That night, after the unexpected and unintentional date, Ayaka sat at her desk, the soft glow of her computer screen illuminating her face.
She stared at the blank document in front of her, her fingers hovering above the keyboard.
Her heart felt unusually heavy, a tumultuous mix of emotions swirling within her.
Taking a deep breath, she finally began to type, letting her thoughts flow onto the page.
Each keystroke seemed to release a fragment of the evening that had stayed with her.
She recalled the way Akihiko had smiled at her when they arrived at his favorite spot—the subtle warmth in his eyes when he shared something personal with her.
Her heart fluttered as she typed, reliving the softness in his tone and the way he seemed to truly see her, not just as a companion.
Her fingers paused for a moment as her mind wandered to the unexpected intimacy of his actions.
She thought back to the gentle way he had wiped her hand with his handkerchief at the cinema, his touch lingering just a moment too long.
Then there was the way he leaned in close as they sat on the park bench, brushing against her as if to shield her from the world.
And finally, the moment that sent her heart racing—the brief graze of his lips against her shoulder before Kazumi arrived, an electrifying it left her breathless.
Ayaka's chest tightened, her emotions slipping into the words she wrote.
She tried to convince herself it was nothing, that Akihiko's actions were just him being kind and playful.
But as she typed out the details, reliving every moment, she couldn't ignore the effect they had on her.
The way her heart pounded when he looked at her, the tingling warmth that lingered after his touch—it wasn't something she could easily dismiss.
She stopped typing for a moment, leaning back in her chair as her fingers traced the edge of her keyboard.
Her gaze shifted to the ceiling, her mind replaying the scenes again and again.
A part of her was confused, uncertain about what these feelings meant.
Akihiko had always been calm and composed, almost enigmatic in the way he carried himself. But tonight, he felt different—closer, more deliberate.
"Why am I feeling this way?" she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible in the quiet of her room.
Her cheeks warmed as she thought about how her emotions betrayed her calm exterior.
She had always prided herself on being steady and rational, yet Akihiko's small, seemingly effortless gestures had unraveled her composure.
Ayaka turned back to her screen, her fingers trembling slightly as they hovered over the keyboard.
As the night deepened and the glow of her computer screen seemed to soften, Ayaka's thoughts lingered on Akihiko's quiet smiles, his teasing words, and the undeniable warmth in his gaze.
She couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted between them.
"Focus, Ayaka! Focus!" Ayaka chanted under her breath, her fingers gripping the edge of her desk.
She stared at her computer screen, the blinking cursor taunting her with every second of inactivity.
She shook her head, trying to force her brain into creative mode.
Just as she leaned forward, her phone buzzed loudly against the desk, accompanied by a sharp vibration.
"AHHHHHHHH!!!"
Ayaka shrieked, clutching her chest in shock. Her heart pounded as she snatched the phone, glaring at the glowing screen as if it had personally offended her.
An unknown number flashed on the display. Her brow furrowed, and after a brief hesitation, she swiped to answer. "Hello?"
"Hello? May I ask if this is Ayaka Yamamoto?" came a chirpy, high-pitched voice on the other end.
Ayaka frowned, her guard immediately up. "Who's asking?" she replied curtly, careful not to confirm her identity just yet.
"This is Aiko Matsumoto, from Chiyoda Middle School? I was wondering if you'd be interested in coming to our class reunion next Sunday?" Aiko's voice was bubbly and enthusiastic, a stark contrast to Ayaka's current mood.
"Reunion?" Ayaka echoed, leaning back in her chair. Her mind quickly sifted through faint memories of middle school, trying to place the name and voice.
"Yes, a reunion! It'll be so much fun! Everyone's coming, and it's the perfect chance to catch up. You know, just party and reminisce about the good old days..." Aiko said, her tone practically singing with excitement.
Ayaka hesitated. Middle school felt like a lifetime ago—a time she had buried under piles of work and adulthood.
Did she really want to reopen that chapter? After a moment's pause, she sighed. "Alright, I'll go."
"Yay! Great!" Aiko chirped. "I'll add you to the group chat right away. We'll post all the updates there about the venue and details. See you next week!" And just like that, the call ended with an audible click.
Ayaka stared at her phone for a moment, the abruptness of the conversation catching her off guard. Seconds later, a notification popped up. *You've been added to 'Chiyoda Middle School Reunion!*
Curiosity piqued, Ayaka tapped on the notification, only to be greeted by a chaotic flurry of messages.
The group chat was alive with excitement—emojis flying, plans being tossed around, and unfamiliar nicknames dominating the screen.
"Wow..." Ayaka muttered, scrolling through the chat. Most of the avatars were unrecognizable, obscured by cartoon characters or abstract images.
Names like AnimeAce101 and CutiePanda88 offered no clues about their real identities.
"They're this hyped about a reunion?" she scoffed, shaking her head.
The unbridled energy in the chat felt foreign, like stepping into a room full of strangers despite the shared history.
With a tap, she silenced the notifications, her focus returning to the draft glaring back at her from the laptop screen.
"Alright, back to work." she muttered, but the faint buzzing energy of the reunion lingered in her thoughts, tugging at a part of her she wasn't quite ready to revisit.
------
The midday sun streamed through the windows of the hallway as Ayaka dashed toward Akihiko's apartment, her flats barely making a sound against the tiled floor.
Reaching his door, she pounded on it with the urgency of someone with no time to waste.
"Akihiko!" she called out, her voice a mix of impatience and excitement.
A few seconds later, the lock clicked, and the door opened a sliver.
Standing there was Akihiko, his silver hair glinting like molten silver in the soft light, disheveled from sleep.
His vivid blue eyes blinked groggily, rimmed with the faint shadow of a long night or perhaps a lazy morning.
