The last period felt longer than usual.
Aoi sat quietly, looking at the board, but she couldn't follow what the teacher was explaining.
The words passed by, but none of them stayed.
The sound of chalk scratching the board.
Pages turning.
Students whispering quietly.
A chair dragging across the floor.
Everything felt distant.
As if she were hearing the world from underwater.
Her eyes kept returning to the same place.
The empty desk.
Kanzaki Mio.
Hina, sitting next to her, glanced there from time to time too.
No messages on LINE.
No news.
Nothing.
Aoi looked at the clock again.
It felt like it wasn't moving at all.
Until finally—
Trrrriiiiiiiim
The bell echoed through the school corridors.
Immediately, the classroom came back to life.
Chairs scraping.
Bags being zipped.
Students talking about games, tests, clubs, what they were going to eat after school.
Hina looked at Aoi.
"— It's now."
Aoi nodded slowly.
"Yeah... let's go."
They walked to the desk of Sasaki Hiroto, who was organizing some papers inside his folder.
Aoi spoke a little nervously.
"S-sensei... we're going to bring today's notes to Kanzaki-san."
The teacher looked up.
"Well... about that..."
He sighed lightly, as if thinking about how to say it.
"It would be better if you waited until tomorrow and gave them to her then."
Aoi and Hina looked at each other.
Hina answered quickly:
"B-but sensei... Kanzaki-san is terrible at math, and if she misses even one day she'll get so lost that—"
"I know."
Sasaki interrupted calmly.
"I know you're worried about Kanzaki."
He closed his folder.
"But she's dealing with some personal problems."
Aoi felt her chest tighten.
"She'll be back tomorrow."
He picked up his materials.
"Good afternoon, girls."
And he left the classroom.
Silence remained between the two for a few seconds.
Then Aoi said:
"I'm going to Hoshimi Hospital."
Hina immediately turned to her.
"And what are you going to do there?"
"We don't even know if she's there."
Aoi clenched her hands.
"The teacher said she'll be back tomorrow...
So... she must be there. I don't know, Hina, I can't think straight!"
She looked up.
"I'm going to wait for her there."
Hina stayed silent for a few seconds.
Then she gave a small sideways smile.
"Heh."
Aoi looked at her.
"If you're going to stay there... I'm going too."
She crossed her arms.
"We're friends, aren't we?"
Aoi smiled.
"Of course."
Then Hina remembered something.
"I just need to stop by the club first."
Hina sighed.
"Ah... the club."
"I need to go there too," Aoi said.
A few minutes later, Aoi was in the drama club room talking to the teacher in charge.
"I wanted to participate in practice today..."
"But I need to go to the hospital to bring notes to my classmate, Kanzaki Mio."
The teacher nodded.
"That's fine."
"But tomorrow we'll have heavy practice. We're starting rehearsals for the new play."
Aoi bowed politely.
"T-thank you, sensei."
In front of the school, Aoi waited.
The sky was already turning softer, with that late afternoon color.
Students were leaving through the gate in groups, laughing, talking, complaining about tests.
She looked down the street.
Hina is taking a while...
Did she not get permission?
Then—
"Aoi-chan!"
Hina appeared running through the school gate.
She stopped in front of her friend, out of breath, hands on her knees.
"I... pant... wanted... pant... to come quickly..."
Aoi smiled awkwardly.
"Y-you didn't have to run."
"Let's walk slowly so you can catch your breath."
They started walking toward the train station.
When they reached the corner near the school block, Hina suddenly stopped.
"Aoi..."
Aoi followed her gaze.
A boy was leaning against a pole.
When he saw them, he lifted his head.
Yamada Riku.
"Ah... hello."
Hina blinked in surprise.
"Yamada-kun?"
Aoi spoke quietly:
"He's coming toward us."
Yamada approached, looking a little nervous.
"I-I heard you're going to see Kanzaki-san..."
He hesitated.
"Can I go with you?"
Aoi and Hina exchanged a quick glance.
Aoi answered:
"Yamada-kun... we're going to Hoshimi Hospital."
Yamada frowned.
"Hospital...?"
Hina explained:
"Yeah. We think Mio-chan is there.
But we don't know anything else."
Yamada stayed silent for a moment.
"Why a hospital... I hope she's okay..."
He took a deep breath.
"I still want to go."
Aoi tilted her head slightly.
