– The Art of Pretending
The next day, Aoi Sakamura didn't come to the rooftop.
Rin told himself he didn't care.
It wasn't like they were friends. It wasn't like yesterday meant anything.
But as he sat alone, staring at the same city skyline, he couldn't shake the thought: How many times had she stood in a crowded room, pretending she wasn't drowning?
He exhaled sharply, shaking the thought away. It wasn't his problem.
The bell rang. Lunch was over. Another pointless afternoon. Another meaningless set of hours to get through.
---
Back in the classroom, Aoi sat at her desk, surrounded by her usual group. She laughed at something one of them said, her voice carrying easily over the chatter.
Perfectly normal. Perfectly fine.
Rin turned away. He shouldn't have expected anything different.
But as the teacher droned on, he felt it again—that strange, gnawing feeling that wouldn't leave him alone.
When the final bell rang, students poured out of the room, eager for freedom. Rin moved slower, stuffing his books into his bag without urgency.
"You coming, Aoi?" one of her friends called.
"Nah, I'll catch up later," she replied.
Rin glanced at her. That was new.
By the time he stepped into the hallway, Aoi was right behind him.
"You're gonna pretend yesterday didn't happen, huh?" she said casually, falling into step beside him.
Rin frowned. "What do you mean?"
Aoi stretched her arms above her head, her expression unreadable. "Y'know. Talking about how exhausting it is to exist and all that."
Rin stiffened. "I never said that."
"You didn't have to." She shot him a knowing look. "You think I don't recognize it? The way you act like everything's fine, like nothing gets to you?"
Her voice was light, teasing—but there was something sharp underneath. Something that felt like the truth.
"I don't act like anything," Rin muttered.
Aoi laughed, shaking her head. "Sure. And I totally love being the center of attention."
They reached the school gates. The sun was setting, washing the sky in dull orange and pink. Aoi stuffed her hands into her jacket pockets, kicking at a loose rock on the pavement.
"Wanna grab a drink or something?" she asked.
Rin blinked. "What?"
"You don't talk much, but you're not annoying. Might as well hang out." She smirked. "Unless you're scared of social interaction."
Rin stared at her.
This girl—she was exhausting. Unpredictable. And yet…
"Fine," he muttered.
Aoi grinned. "Cool. There's a vending machine near the park. My treat."
As they walked, Rin couldn't help but think: Maybe he wasn't the only one who was tired of pretending.