Lunch break couldn't come fast enough. As the bell rang, Chiaki stretched in his seat, feeling the stiffness settle into his shoulders from the long morning classes. He arched his back slightly, stifling a yawn, and reached for his lunch. Just as he pulled it out of his bag, two familiar faces appeared at his desk.
"Hey, Chiaki! You wanna have lunch together?" Syouta asked, slinging his arm lazily over the back of a nearby chair with his usual easygoing grin.
Jun grinned right behind him. "Yeah, c'mon, man. It's boring without you."
Chiaki chuckled quietly, appreciating the invitation. "Sure, why not?" he said, adjusting his chair to make a bit of room for them.
They barely got settled when Jun swaggered over, his every step exaggerated, as if he were showing off to an invisible audience. In his hand, he carried a neatly packed bento box wrapped in a cloth. He set it down with a grand flourish, shooting a smug look at Syouta.
"Behold," Jun announced, tapping the box dramatically, "a home-cooked meal, crafted with love and skill. Meanwhile, Syouta here is eating scraps from the cafeteria like a stray dog."
The jab landed squarely. Syouta's face flushed red with annoyance.
"Hey! Take that back!" Syouta snapped, lunging across the desks. He grabbed Jun roughly by the collar, causing the other boy to stumble back with a laugh.
The two of them quickly devolved into a rough but mostly harmless scuffle, drawing amused glances from the other students nearby.
Chiaki watched them for a moment, the corners of his mouth twitching downward. This again. Every day, the same noisy antics. Couldn't they go one lunch period without acting like children?
Letting out a quiet sigh, he packed his lunch back into his bag and stood up.
"Where you going, Chiaki?" Jun called, still trying to dodge Syouta's headlock.
"Somewhere peaceful," Chiaki muttered, barely glancing over his shoulder as he slipped out of the chaotic classroom.
The hallway outside was a stark contrast: quieter, almost serene, with only the distant hum of conversations and the soft tapping of shoes against the polished floors. Without even thinking about it, his feet carried him down the hall, toward the stairwell at the end.
He pushed open the heavy metal door leading to the stairwell and began climbing. The staircase smelled faintly of dust and old paint. At the top, he found the rooftop access door. The lock was, as usual, broken—something the maintenance staff kept promising to fix but never did.
Chiaki hesitated for a second, then pushed the door open.
The rooftop greeted him like an old friend. A warm gust of wind brushed past him, tugging at his hair and clothes. The city stretched far into the horizon, a blend of grays and greens and occasional sparkling windows catching the afternoon sun. The sky above was so brilliantly blue it almost hurt to look at.
And there she was.
Kayo stood near the rusted railing, a figure cut against the vibrant sky, her hair flowing in the breeze like strands of silk. She had a small notebook in her hands, scribbling intently, completely absorbed in her work.
Chiaki felt his heart skip a beat, a wave of nervousness hitting him hard. He froze for a moment, the words tumbling out of his mouth in a hushed whisper he couldn't control.
"She's so beautiful..."
Blushing fiercely, he instinctively ducked his head, hoping she hadn't heard. After a few deep breaths, he summoned the courage to move closer. His footsteps were soft, almost shy, as he approached her.
As he drew near, he noticed how focused she was, her brow slightly furrowed in concentration. She tapped her pen rhythmically against the notebook, pausing now and then before scribbling again in quick, sure strokes.
Curious despite himself, Chiaki leaned slightly over her shoulder, his eyes catching the lines she had written. Before his brain could tell him to stop, he began to read aloud softly:
"'The two characters stood close, the world around them fading away. Slowly, they leaned in, their hearts pounding, until their lips met in a soft, trembling kiss—'"
He blinked, realization hitting him like a slap. His voice faltered, but it was too late. The scene she described bloomed vividly in his mind, unbidden. In his mind's eye, it wasn't nameless characters anymore—it was him and Kayo.
He imagined the wind tousling her hair as she leaned in, the faint scent of her perfume drifting between them, the warmth of her breath mingling with his. His heart pounded so loudly he was sure it could be heard.
"Uh, what are you doing?"
Chiaki snapped back to reality so fast he almost reeled.
Kayo had turned around, her expression unreadable, but her wide eyes betrayed a sliver of curiosity. She was close—way too close. Barely a few inches separated them, and Chiaki found himself frozen, staring at the way the sun caught the tiny mole beneath her eye, the curve of her soft lips.
Startled beyond belief, he stumbled backward. His foot caught on a slight crack in the rooftop surface, and with a flail of his arms, he went sprawling backward with a hard thud.
"Ah—!"
Pain shot up his spine, but the embarrassment burned far hotter.
Kayo chuckled—a soft, amused sound that somehow made him feel even more ridiculous. She dusted off her skirt casually and walked over to him, offering her hand with an easy smile.
"You're such a klutz," she said lightly.
Chiaki, cheeks blazing, reached up and took her hand. Her grip was small but firm as she helped him to his feet.
"Thanks," he mumbled, brushing himself off, refusing to meet her eyes for a second.
An awkward silence hovered between them before Chiaki cleared his throat.
"So, uh... what are you doing up here alone, I mean?" he asked, desperate to fill the air with something—anything.
Kayo slipped her notebook into her bag, her fingers brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "I come up here because it's cool and quiet," she said. "Plus, I have a deadline to meet for a script I'm writing."
Chiaki blinked. "Oh, so you write scripts for mangas? That's awesome!" His voice lifted in genuine surprise.
Kayo shrugged modestly. "Yeah. It's fun sometimes. Other times... it's just work."
"I do a bit of drawing myself," Chiaki offered, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Not the best, but it gives me peace of mind."
"Me too," Kayo said with a faint laugh. "Only... it stopped being just for fun when it became my job."
Their eyes met again—an unspoken understanding passing between them. For a moment, the only sounds were the wind and the distant calls of students below. Then, almost simultaneously, they both laughed—a soft, easy laugh that melted away the last of the awkwardness between them.
"You're a really cool guy, Chiaki," Kayo said, grinning.
Chiaki's brain short-circuited.
W-What?! She just called me by my first name?!
He fumbled to respond, words catching in his throat. Somehow, he managed, "R-Right back at you, Kayo."
Kayo's grin widened. She swung her bag over her shoulder casually and tilted her head. "Say, want to drop by an arcade tomorrow morning? It's really fun."
Chiaki's heart practically leapt out of his chest. "Sure!" he answered immediately, maybe a little too eagerly.
"Alright. Keep in touch," Kayo said, giving a casual wave as she turned toward the rooftop door. "See you tomorrow."
He watched her until the door clicked shut behind her, leaving him alone once again with the vast, open sky.
Chiaki leaned back against the rusty railing, tilting his head up to the endless blue. A slow, uncontrollable grin spread across his face.