Ryo asked, "Can you get off of me?"
"Yeah, sorry," Miku replied.
Both of them stood awkwardly.
Ryo asked, "What's your name?"
"You don't know me."
"No."
"You can call me Miku."
She was shorter than him, about 5'5", with long black hair and piercing blue eyes. She stared, making direct eye contact with Ryo, but he glanced away.
"There's nothing here," she said.
"I know."
"I just… you know…" he trailed off, looking at the books. Suddenly, he added, "Can you button your shirt?"
"Oh. That. Sorry."
Miku adjusted her shirt. "Now you can look."
He turned and finally took in her face properly. *She's glowing*, he whispered to himself.
"Hmm?" she responded.
"Nothing," Ryo said quickly. "We should leave this area."
"Why?"
"If someone comes here and sees us together… it won't be good. They'll assume something."
"Let's go to the history section," Miku suggested.
As they walked, Ryo asked, "Where's your class?"
"Next to yours," she said.
*Next to my class?* Ryo thought. *I've never seen her before.*
They reached the history section—a cramped space with one wall blocked by eight-foot-tall racks and a small table with four chairs in the center.
"Here. Take a seat." said ryo.
"Thank you," she said.
Ryo checked his watch. *30 minutes until the period ends.* He sat opposite Miku, tension lingering in the air.
"Why'd you ask me to find your… *boobs*?" he blurted.
"Because I know more about you than anyone here."
"What do you mean?"
"The reason you dropped out of your previous high school after one year and joined this school for your second year. The *lunchbox incident*."
Ryo froze. "How do you know about that?"
"I have friends from your last school. One told me everything—like how you 'solved' the lunchbox problem."
Ryo looked down, fists clenched.
"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone," Miku said softly.
"Are you blackmailing me?"
"No. I'm just saying I *know* you."
"Did she say I was the one who—"
**Miku interrupted:** "No! No—I've known her since we were five. She's actually really kind, and we don't hide anything from each other. She's the first person I told about my… *boob* going missing. And she told me about *you*. That's why I came to you—because she's the only person who's always there for me. I trust her more than myself, and she trusts you… so I trust you."
She paused, then continued: "She told me a girl named Sakura falsely accused you. You did nothing wrong. Is *that* the reason you stopped talking to girls?"
"No. I'm just trying to avoid problems—that's all."
"I'm sorry. I just brought a new problem to you.""Sorry for the trouble." She stood up and started walking away. "I'll find my boobs myself."
Ryo looked at her. Memories from the past flooded his mind.
"Grandma, I didn't do anything wrong," he had said once.
"I know, my dear. I know you didn't do anything wrong."
"Thanks for believing in me," Ryo had replied.
"Ryo, you helped her even though you knew it could hurt you. Remember, when you live among evil, it's easy to be evil. But to be good, it requires strength and courage. You have it, Ryo. I am very proud of what you did. Don't let evil consume you."
"Miku," he called.
She turned and looked at him.
"Can boobs grow in a single day?"
"No."
He recalled what Shin had said during the break period"Ryo , yumi boob got bigger overnight""To find your… *breasts*… I know where to start."
Miku smiled faintly.
Ryo met her gaze, his expression resolute. "I'll find your *boobs*, no matter what."