He rubbed the back of his neck, his loose shirt barely hanging on his shoulders, revealing a sharp collarbone and a glimpse of toned skin.
"What's with the noise…?" he mumbled, his voice low and rough, like velvet brushed the wrong way.
He stifled a yawn. "It's too early for this."
"Early? It's already 10 a.m.!" Ayaka huffed, crossing her arms as she glared at him. Her ponytail swung with the motion, emphasizing her frustration.
Akihiko leaned against the doorframe, a lopsided smirk tugging at his lips.
"Still feels like the middle of the night." he murmured, his tone dripping with that infuriatingly calm charm.
"Whatever, sleepyhead!" Ayaka shot back, pulling a neatly stapled draft from her bag and thrusting it into his hands.
"Here, take this! Chapter 12. I stayed up half the night revising it. You're welcome."
Akihiko raised an eyebrow, flipping through the first few pages lazily, though his sharp blue eyes scanned. "What's the rush?" he asked, his voice steady but laced with quiet curiosity.
"I have a lunch date with Yuki and Keiko, and we're hitting the shops afterward!" Ayaka chirped, practically bouncing on her feet as she turned toward the nearby elevator.
"You've got the draft now, so read it, critique it, just tell me later when I get home about your verdict!"
Without another word, Ayaka sprinted toward the elevator, pressing the button with urgency.
The doors slid open with a ding, and she hopped inside.
She turned to wave at Akihiko as the doors began to close, her cheerful smile lighting up the dim corridor.
"Later!" she called, her laughter spilling out just before the elevator whisked her away.
Akihiko stood there in the doorway, the draft in his hands, shaking his head with a small, fond smile playing at his lips.
"That girl..." he muttered under his breath, already flipping to the first page as he closed the door with a soft click.
------
Ayaka, Keiko, and Yuki were enjoying a vibrant afternoon together at the mall, laughing and chatting as they explored the latest trends in fashion, stopping by their favorite stores, and trying on the silliest outfits they could find.
The excitement in the air was infectious, and each of them couldn't help but grin from ear to ear.
As they strolled past a bustling food court, Ayaka paused, her eyes sparkling with a sudden thought.
She glanced at her friends and said, "Oh! I almost forgot to tell you, an old classmate called me last night. She invited me to our middle school reunion!"
Yuki raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Wait, the one where you were before transferring?" she asked, her voice tinged with surprise.
Ayaka nodded, taking a small bite of her sandwich, clearly lost in the memory for a moment. "Yep, that's the one."
Keiko frowned, her brow furrowing with concern. "But… wasn't that the group where most of the girls were kind of… mean to you? Are you sure you want to go back to that? What if things haven't changed?" Her voice carried a note of worry, the protective instinct of a best friend kicking in.
Ayaka simply shrugged and took a sip of her iced tea. "I don't know… maybe they've changed. People grow up, right? Besides, it might be fun to catch up. Who knows?"
Yuki, who had been listening carefully, tilted her head, her face clouded with a hint of doubt.
"I don't know, Ayaka. I've got a bad feeling about this…" Her eyes narrowed slightly as she thought back to the rough times Ayaka had faced in the past.
Ayaka flashed her a reassuring smile, giving a little shake of her head. "Relax! I can handle it. And hey, I'll give it ten minutes. If it feels uncomfortable or awkward at all, I'll leave, no questions asked."
Keiko looked at Ayaka, clearly unconvinced, but her voice softened with concern. "Promise? You'll really leave if it's bad?"
Ayaka grinned and nodded, her confidence shining through. "Promise! But today? Let's just have fun, okay? We're here to enjoy the day, not worry about anything else!" She wrapped her arms around Keiko and Yuki, pulling them into a tight, playful embrace.
The two girls exchanged glances, then shrugged and laughed.
Yuki sighed, a fond smile tugging at her lips. "Alright, alright. Just… don't forget to call us if you need backup. You know we've got your back."
Ayaka squeezed them both, her heart lifting at the bond they shared. "You two are always my first call. But I don't want you to get involved if something happens... Let's not talk about it anymore! Today is about us—let's go enjoy this beautiful day together!"
With that, Keiko and Yuki just looked at each other realizing they won't ever win when it comes to Ayaka. They just went along with her to have some fun for the whole day.
------
As dusk settled over the city, the golden hues of the fading sunlight gave way to the cool, muted blues of the evening.
The hum of traffic and the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze created a comforting background melody.
After an eventful day at the mall, Ayaka bid farewell to her two best friends. She began her walk home, her shopping bags swinging lightly at her sides and her heart feeling light.
The path to her flat was familiar—winding through a quiet neighborhood where warm yellow lights from apartment windows peeked through curtains.
Ayaka found solace in these walks, often lost in her thoughts. But tonight, there was something different in the air. A faint sense of anticipation tugged at her, though she couldn't quite place why.
As she turned the final corner to her building, she stopped in her tracks. There, leaning casually against the door to her flat, was Akihiko.
He was dressed simply—a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up and dark jeans—but he had a way of making even the simplest attire look effortlessly cool.
Ayaka blinked, her heart skipping a beat as she realized he was waiting for her. She took a cautious step closer, the crunch of her footsteps on the gravel catching his attention.
Akihiko looked up, and a smile spread across his face—a genuine, warm smile that seemed to melt away the coolness of the evening.
"Welcome home." he said softly, his voice smooth and calm, yet carrying an undertone of something deeper, something more personal.
Ayaka froze for a moment, her grip on her shopping bags tightening as an unbidden warmth spread through her chest.
Her heart fluttered wildly, as if trying to escape her ribcage. The words were simple, but from him, they carried a weight that made her cheeks flush.