The rooftop became Yuuto's sanctuary. Every lunchtime, he found himself there, escaping the noise of the school below. It wasn't just the quiet he sought—it was Rika. Something about her presence calmed the storm in his mind, even when she teased him or poked fun at his awkwardness.
But today, Rika wasn't there.
Yuuto stood by the railing, the cool wind brushing against his face. He had gotten used to seeing her, to hearing her sharp voice cut through his doubts. Without her, the rooftop felt oddly empty. He pulled out his phone, wondering if he should text her, but then stopped himself. He didn't even have her number.
"Guess I'm on my own today," he muttered.
Just as he was about to leave, the door to the rooftop creaked open. Yuuto turned, expecting to see Rika. But instead, a girl he didn't recognize stepped through.
She was tall and willowy, with pale skin and hair so black it seemed to absorb the light. Her uniform was immaculate, the skirt pressed and her tie perfectly straight. But it was her eyes that caught Yuuto's attention—icy blue and piercing, like they could see straight through him.
"Hello," she said, her voice soft but unnervingly steady.
"Uh… hi?" Yuuto replied, unsure of what to make of her.
The girl stepped closer, her movements deliberate. "You're Yuuto Kisaragi, right?"
"How do you know my name?"
She smiled faintly, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I've heard a lot about you."
Yuuto frowned, feeling a prickle of unease. "From who?"
"Does it matter?" she said, tilting her head. "You've been causing quite the stir lately. Reina Sugihara, Rika Aikawa… It seems like you have a talent for attracting interesting people."
Yuuto's chest tightened. There was something about her tone—calm, almost playful—that put him on edge. "Who are you?"
The girl stepped closer, her gaze never leaving his. "Eva," she said simply. "I transferred here last week. I've been… observing."
"Observing?" Yuuto repeated, his unease growing.
Eva nodded, her expression unreadable. "You're fascinating, Yuuto. The way you chase after things that hurt you. The way you cling to people who barely notice you. It's… tragic, really."
"Excuse me?" Yuuto said, his voice rising. "Who do you think you are?"
"I told you. I'm Eva." She smiled again, that same cold, calculated smile. "And I think we're going to be very good friends."
The encounter with Eva left Yuuto shaken. He spent the rest of the day distracted, her words replaying in his mind. There was something off about her, something he couldn't quite put into words.
By the time school ended, he was exhausted. He didn't want to think about Reina, or Rika, or Eva. He just wanted to go home and sleep.
But as he walked toward the school gate, he spotted Rika leaning against a lamppost, her arms crossed and a scowl on her face.
"Finally," she said when she saw him. "I've been waiting forever."
"Waiting for me?" Yuuto asked, surprised.
"Don't flatter yourself," Rika said, rolling her eyes. "I just wanted to see if you'd show up."
Yuuto raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Rika shrugged. "You've been acting weird lately. I wanted to make sure you weren't, I don't know, spiraling or something."
Yuuto couldn't help but laugh, the tension in his chest easing slightly. "I'm fine, Rika. Thanks for worrying about me, though."
"Who said I was worried?" she shot back, but there was a flicker of softness in her eyes.
They walked together for a while, the silence between them comfortable. But Yuuto couldn't shake the memory of Eva's words, the way she had looked at him like he was a puzzle she was determined to solve.
"Hey, Rika," he said finally. "Do you know a girl named Eva?"
Rika frowned, glancing at him. "Eva? No. Why?"
"She's a transfer student. I met her on the rooftop today. She… knew a lot about me. It was weird."
Rika's expression darkened. "What did she say?"
Yuuto hesitated, unsure of how to explain. "She said I was fascinating. That I chase after things that hurt me. It felt like she was… analyzing me."
Rika stopped walking, her eyes narrowing. "That's creepy. Did she threaten you or anything?"
"No," Yuuto said quickly. "But it felt… off. Like she was trying to get under my skin."
Rika crossed her arms, her jaw tightening. "Sounds like trouble. You should stay away from her."
Yuuto nodded, but deep down, he knew it wouldn't be that simple.
That night, Yuuto couldn't sleep. He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling as Eva's words echoed in his mind. The way you chase after things that hurt you… It's tragic, really.
Was she right? Had he been wasting his time on people who didn't care about him? Reina's apology had felt sincere, but it hadn't erased the pain of her rejection. And Rika…
He sat up, running a hand through his hair. Rika had been there for him when he needed someone most. She'd pulled him out of the darkness, made him laugh when he thought he couldn't. But she'd also made it clear that she didn't do relationships, that she didn't want to get too close.
And now there was Eva, with her piercing gaze and cryptic words. She was a stranger, but she seemed to know more about him than he knew about himself.
Yuuto sighed, rubbing his temples. His life had become a tangled mess, and he didn't know how to untangle it.
But one thing was certain: Eva wasn't going to disappear.
The next morning, Yuuto found a note in his locker. The handwriting was neat and precise, the words written in black ink.
Meet me on the rooftop after school. – Eva
Yuuto stared at the note, his stomach twisting. He wanted to ignore it, to crumple it up and throw it away. But curiosity gnawed at him, and before he knew it, the note was tucked into his pocket.
When the final bell rang, Yuuto made his way to the rooftop, his heart pounding in his chest. He didn't know what he was expecting, but the sight of Eva standing by the railing sent a shiver down his spine.
"You came," she said, her voice calm.
"Why did you want to meet me?" Yuuto asked, keeping his distance.
Eva turned to face him, her expression unreadable. "Because you intrigue me, Yuuto. You're like a moth drawn to the flame, even when you know it will burn you. I want to understand why."
Yuuto frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means you're stuck," Eva said, her tone sharper now. "You're caught between the past and the present, between the people you want and the people you need. And you don't even realize it."
Yuuto clenched his fists, anger bubbling in his chest. "You don't know anything about me."
Eva stepped closer, her icy blue eyes locking onto his. "Don't I?"
For a moment, they stood there in silence, the tension thick between them. Then Eva smiled, a cold, knowing smile.
"You'll see," she said softly. "Soon enough, you'll understand."
And with that, she walked past him, leaving Yuuto alone on the rooftop, his mind racing with questions he couldn't answer.
For the next few days, Yuuto couldn't escape Eva's presence. She was always there—in the hallway, in the classroom, even in his dreams. Her words haunted him, filling his mind with doubts and fears he didn't know how to confront.
And yet, despite everything, he couldn't bring himself to push her away.
Because deep down, a part of him wanted to know the truth.