*The following morning.*
A soft ray of sunlight filtered through the window of Kai's room.
Hina was still nestled in Kai's arms, her small and adorable snoring contrasting with the silence of the room.
For some strange reason, Kai woke up naturally, without any alarm.
He hadn't had nightmares or a restless sleep. In fact, he felt unusually at peace.
He slowly opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was Hina resting against his chest.
A warm sensation wrapped around his heart, as if, for a brief moment, he had forgotten all the dangers and troubles surrounding him.
Hina was still fast asleep, her left arm draped over his chest.
Every now and then, her hand would gently squeeze him for a few seconds, as if holding onto him.
As if they were tiny spasms.
But one thing was certain—Hina trusted Kai completely to let herself be this vulnerable in front of him.
"I really wish this was just a normal story." He whispered to himself, his voice carrying a hint of melancholy.
A faint smile curved his lips before he turned his gaze to the alarm clock on the nightstand to his right.
It was exactly 6:45 AM.
Thursday.
He didn't even remember what month it was—maybe March.
Kai let out a small sigh and turned his gaze back to Hina.
It was time to wake her up.
He gently shook her.
"Psss! Hina… hey, wake up!" Kai whispered softly.
But even so, Hina didn't wake up immediately.
Instead, she clung to him even more, snuggling her head into his neck.
Kai tried shaking her again.
After about three minutes of failed attempts, Hina finally opened her eyes and immediately lifted her gaze to meet his.
Her messy hair and gray eyes, filled with emotion, made her look even more beautiful in Kai's eyes.
"G-Good morning, Kai…" Hina murmured with a sleepy smile, yawning.
Her hand was still resting gently on his chest, occasionally tracing lines with her index finger.
The soft tickling sensation was pleasant for Kai.
"Good morning, Hina. I think it's time to get ready for school." Kai replied, smiling at her.
"Ah… what a shame… I wish I could stay in your arms forever." She said, continuing to trace lines on his chest.
Kai was happy to hear those words.
But the happy moment didn't last long.
Because he remembered the plan.
"Oh… I wish the same, but duty calls… Today, we have to go through with the plan… so we'll have to stay apart more." Kai sighed bitterly.
Hina's smile disappeared for a brief moment before she stretched her arms and sat up.
"Alright… even though it'll be hard." She muttered before getting out of bed.
She was still undressed from the passionate night she had spent with him.
The way her body glowed under the sunlight always fascinated Kai as if it were the first time.
Hina's body was full of scars, the most noticeable being a long one on her back.
It stretched from her right shoulder all the way down to her lower back.
Every scar told a story.
Kai felt both saddened and mesmerized by them.
Then, Hina stretched again before turning toward Kai, who was still gazing at her in awe.
"Something wrong?" Hina asked.
Kai snapped out of it and quickly nodded.
"N-No. Everything's fine." He said, scratching his head.
Hina smiled and, wrapping a towel around herself, headed for the bathroom to take her morning shower.
Of course, not before giving Kai a good morning kiss.
The moment Hina closed the bathroom door, Kai suddenly remembered Hiro's journal, which he had hidden under the mattress.
He quickly checked to make sure it was still there.
Fortunately, it was.
Just to be safe, he decided to put it in his backpack, as he planned to read it later at school.
After securing the valuable treasure in his bag, Kai sprayed some deodorant, fixed his hair, and freshened up a bit before putting on his school uniform.
Then, he grabbed his backpack and took one last look in the mirror.
"Yeah… I think this should be fine." He muttered to himself.
He turned toward the door—only to find Hina standing right in front of him, already dressed and fully ready for school.
He hadn't expected it, and her sudden appearance startled him.
He stumbled backward, bumping lightly against the mirror.
"O-Oh! Hina! You scared me!" Kai exclaimed, catching his breath.
Hina let out a mischievous giggle.
"Oh… I know. That was on purpose." She replied, covering her mouth to mask her playful smirk.
Then, she wrapped herself around his arm and asked,
"Shall we go~? If we make it in time, we can have pancakes for breakfast~"
Kai nodded, happy to walk alongside his girlfriend, but his enthusiasm faded as he remembered the plan they had made the night before.
"Yeah… but… if we have to pretend to fight for the plan…?" Kai asked hesitantly.
Hina loosened her grip around his arm, as if slightly disappointed by his words.
"Well… yeah… you're right… So how about we stage a big argument in the schoolyard? For now, let's just act normal and not draw attention." Hina said, clinging tightly to his arm again.
"Yeah… maybe that's for the best. Let's just enjoy this morning for now." Kai agreed.
Before leaving, they greeted Akira, who was busy making breakfast.
Then, they walked arm in arm all the way from Kai's house to school, where, at the entrance, they were unexpectedly greeted by Yuna and Naomi—as if they had been waiting for them.
Luckily, Kai and Hina managed to get their pancakes.
The two girls greeted them warmly, and Kai and Hina returned the greeting.
Then, Naomi suddenly informed Kai that a new transfer student would be joining their class.
Kai was surprised, wondering—or perhaps hoping—that it wasn't just a coincidence.
Hina, on the other hand, seemed noticeably tense, tightening her grip around Kai's arm.
"Who could it be…?" Kai wondered…