Naizaka liked patterns.
Wake up, school, avoid people, drink juice, think quietly, go home. Simple.
But today, something ruined the pattern.
"You're late," he said without looking up.
Aihara Yuki stood in front of him again, juice in one hand, a smile in the other.
"I had to stop a cat from stealing someone's lunch," she said cheerfully, sitting down beside him like it was her seat now.
Naizaka sipped his orange juice. "Did it succeed?"
"The cat? Nah. I traded it a fish cracker."
Silence. He thought she might leave after that, but again—nope.
She leaned back against the wall and looked up at the sky. "You always sit here alone?"
He nodded.
"Because you hate people?"
He paused. "Because I don't want noise."
She hummed. "Aren't I noisy?"
"Yes."
"Then why haven't you left?"
He had no answer.
She grinned at his silence like she'd won something.
When the bell rang, she stood up and stretched. "Wanna walk back together?"
"No."
She walked with him anyway.
Back in the classroom, Naizaka went back to ignoring everyone. But ignoring people didn't mean they stopped noticing him.
He had become the class mystery. The "cool quiet guy." The one who said almost nothing but somehow had girls whispering about his voice.
"Maybe he's secretly a model," one girl whispered.
"No way, he's too scary," said another.
Naizaka tuned it all out, but he noticed Yuki watching the scene with a small smirk.
Lunch the next day, he thought she wouldn't come. Maybe the cat needed her again.
But no. She was even earlier this time.
"You eat anything besides juice?" she asked.
"I'm not hungry."
"You're lying. Your stomach growled in class."
He said nothing.
She handed him a small bento box.
"I made extra."
He blinked. "Why?"
She shrugged. "Because if you pass out from starvation, I'll feel bad."
He stared at it.
It was simple—rice balls, fried egg, and a piece of sausage shaped like an octopus.
He slowly took it.
"Thanks."
Yuki grinned. "Whoa. Did the statue just say thank you?"
"I can take it back."
"Nope. Too late. I'm framing that moment forever."
As they ate, she suddenly asked, "Do you always know what'll happen next?"
He paused, chewing slowly. "Sometimes."
"That's kinda spooky. Like you're psychic."
"I'm not. It's not exact. Just… a feeling."
"Can you predict what I'll say next?"
He looked at her.
"You'll ask if I have a girlfriend."
She opened her mouth—froze—then laughed out loud.
"Okay, that was spooky!"
When the day ended, Yuki waited at the gate.
Naizaka walked past her.
"You're walking me home?" she asked.
"No."
"Cool. I'll walk you home then."
He sighed, but didn't argue.
As they walked through the quiet streets, she talked about everything. Her favorite anime, how her brother once dyed the dog blue, the time she accidentally joined the judo club.
He didn't say much. But he listened.
When they reached his house, she smiled. "Thanks for not running away today."
"I thought about it."
"You didn't, though."
He looked at her. "That scares me more than anything."
"Why?"
"…Because it's not part of the pattern."
She tilted her head. "Maybe patterns aren't everything."
Then she turned and walked off, waving.
Naizaka stood there, watching her disappear around the corner.
He muttered under his breath, "…She'll come back tomorrow."
And for the first time…
He didn't hate the idea.
To be continued...