Kyujaki's gaze shifted to the corner of the room, where he noticed a girl in a white uniform with a pleated skirt, identical to the others. A ribbon was neatly tied in her white hair, and her eyes were fixed directly on him.
"Umm… can we talk?" she asked, her voice low but clear.
Kyujaki averted his gaze slightly, his expression unreadable. "Talk about what?"
The girl leaned in a little closer, lowering her voice further. "Somewhere… not here."
For a brief moment, silence hung between them.
Then Kyujaki stood up without another word and began walking toward the corridor.
A second later, the girl rose from her seat and followed him, her steps quiet but deliberate as the noise of the classroom faded behind them.
Kyujaki stepped out of the classroom and stopped beside the corridor wall, the noise from inside fading into a dull background hum.
Moments later, the girl followed and came to his right side. She hesitated, fidgeting slightly before speaking.
"Okay, Shin… so, umm…" she paused, struggling to find the words. "Come to my house… we'll play… together."
Kyujaki stared at her, clearly caught off guard. "Your house…?"
"Yes?" she replied, giving him a slightly uncertain, questioning look.
Kyujaki narrowed his eyes, studying her for a brief moment. Then, with a short breath—"Fine."
Her expression immediately brightened into a small smile. "Okay, see you after school."
Without waiting further, the white-haired girl turned and began walking toward the stairs leading to the lower floor, her steps light as she disappeared from view.
Kyujaki remained where he stood for a second longer, the simplicity of her request lingering oddly in his mind.
Kyujaki muttered quietly in his mind,
She's Inumaki-san… the daughter of an imperial family… whatever.
His eyes drifted to the corridor walls, painted in deep red, their color oddly heavy against his thoughts.
I don't know why she's interested in me.
He remained still for a moment, lost in thought.
…Well, a lot has happened in the past. I can't just ignore this.
Shaking his head lightly, as if pushing the thoughts aside, Kyujaki began walking toward the stairs. Step by step, he descended through each level until he reached the first floor.
Without hesitation, he moved outside, the open air hitting him as he crossed the grounds and arrived at the main gate.
There, Ray was already standing beside it.
Their eyes met.
A brief silence passed between them—unspoken, but loaded.
Kyujaki broke the silence with a faint, brighter smile. "Hey… Ray, want to go together?"
Ray gave a short nod. "Yes."
Without another word, they started walking.
The streets stretched ahead of them, lined with passing cars, scattered shops, and the distant hum of the city. People moved around them, conversations blending into the background noise, but neither of them spoke.
Ray walked in silence, his expression calm and unreadable. Kyujaki, too, showed little reaction, his earlier thoughts still lingering beneath the surface.
Step by step, they moved forward—passing through Marunouchi and along the Namboku subway lines, crossing under the structure of the Shuto Expressway.
Eventually, they descended back into the Neji area, the surroundings growing quieter and more familiar as the city noise faded behind them.
In the kitchen, a woman stood washing utensils, the soft sound of water filling the space. Hearing the call—"Mom"—she paused, wiping her hands lightly before walking toward the main door.
She grasped the handle and pulled it open.
Kyujaki stepped inside, closing the door behind him. For a brief moment, his eyes met his mother's.
"…How was your day?" she asked with a gentle smile.
"Fine," Kyujaki replied in his usual tone—calm, neutral, offering nothing more.
The quiet of the house settled around them, a familiar stillness, yet something in Kyujaki's demeanor felt slightly distant, as if his thoughts were still elsewhere.
Kyujaki walked toward the stairs and made his way up to the upper floor. Reaching his door, he opened it and stepped into his bedroom before closing it behind him.
Without wasting time, he changed out of his uniform, neatly placing it into the drawer beside his bed. He pulled on a simple T-shirt, the casual fabric a contrast to the structured uniform from earlier.
Then he lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling for a moment.
What should I do…?
The question lingered in his mind.
After a pause, his gaze shifted toward the window across the room. The light from outside stretched faintly inside, distant and quiet, as if calling his attention.
Kyujaki remained still, eyes fixed on it—lost in thought, the weight of the day slowly catching up to him.
Kyujaki closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them with quiet resolve. He rose from the bed and pulled open the lower drawer, taking out a set of casual clothes.
Downstairs, his mother sat at the dining table, carefully cutting apples and arranging them neatly in a bowl. The soft clink of the knife echoed faintly in the quiet house.
She glanced toward the corridor—and saw Kyujaki walking past.
He was dressed differently now: a green shirt layered over a red T-shirt, paired with long black jeans. His steps were steady, almost deliberate, as he headed toward the main door.
"Where are you going?" she asked, her voice calm but attentive.
Kyujaki paused and looked at her.
"Well… I'm going to a… friend's house," he replied, hesitating slightly on the last words.
For a brief second, the air between them felt still—his answer simple, yet carrying something unspoken beneath it.
Kyujaki quickened his pace toward the door and pushed it open. His mother peeked from the nearby corridor, watching him silently as he stepped out.
He closed the door behind him and entered the streets of Neji area, his eyes scanning every corner—walls, gates, and the facades of nearby apartments. The neighborhood felt familiar yet distant, each detail catching his attention as he moved.
Sunlight streamed down, sharp and direct, striking his face. The warm light made him flinch slightly, tension crawling up his shoulders as he walked. He adjusted his pace, feeling the sunlight press against him like a weight he couldn't quite shrug off.
The streets stretched ahead, quiet except for the faint hum of daily life, but Kyujaki's mind felt anything but calm.
Kyujaki continued walking, his eyes scanning each apartment and house along the street. Eventually, he stopped before a gate painted a deep, vivid red. Its upper frame held a precise rectangular design, and two violet-colored squares flanked the sides, adding a strange, almost ceremonial touch.
He noticed a camera mounted on the wall near the gate, its lens tracking him as he approached. Kyujaki raised a hand and gave a casual wave, half in acknowledgment, half testing the system.
Almost instantly, the gate began to move, sliding open automatically with a soft mechanical hum. Kyujaki stepped through, entering the space beyond, feeling a subtle shift in atmosphere as he crossed the threshold.