In the crowded classroom, the atmosphere was noisy with the chatter of students who were no longer focused on their lessons.
Shina sat in one of the chairs near the window, together with her boyfriend, Yamashita. They were talking to each other while giggling softly, ignoring the commotion around them. Yamashita, with his gentle smile, held Shina's hand under the desk, something he often did when they were conversing.
"So, have you decided where you want to go for the summer vacation?" asked Yamashita, his voice calm but full of enthusiasm.
Shina, who had been smiling faintly, seemed a bit surprised by the question.
"Hm? Summer vacation? I haven't really thought about it yet..." she replied in a soft tone, her eyes occasionally glancing towards the window, remembering Kazuma who had just left the classroom.
Her face showed a complex expression, a mix of confusion and guilt.
Yamashita, unaware of Shina's feelings, just chuckled softly. "You're always like that, Shina. You need to start planning something from now on. We could go to the beach, maybe? I can imagine us having fun there together," he said, moving closer to her and gripping her hand tighter.
Shina smiled faintly, but this time her smile looked forced.
"That sounds nice, Yamashita," she replied softly.
On the surface, she appeared calm, but deep inside, a strong feeling of guilt was haunting her thoughts. She was reminded of Kazuma—not just as a classmate, but also as the man with whom she had shared forbidden moments.
Yamashita did not notice the change in Shina's expression.
"I always love seeing you smile like this. That's what made me fall in love with you, Shina. You always look so calm and sweet," he said with genuine affection.
Shina let out a long sigh and tried to distract herself. She knew Yamashita was a good man, someone who truly loved her, but the guilt was still there.
"You're also kind, Yamashita. I'm lucky to have you," Shina said, though her voice sounded more empty than usual.
Meanwhile, at the table next to them, Shina's friend, Rinka, was sitting and observing them.
Rinka, with her perfectly groomed long blonde hair, leaned in with a mischievous smile.
"Hmmmm... you two are always so romantic, aren't you?" she teased, looking at Shina and Yamashita with a playful gaze.
Yamashita laughed. "We were just talking about the summer vacation, that's all. How about you, Rinka? Do you have any plans?" he asked.
Rinka smirked. "Me? I might just relax at home or join a yoga class. You know, I have to keep this body in shape, right?" she said, winking to show off her confidence in her alluring figure.
Shina, who usually joined in the laughter at Rinka's jokes, this time only managed a weak smile. Her mind was still wandering to Kazuma.
There was a burden she couldn't shake off from her chest. What had happened between her and Kazuma was a dark secret that only she knew. Whenever she looked at Yamashita, the guilt would resurface.
"Shina, are you okay?" Rinka asked with a worried tone, noticing the change in her friend's expression.
Shina was startled, snapping out of her reverie. "I... yeah, I'm fine," she replied quickly, trying to hide the unease on her face.
Yamashita looked at Shina more seriously. "If there's something troubling you, you can tell me, Shina. I'm here for you, you know that, right?" he said, his voice gentle and full of concern.
Hearing those words, Shina's heart trembled even more. She felt even more cornered by her guilt. Yamashita didn't deserve to be treated this way, but she couldn't tell him what had happened. Kazuma was a secret she would never reveal.
Suddenly, without warning, Shina's stomach felt nauseous. She held her stomach with one hand, and her face began to pale.
Rinka, who was sitting next to her, immediately noticed something was wrong. "Shina? You look pale. Are you sick?" Rinka asked with a worried tone.
Shina quickly stood up from her chair. "I... I need to go to the bathroom," she said hurriedly, trying to hold back the growing nausea.
Yamashita also stood up, intending to follow Shina. "I'll come with you?"
Shina shook her head quickly. "No, it's okay. I just need some time alone." Without waiting for their response, Shina rushed out of the classroom, heading towards the bathroom.
Yamashita and Rinka exchanged glances, confused by what had just happened.
"She doesn't look good," Rinka said softly, her face filled with concern.
Yamashita nodded slowly. "Yeah, I can feel it too. Maybe I'll talk to her again after she's calmed down," he replied. But inside, he was beginning to feel that Shina was hiding something from him, and that worried him.