The next morning, Itsuki arrived at school a little earlier than usual.
He walked through the corridor with his school bag hanging from one shoulder, still half-asleep.
"Why did I wake up so early…"
He yawned.
Then he heard a familiar voice behind him.
"Itsuki."
He stopped.
He turned around.
Aoi was standing a few steps away, holding her white cane in one hand.
Her head was slightly tilted toward him.
"I recognized your footsteps."
Itsuki blinked.
"You can really recognize people that easily?"
"Yes."
Aoi smiled.
"Your footsteps are slightly uneven."
"Uneven?!"
Itsuki immediately looked down at his shoes.
"What's wrong with my walking?!"
Aoi giggled.
"I didn't say it was bad."
"It sounded like an insult!"
"It wasn't."
Itsuki sighed.
"Good."
Aoi slowly walked toward him.
Her cane lightly tapped the floor.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
She stopped beside him.
"Itsuki."
"Yeah?"
"Which way is our classroom?"
Itsuki pointed.
"It's this way."
Aoi paused.
"You pointed."
Itsuki froze.
"…Oh."
Aoi smiled.
"I can't see where you pointed."
Itsuki covered his face.
"I'm sorry."
"You don't have to apologize."
She raised her hand.
"Just tell me."
"Right. Sorry again."
Aoi laughed.
"You apologize too much."
Itsuki scratched his cheek.
"I guess I'm still learning."
"That's okay."
They began walking together.
Aoi moved confidently, using her cane to detect the floor and nearby obstacles.
Itsuki noticed that she didn't need him to guide every step.
She knew the route.
She simply needed someone to describe unfamiliar things when necessary.
As they reached the classroom door, Itsuki opened it.
"Here we are."
Aoi stepped inside.
"Thank you."
"No problem."
Itsuki walked toward his desk.
Aoi followed the sound of his footsteps.
Then she suddenly stopped.
"Itsuki."
"Hm?"
"You're very close."
Itsuki looked around.
He realized he had stopped directly in front of her.
"Oh."
He immediately stepped backward.
"Sorry!"
Aoi raised an eyebrow.
"I can tell when you're close."
"How?"
"Your breathing."
Itsuki's face became completely serious.
"That sounds terrifying."
Aoi burst out laughing.
"I'm blind, not a ghost!"
"That's exactly what a ghost would say!"
"Itsuki!"
Several students turned toward them.
Yuna stared from across the classroom.
Ren whispered,
"They've already started."
Yuna narrowed her eyes.
"Started what?"
Ren shrugged.
"I don't know."
Yuna crossed her arms.
"But something is happening."
Meanwhile, Aoi reached for her desk.
She touched the edge.
"Is this my seat?"
"Yes."
Itsuki moved the chair slightly.
"It's right here."
Aoi carefully touched the back of the chair before sitting down.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
Aoi placed her cane beside the desk.
Then she pulled out her notebook.
"What's written on the board?"
Itsuki looked toward the front.
"The teacher wrote today's schedule."
"Can you read it?"
"Sure."
He began reading it aloud.
Aoi listened carefully.
She didn't need to look at the board.
She simply memorized what he said.
"Math first. Then history. Lunch at twelve-thirty. Club activities after school."
"Got it."
Itsuki smiled.
"You memorize things quickly."
"I have to."
Aoi tapped her notebook.
"When you can't rely on your eyes, you learn to remember other things."
Itsuki became quiet.
He understood what she meant.
Aoi wasn't asking anyone to feel sorry for her.
She had simply learned how to live differently.
Then—
"Good morning, everyone!"
The teacher entered.
The classroom became quiet.
Aoi sat straight.
Itsuki returned to his seat.
And from the other side of the classroom, someone was watching.
Hotaru.
She couldn't hear the conversation clearly.
But she could see Itsuki talking with Aoi.
She watched as he helped Aoi find her chair.
Then she saw him read the board aloud for her.
Hotaru's expression changed slightly.
She didn't understand why.
She simply kept looking.
Why am I watching them?
She lowered her eyes.
Then she looked again.
Itsuki laughed at something Aoi said.
Aoi laughed too.
Hotaru felt something strange inside her chest.
A small irritation.
A tiny discomfort.
She didn't know what it was.
She had no reason to feel that way.
Aoi was simply a new student.
Itsuki was simply a classmate.
So why…
Why does this bother me?
Hotaru looked away.
Her fingers tightened slightly around her pen.
She tried to concentrate on the lesson.
But a few minutes later—
Her attention drifted back.
Itsuki was helping Aoi with the pages in her textbook.
Hotaru frowned.
Again…
She didn't like that feeling.
She didn't even know what the feeling was.
It was as if something inside her was quietly whispering—
Look at me.
Hotaru immediately shook her head.
What am I thinking?
She touched her forehead.
"This is strange…"
The student sitting beside her looked over.
"What happened?"
Hotaru quickly shook her head.
"Nothing."
Her robotic voice answered through the device around her neck.
But it wasn't nothing.
Not anymore.
During lunch, Itsuki, Yuna, Ren, and Haruto gathered together.
Aoi sat beside Itsuki.
Yuna looked at them.
Then at Itsuki.
Then at Aoi.
Then back at Itsuki.
Itsuki noticed.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Yuna smiled suspiciously.
"Nothing."
"That smile says everything."
Ren laughed.
"You're in trouble."
"What did I do?!"
Yuna pointed at Aoi.
"You've known her for, what, two days?"
"Yeah?"
"And she's already sitting beside you every lunch."
Aoi tilted her head.
"Is that a problem?"
Yuna immediately smiled.
"No."
Then she leaned toward Itsuki.
"But I'm watching you."
Itsuki sighed.
"Why does everyone keep watching me?"
Haruto laughed.
"Because you're entertaining."
"I don't want to be entertaining!"
Aoi suddenly raised her hand.
"I have a question."
Everyone looked at her.
Well—
Everyone except Aoi, who couldn't see their reactions.
"What?"
"Why is Yuna staring at Itsuki?"
Yuna froze.
Ren started laughing.
Itsuki covered his mouth.
Haruto nearly choked on his drink.
Yuna pointed at Aoi.
"How did you know?!"
Aoi smiled.
"Your breathing changed."
Silence.
Ren slowly turned toward Yuna.
"She got you."
Yuna's face became red.
"I wasn't doing anything!"
Aoi giggled.
"You don't have to be embarrassed."
"I'M NOT EMBARRASSED!"
Itsuki burst out laughing.
For the first time in a while, the lunch break felt completely normal.
No painful memories.
No guilt.
No heavy thoughts.
Just friends laughing together.
But from the hallway outside the classroom—
Hotaru stopped.
She could hear the laughter from inside.
She looked through the classroom window.
Her eyes landed on Itsuki.
Then Aoi.
Again.
That strange feeling returned.
Hotaru placed one hand against her chest.
Why?
She didn't remember the childhood connection between them.
She didn't remember the boy who had once stood in front of her family.
She didn't remember the truth behind her missing eye.
Those memories were still buried somewhere beyond her reach.
Yet…
Something inside her reacted whenever she saw Itsuki with Aoi.
It wasn't a memory.
It wasn't understanding.
It was simply a feeling.
A feeling she couldn't explain.
Hotaru quietly turned away from the classroom.
Her robotic voice whispered softly.
"I don't understand…"
She walked down the corridor.
Behind her, the sound of Itsuki laughing continued.
And somewhere deep inside Hotaru's heart—
A tiny, unfamiliar jealousy had already begun to grow.