One week later.
No drama.
No contests.
No votes.
Just… us.
Me and Riko.
Official.
Uncomplicated.
Real.
---
Saturday Afternoon – The First Real Date
We met outside the train station.
No uniforms.
No school banners.
No Reina hiding in a bush (I checked).
Riko wore a soft black dress and boots.
Her hair down.
No makeup.
Still the prettiest girl in every direction.
> "You're staring," she said.
> "You're unfair," I said.
She smiled.
Small. Honest.
The kind of smile she never used to show anyone but herself.
---
At the Arcade – Normal Chaos
We hit the claw machines first.
Riko lost five times in a row.
Kicked the glass once.
Tried to walk away.
I stepped in.
Got a cheap bear plushie on the second try.
Handed it to her.
She stared at it like it was a national treasure.
> "You make everything look easy," she mumbled.
I shook my head.
> "Only when it's for you."
She turned away fast.
Probably to hide how red her face got.
Cute.
---
Late Afternoon – Ice Cream & Accidental Hands
We sat on the park bench with cones.
She got vanilla. I got strawberry.
At some point, our hands brushed.
We froze.
Then she did something small—
Laced her fingers with mine.
No teasing.
No sarcasm.
Just… stayed.
No one said anything.
Didn't have to.
---
Evening – Walking Home
The sky turned gold.
Our shadows stretched ahead of us.
She squeezed my hand.
> "I'm scared."
I looked at her.
> "Of what?"
She hesitated.
> "Of being this happy. And messing it up."
I stopped walking.
Turned to face her.
Held her hand tighter.
> "Then let's mess it up together."
She laughed.
The real kind.
The kind that made her shoulders shake and her eyes close.
She leaned in.
Rested her forehead against mine.
And whispered—
> "Deal."
---
Meanwhile – Elsewhere
Yuna sat on her roof, looking at the stars.
Smiling.
Not sadly.
Just... smiling.
Ready for whatever came next.
---
Airi deleted the last folder on her computer labeled Project: Kaito.
Started a new one.
Titled simply: Me.
---
Akari booked a trip to another prefecture.
No text goodbye.
No drama.
Just a quiet promise to herself.
> "The next time I chase something... it won't be the past."
---
Reina, watching everything from a window:
> "Game over."
Then, after a pause—
> "For now."