The day after the supply room incident.
Kazuki thought things would go back to normal.
They didn't.
Morning – Apartment
Kazuki: "...Aya?"
No response.
The kitchen is spotless.
The table has a sticky note on it.
"Made you breakfast. Didn't want to talk. —A"
His heart sinks a little.
No emoji. No doodle. No sarcastic "don't die."
Just food. And distance.
He eats in silence.
The egg is still warm.
She made it just before leaving.
He realizes she probably waited until he was in the shower just to avoid him.
School – Homeroom
Kokoro sits by the window.
She's not reading.
Not snarking.
Just watching the sky.
Kazuki approaches.
"Hey."
She glances.
Then goes back to the clouds.
"Want me to go away?" he asks quietly.
"No," she replies.
Beat.
"But I don't want you to stay either."
Lunch – Rooftop
Natsuki-sensei sits beside him with a juice box.
"Did you ruin everything?"
Kazuki groans. "I didn't mean to."
"That's what every emotionally constipated boy says before his love interest joins a cult."
He glares.
Sensei sips. "You didn't answer."
He sighs. "Maybe I didn't ruin everything. But I might've… stopped pretending."
Sensei raises an eyebrow.
"That's progress."
Kazuki shrugs.
"But now Aya won't look at me, Kokoro won't talk to me, and I feel like a walking traffic accident."
"Then fix it."
"How?"
"Start by listening instead of panicking."
Evening – Apartment Again
Kazuki comes home to silence.
No TV.
No bad idol music.
No teasing voice asking if he "got rejected again."
He walks to the kitchen.
Dinner's covered with foil.
No note this time.
Just... food.
And a heavy quiet.
He finds her on the balcony.
Aya, sitting on a plastic chair, knees to chest.
She's still in her work blouse. Hair tied back. Eyes on the street below.
He opens the door.
She doesn't look at him.
But she doesn't move either.
He steps out.
"…Cold out here."
"Mm."
He sits beside her.
Silence.
The wind carries the sounds of a ramen stand in the distance.
He tries.
"Are you mad?"
"No."
"You're not smiling."
"Not the same thing."
"…You always smile."
She hugs her knees tighter.
"That's the problem."
Kazuki swallows.
"I'm sorry."
She closes her eyes.
"Don't say that. Not unless it changes something."
He looks down.
Hands in his lap.
"You said once I always come back, but I never stay."
She nods.
Still not looking at him.
"I remember."
"…What does staying mean, Aya?"
She finally turns.
Eyes glassy. No tears. Just weight.
"It means making a choice. Even if it hurts."
"And if I don't know what I want yet?"
She stands.
Voice soft.
"Then maybe I need to choose for myself first."
She goes inside.
The door closes behind her.
And Kazuki is left with the cold.
Late Night – Kazuki's Room
He stares at the ceiling.
The fan spins overhead.
He whispers to no one:
"Please stop becoming real, brain.I'm not ready for the consequences."
His brain, predictably, doesn't listen.
In His Dream:
He sees Aya.
Not the teasing one.
Not the flirty one.
The real one.
Smiling, but tired.
And walking away.
He reaches out.
But this time, she doesn't look back.