Yuki couldn't focus on her homework. The economics textbook lay open on her desk, but her mind kept drifting back to her conversation with Haruki that morning. What if the rumors are true? His words echoed in her thoughts, along with the wariness in his eyes when he'd said them.
She glanced at the clock. 11:42 PM. Too late to be thinking about this. Too late to be thinking about him.
With a sigh, she closed her textbook and reached for her phone. No new messages. She hadn't heard from Haruki since they'd parted ways outside the tech building that morning. Not that she expected to. They hadn't exchanged numbers, after all.
Except... they had. That night when he'd texted her from work.
Yuki hesitated, then opened their previous conversation. The last message was from two nights ago, his simple "I'll be at the roof tomorrow. 4 PM. If you want." She'd read those words so many times they were practically memorized.
Before she could overthink it, she typed a new message.
Yuki: Still at work?
She hit send, then immediately regretted it. What if he was sleeping? What if he didn't want to hear from her? What if...
Her phone buzzed.
Haruki: Yes. Break time again.
Yuki smiled, relief washing over her.
Yuki: The circuit boards keeping you company?
Haruki: Not as good as some company.
Her heart skipped a beat. Was he flirting? No, probably just being friendly. She bit her lip, trying to think of a response that wouldn't sound too eager.
Yuki: Sorry about my friends this morning.
Haruki: It's fine. They care about you.
Yuki: They're just overprotective.
There was a pause before his next message came through.
Haruki: Maybe they should be.
Yuki frowned at her screen.
Yuki: What's that supposed to mean?
Haruki: Just that they're right to be cautious. You don't really know me.
Yuki: I'm getting to know you.
Another pause, longer this time.
Haruki: Why?
Such a simple question, but it caught her off guard. Why was she so interested in him? Why did she keep seeking him out, thinking about him, wearing his hoodie to bed?
Yuki: Because I want to.
It wasn't a complete answer, but it was honest. She did want to know him, in a way that surprised even herself.
Haruki: Even after what your friends said?
Yuki: They don't know you.
Haruki: Neither do you. Not really.
Yuki sighed in frustration. She pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping Haruki's hoodie tighter around herself.
Yuki: Then let me.
The typing indicator appeared, disappeared, then appeared again. Yuki held her breath.
Haruki: It's not that simple.
Yuki: Why not?
Haruki: Because people get hurt.
The cryptic response made her frown.
Yuki: What people?
Haruki: People who get too close.
Yuki: To you?
Haruki: Yes.
Yuki stared at the single word, trying to decipher what he meant. Was he warning her away? Or was this some kind of test?
Yuki: I'm not afraid of getting hurt.
Haruki: Maybe you should be.
She could almost hear the resignation in his words, could picture the guarded look in his eyes. It made her chest ache.
Yuki: Is this about the rumors? Because I don't care what people say.
Haruki: It's not just rumors.
Yuki: Then what is it?
The typing indicator appeared again, lingering for what felt like an eternity. Then:
Haruki: I have to go back to work.
Yuki felt a stab of disappointment.
Yuki: You're avoiding the question.
Haruki: Yes.
At least he was honest about it. She sighed, running a hand through her hair.
Yuki: Will I see you tomorrow? On the roof?
Another pause.
Haruki: Do you still want to?
Yuki: Yes.
Haruki: Then I'll be there.
Relief flooded through her.
Yuki: 4 PM?
Haruki: 4 PM.
Yuki: Good luck with the rest of your shift.
Haruki: Thanks. Goodnight, Yuki.
Yuki: Goodnight, Haruki.
She set her phone down, her mind racing. Their conversation had left her with more questions than answers. What did he mean, people who get too close get hurt? Was he in some kind of trouble? Or was he just trying to push her away?
Yuki glanced at her desk, where her economics homework still waited. There was no way she could concentrate on supply and demand curves now. With a sigh, she got up and moved to her bed, still wearing Haruki's hoodie.
As she lay down, her phone buzzed one more time. She grabbed it eagerly, expecting another message from Haruki. Instead, it was from Hana.
Hana: You still up?
Yuki: Unfortunately.
Hana: Can we talk about this morning?
Yuki hesitated. She wasn't in the mood to defend her friendship with Haruki again.
Yuki: What about it?
Hana: I'm worried about you.
Yuki: You don't need to be.
Hana: Yuki, I've been asking around about him.
