After class, Arima gravitated toward the art room, finding solace in the familiar smell of paints and sketch paper. The room was quiet, the silence a comforting contrast to the chaotic world outside its doors. Arima often spent his free time here, pouring himself into his art, capturing the things he couldn't bring himself to say aloud.He was in the middle of sketching a rough landscape when Riol poked his head in, an amused grin on his face.
"So this is your hiding spot, huh?"
Arima sighed but didn't stop drawing.
"It's... where I work best."Riol chuckled, undeterred.
"Fair enough. Kaori mentioned she saw you drawing the other day. You're pretty talented, you know."Arima shrugged,
focusing on his sketch, hoping Riol would get the hint and leave him to his solitude. But Riol lingered, watching him work with genuine fascination.A few minutes later, Kaori herself appeared in the doorway, her eyes lighting up as she took in the room. She quietly walked over to where Arima was sitting, her gaze gentle as she observed his sketch.
"Your lines are so expressive," she said softly.
"It's like each stroke has a story behind it."
Arima looked up, meeting her gaze, surprised by the sincerity in her voice. No one had ever spoken to him about his art that way—not even his parents. For the first time, he felt a desire to share this part of himself with someone else.
"Thank you," he murmured,
feeling his usual walls begin to crack.