The days after that night didn't settle.
They sharpened.
Ruko noticed it the moment he stepped into the clubroom again—the way silence lingered a second too long between conversations, the way glances were held just a fraction longer than usual.
Nothing obvious.
Nothing concrete.
But something had changed.
"…You're late."
Ruko glanced toward the voice.
Risa sat at her usual station, posture straight, eyes already on her screen. The faint reflection of the monitor lit up her pale features, giving her an almost distant, analytical look.
"…I'm not late," Ruko muttered, dropping his bag beside a chair.
"You are," she replied without looking at him. "By three minutes."
"…You counted?"
"…Of course."
Ruko let out a quiet sigh.
"…You really don't miss anything, do you?"
"…No."
That much was obvious.
The others weren't there yet.
Kana had practice.
Kazuha was tied up with student council work.
Hikari—
…was unpredictable as always.
Which meant—
"…You free?" Ruko asked, pulling out a chair.
Risa finally turned her head slightly.
"…Define 'free.'"
"…You're not in a match. That's free."
A small pause.
"…What do you need?"
Ruko rested his chin on his hand, eyes narrowing slightly.
"…I'm going to fix your jungle."
Silence.
"…You say that as if it's broken," Risa said calmly.
"…It is."
Another pause.
"…Very well."
Just like that.
No resistance.
No pride.
"…You're surprisingly cooperative," Ruko muttered.
"…Efficiency matters more than ego."
"…That's rare."
"…Not really."
Ruko leaned back slightly, watching her log in.
"…Use I:B," he added.
Risa's fingers paused over the keyboard.
"…Again?"
"…Yes."
A brief silence.
Then—
"…Understood."
The match loaded.
Ruko didn't sit at his own station.
Instead, he stood behind her, arms crossed, eyes locked onto the screen.
"Start faster," he said immediately.
"…The optimal path—"
"Is too slow."
She hesitated.
Just for a second.
"…Fine."
She adjusted.
Cleared the first camp faster.
"Better," Ruko muttered. "Now rotate mid."
Risa moved.
Too late.
"…Late," Ruko said.
"I calculated—"
"Stop calculating everything."
Her hand paused.
"…That's inefficient."
"No," Ruko replied.
"She's so bad it likes she's pretending" Ruko thought
"It's necessary."
Silence.
Risa continued playing.
But this time—
Her movements changed.
Less hesitation.
More instinct.
She invaded the enemy jungle.
"…This is risky," she murmured.
"Good."
"…You're encouraging poor decisions."
"I'm encouraging pressure."
A fight broke out.
Risa engaged.
Not perfectly.
Not cleanly.
But decisively.
They secured the objective.
"…We shouldn't have won that," she said quietly.
"But you did."
A pause.
"…Yes."
The match continued.
Each movement grew sharper.
More confident.
She reached second form faster this time.
"…Your stack timing improved," Ruko noted.
"…I adjusted my approach."
"…Good."
The match ended.
Victory.
Risa leaned back slightly, adjusting her glasses as the screen faded.
"…That was inefficient," she repeated.
"…But effective," Ruko replied.
Silence.
"…Yes," she admitted again.
For a moment—
Neither of them spoke.
Then—
"…Why are you helping me?"
Ruko blinked.
"…What?"
Risa turned slightly, her gaze steady.
"You're not the type to assist others without reason."
Ruko looked away.
"…It benefits the team."
"…That's not the full answer."
Of course it wasn't.
But he didn't elaborate.
Risa watched him for a moment longer—
Then turned back to her screen.
"…Very well."
She didn't push further.
Instead—
"…You're coming with me."
"…Where?"
"…You'll see."
Ruko frowned.
"…This sounds like a bad idea."
"…It probably is."
That evening—
Ruko stood in front of a brightly lit building, neon lights reflecting off the glass doors.
"…Karaoke."
He sounded unimpressed.
"…Correct."
Risa stood beside him, completely composed.
"…Why am I here?"
"To observe."
"…You dragged me out for observation?"
"…Yes."
Before he could respond—
"Risa!"
A group of girls approached, waving excitedly.
"…You actually came!" one of them said.
Risa nodded. "As promised."
Their attention shifted.
"…And who's this?"
Ruko felt multiple gazes land on him at once.
"…Ruko," he said flatly.
"…He's from the gaming club," Risa added.
"…Oh?"
A few exchanged knowing looks.
"…Interesting."
Ruko already wanted to leave.
Inside—
The room was filled with noise.
Bright lights.
Music.
Laughter.
"…I don't belong here," Ruko muttered.
"…Correct," Risa replied calmly.
"…Then why am I still here?"
"…Observation."
He sighed.
They sat down.
Songs started.
One by one, her friends took turns singing—some energetic, some off-key, some surprisingly good.
Ruko leaned back against the couch, arms crossed, watching.
"…You're not singing?" he asked.
"…There's no strategic value in it."
"…You're hopeless."
"…Perhaps."
A pause.
"…But this is useful," she added.
"…How?"
"…People act differently in informal environments."
Ruko smirked slightly.
"…You're analyzing them."
"…Yes."
Silence.
"…You definitely could be Mitsuru," Ruko muttered under his breath.
Risa paused.
"…What did you say?"
"…Nothing."
He looked away.
"…Just thinking."
Risa studied him quietly.
But didn't press.
Time passed.
The noise.
The laughter.
The music.
It all blurred together.
And yet—
Ruko's mind stayed somewhere else.
Always.
On one person.
Mitsuru.
Because somewhere—
Among the four—
She was watching.
Waiting.
And the game she started—
Was far from over.