The next day went by faster than I expected.
The next day passed faster than I expected.
When I walked into the classroom, Kira was already sitting at her desk. She looked up, smiled, and gave a small wave.
"Morning."
"…Morning."
For some reason, seeing her smile made me feel a little less nervous.
As the days went by, we talked more than before. Sometimes about school, sometimes about our teachers, and sometimes about nothing at all. The conversations were simple, but they never felt awkward.
They felt… natural.
After school, Kira stopped me near the classroom door.
"Cody."
I turned around.
"Are you walking home?"
"…Yeah."
She smiled.
"Then let's go together."
As we walked through the streets, Kira kicked a small pebble along the sidewalk before looking over at me.
"Would you… like to hang out this weekend?"
I blinked.
"…Sure."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Her smile grew a little brighter.
"Good."
She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone.
"Here."
I looked at her in confusion.
"So we can keep in touch."
"…Oh."
I took her phone and entered my number before handing it back.
It wasn't a big moment. There were no fireworks. No dramatic confession.
Just a smile.
Yet somehow…
That smile stayed with me all the way home.
I never noticed the girls watching us from across the street. I never heard their quiet laughter.
All I knew was that, for the first time in a long while…
Someone had chosen me.
The weekend arrived.
I woke up earlier than usual. The first thing I did was check my phone.
Kira.
Her name was still there.
A smile slowly spread across my face.
She was the first girl who had ever asked to spend time with me outside of school.
"…Calm down," I laughed quietly to myself.
"We're just hanging out."
Even so, I changed my shirt twice before leaving the house. I didn't want to keep her waiting.
When I arrived at the park, Kira was already there.
"There you are."
"…Sorry if I kept you waiting."
"You didn't."
She smiled.
"I just got here."
The two of us spent the afternoon walking through the park and talking about school, our hobbies, and the little things that made us laugh.
Nothing extraordinary happened.
Yet…
I didn't want the day to end.
As the sun began to set, we stopped near the park entrance.
"I'm glad you came," Kira said.
"…Me too."
We waved goodbye and headed home.
That night, I fell asleep with a smile on my face.
Maybe…
Things were finally changing.
The next morning, I walked into school feeling lighter than I had in years.
Near the entrance, I spotted Kira.
"Kira!"
She turned around.
But this time…
She wasn't alone.
Several girls stood beside her. The moment they looked at me, something felt wrong.
I slowed to a stop as Kira quietly walked toward me. She couldn't even meet my eyes.
"…I'm sorry."
I frowned.
"Sorry… for what?"
One of the girls laughed.
"You actually believed it?"
Another crossed her arms.
"It was just a game."
"She never liked you."
For a moment, I couldn't understand what they were saying.
I looked at Kira.
She lowered her head.
She never denied it.
Yesterday…
The smiles. The laughter. Her number. The afternoon we spent together.
None of it was real.
It had all been a joke.
I felt my chest tighten. My throat burned, but no tears came.
I simply stood there, feeling smaller than I ever had before.
Without saying another word, I walked past them and into the school.
Behind me, I could still hear them laughing.
That was the day I started believing…
Maybe I really was a loser.
END OF CHAPTER 5