[Sakurano: I'm going out with a friend today, sorry. As for the books, could I borrow them to read next week?]
[Shiori: I've made plans with a friend today~ Let's go to the accessory shop next time!]
[Yua: I have plans. Sorry.]
After typing the last word, she let out a long sigh and placed her phone face down on her lap. So tired.
It was clearly just rejecting invitations, so why did it feel more exhausting than running eight hundred meters?
She turned her head to look at Rin beside her.
Her white profile was elegant, her head bowed slightly, her gaze fixed on the phone screen, her thumb occasionally sliding across it. It seemed she was chatting with someone too. She was quite focused.
Reina opened her mouth, wanting to start a conversation. But as the words reached her lips, seeing the other person's serious expression, she swallowed them back.
The carriage was very quiet; what filled her ears most was the rhythmic roar of the train and the occasional announcement of the station.
The only thing that could barely be called noise was the sound effect from a short video leaking from some passenger's phone in the distance.
Her gaze shifted over there quietly again. Rin was still typing.
It looked like a chat page on the screen; the other person's avatar was a blurry silhouette, and the nickname was hard to see clearly, only vaguely showing a few characters... something like "Melancholy".
Is she chatting with a friend? Come to think of it... who is this?
Reina blinked, her gaze lingering on the screen a moment longer. Then, a thought suddenly popped into her head.
I really want to see the note Rin has for me.
No, to be precise, I want to see that wish Rin made back at the Astronomy Club that she wrote in the notes.
She had hidden it so well back then, keeping her hands behind her back the whole time, not letting even a sliver of the screen show. What on earth could it be?
[Look, why don't you look!]
[Go for it, Reina, you know what we all want to see]
[Production team, stop teasing us. With Rin's ascetic demeanor, I'm genuinely curious what wish she made]
[Of course it's to be with me forever]
[Speechless, where did that come from]
Reina bit her lip. But doing this... wouldn't it be a bit bad? Peeking at someone else's phone or something, it felt a bit excessive.
But in the end, curiosity overcame reason. Just one look. Just one tiny look!
She stealthily inched toward Rin's side, her movements as light as a cat sneaking around, her eyes straining to catch a glimpse in the direction of the phone screen.
Rin didn't seem to notice and was still typing. On the screen, the chat was still ongoing.
"Went out today."
"With whom?"
"The one I mentioned before."
...What are they chatting about? I can't understand it at all. Reina continued to inch closer.
Almost there, almost there... the chat should be ending soon... I'll be able to see it in a moment...
For some reason, watching Rin chatting so enthusiastically with the other person, the last bit of guilt she felt about peeking dissipated.
Reina's movements became increasingly blatant—though, in reality, she had only moved her head a few centimeters closer.
On the screen, the conversation ended. Rin exited the chat page and entered her friend list, where avatars were densely arranged in alphabetical order.
Just need to... scroll up a little... Reina's breathing grew light.
And then—the screen suddenly went black.
Like a mirror, it clearly reflected her face, which looked slightly dull from concentration, as well as the guilty expression typical of a peeper that she hadn't had time to pull back.
"We've arrived."
Rin stood up, raised her arm to hold onto the subway handrail, and turned her head. Those azure eyes swept across her face without lingering for even a second, as if she hadn't noticed anything at all.
Reina froze in place.
The train doors opened, and cold air rushed in, blowing a few stray strands of her hair.
"Are you not getting off?"
"Ge-getting off, yes—"
She hurriedly grabbed her bag, stood up almost as if she had sprung up, and rushed out of the carriage behind Rin.
The doors closed behind her.
On the platform, Rin had already walked a few steps away, her white silhouette particularly conspicuous in the crowd.
Reina stood where she was, staring at that silhouette, her cheeks burning as if scorched by fire, her thoughts and heartbeat both in chaos.
Just now... did she see that just now? She must have, right? Such obvious peeking, how could she not have seen it!
Then why didn't she say anything?!
Although she couldn't understand the reason, at this moment, Reina, who had raised her hands to cover her face, could realize one thing with perfect clarity. It's over. Completely over.
"Wait for me—"
She let out a silent wail in her heart, then resignedly started moving her legs, chasing after that silhouette that was getting further and further away.