The classroom after school was dyed red by the setting sun's rays.
Outside the window, loud voices from the sports clubs rang out, full of energy.
In the audiovisual room after school, Kato gumi sat up straight in her chair, back stiff, legs neatly together, clearly nervous.
Directly across from her, Eriri sat with a large sketchpad propped up in front of her, pencil flying across the white paper.
Occasionally, she'd pick up her phone with a sweet smile, typing away happily.
At the very back by the hallway, in a spot the sunset couldn't reach, Utaha's fingers danced skillfully over a keyboard.
From the look of her, she seed to have completely erged from the shadow left by Watanabe Takashi's departure.
But occasionally, she would stop typing and stare blankly at the screen.
Everything seed to have gone back to how it used to be—but only Tomoya knew that the surface calm was a lie.
The reality hidden beneath the calm was that after this ga, both Utaha and Eriri would leave the circle.
Tomoya could understand Utaha's decision.
Because of Watanabe Takashi—he understood.
But as for Eriri, he couldn't understand her at all.
He had asked her why.
And her answer that day was: "I fell for soone else. If I stay in touch with you, he'll get jealous. I don't want to upset him."
When he heard Eriri say she liked soone else, Tomoya's first reaction was disbelief.
Because he knew that Eriri liked him.
She had turned down classmates with great reputations, an upperclassman from the basketball team who was a school celebrity, and a handso guy from the music club—all for him.
He couldn't believe anyone could replace him in Eriri's heart.
That's what he had thought.
But then he saw Eriri texting with her head down, the corners of her mouth lifting into a sweet, unconscious smile—and he realized she wasn't joking.
She really had fallen for soone else.
He had known Eriri for so long that they could read each other's thoughts with just a glance.
That day, he couldn't control his emotions and shouted at her, "How could you fall for soone else?"
Yeah, how could she?
She still had to make ands—he hadn't forgiven her betrayal.
Hadn't she said that she loved him the most?
Unsurprisingly, that day was their fiercest argunt ever.
From that day on, aside from working on the ga, Eriri hadn't said a single word to him.
And he never did figure out who exactly she had fallen for.
The club activity continued until 6 p.m.
After it ended, Tomoya locked up the room and left campus with the others.
The four of them left together, but each walked alone, keeping a noticeable distance from each other, as if none of them knew each other.
"What's he so busy with? He hasn't replied at all."
Up front, Eriri grumbled to herself.
Ever since she ssaged "Club's almost over," Watanabe Takashi had vanished like he'd evaporated from the world—he hadn't replied once.
That annoyed Eriri.
Not just this ti—lately, she noticed his replies were getting slower.
He used to respond instantly.
Now, sotis it takes a minute or two.
When she asked, he'd just say he was busy—but never with what.
Eriri even began to suspect that Watanabe Takashi was cheating on her behind her back.
Is he tired of ?
As that thought took root, she couldn't stop herself from spiraling.
"Ugh, the internet was right."
"A woman mustn't be too nice to a man. Otherwise, he'll take you for granted."
Like a bitter wife full of grievances, Eriri mumbled to herself nonstop.
"And where did you get that toxic advice?"
Just as she stepped out of the school gate, the voice she'd longed to hear ca from behind her.
She spun around instantly and saw, standing at the school gate with silver-black half-rim glasses, a black Arc'teryx jacket, black cargo pants, and white sneakers—a clean-cut boy with both hands behind his back, smiling at her.
The night breeze lifted his bangs, revealing a smooth, fair face.
"Takashi…"
Seeing Watanabe Takashi again was like a long-dry flower finally drinking morning dew. Utaha's lifeless, wine-red eyes lit up again.
Her heart, once dormant, started to pound with life.
Ba-dump! Ba-dump!
She stepped forward, but soone was faster.
"Takashi!"
Before seeing him, Eriri had plenty of complaints.
But the mont she saw him, all of them vanished.
The sumr heat of August still lingered, but if it was to see Watanabe Takashi—Eriri would run.
Because when you're going to see soone you've been dying to see, the excitent makes it impossible to walk calmly.
"What are you doing here?"
Eriri ran up to Takashi, her cheeks flushed and an uncontrollable smile on her face.
She can smile like that too.
Tomoya felt like his feet were frozen to the spot. He stared at Eriri's sunflower-like smile in a daze.
He had never seen her smile so happily before.
Takashi raised an eyebrow and said with a grin, "If I didn't co, a certain jealous person would probably start overthinking things again."
"Hmph, so you do know!"
Eriri gave his arm a playful twist.
Of course, she didn't use much strength—just enough to show her point.
"You're always so busy, your replies are getting slower. Hmm? What are you hiding behind your back?"
She noticed he had been keeping his hands behind him, holding sothing. She tilted her head, trying to peek.
Takashi turned to block her view, eyes evasive. "Ah, it's nothing."
Suspicious!
His dodge only made her more curious—she had to know what he was hiding.
"Let see!"
"Can't it wait?"
"Nope! If you keep hiding it, I'll bite you!"
After a bit of tugging and so mild threats, Takashi gave in.
Eriri finally got to see what he was hiding.
Flowers.
A bouquet of lilies.
"The language of lilies is: pure, sacred love and a happy union."
"I hope our relationship can be like this bouquet—harmonious and beautiful forever."
Takashi held out the yellow lilies with both hands.
Eriri didn't take them imdiately.
She looked at the flowers, then at him, and asked tentatively, "These are for ?"
"Who else? If not for you, then who?"
He kept holding the bouquet toward her.
"Romance should always begin with flowers and a proper confession."
"Then why were you hiding them when we t?"
"Well… I didn't expect your friends to be around. I was planning to give them to you sowhere private."
Takashi scratched his head, a little embarrassed and shy.
"Pfft—!"
Eriri couldn't hold back her laugh.
She took the flowers, buried her face in them, and took a deep breath. "Mmm, they sll amazing~"
"Of course! I practically searched all of Ōta's flower markets for them."
Takashi muttered softly, his voice low, but just loud enough for Eriri to hear.
It was intentional.
He wanted Eriri to hear.
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