Chapter 21 – The Bloom in Her Eyes
The rooftop was quiet, more than usual. A strange tension hung between Riku and Airi, as if that vanishing petal had left a question neither dared to ask.
"Do you think it means something?" Riku finally broke the silence.
Airi didn't look up from her bento. "Petals fall all the time."
"Not ones that disappear midair."
She took a deep breath, then smiled—too forced. "Then maybe it was magic."
"You're joking."
"Maybe not."
Riku stared at her. Her eyes had that distant glint again, like they were seeing something behind him—something he couldn't.
He leaned back against the fence, letting the sunlight hit his face. "Back in middle school… do you remember the day of the big typhoon?"
She blinked. "What about it?"
"I remember being outside that day. Everything was blurry. But I saw someone standing in the rain—just standing there like the wind didn't touch her."
He paused. "I think it was you."
Airi stiffened. Her chopsticks froze in mid-air.
Riku continued, "You looked at me. And then I blacked out. When I woke up, the typhoon was gone."
She finally looked at him. Her eyes weren't just blue anymore. There was a faint crimson ring around the iris—like a blooming scarlet flower.
"You don't remember what you said after?" she asked.
"What?"
She turned away again. "Never mind."
The bell rang.
They both stood slowly, packing their things. As they walked back to class, Riku noticed something strange.
All around them, petals were falling.
White ones.
From nowhere.
Sora was the first to point it out. "Dude, is it snowing flower petals or am I just tripping from lack of lunch?"
Yuki twirled in place, laughing. "It's so pretty! Like a magical girl anime!"
Ren looked at the sky. "There aren't even trees here, man."
The teacher stepped out of the staff room—and stopped dead.
Everyone fell silent.
The petals were now spinning gently in a spiral above the building.
And then, as quickly as they came—they burst into tiny embers and vanished.
No scent.
No source.
Just gone.
No one said anything.
Except Airi.
She whispered under her breath, just loud enough for Riku to hear.
"…It's beginning."
He turned to her. "What is?"
But she was already walking ahead.
And for the first time since he met her… her smile scared him.
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