[Ryuu's POV...]
The school event had finally come to an end, and students from Ryokuzen Academy and Hoshizora Academy began drifting apart. Conversations filled the air, but beneath the chatter, an unspoken tension remained—a quiet reminder of the divide between them
Ryuu adjusted the strap of his bag as he walked alongside Kenta, who stretched with a groan.
"Man, I thought that thing would never end," Kenta complained. "I swear, those Hoshizora girls look at us like we just crawled out of a cave."
Ryuu smirked, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Well, after watching you inhale half the buffet table, I can't really blame them."
"Hey, food is food! I'm a growing man, Ryuu. My body needs fuel."
Ryuu shook his head. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that."
Kenta nudged him with an elbow. "But seriously, what was up with you? I saw you staring at Hana Fujimura."
Ryuu's steps barely faltered, but he adjusted his bag anyway, playing it cool. "What? No I'm not..."
Kenta raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? You barely react to anything, but the second she walked by, you looked like you were trying to calculate the meaning of life."
"Tch." Ryuu clicked his tongue. "It's nothing. She just… seems different from the rest of them."
Kenta let out a whistle. "Ohhh, now that's interesting. Ryuu Takahashi, actually interested ? Should I call the press?"
Ryuu shot him a flat look. "Try it, and I'll bury you ALIVE"
Kenta chuckled. "Relax, man. It's not like she's just some random girl. She's Hana Fujimura—daughter of Masaru Fujimura, the CEO of Fujimura Group. She's basically royalty."
Ryuu blinked. "And how you did know this…?"
Kenta shrugged. "Dude, everyone knows. Her family owns half the city's high-end businesses. Even our guys talk about her sometimes."
"Huh." Ryuu exhaled, glancing in the direction Hana had walked off.
Ryuu:("Famous, huh?..Then why did she look so… lonely?")
That brief moment—their eye contact—lingered in his mind longer than it should have.
Ryuu and Kenta made their way toward the school gate, weaving through clusters of students.
"Man, that was exhausting," Kenta groaned, dramatically stretching his arms. "One more overly cheerful festival song, and I swear I'm throwing hands."
Ryuu smirked. "That bad?"
"Yes! That last one—'Let's All Have Fun Together'? Who writes these? I felt my soul leave my body."
"Sounds like a personal problem."
Kenta shot him a deadpan look. "No, you don't get it. These songs mess with your brain. I caught myself humming one in the bathroom. The bathroom, Ryuu. That's when I knew I was too far gone."
Ryuu:Tragic.
Kenta:Right? I barely made it out alive.
Ryuu shook his head in amusement, but Kenta wasn't done.
"Also, why did we even have a trivia contest? Who thought that was a good idea?"
Ryuu shrugged. "Better than a three-legged race."
Kenta snorted. "Actually, I would've paid good money to see you in one. You'd probably just drag your partner across the field."
"Or cut the rope and walk alone."
"Bro..."
They both laughed, but Kenta's smirk turned knowing.
"Speaking of weird moments, you had a pretty interesting one back there."
Ryuu blinked. "What?"
Kenta nudged him. "You know what I mean. That moment. The stare."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Oh, don't play dumb. You were completely zoned out."
Ryuu clicked his tongue. "You're imagining things..."
Kenta gasped, feigning shock. "No way. You actually interested in her??"
"I wasn't interested."
"You looked at her like she held the last piece of some cosmic puzzle."
Ryuu exhaled. "I was just… trying to figure something out."
Kenta wiggled his eyebrows. "Ooooh. Trying to figure her out, huh?"
Ryuu sighed. "I should've left you….."
Kenta cackled. "Nah, you need me. Otherwise, who's gonna call you out when you start having existential crises over mysterious, beautiful girls?"
Ryuu rolled his eyes but didn't respond. Because the truth was—he was still trying to figure it out.
Something about her felt… familiar.
Even though they had never met before.
As they walked, the crowd around them thinned. Some students headed toward the train station, while others lingered, waiting for their rides. The evening air carried the fading hum of festival chatter.
Kenta stretched. "Welp, I'm heading this way." He jerked his thumb toward the street. "What about you?"
"Train station."
"Alright, see you tomorrow, Mr. Totally Not Interested."
Ryuu sighed. "Don't make me regret knowing you."
"You already do~."
With a laugh, Kenta disappeared into the crowd.
Ryuu watched the passing faces for a moment before adjusting his bag and heading toward the station.
