I don't get along with my family that much, Kenji thought.
The mansion was quiet. From the living room came laughter, bright, approving, warm. His parents were praising his older brother again, telling stories and laughing at every joke. Kenji lingered in the hallway, careful not to draw attention.
He remembered the last time he had tried to join them, holding up a report card. His father glanced at it, muttered, "That's nice," and went back to his wine. His mother hadn't looked up. That was enough to keep him silent.
He wandered upstairs to his room, the door clicking softly behind him. The rain tapped against the window. He sank onto the edge of his bed, letting the sound fill the emptiness. Words hadn't carried weight in his family, staying invisible was easier.
It's simpler this way, he thought.
Kenji trudged into school the next morning, his backpack hanging heavy on one shoulder. The halls were crowded, full of chatter and laughter, but he moved like a shadow, avoiding eyes, keeping to the edges.
At his locker, he found Seiji already leaning against it, earbuds in, scrolling through his phone.
"Yo," Seiji said, pulling one earbud out. "You look like you didn't sleep."
"Morning," Kenji muttered, slinging his bag onto his back.
Seiji squinted at him. "Something wrong at home?"
Kenji shook his head. "It's fine."
It wasn't fine. But no one asked the right questions anyway.
During first period, he sat near the window, watching leaves sway in the wind. Across the room, Aoi chatted with friends, her laughter light and effortless. He noticed her glance toward him once, then look away.
She doesn't care, he thought, though the thought wasn't as sharp as it had been yesterday.
By lunch, he chose a quiet spot under the tree, away from the noisy crowd. Seiji found him anyway, plopping down beside him with a grin.
"You're acting weird again," Seiji said. "Talk to me."
Kenji stared at the grass. He didn't know what to say, not about Aoi, not about home, not about the hollow ache he carried like a shadow in his chest.
Seiji nudged him. "Hey, you okay? Really?"
Kenji swallowed. Words tangled in his throat. He forced a small nod. "Yeah… I'm okay."
Seiji didn't press further. He just leaned back, chewing quietly, letting Kenji exist in his own silence.