The lunch bell rang, releasing students from the clutches of textbooks and mind-numbing equations. The atmosphere in Classroom 3-A began to relax. Most students started packing their things, heading for the cafeteria or gathering in corners to chat. However, for Leo Tsukino and Lumine Komori, their destination was a quieter, more private place.
The school's rooftop garden on a clear late spring day was like a small oasis. The gentle sunlight wasn't too harsh, and a soft breeze carried the faint, sweet scent of flowers from a planter in the corner. Leo and Lumine chose to sit on a long bench under the shade of an ornamental tree that spread its branches, offering coolness. Colorful, appetizing bento boxes were opened and placed before them. Lumine still made a little extra for Leo, as usual. Even though he'd told her not to bother, his joyful smile every time he saw it brought her too much happiness to stop.
"Leo... during Mr. Satoru's physics class this morning, I saw you dozing off," Lumine teased softly as she picked up a piece of rolled omelet with her chopsticks. Her beautiful eyes sparkled with a mix of amusement and affection.
Leo, who was about to take a bite of rice, paused slightly, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. "Uh... well, last night I was reading 'The Universe in Your Hand' – the book you lent me – until really late. It was so interesting, I just couldn't put it down," he confessed, scratching his cheek to cover his embarrassment.
Lumine giggled, a sound brighter and more natural than Leo had ever heard. "I'm glad you liked it. I'll recommend some other books to you later. There are many more I think you'll definitely enjoy." She smiled broadly, then picked up a small, octopus-shaped sausage from her bento and placed it in Leo's. "Here, try this. I tried a new recipe today."
"Thanks," Leo smiled back. He felt himself relax and become more himself every time he was with Lumine. The shyness that had once been like a shield was gradually diminishing, revealing the clear warmth he felt for her. "This weekend... are you free? There's a new sci-fi movie out. It looks like it'll be fun."
"Mm, I'm free," Lumine replied instantly, her eyes sparkling. "Oh! And after the movie, should we stop by that new bookstore near the station? I heard they have a really big science section."
Their conversation flowed smoothly and naturally, interspersed with happily sharing food from their bento boxes.
Leo unthinkingly used his fingertip to wipe away some yakisoba sauce that had smudged the corner of Lumine's mouth. When he realized what he'd done, both their faces turned crimson. They looked at each other and let out soft laughs at their own awkwardness. These small moments were simple joys that filled their hearts in a surprising way.
However, in a corner of the staircase leading up to the rooftop, the small figure of a girl stood frozen as if petrified. Sora Aoki, a second-year student, clutched several report books to her chest so tightly her knuckles turned white. She was on her way to submit her assignments to a teacher in the staff room at the end ofthe top-floor hallway. That very hallway was near the door to the rooftop stairs. But when her eyes caught sight of Leo and Lumine laughing happily together on the rooftop through the small window in the door, her feet seemed rooted to the spot, unable to move forward.
Her short, silver-gray hair, cut to shoulder length, swayed gently with the breeze seeping through the window, but Sora didn't feel it. All her attention was focused on Leo's smile, the gentle look in his eyes as he gazed at Lumine... It was the image she had fantasized about, that one day she might be the one receiving that gaze. Sora's small heart pounded with a complex mix of feelings – joy at seeing the person she secretly admired happy, and pain that she wasn't a part of that happiness.
"Why... why does it have to be her, Komori-senpai..." Sora whispered to herself, so softly it was barely audible. Her amethyst-purple eyes, usually bright and sparkling, now dimmed noticeably. Within them flickered sadness, resentment, and a desire so intense it was frightening. She thought back to her first year, when she had accidentally dropped a pile of thick books all over the hallway floor in front of the library. Amidst the disapproving stares of some upperclassmen, only Leo (who was a second-year then) had calmly walked over to help her pick them up, even offering her a gentle, encouraging smile. That smile had been etched in Sora's heart ever since.
Then, the image shifted to the morning of the new school term, when Leo had bravely confessed his love for Lumine in front of the school. Sora had been among the students who witnessed it. Leo's words, full of love and determination, had left her in awe, impressed, and at the same time, feeling as if her heart was being squeezed violently. He had looked so cool, so radiant then. But the love he offered... was not for her.
Sora saw Leo gently wipe a speck of rice from the corner of Lumine's mouth, before they both laughed together again in an easy, familiar way. The sight made Sora bite her lower lip so hard she could taste the salty tang of blood. Jealousy surged, growing more distinct, like a dark shadow slowly creeping in to consume her once-pure heart.
"If only... if only I had been a little braver..." Sora thought back to the many times she'd had the chance to talk to Leo – when he came to help out at the library where she was a committee member, or when they coincidentally met at the bookstore. But her shyness and lack of self-confidence had always made her lower her gaze, managing only a mumbled thank you. She had never been brave enough to start a conversation, never brave enough to show any of her feelings, as if an invisible wall always separated her from his bright world.
