The soft clatter of keyboards echoed through the shared project room at Meiyo University. Ren sat at his usual corner desk, headphones resting loosely around his neck, while Aoi, Saki, and Hayato worked nearby. The four had been assigned to the same team for their final group project in their programming module: to build a smart assistant that integrates machine learning and real-time user feedback.
For most students, it was just a high-stakes assignment. But for Ren, Aoi, and Saki — it was something else entirely.
The Setup
"I've divided the modules into front-end, back-end, UI optimization, and data parsing," Ren explained during their first group huddle. "I'll handle the AI logic and predictive algorithms. Aoi, you're strongest in UI and design. Hayato can take charge of database integration. And Saki, you're… great with presentation frameworks."
Aoi nodded, arms crossed but eyes wary. Saki was already inching closer to Ren, her ponytail bobbing with enthusiasm.
"Perfect," Saki said with a smile. "Ren-kun, can I sit next to you so we can sync our modules better?"
Aoi shot her a sharp look, but didn't say a word.
Hayato chuckled from the side. "Well, this will be fun."
Subtle Changes
Over the next few days, the project room turned into their second home. Whiteboards were filled with logic trees and scribbled notes. Ren and Saki began working closely — far too closely, in Aoi's opinion. She often caught Saki leaning over his shoulder, brushing against him "accidentally," or laughing at his dry jokes in a way that made her fists clench.
One afternoon, while Ren was debugging a neural loop, Saki leaned in.
"You're amazing at this, Ren-kun," she said softly.
He glanced up, a bit surprised. "Thanks. But it's not that special."
"It is to me."
Aoi, watching from her seat, closed her laptop a bit louder than necessary. "Ren, can you help me with the dynamic color mapping for the UI?"
Saki looked annoyed, but Ren didn't hesitate. "Sure, Aoi."
As he walked over, she whispered just loud enough for only him to hear: "Don't let your guard down. That girl's practically drooling."
Ren blinked, then stifled a laugh. "Jealous?"
"Very."
Late Night Sessions
As the deadline approached, late-night sessions became the norm. Coffee cups and snack wrappers littered the desks. Aoi and Ren often stayed later than the others, lost in silent collaboration and the comfort of each other's presence. It was during these quiet hours that their relationship — still a secret — grew stronger.
One evening, while they worked on merging their code branches, Aoi leaned on Ren's shoulder with a tired sigh.
"Your shoulder's comfy," she murmured.
"You're just exhausted," he replied, blushing slightly.
"I'm also territorial."
Ren smiled. "I noticed."
Just then, the door creaked open. Saki stood there with two energy drinks. She froze upon seeing them so close.
"Oh," she said. "I… brought drinks."
Aoi immediately pulled away, but not before exchanging a glance with Ren that said, later.
Tensions Spark
The next day, tension reached its peak.
"I don't understand why you need to revise my code again," Saki complained. "It worked during the initial test."
"Because we found a bug that corrupts data under load," Ren said calmly.
"But we already agreed—"
"You agreed with yourself," Aoi cut in sharply. "Ren's fixing it, not criticizing you."
Saki's eyes narrowed. "You really don't like me, do you?"
Aoi stood up. "Not when you're all over my boyfriend."
Saki blinked in shock. "So it's true. You two are—?"
Ren's sigh cut the air. "Yes. We're dating. And we wanted to keep it private until we were ready."
Saki looked between them, visibly shaken. She bit her lip, lowered her gaze, and whispered, "I didn't know…"
There was a pause. Then, in a much softer voice: "I like you, Ren. I didn't plan to. But I do."
Ren looked away. "I'm sorry."
Resolution
Despite the confrontation, the team remained professional. The tension gradually cooled, especially after Saki apologized to Aoi later in private — though Aoi didn't fully forgive her.
By the time the project deadline arrived, their work was nearly flawless. The presentation received praise from the professors and admiration from their classmates. Ren's predictive model paired with Aoi's intuitive interface made the project feel more like a startup prototype than a school assignment.
As the team walked out of the lecture hall, Hayato clapped Ren on the back. "You've got talent, man. Just make sure the drama doesn't kill the team next time."
Ren laughed. "No promises."
To Be Continued...
That night, after the long week of intense work, Aoi and Ren returned home — tired but content. The warmth between them stronger than ever, their connection tested, but not broken.
And though they didn't know it yet, the real conversation — about dreams, love, and the future — was just around the corner.