai glanced at the painting again.
"…Maybe."
Later that afternoon, the three of them walked home. The warm sunlight painted the streets in gold.
Suddenly, Yuki stopped.
"Oh! That's Suzuki!"
Shoto looked confused.
"Suzuki?"
Yuki nodded.
"She was our friend and classmate back in elementary school."
She ran across the street to talk to her and returned moments later, bringing Suzuki along.
Shoto raised his hand.
"Yo! I'm Sho—"
"Do you want to come with us?" Yuki suddenly interrupted. "We're going to the mall!"
Suzuki blinked.
"Ah… s-sure."
Shoto sighed quietly, clearly annoyed that Yuki had cut him off again.
"Ah… nice to meet you. I'm Suzuki," she said politely.
"Shoto. Let's be good friends," he replied.
Suzuki glanced at Rai, suddenly looking nervous.
"Ah… um…"
Rai tilted her head.
"…?"
"Ah… long time no see… how have you been?" Suzuki asked shyly.
"I'm good," Rai replied calmly.
"O-oh… glad to hear that…" Suzuki stammered.
Before the moment could become awkward, Yuki suddenly threw her arms up.
"Woooo! Let's go!"
At the mall, they explored several stores, played games in the arcade, and ate together.
Eventually, they left.
Shoto checked his phone.
"I'm heading home first. I need to check on my siblings. What about you two?"
Suzuki adjusted her bag.
"Ah… I still need to stop by the library, so I'll go ahead."
They waved goodbye and went their separate ways.
Now it was just Rai and Yuki.
"…Hey. Why are you following me?" Rai asked.
Yuki shrugged.
"I still have free time. Nothing to do."
"Then go home."
"No way. It's boring there."
Rai sighed.
A small bakery caught her eye.
"…Want to stop here?"
Yuki's face immediately lit up.
"Of course!"
Inside, the warm smell of fresh bread filled the air.
Yuki's eyes sparkled as she stared at the display shelves.
"Everything looks so good… I can't decide!"
Rai had already picked a pastry and paid.
"Hurry up. I'm leaving you behind," she said calmly as she walked toward the door.
"Ahhh—this! This one! This one!"
Yuki panicked and pointed at a random pastry. She quickly paid and ran after Rai.
Outside, the two walked while eating. The evening sky had turned orange.
Suddenly, Yuki's phone rang.
"Ah—sorry! I have to go now! Bye!" she said before running down another street.
Rai raised her hand slightly.
"…Bye."
Now alone, she continued walking.
Then a thought crossed her mind.
The quiet path.
The small lake she had discovered yesterday.
"…Maybe I'll eat there," she murmured.
The deeper she walked, the quieter the world became. The city sounds faded, replaced by the soft rustling of leaves.
When she arrived, the sunset painted the lake in gold and orange, the water reflecting the sky like glass.
But someone was already there.
A girl sat beneath a massive tree, a sketchbook open in her lap. A camera rested beside her.
Rai froze.
"…Someone's here."
She didn't like crowded places. Even one stranger was enough.
Without a word, she quietly turned to leave.
Under the tree, the girl lifted her head.
"…Hmm?"
She noticed someone walking away—the tall figure of a girl, backlit by the fading sunlight.
"Whoa… she's tall. Is that a girl… or a guy?" she murmured.
Curious, she raised her camera.
Click.
Looking at the photo on the screen, she smiled faintly.
"…Maybe I can add this to what I'm working on."
The tall girl was already gone.
The Next Day – Lunch Break
The school hallway buzzed with students chatting and moving between classrooms.
Rai and Yuki walked side by side through the crowd.
"You bought lunch from the store again?" Yuki asked, glancing at the small bread bag in Rai's hand.
Rai looked at her calmly.
"Is there a problem with that?"
Yuki shrugged.
"Don't you get tired of eating the same thing?"
"No."
Yuki let out a dramatic sigh.
"Honestly, I don't know how you do it."
After a moment, she looked around.
"By the way… where's Shoto?"
"I think he went to the cafeteria to buy something," Rai replied.
"Ah… makes sense."
They continued walking.
Two girls were talking behind them. One of them, walking with her back turned, suddenly bumped into Rai.
Thump.
The impact wasn't strong, but enough to make both of them stop.
Rai turned slightly.
The girl she had bumped into looked up.
For a brief moment, the world seemed to fade.
Their eyes met.
"…Ah."
The girl blinked in surprise.
Her gaze lingered on Rai longer than expected.
"…Sorry," Rai said calmly.
The girl waved her hands quickly.
"Ah—no, no! It's my fault. I wasn't looking where I was going."
Rai gave a small nod.
"Be careful next time."
They separated and walked away.
As they continued walking, Yuki whispered,
"Woah… she's really pretty."
Rai said nothing.
From behind, the girl stopped walking for a moment and stared at Rai's back.
Something about her height and posture felt strangely familiar—like someone she had seen before.
Then she remembered.
Yesterday.
Near the lake.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
The tall figure she had seen walking away beneath the sunset…
was wearing the same school uniform.
Meanwhile, Shoto, who had just finished buying his lunch, hurried down the hallway to catch up with them.
He suddenly froze mid-step.
His eyes widened slightly.
The girl Rai had bumped into earlier.
"…Wait," he muttered under his breath.
He stared for a moment, recognizing her immediately.
Later, as the three of them sat eating in the classroom, Shoto muttered quietly,
"Man… I didn't expect to see her again. And she's studying here?"
Yuki glanced at him.
"Are you sure it's her?"
Shoto's eyes narrowed confidently.
"Of course," he said.
"I don't make mistakes with my eyes."
The three continued eating in relative silence.
But Shoto's mind kept drifting back to the girl's sharp gaze… her calm expression…
…and the strange feeling that this encounter was only the beginning.