The classroom buzzed with after-school chatter, but for Rei Kazama, the world had narrowed down to a single desk by the window — where Aira Vellione sat, fiddling nervously with the corner of her notebook.
He approached slowly, pretending not to notice how her shoulders stiffened slightly at the sound of his footsteps.
"Hey," he said, casually. "Still here?"
Aira looked up with a faint smile. "Waiting for the rain to stop."
Rei glanced out the window. It was raining — a gentle drizzle that blurred the outlines of the school gates. Still, he knew better. She could've gone home with an umbrella. But she waited. Just like she always did.
"…Want to walk together?" he asked, trying not to make it sound like a big deal.
Aira blinked. "What?"
"I mean, since it's raining. I've got my umbrella."
"You… you mean share it?" she said, her voice laced with something between surprise and disbelief.
He rubbed the back of his neck. "Unless you prefer getting soaked."
Aira let out a breathy laugh and stood. "Fine. But only if you don't mind me holding your arm."
The walk home was quiet at first, save for the patter of rain above the umbrella and the distant splash of cars. Aira was unusually quiet — no humming, no random food trivia, not even teasing.
"You okay?" Rei asked, after a few minutes.
"…Hmm? Oh. Yeah. Just… thinking."
"About?"
A pause. A long one.
"…You ever felt like your heart is trying to say something, but your mouth refuses to listen?" she asked softly.
Rei stopped walking for a moment, glancing at her from the side. "All the time."
Aira's eyes widened slightly, caught off guard by his honesty.
Rei continued, voice low, "Like when you want to tell someone they make your day just by showing up. Or how their laugh sticks in your head longer than it should."
Aira stopped, her grip on his arm tightening.
"Or how you want to say, 'Don't walk away so easily next time,' but instead you say, 'See you later.'"
"…Rei…"
He didn't look at her. Not yet. His voice was calm but his heart was sprinting.
"I guess what I'm trying to say is—"
Suddenly, thunder rumbled overhead, and Aira flinched, stepping even closer under the umbrella, clinging to him.
And just like that — the moment passed.
Rei let out a small sigh, almost amused.
"—that maybe we should grab hot chocolate after this. You look like you need it."
Aira smiled, eyes shimmering not with tears, but something dangerously close to it.
"…You're the worst."
"Yeah," he said, smirking. "But you're still walking with me."
They didn't say anything more.
But under that small, borrowed umbrella — with stolen glances and borrowed warmth — the rain somehow felt like a secret shared between two hearts still learning how to speaker
– The Sound of Your Smile
The sun filtered gently through the classroom window, casting a warm glow on the quiet room. Morning homeroom had ended, but Kazama Rei was still sitting at his desk, head propped on one hand, eyes focused on the notebook in front of him. Except, he hadn't written a single word in the last ten minutes.
His thoughts were elsewhere.
To be specific—on a certain girl with honey-blonde hair who had somehow stolen his attention since the first day of school.
"Aira Vellione…" he muttered under his breath.
Just then, like summoned by his thoughts, the door slid open and she stepped in—radiant as always, holding a bag of cookies with a proud grin.
"There you are, Rei-kun! I brought cookies!"
"You always bring cookies," he replied, monotone. "You trying to bribe me?"
"Maybe~" She giggled, walking straight to his desk and placing one wrapped cookie in front of him like a peace offering. "But this one's special. I tried a new recipe."
He raised an eyebrow but accepted the cookie. "If I die, it's on you."
"I take full responsibility," she said with a mock salute, sitting on the chair beside his. "So, tell me... Did you miss me?"
"…We were literally in the same room fifteen minutes ago."
"That's not an answer~"
Kazama stared at her, unimpressed. But deep down, something stirred. The way her eyes lit up when she laughed—the way she leaned closer like she wanted to share the same world he'd always kept to himself.
She took out her phone and played a soft melody. "Here, listen. This song reminds me of you."
"…Huh?"
She offered him an earphone.
He hesitated.
"C'mon. Just one ear. I promise no jump scares."
With a sigh, he relented, plugging one ear in. The melody was gentle—piano notes dancing with strings, like the soundtrack to a memory he never had.
As the music played, neither of them spoke. The silence wasn't awkward—it was warm, like a shared secret. Kazama felt something shift in the air between them.
"You always do this," he muttered.
"Do what?"
"Break my defenses."
She blinked. Then smiled softly. "That's because I'm stubborn. And because…"
She leaned closer, voice barely a whisper.
"…I like you, Rei."
He froze. His heartbeat echoed louder than the music in his ear. For a second, he thought he misheard.
But she didn't take it back. Didn't laugh. Didn't run.
She just smiled.
He turned to look at her—and in that moment, everything slowed.
Her eyes, shining with sincerity.
Her smile, soft and nervous.
The music still playing in the background.
And for once, Kazama didn't feel the need to hide.
"…I guess," he said, barely audible, "I don't hate this feeling."
Her eyes widened slightly. Then she burst into the biggest smile he'd ever seen.
"You're so lame," she whispered.
"But you're smiling," he replied.
"Because I'm winning."
"No," he said. "We both are."
And there, in the quiet corner of a regular classroom, something truly extraordinary began—not with a kiss, not with a confession shouted to the skies—but with the sound of a shared smile, and a heartbeat caught in a moment that would never be forgotten.
---