"Why do you want to see her so much, Yamada-kun?"
He started sweating nervously.
"I-I...
I wanted to apologize for the jokes I made in class."
Hina frowned.
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
Yamada opened his mouth.
But he didn't answer.
Aoi watched him for a few seconds and then asked softly:
"You're worried about her too, aren't you?"
Yamada looked at the ground, hands clenched.
He just nodded.
Aoi smiled lightly.
"Then let's go."
Hina looked surprised.
"But... Aoi-chan?"
Aoi answered calmly:
"He's worried too.
I don't see a problem."
They took a train.
Then walked a few blocks.
Hina looked at her phone.
"Hm? Soumakey is typing in Eternals."
Aoi took her phone too.
On the screen:
soumakey is typing...
She thought for a moment.
"I'll check later."
One block before the hospital, Yamada suddenly stopped.
"Wait."
He pointed.
"That guy over there... is that..."
Aoi narrowed her eyes.
"Y-Yamamoto-kun?"
Hina widened her eyes.
"Soumakey?
What is he doing here?"
Yamada sighed.
"Soumakey again..."
They approached.
Souma was looking at his phone.
When he saw the group, he put it away.
"Hello."
Aoi asked, surprised:
"Yamamoto-kun... why did you come alone?"
Souma scratched his head.
"I thought you would be busy with your clubs...
So I came ahead."
He gave a small smile.
"But I thought it would be better to wait for you."
Hina raised her phone.
"So that's why you were typing in Eternals?"
Souma nodded.
"Yeah.
But I couldn't think of how to say I was here."
Yamada sighed.
"Is someone going to explain this to me?"
Souma answered:
"It's a game.
Eternal Aegis Online."
Aoi interrupted:
"We'll talk about that later."
She looked at the hospital.
"Let's go see Mio-chan."
They entered the hospital.
The smell of disinfectant.
The sound of footsteps on the shiny floor.
People sitting — some tired, some worried.
Aoi approached the reception desk.
"Hello... good afternoon."
The receptionist smiled politely.
"Good afternoon. How can I help you?"
"W-we would like to visit Kanzaki Mio."
The receptionist frowned slightly.
"Are you family members of Kanzaki Mio?"
Aoi bowed slightly.
"N-no, we are her classmates.
We came to bring today's class notes."
The receptionist sighed.
"Too many people cannot enter."
Aoi pleaded:
"Please... I just need to give her the notes... and see if she's okay."
The woman typed on the computer.
"Kanzaki... Mio..."
A few clicks.
She looked up.
"I'm sorry, but we cannot provide confidential information to non-family members.
And visiting hours are already over."
Aoi frowned.
"V-visiting hours?"
The woman answered calmly:
"I can only tell you that there is no Kanzaki Mio admitted here."
"Have a good afternoon."
Aoi froze.
Her eyes widened.
She slowly walked back to the group.
Hina immediately asked:
"What did she say?"
Aoi spoke quietly:
"S-she said... Mio-chan isn't here."
"What?!"
Yamada frowned.
"But you heard that from Misaki, right?"
Aoi tightened her grip on her phone.
"I heard it clearly...
Hoshimi Hospital..."
Souma watched Aoi silently.
She looked smaller somehow.
More withdrawn.
He looked toward the entrance.
"There are a lot of people coming out."
Aoi looked too.
"Visiting hours must be ending...
The receptionist said that."
Suddenly—
"Ah!"
Yamada pointed.
"It's her!"
Everyone looked.
People were leaving the hospital.
Among them... a girl.
But two people were walking in front of her.
Aoi moved a little to the side, trying to see better.
Then she finally saw her.
Her mouth slowly opened.
Her eyes froze.
Souma asked:
"What is it, Sakamoto-san?"
Hina's eyes widened.
Then she smiled widely.
"M-Mio-chan?!"
Yamada blinked.
"Where?!"
Aoi pointed.
"There...
She's coming this way."
Everyone looked.
Kanzaki Mio.
She was walking slowly.
Eyes down.
Empty expression.
As if she were far away from everything around her.
"Mio-chan!"
Mio lifted her head.
She was startled.
And she saw them.
Aoi.
Hina.
Yamamoto Souma.
Yamada Riku.
All looking at her.
Her eyes widened.
"W-what are you all doing here?!"
Hina spoke quickly:
"Let's talk outside."
