The bus ride home was supposed to be quiet—sleepy heads against windows, earbuds in, a slow fade into routine. But for Yuuji, everything felt too loud.
Ren was laughing again.
Not with him.
With Rio.
Yuuji had taken the window seat, hoping for space. Hoping Ren would take the spot beside him again like he had on the way to camp. But the moment Ren stepped onto the bus, Rio had tugged his sleeve and motioned toward the middle row.
"Come on, I saved us a spot."
And Ren… followed.
Yuuji didn't know why that stung so much. He didn't even like Ren. Not really. At least, that's what he kept telling himself—every time he felt like flipping the armrest up and storming down the aisle.
Behind him, Will and Kenji were whispering and laughing about something, completely unaware that Yuuji was spiraling into a quiet mental meltdown.
"Are you okay?" Kenji finally asked, nudging the back of his seat.
Yuuji nodded stiffly. "Fine."
Lie.
---
Meanwhile, Ren and Rio were in their own corner of chaos.
Rio was scrolling through Ren's sketchbook, laughing at the pages he wasn't supposed to see. "Oh my god, this one looks like Kenji's hair after swimming class."
"Stop judging my art, Rio!" Ren whined, lunging for the book. "That was just a warmup!"
"You doodled someone with angry eyebrows in the margin next to a list that says 'things that make me mad: Yuuji, Yuuji, and… oh wow, Yuuji again.'"
Ren snatched the sketchbook away, cheeks burning. "It was a conceptual piece."
"Right," Rio said with a smirk. "Conceptually obsessed."
Ren threw a pencil at him.
---
Yuuji clenched his jaw. He didn't want to look back. But every time Ren's laugh rang out, his heart pulled tighter in his chest.
Why him?
Why Rio?
He knew it was stupid. Ren could talk to whoever he wanted. Laugh as much as he liked. But still… watching him light up around someone else—it was like watching the sun set behind a different skyline. It belonged somewhere else now.
"I need air," Yuuji muttered and stood.
Will raised a brow. "On a moving bus?"
"Figure of speech."
He stumbled down the narrow aisle, pausing when he reached Ren and Rio's row.
Ren looked up. His grin faded slightly. "Hey."
Yuuji didn't speak. Just stared for a beat too long.
Rio blinked. "Everything cool?"
"Fine." Yuuji turned and flopped down next to Ian across the aisle.
Ian, who had been quietly reading a fantasy novel, lowered the book with an amused glance. "Didn't think you were the type to sulk."
"I'm not."
"You're glaring at that poor boy like he stole your lunch."
"He's annoying."
"And yet, here you are. Rearranging the laws of physics with your jealousy."
Yuuji turned away. "I'm not jealous."
Ian smirked. "You keep saying that, but your face keeps lying."
---
Across the aisle, Ren hadn't stopped glancing over.
Rio elbowed him. "What's going on with you two?"
"Nothing."
"Right. Because he looked at you like you murdered his cat."
Ren sighed. "He's always like that."
Rio raised a brow. "You care what he thinks?"
Ren looked out the window.
The truth was: yes. Of course he did.
He thought about that letter—Yuuji's careful handwriting, the words that weren't quite a confession but definitely weren't neutral. And now this... storm brewing behind quiet stares and skipped seats.
"He's confusing," Ren finally admitted.
Rio grinned. "And that's your type?"
"No! I mean—" Ren stopped himself. "Can we just not?"
---
The ride dragged on, every bump in the road mimicking the rhythm of everyone's thoughts.
At one point, the driver took a sharp turn, and Yuuji instinctively reached across the aisle to stop Ren's sketchbook from sliding off the seat.
Their hands brushed.
They froze.
Ren looked at him. Really looked.
Yuuji pulled his hand back like it had been burned. "Sorry."
Ren blinked, lips parting. "You okay?"
"No. I mean—yes. Just tired."
Ren nodded, but something was off in his smile. Not playful. Not sharp. Just... waiting.
---
Back in their rows, Rio leaned against the window and whispered to Will, "If those two don't kiss by next week, I'm transferring schools."
Will smirked. "I give them three more arguments before someone breaks."
---
By the time the bus pulled up to the school gates, the air was thick with things unsaid.
Ren hung back as everyone grabbed their bags.
Yuuji lingered too.
Their eyes met across the row.
Neither moved.
And yet, neither looked away.