The next morning, as Kaito strolled into school, he immediately noticed the shift in atmosphere. Groups of students were clustered together in the hallways, whispering and casting curious glances in his direction.
"Something's up," Haru said, falling into step beside him. "Everyone's looking at you like you grew a second head."
Kaito smirked. "Well, who can blame them? I am a pretty big deal."
But as they rounded the corner, the murmurs became clearer.
"Did you hear? Kaito Nakamura is working with Hana Matsui!"
"Isn't she the quiet transfer student?"
"Yeah! The one with that blue powder incident! I heard she made him her assistant or something."
"They're always together in the art room now. Do you think they're... you know?"
Kaito froze mid-step, his smirk faltering. "Wait. What?"
Haru burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. "Oh man, this is gold! They think you're her... her lackey! Or worse, her boyfriend!"
Kaito whipped around, glaring at the nearest group of gossiping students. "Oi! Don't spread weird stuff about me!"
But the damage was done. Everywhere he went, people whispered and snickered, their imaginations running wild.
By lunchtime, the rumors had reached their peak. As Kaito entered the cafeteria, the noise dropped noticeably, and several students shot him amused looks.
Hana was already seated at a corner table, quietly eating her lunch and sketching in a small notebook. Kaito stomped over and dropped his tray onto the table with a loud thud.
"Do you know what people are saying about us?" he demanded.
Hana glanced up, her expression calm. "No. Should I?"
"They think we're—ugh, forget it," Kaito groaned, slumping into the chair across from her.
Hana tilted her head slightly. "Does it bother you that much?"
"Of course, it does! They're making it sound like I'm your personal servant or something," Kaito huffed.
Hana's lips twitched. "Well, you are helping me with the mural."
"That's not the same!" Kaito snapped, but his indignation only made Hana's lips curve further.
For a moment, Kaito stared, dumbfounded. Was she... smiling? It wasn't just her usual polite, fleeting expression—it was genuine, her eyes soft and her face lighting up in a way he hadn't seen before.
"Wait a second," Kaito said, leaning closer. "Are you actually smiling right now? You do have emotions!"
Hana rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress the small laugh that escaped her. "You're ridiculous."
"Oh, now you're laughing? Who are you, and what have you done with the real Hana Matsui?" Kaito teased, grinning.
"Stop it," Hana said, though her voice lacked its usual sharpness. She returned to her sketchbook, but the faint smile lingered on her face.
The Next Day
By the following morning, the rumors had taken on a life of their own. Haru, ever the opportunist, decided to stir the pot even more.
"So," Haru said loudly in class, leaning over his desk toward Kaito, "how's your date with Hana going? You two painting lovebirds planning a romantic getaway to the art room today?"
The entire class erupted in laughter, while Kaito buried his face in his hands.
"Shut up, Haru!" Kaito snapped.
"Oh, come on," Haru continued, smirking. "You're basically the school's hottest couple now. Own it, man!"
"WE'RE NOT A COUPLE!" Kaito shouted, his voice echoing through the room.
Just then, the classroom door slid open, and Hana walked in. She paused briefly at the scene, her eyes flicking to Kaito, who was still fuming.
Haru leaned toward Hana as she passed. "Hey, Matsui, how's the love life?"
Hana stopped, looking at him with a perfectly blank expression. "It's going great. Thanks for asking."
The class burst into cheers and whistles as Kaito stared at Hana, utterly betrayed.
"You're supposed to deny it!" he hissed when she took her seat.
Hana shrugged, her lips twitching in amusement. "Why? It's funny."
Kaito groaned, slumping over his desk.
Later That Afternoon
Back in the art room, Kaito couldn't stop grumbling about the day's events. Hana, as usual, seemed unbothered as she meticulously painted a section of the mural.
"You know, you could've helped me out back there," Kaito said, mixing paint on a palette. "Now everyone's going to think I'm some kind of lovesick puppy following you around."
Hana glanced at him, her expression unreadable. "Is that so bad?"
Kaito nearly dropped the paintbrush. "What's that supposed to mean?!"
Hana's faint smile returned. "Nothing. Just teasing you."
"You're impossible," Kaito muttered, but he couldn't help grinning.
For the first time in years, Hana felt lighter. The laughter and camaraderie she shared with Kaito were unfamiliar but strangely comforting. She didn't care about the rumors or the teasing; for once, she wasn't the quiet, invisible girl in the corner.
And for Kaito, the thought of being the reason behind Hana's rare smiles was something he couldn't quite put into words—but it warmed him in a way he hadn't expected.