Yet, even as the city lights flickered to life and the cool breeze brushed against his skin, his mind wasn't on the streets, the people, or even getting home.
It was on her.
[Later that same evening ,at Ryuu house..]
Ryuu pushed open the front door, stepping into the quiet house. The familiar scent of old books, polished wood, and faint incense greeted him like a ritual. The atmosphere was always the same—structured, disciplined, like time moved slower here.
At the low dining table, Genzou Takahashi sat with his usual straight-backed posture, a steaming cup of tea resting in his firm grip. His sharp, calculating eyes flicked toward Ryuu the second he entered.
"You're late."
"Nice to see you too, old man," Ryuu muttered, toeing off his shoes.
Genzou didn't react to the sarcasm, just took a slow sip of his tea.
"Hmph. School event?"
"Yeah," Ryuu replied as he walked to the fridge, grabbing a water bottle.
A pause. Then—
Genzou:You don't usually look this lost in thought after a school event.
Ryuu stiffened slightly, but masked it by twisting the cap off his bottle. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Genzou set his cup down with a quiet clink, his gaze unreadable. "Something's on your mind."
"It's nothing."
His grandfather didn't push immediately, but his silence was heavy. Too heavy. Ryuu could feel those piercing eyes analyzing him like a military briefing.
Then Genzou spoke again.
"Was it a fight?"
"No."
"A teacher?"
"No."
"A girl."
Ryuu nearly choked on his water. "What?!"
Genzou let out a low grunt, arms crossing over his chest. "Hm.Knew it."
Ryuu groaned, rubbing his temple. "It's not like that..."
Genzou:Then explain.
Ryuu sighed, leaning against the counter. He hesitated for a second before finally giving in. "There was this girl. Hana Fujimura."
Genzou's fingers tapped against the table, his expression unreadable. "Fujimura?"
"She goes to Hoshizora Academy. You know, that pretentious rich-girl school. But… she's different from the others there." Genzou raised a brow.
"Different how?"
"I don't know."
Ryuu frowned slightly, recalling the moment their eyes met.
"She didn't act like the other girls. Or maybe she did, but… it felt fake. Like she was playing a role."
Genzou's gaze darkened ever so slightly, but his face remained neutral.
"Hana Fujimura, huh… The Fujimura family."
Ryuu caught the small shift in his grandfather's tone.
"You know them?"
Genzou took a slow breath, his gaze momentarily distant. "Not personally. But their name carries weight."
"What do you mean?"ask Ryuu,Confused.
Genzou shook his head.
"You'll understand in time."
"Tch. Cryptic as always."
"Hmph." Genzou gave him a pointed look. "You're thinking too much. If this girl has nothing to do with you, then don't bother getting involved."
Ryuu wanted to agree. He really did. But deep inside, something told him it wasn't that simple.
It felt like a thread had been pulled—something old, something unfinished.
[Later That Night…]
Dinner was quiet, the occasional clink of chopsticks against ceramic filling the air. Ryuu ate without much thought, his mind elsewhere. Even after the festival ended, something about today felt… off.
A shower should've helped. The cool water ran down his skin, washing away the exhaustion, but it did nothing to clear the lingering unease.
By the time he stepped into his room, towel-drying his hair, the house had settled into silence. He flicked off the main light and sank onto his bed, staring at the ceiling.
Hana Fujimura.
That moment.
That brief glance.
It wasn't just curiosity. It felt like—
Ryuu exhaled sharply, rubbing his forehead.
"Why does it feel like I've seen her before…?" he muttered. The thought had been gnawing at him since the festival.
He shut his eyes, trying to shake the feeling. "It doesn't make sense. We've never met."
And yet—
The moment their eyes met, something inside him had stirred. Something distant. Something… familiar.
"Tch." He clicked his tongue and turned onto his side. "I'm probably just tired."
It was the only explanation that made sense.
Still, as he lay there in the dark, the feeling refused to fade.
Ryuu let out a slow breath, shifting onto his side. The bed felt cool beneath him, the room wrapped in silence. His eyes grew heavier, the weight of the day finally settling in.
Maybe after some sleep, this strange feeling would fade.
Maybe tomorrow, everything would go back to normal.
His breathing evened out. His body relaxed.
And then—
The dream came again.
But this time,it felt different..
Warm,gentle,and comfortable..
Then..he heard something..
Faint, distant voices.
And standing in the middle of it all—
Him…
and that girl…
End of chapter 2