Yamabuki couldn't stop thinking.
About yesterday.
About the water.
About her words.
"If you get too close… you won't be able to go back."
"…What does that even mean…" he muttered.
Morning – School Bathroom
The sound of running water echoed softly.
Yamabuki stood in front of the mirror, splashing cold water on his face.
"Get it together…" he sighed.
He looked up.
His reflection stared back at him.
Normal.
Tired.
Confused.
"…Yeah. That's me."
But then—
The bathroom door opened behind him.
Yamabuki glanced through the mirror.
Someone walked in.
Long hair. Calm steps.
Naya.
His body stiffened instantly.
She walked toward the sink beside him.
Without saying a word.
Silence filled the room.
Only the sound of dripping water remained.
The Reflection
Yamabuki tried to ignore her.
Tried.
But his eyes… kept drifting toward the mirror.
Toward her reflection.
Something felt…
Off.
He frowned slightly.
Wait…
Naya raised her hand to fix her hair.
Yamabuki blinked.
In the mirror—
For just a split second…
The movement felt delayed.
Like it didn't match perfectly.
"…Huh?"
He leaned closer to the mirror.
But everything looked normal again.
Did I imagine that?
Tension
"Staring at mirrors now?"
Naya's voice broke the silence.
Yamabuki jumped slightly.
"I-I wasn't staring!-!
"…You were."
Her tone was calm.
But there was something underneath it.
Something tense.
Yamabuki scratched his head.
"…You came to the wrong place."
Naya froze.
For a second.
"…What do you mean?"
Yamabuki looked at her.
"…This is the boys' bathroom."
Silence.
A long, heavy silence.
Then—
Naya's eyes widened just a little.
For the first time…
She looked genuinely shaken.
The Crack
"…I know," she said quietly.
But her voice wasn't steady.
Yamabuki noticed.
Of course he did.
"Then why are you here?"
Naya didn't answer.
Her fingers tightened slightly on the edge of the sink.
The air felt heavy.
Like something invisible was about to break.
Then—
She stepped closer.
Too close.
Yamabuki's heart started racing again.
"…You really don't understand, do you?" she whispered.
"Understand what?"
Naya looked at him.
Straight into his eyes.
Her expression… wasn't perfect anymore.
It was scared.
"…That's why I told you not to come closer."
Yamabuki froze.
His mind raced.
The mirror.
The reflection.
The words.
Everything started connecting—
"…Naya…?"
He took a step forward.
And that's when—
She grabbed his wrist.
Tightly.
"Stop."
Her voice was sharp.
Different.
Not soft.
Not calm.
Real.
Yamabuki's breath caught.
"…Don't look at me like that."
"…Like what?"
"…Like you're about to figure it out."
Silence.
His heart was pounding.
Loud.
Fast.
Uncontrollable.
"…Then tell me," he said quietly.
Naya's grip tightened.
For a moment…
It felt like she would.
Like everything would finally come out.
But then—
She let go.
"…No."
She stepped back.
Her expression returning to that perfect calm mask.
"I can't."
Ending
Naya turned toward the door.
But before leaving—
She stopped.
"…If you find out…"
Her voice softened.
"…you might hate me."
Yamabuki stared at her.
"…I won't."
She didn't respond.
And then—
She walked away.
Leaving Yamabuki alone.
Standing in front of the mirror.
His reflection staring back at him.
But now…
It didn't feel normal anymore.
Yamabuki walks out of bathroom,
completely shaken—
"BRO!!"
Takumi suddenly appears.
Yamabuki almost jumps.
"WHY ARE YOU SCREAMING?!"
Takumi grabs his shoulders.
"WHY did you come out of the boys'
bathroom… WITH THE GODDESS?!"
"…WHAT?!"
Two random students nearby:
"WAIT WHAT—?!"
"THEY WERE TOGETHER INSIDE?!"
Yamabuki panics.
"IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK!!"
Takumi smirks:
"…So what should we think?"
Yamabuki internally:
I'm going to die.