Saki finished her lunch almost without realizing it.
It had flavor… but her mind was somewhere else entirely.
When she set her spoon down against the edge of the plate, the weight in her chest was still there.
Hiroki was the first to notice.
He turned slightly toward Saki, his voice deliberately gentle.
— Did you like the food, Saki?
Saki flinched.
For a moment, she thought her thoughts had been exposed.
— Y-Yes… it was good.
The answer was true, but incomplete.
Hiroki could tell.
A brief silence settled over the table.
— What about you? Saki asked, turning her gaze to him.
— Did you like it, Hiroki?
Hiroki smiled, but there was a faint distance in his eyes.
— It wasn't as good as yours.
Saki covered her mouth and let out a small laugh she couldn't hold back.
A short, shy giggle…
Miyuki raised an eyebrow.
— Seriously? Was it that good?
— Yeah, Hiroki said.
— You should try it.
Saki felt her cheeks warm.
She lowered her gaze to her plate.
— You're exaggerating… it wasn't that good.
Hiroki replied without hesitation.
— It was, for me.
A smile Saki didn't even realize she was wearing settled on her face.
— R-Really?
— Really.
Another moment passed…
That strange, fleeting silence.
This time, Miyuki broke it.
— Did you miss her that much, Hiroki?
— If you missed her that badly, Saki won't be able to say no anyway.
Both of them turned to Miyuki at the same time.
A silent stop it glare.
But Hiroki added right after,
— But seriously… I'd like to taste it again.
Saki's heart sped up.
This time, logic couldn't keep up.
— I-If you want…
— I can make it again…
Her voice grew softer and softer.
Watching her like that, Hiroki smiled unconsciously.
Her flustered state… it was sincere.
— I didn't have many ingredients that day…
— I had just woken up…
— I'll make it better this time. You can trust me.
Hiroki and Miyuki exchanged a look and laughed quietly.
— Saki, Hiroki said with a grin,
— Were you this nervous while you were cooking too?
Saki's face turned bright red.
— I won't be able to refuse you, Hiroki said.
— Want to have dinner together tonight?
Saki paused for a moment.
Her heart had already answered.
— …Okay.
— I'd be really happy.
After school, Miyuki parted ways with them.
— I'll join you another day, she said with a smile.
— This moment is yours.
Saki and Hiroki started walking home together.
Hiroki walked with his hands in his pockets, his guitar slung over his back.
Saki held her hands together in front of her, trying to calm her heart.
— Are you hungry? she asked.
— Even if I'm not, Hiroki said,
— I'll eat anything you make.
Saki smiled.
— Then I'll make extra.
Together
They walked in silence for a while.
Their footsteps blended together, filling the space between them.
Saki couldn't endure the silence any longer.
— By the way…
— You were drawing
something in your notebook this morning.
Hiroki hesitated for a moment.
He didn't take his eyes off the road.
— Just a few unimportant things.
Saki frowned slightly.
— I'm curious about what you drew.
— Even if it's unimportant?
— Yeah.
Hiroki smiled faintly.
As if he wanted to close the topic.
— Alright… he said after a moment.
— Then I'll ask you something too.
— Okay. You ask first.
— You haven't forgotten the task I gave you, right?
— No, of course not.
— Then… how far have you gotten?
— I heard they're choosing the president tomorrow.
Saki hesitated briefly.
— I submitted my project.
— I'll probably win.
Hiroki slowed his steps.
— When you say that…
— You sound confident, but also not.
Saki stayed silent.
— Saki…
— Did you really make the project yourself?
Saki's heart raced.
She lowered her head.
— I submitted a project I found under my desk to the teacher…
Hiroki stopped.
— A project with no clear owner?
— Yes…
— You didn't know who put it there.
— But you had a guess.
Saki didn't answer.
— It was Yusuke, wasn't it?
Saki's voice was barely audible.
— Yes…
— Why didn't you tell me?
— Why didn't you ask me for help?
Hiroki's voice wasn't harsh.
But the hurt within it was clear.
— I couldn't…
— I didn't want you to see me like that.
Hiroki didn't respond.
They kept walking.
The silence between them grew heavier.
Oh, Saki…
You messed things up again…
Her house was close.
But the road felt longer than ever.
What was in Hiroki's notebook?
And this silence… what did it mean?
Saki lifted her head.
This time, she wouldn't run away.