A sense of unease settled in Yuki's stomach.
Yuki: Why would you do that?
Hana: Because I care about you. And there's stuff you should know.
Yuki: Like what?
Hana: Not over text. Can we meet for coffee before class tomorrow?
Yuki frowned. What could be so serious that Hana didn't want to say it in a message?
Yuki: Fine. 8:30 at the campus cafe?
Hana: I'll be there. And Yuki?
Yuki: What?
Hana: Just... keep an open mind, okay?
Yuki: Goodnight, Hana.
She put her phone on silent and set it on her nightstand, suddenly exhausted. Between Haruki's cryptic warnings and Hana's ominous messages, her head was spinning.
Whatever Hana had discovered, whatever secrets Haruki was keeping, Yuki would face them tomorrow. For now, she pulled the covers up to her chin, breathing in the faint scent of Haruki's hoodie as she drifted off to sleep.
The campus cafe was crowded when Yuki arrived the next morning. She spotted Hana at a corner table, two cups of coffee already waiting. Mei was notably absent.
"Where's Mei?" Yuki asked as she slid into the seat across from Hana.
"Study group," Hana replied, pushing one of the coffees toward Yuki. "I thought it might be better if we talked alone."
Yuki took a sip of her coffee, noting that Hana had remembered exactly how she liked it. "So, what's this about?"
Hana looked uncharacteristically serious. "I talked to my cousin Takashi yesterday. He's in the computer science department with Haruki."
"And?" Yuki prompted when Hana paused.
"And he told me some things that... concerned me." Hana fidgeted with her coffee cup. "Haruki was suspended from his previous school. Did you know that?"
Yuki shook her head. "No. But that doesn't necessarily mean anything bad."
"He was suspended for hacking into the school's system and changing grades," Hana continued. "Not just his own. Other students' too."
Yuki frowned. "How does your cousin know this?"
"It's common knowledge in the CS department, apparently. Haruki's some kind of programming prodigy. That's why he got accepted here despite the suspension."
"Okay, so he made a mistake," Yuki said, feeling defensive on Haruki's behalf. "That doesn't make him dangerous."
"There's more," Hana said quietly. "The reason he works at that factory? It's not just for money. It's part of his probation."
"Probation?" Yuki repeated, her coffee forgotten. "What are you talking about?"
Hana leaned forward, lowering her voice. "He got caught hacking into a corporate database last year. Some big tech company. They pressed charges, but because he was a first time offender and technically still a minor, he got community service instead of jail time."
Yuki's mind raced. Could this be what Haruki meant when he said it wasn't just rumors? When he warned her that people who get too close get hurt?
"How reliable is this information?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
"Takashi heard it directly from Professor Yamada," Hana replied. "The same professor who teaches Haruki's advanced programming class."
Yuki sat back in her chair, processing this new information. It explained some things, like why Haruki was so guarded, why he worked nights, why he seemed to carry such a weight on his shoulders.
"There's one more thing," Hana said hesitantly.
"What?"
"Those guys at the train station? The ones Mei mentioned yesterday? They're not just random troublemakers. They're hackers too. And according to Takashi, Haruki used to run with them before he got caught."
Yuki thought back to the train station, to how familiar Haruki had seemed with the area. Had he been meeting someone there? Was that why he'd been so quick to say goodbye?
"I don't know what to say," Yuki admitted.
"You don't have to say anything," Hana reached across the table to squeeze Yuki's hand. "I just thought you should know what you're getting into. Haruki Sato isn't just some mysterious loner. He's someone with a record."
"People make mistakes," Yuki said, though her voice lacked conviction.
"Of course they do," Hana agreed. "And maybe he's changed. But you should at least go into this with your eyes open."
Yuki nodded, her mind still reeling. "Thank you for telling me."
"Are you still going to see him?" Hana asked, her expression concerned.
Yuki thought about their text conversation, about his warning that people who get too close get hurt. She thought about the roof, about their meeting scheduled for that afternoon.
"Yes," she said finally. "I need to hear his side of the story."
Hana looked like she wanted to argue, but instead she just nodded. "Just be careful, okay? And call me if you need anything."
"I will," Yuki promised.
As they finished their coffee and headed to their respective classes, Yuki couldn't help but wonder what other secrets Haruki was keeping. And more importantly, whether those secrets would change how she felt about him.
Four o'clock suddenly seemed very far away.