Then, the image of Lumine Komori superimposed itself in Sora's thoughts. Lumine, who always looked elegant, intelligent, and self-assured. Lumine, who could talk and laugh with Leo so naturally. Lumine, who stood beside Leo so perfectly... so different from her. Sora looked down at her own hands, which were trembling slightly. A strong sense of inadequacy overwhelmed her. She was just a small, shy underclassman who wasn't good at talking. How could she ever compare to such a perfect upperclassman?
Suddenly, amidst her confused emotions and weakened grip, one of the report books she was hugging slipped from her trembling arms, hitting the hallway floor with a dull "thud!" followed by the sound of papers scattering slightly.
The sound was loud enough to make Leo and Lumine, who were enjoying their conversation on the rooftop, stop abruptly. They both turned to look towards the door leading to the staircase with curiosity.
"Huh? Who's there?" Leo frowned slightly, trying to peer through the small window in the door, but he could only see a shadowy figure that seemed to be hastily bending down to pick something up.
Sora froze, her heart plummeting to her stomach. She hadn't thought they would hear the noise. Shock and fear shot through her, making her unable to react. Her legs felt rooted to the spot. Her amethyst-purple eyes widened in panic as she saw Leo's shadow seemingly getting up and walking towards the door. She quickly ducked her head, trying to gather her wits and pick up the fallen book as fast as possible. But in her panic, her hands trembled even more, making it almost impossible to grasp anything.
"It's okay, Leo. It was probably just the wind blowing something over," Lumine said softly, her voice gentle and soothing. She had noticed the panicked demeanor of the shadow by the stairs and sensed a certain nervousness, so she tried to redirect Leo's attention. "You were talking about that new bookstore, weren't you? Tell me more about it."
Leo hesitated slightly, but when he saw Lumine's smile, his suspicion eased. "Oh... right, right. They say that store has a lot of rare books, and there's even a small café corner where you can sit and read. The atmosphere sounds really nice," he began to elaborate on the bookstore for Lumine. His attention quickly returned to the conversation with the girl in front of him. Their smiles and laughter resumed, as if nothing had happened.
Sora, who was still bent over picking up her book, felt a wave of relief when she heard Lumine's voice diverting his attention. But at the same time, a more complex feeling stirred within her. She looked up through her silver-gray bangs at the image of the couple on the rooftop again. Lumine wasn't just beautiful and smart, but also seemed kind and quick-witted... The more she saw, the more distant she felt from her.
"Why... why is she so perfect in every way..." Sora mumbled, her voice tinged with bitterness. She quickly finished gathering the remaining books, deciding she shouldn't disturb their private time any longer. And confronting Leo right now was something she wasn't ready for.
Sora took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil in her chest. She clutched the books tightly again, then slowly, as quietly as possible, turned and hurried, almost ran, down the stairs to the lower floor. She didn't dare look back at the happy scene on the rooftop, even though the image of Leo's smile was still seared into her mind.
When she reached the relatively quiet lower hallway, Sora collapsed against the wall of an unused classroom. She let the books in her arms fall to her side, then raised both hands to cover her face, allowing the tears she had been holding back to flow uncontrollably. Soft sobs escaped from between her tightly clenched teeth.
"Hic... Why... why can't I be like that..." Warm tears streamed through her fingers, drop after drop. Feelings of jealousy, inadequacy, and suppressed desires erupted violently. "If I could be Komori-senpai... If I could be the one standing there next to Leo-senpai..."
The image of Lumine smiling and laughing happily with Leo on the rooftop moments ago was so bright and beautiful, it made Sora's dark and silent world seem even gloomier. In the heart of this shy, quiet girl, there was now only one intense desire, growing silently and alarmingly... The desire to be "the one" for Leo Tsukino... no matter what it took.
Sora sobbed for a while longer before slowly wiping the tears from her face. Her amethyst-purple eyes were now red and slightly swollen, but the gaze that had once flickered with insecurity now held a strange glint of something harder, more determined. She looked down at the pile of books beside her, then picked them up and hugged them to her chest again.
"I... I won't give up just like this..." Sora whispered to herself, her voice still trembling but laced with resolve. She slowly stood up, trying to regulate her breathing. Though her heart still ached, something stronger was pushing her from within.
The image of Leo and Lumine's smiles remained vivid in her mind, like both the light she yearned for and the dark shadow she wanted to overcome. The small, silver-gray-haired girl walked away down the quiet hallway, leaving behind only the dried tear stains on the floor and a complex desire, silently gathering like a great storm in her heart, waiting for the day it would erupt...