Outside the hospital, Mio took a deep breath.
"How did you know I was here?"
Aoi asked immediately:
"Mio-chan... why are you here?
What happened?"
Yamada spoke, confused:
"The receptionist said you weren't admitted.
But you came out from here.
How does that work?"
Hina asked:
"Were you visiting someone?"
Souma said calmly:
"We were worried."
Aoi looked at Souma and smiled slightly.
Mio sighed.
"I wanted to explain tomorrow.
Today... I'm not in the right state of mind."
She looked at Yamada.
"I expected Hina and Aoi.
But you, Yamada?
Why are you here?"
Yamada started sweating again.
"I-I was worried too."
Mio answered coldly:
"We barely even talk."
Yamada stuttered:
"B-but you don't talk much with Yamamoto-kun either.
And he came."
Mio replied immediately:
"Yamamoto-kun is a transfer student.
I've talked to him more than to you."
Yamada turned red.
"I-I see...
I just wanted to see if you were okay."
He turned his face away.
"And you are.
So... good afternoon, Kanzaki-san."
He walked away quickly toward the station.
Hina sighed.
"You didn't have to be so harsh..."
Mio replied without emotion:
"You still haven't told me why you're here."
Aoi explained:
"Someone heard Sasaki-sensei talking about Hoshimi Hospital...
And told us."
Mio narrowed her eyes.
"I see..."
She sighed.
"I'm sorry.
I really don't want to talk about this today.
I'll tell you tomorrow."
Souma took a small step back.
"Have a good afternoon.
I'm going after Yamada-kun.
He looked frustrated."
Mio looked surprised.
"But you... Yamamoto-kun...
I'm surprised to see you here."
Souma scratched his head.
"M-me too.
See you later."
Hina waved.
"Bye, Soumakey."
Aoi said:
"S-see you, Yamamoto-kun."
Mio tilted her head.
"Soumakey?"
Hina laughed softly.
"It's our code name."
At that moment, Hina's phone started ringing.
"Hello? Ah, Haru-kun... yes... yes... okay. I was already on my way anyway."
She put the phone away.
"I'm going home. My little brother said my mom needs help with something. See you tomorrow!"
After Hina left, Aoi and Mio started walking toward the station.
The evening wind was cold.
People passed by in a hurry.
The sky was slowly getting darker.
Mio spoke hesitantly:
"You... are playing something."
Aoi answered:
"Yes.
Eternal Aegis Online."
She smiled a little.
"I'm enjoying it.
Hina lent me the console."
Mio looked surprised.
"Wow...
You stopped playing a long time ago."
Aoi nodded.
"I used to play with my... father."
Silence.
"And after he... wasn't there anymore...
Playing alone felt kind of lonely.
Before I noticed...
I had already stopped."
Mio walked looking at the ground, thinking.
A few minutes passed.
Then she said:
"I'm sorry, Aoi-chan."
Aoi turned to her.
"What?
Why?"
Mio clenched her fist, and her mouth began to tremble slightly.
"I thought... I understood you."
She lifted her eyes.
"I always thought I knew what you felt."
Her voice began to shake.
"But... since yesterday...
My perspective changed."
Aoi frowned.
"Mio-chan...
Why are you saying this?"
Mio closed her eyes tightly.
Lowered her head.
"M-my mother...
She was hit by a car yesterday."
Aoi's world seemed to stop for a moment.
Memories from when they were children surfaced in her mind.
She opened her mouth, but no words came out.
Her hands began to tremble.
Mio continued:
"The doctor said we were lucky...
The car was already braking.
It wasn't a strong impact...
But she broke some bones."
Mio's eyes were already full of tears.
Her face was red and her voice was breaking.
"I kept looking at her on that hospital bed...
And I could only remember her smiling..."
Her voice finally broke.
Tears ran down her cheeks and fell to the ground.
"It must have been very hard for you too, Aoi-chan!"
Suddenly—
Aoi hugged her.
Tightly.
Mio grabbed Aoi too, burying her face in her shoulder.
"AOI-CHAN!!..."
Mio cried and sobbed.
But Aoi...
Her face looked strange.
Head slightly lowered.
Almost empty.
Her half-closed eyes stared into nothing behind Mio.
Her gaze completely lifeless.
And in a low voice, almost without emotion—
"It's okay, Mio-chan..."
She tightened the hug.
"It's okay..."