[Scene: The Next Morning – Aoi's Internal Struggle]
The morning sun filtered through the windows of the school, but Aoi sat at her desk, barely noticing it. Her fingers tapped nervously on the edge of her notebook.
She hadn't been able to stop thinking about what happened on the rooftop. Ryo's words, his touch, the way he had looked at her—it was all too much.
Her heart raced every time she thought about it. She had never expected things to get so complicated.
Why does it feel so different now?
Aoi glanced at Ryo, who was laughing with his friends, completely unaware of the turmoil inside her. Why does he have to be so...
She bit her lip, feeling a wave of frustration building up inside her. She couldn't just keep pretending everything was fine.
But if I tell him…
Aoi's thoughts were interrupted when Ryo suddenly looked in her direction. His eyes met hers, and he smiled. It was a warm, comforting smile, but to Aoi, it felt like an invitation to something more—something she wasn't sure she was ready for.
She quickly turned away, her heart pounding. No. I can't be this weak.
[Scene: Lunchtime – The Challenge Continues]
At lunch, Ryo walked up to Aoi's usual spot. As usual, she was eating alone.
"Hey, Aoi," he said, flashing a teasing grin. "How are you feeling today? Still mad at me for yesterday?"
Aoi glared at him, her face still flushed from the events of the previous day. "I told you to stop messing with me, Ryo."
Ryo leaned over the table, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "I'm not messing with you. I'm just making sure you're not overthinking things."
Aoi narrowed her eyes. "I'm not overthinking. You're just trying to make me act like I'm a mess."
"Am I?" Ryo raised an eyebrow. "I think you're the one making yourself a mess, Aoi."
Aoi froze. Was he calling her out on purpose? Did he know what was going on in her head?
She looked away quickly, biting her lip. "I'm not making myself a mess. Just leave me alone."
Ryo's expression softened for a second, and he sat down beside her. "Aoi, you know you don't have to pretend around me, right?"
Aoi's heart skipped a beat. "I'm not pretending."
Ryo tilted his head, clearly unconvinced. "I think you are."
Aoi clenched her fists, frustration bubbling up. "Stop acting like you know everything, okay?"
"Okay," Ryo said, his voice unexpectedly serious. "But you don't have to push me away, Aoi. I'm your friend. I'm here for you."
Aoi's breath caught in her throat. She wanted to yell, to run away, to hide from these conflicting feelings.
But before she could respond, she felt a presence approach them.
[Scene: A Sudden Appearance – Miyu Enters]
"Hey, you two."
It was Miyu.
She had been watching them from a distance, and now she approached with a knowing smile.
Ryo raised an eyebrow. "Miyu? What's up?"
Miyu smirked, glancing between the two of them. "I just thought I'd drop by and see how things are going."
Aoi's nerves spiked. Oh no, not now.
Miyu grinned. "Well, Ryo, it looks like you've been spending a lot of time with Aoi. You must be really close now, huh?"
Ryo smiled at her. "Yeah, we've always been close."
But Miyu's smile faltered slightly as she looked at Aoi. There was an edge to her tone. "Really? That's interesting."
Aoi felt a pang of guilt twist in her stomach. Miyu knows. She knows how much I'm struggling.
Miyu leaned in, her voice lowering. "So, Aoi, what do you think of Ryo, huh? Have you figured that out yet?"
Aoi's eyes widened. What does she mean by that?
Before Aoi could answer, Miyu turned to Ryo, her smirk returning. "Don't worry, Ryo. I'm sure Aoi will get there. I'm just giving her a little push."
Aoi stood up abruptly, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. "What do you mean by that, Miyu?"
Miyu winked, her smile a mix of playfulness and mischief. "You'll figure it out, Aoi. It's not hard to tell when someone's feelings are all over the place."
Aoi felt her cheeks burn. Is Miyu making things worse on purpose?
But before she could respond, Miyu was already walking away, leaving Aoi and Ryo in silence.
Ryo looked at Aoi with concern in his eyes. "Aoi, you okay?"
Aoi couldn't hold it in anymore. "No! I'm not okay, Ryo!"
Ryo blinked in surprise. "What?"
Aoi's voice trembled. "I… I don't know what to do anymore. Everything feels so confusing. You… you're always teasing me, and I don't know if you're serious or not!"
Ryo's face softened. "Aoi…"
"I don't know what I'm supposed to feel!" Aoi shouted, causing a few heads to turn in their direction. "I thought I could just be your friend, but now everything feels so weird. Why did you have to choose me? Why did you have to make me feel like this?!"
Ryo's eyes widened, and he took a step closer to her. "Aoi…"
But Aoi shook her head, her tears threatening to spill. "I didn't want this, Ryo. I didn't want to feel like I was… something more to you. But now it's too late, and I don't know how to handle it!"
Ryo hesitated for a moment before taking a deep breath. He placed his hand on Aoi's shoulder, his voice gentle. "Aoi… maybe you're overthinking it too much. You don't have to have everything figured out right now."
Aoi looked up at him, her breath shaky. "But… what if I'm wrong?"
Ryo smiled softly, his hand still on her shoulder. "You're not wrong, Aoi. Just take it one step at a time. Whatever happens, I'll be here."
For the first time in a long while, Aoi let herself breathe, her heart slowing down.
Maybe, just maybe, things would be okay.
[Scene: After School – The Hidden Truth]
Later that evening, Aoi sat alone in her room, staring out the window at the setting sun.
She couldn't stop thinking about Ryo's words. "I'll be here."
But there was still so much left unsaid.
And deep down, Aoi knew that she wasn't the only one who had something to figure out.
[To Be Continued…]