It wasn't even second period yet, and Ren already looked like he wanted to be reincarnated as a chair.
He dropped into his seat with a sigh and thunked his forehead against the desk. "Tell my story," he muttered.
Daichi glanced over. "You didn't sleep?"
"I was in a deep, soul-searching conversation with my ceiling fan till 3 a.m."
"Did it offer good advice?"
"No. It just spun around and judged me."
Homeroom dragged. Ren didn't hear most of it. Something about practice exams and cleaning rotations and another survey form no one was going to fill out.
Instead, he stared out the window, chewing on the corner of his pen.Not doodling. Not talking. Just… quiet.
That's what tipped Daichi off.
Ren was never quiet for no reason.
By lunch, it was more obvious. Ren barely touched his bento, claimed he wasn't hungry, then tried to convince Daichi that pudding could count as a balanced meal "if you believe in it hard enough."
Daichi didn't even respond to that. He just ate his rice, slowly, watching his cousin try to act normal.
Finally, when Ren was playing with his phone, Daichi said, casually,"So… you gonna open that email?"
Ren froze like someone had pressed pause.
Then, slowly, "What email?"
Daichi didn't bother looking up. "The one you got yesterday. You tried to hide the screen, but your reflection was in the window."
Ren groaned. "Seriously?"
Daichi nodded. "You're not slick."
Ren flipped his phone over, face-down.
"It's just… a contest," he said. "Something I submitted for weeks ago. Didn't think I'd actually get anything back."
Daichi finally looked at him. "You did."
"Apparently."
"What did you send?"
Ren hesitated.
"…Something personal."
Daichi didn't push. But that was enough.
After school, they walked home like they always did. Haku trailed behind, tail swishing through the puddles left from yesterday's rain.
The air smelled damp and warm, like Mihama was still shaking off the storm.
Ren spoke first. "You ever feel like something's… I dunno… about to change, but you don't know how?"
Daichi tilted his head. "Yeah. Why?"
Ren stared at the sidewalk. "Because I think I just cracked open something I wasn't ready for."
At the corner, Daichi stopped to buy a drink from the vending machine.He handed Ren a lemon soda without a word.
Ren popped the tab and stared at it.
"You think I should reply?"
Daichi shrugged. "You already want to."
"Is it that obvious?"
"You're wearing the same expression you had when you lied about cutting your own bangs in eighth grade."
Ren snorted. "That was a phase."
"You're still in it."
They crossed the street.
The light changed. The air cooled. And above them, the clouds were rolling in again — soft, gray, and familiar.
Just like the beginning of something.