The day seemed to drag on endlessly.
Kai couldn't focus in class. Every few minutes, his mind wandered back to what had just happened.
Did Saito really agree to talk to me after school?
Finally, the bell rang, and Kai grabbed his bag, heart racing again.
He forced himself to walk calmly, but inside, he was a mess of nerves.
When he reached the front gates, he spotted her almost immediately.
Saito stood leaning against the brick wall, casually sipping her iced tea, as though she hadn't just sent his heart into overdrive earlier.
She was as composed as ever, but something about her presence made Kai feel even more nervous.
"Takeda," she said, noticing him approach. Her smile was soft, almost teasing.
"You're not too late."
Kai swallowed, trying to steady his breath.
"Sorry, I... I didn't mean to keep you waiting."
Saito shook her head. "No need to apologize."
She looked at him for a moment, her violet eyes twinkling. "So, what did you want to talk about?"
Kai's mind went blank. He had rehearsed this conversation a thousand times in his head, but now that he was standing in front of her, the words seemed to vanish.
"Well... I just wanted to..." he stammered.
"I, uh... I wanted to get to know you better, Saito."
Her smile grew a little wider. "Really?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Is that it?"
Kai nodded quickly, feeling his face grow warm. "Yeah! You seem really cool. I just... I wanted to talk more."
Saito tilted her head, eyes narrowing slightly, almost as if she were thinking deeply about something. Then she took a slow step closer.
"Is that all you wanted to talk about?" she asked, her voice quiet but sharp, like she was digging deeper.
Kai felt a chill run down his spine.
What was she asking? What did she mean by that?
He wasn't sure what to say, but before he could answer, Saito continued, her expression now unreadable.
"You know," she said softly, "there's a rumor going around. About me."
She glanced around quickly, making sure no one else was close enough to hear.
"A lot of people avoid me. They say... being close to me is dangerous."
Kai blinked. "Dangerous?"
Saito smiled again, but it wasn't a comforting smile this time.
"It's just a silly rumor," she said quickly, brushing it off. "Don't worry about it."
But the way she said it — the way her eyes darkened for a split second — made Kai wonder if there was something more to it.
He opened his mouth to ask, but she raised a finger to her lips.
"Let's just say that some things are better left unsaid, okay?"
Kai nodded, his heart still pounding in his chest.
There was something in her eyes now — something unnatural, like a shadow moving behind her gaze.
The tension in the air felt thicker than before.
Saito broke the silence with a soft chuckle.
"Well, Takeda... It was nice talking to you. You can walk me home if you want."
And with that, she began walking, leaving Kai to follow, still unsure of what had just happened.
Something felt off — too perfect, too smooth, like he was playing into a role he didn't understand.
As they walked through the streets, Kai couldn't shake the feeling that Saito was hiding something.
Something dark.