Shōta's Gaze

Afternoon sunlight streamed through the classroom window, casting a diagonal shadow over Ryō's desk. He was practicing Japanese kanji in his notebook, but he stopped suddenly, sensing something that made him uneasy.

Shōta was watching Aoi again.

Sitting at the back of the classroom, Shōta’s gaze kept darting toward Aoi. His eyes, sometimes sharp and other times uncertain, seemed to be studying her with a mix of contemplation.

Ryō furrowed his brow. The way Shōta looked at Aoi felt different—more than just casual interest or affection. However, Aoi showed no sign of noticing. In fact, sitting beside Ryō, she seemed tense as she spoke to him.

“What Japanese do you want to practice today?” Aoi's voice was gentle as always, but Ryō couldn't shake the feeling that she was hiding something behind her smile. She avoided glancing in Shōta’s direction altogether.

Though Ryō had noticed this, he decided to keep the conversation light.

“I’d like to practice kanji again today, but it's tough... Especially remembering the characters for ‘thank you.’ I still can’t get them right.” Ryō chuckled as he spoke, but his mind was preoccupied with Shōta. Aoi smiled and reassured him, “You're almost there, keep going.” But Ryō noticed her fingers trembling.

A Moment of Relief

During lunch break, Ryō and Aoi went outside to the schoolyard. The moment they stepped out of the classroom, Aoi’s expression seemed to relax slightly, but the relief didn’t last long. She quickly scanned her surroundings, as if making sure Shōta wasn’t around, before offering Ryō a small smile.

“It's a beautiful day, Ryō.”

“Yeah, it is.” Ryō responded, but he couldn’t hold back any longer. The question that had been swirling in his mind finally escaped his lips.

“Aoi, about Shōta… You’ve noticed, right? He’s been watching you. Why are you avoiding him?”

Aoi’s smile vanished in an instant. Her eyes filled with unease and tension. Without answering Ryō, she averted her gaze, and silence stretched between them.

“Shōta and I… we had a lot of problems in the past.” When Aoi finally spoke, her voice had lost its usual softness. Her eyes seemed distant, as though she were being pulled back into old memories.

“When I first came back from America, I couldn’t speak Japanese very well. Everyone looked at me like I was different. I understood that, but Shōta… he was the one who bullied me the most.”

Ryō felt a pang of shock and empathy as Aoi’s pain became evident. The kindness and strength she had always shown were, in part, a mask she wore to cover up the scars from her past.

“He used to make fun of the way I spoke, knock over my desk, do all kinds of cruel things. Even now, whenever I see his face, all those memories come rushing back. I still don’t understand why he did it.”

Aoi’s voice trembled. Ryō wanted to say something, but no words came. Instead, he quietly sat beside her and gently placed his hand on her shoulder.

“I’m sorry, Aoi. I had no idea…”

“It’s not your fault, Ryō. But I don’t know why Shōta keeps watching me now. I’m just scared he’ll hurt me again.”

Tears welled up in Aoi’s eyes, and seeing this stirred a powerful resolve within Ryō—he wanted to protect her.

“I’m here for you, Aoi. No matter what, I’ll be on your side.”

Aoi stared at Ryō, surprised, but soon her gaze softened. She smiled slightly and whispered, “Thank you, Ryō.”

Determined to Protect

After that moment, Ryō silently made a decision. He would do whatever it took to protect Aoi from being pulled back into the pain of her past.

A New Challenge

The autumn breeze felt refreshing as preparations for the school festival began in full swing. The classroom was alive with students busy making decorations and posters, but Ryō couldn’t ignore the one thing that felt off.

Aoi and Shōta.

While the rest of the class worked together, there was still a cold tension between the two of them. They avoided each other, interacting as little as possible. Ryō couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that lingered.

“Alright, everyone! Let’s focus on getting the festival plans in place!” The class president, Kirito, stood at the front of the room, holding a clipboard, and called out energetically.

“We’ve only got a week left! Let’s get everything ready!”

The class buzzed with activity, and under Kirito’s leadership, discussions about the festival began. He wanted the festival to bring the whole class together, including Aoi and Shōta. He had noticed the subtle tension between them and was hoping they could find a way to resolve it.

“Ryō, can you help me out with something?” Kirito called over to him.

“Sure, what do you need?”

“I’m thinking of pairing Aoi and Shōta in the same group for decorations. What do you think?”

Ryō’s eyes widened for a moment, but he quickly understood Kirito’s intention.

“...Do you think that’s a good idea? Aoi’s still bothered by Shōta, and we don’t know what’s going on with him.”

“That’s exactly why we need to give them a chance to work together. If we want the festival to succeed, the class has to come together.” Kirito’s words made sense, and Ryō nodded in agreement. He, too, hoped that Aoi and Shōta could repair their relationship. If Shōta could apologize for the past and Aoi could forgive him, the class atmosphere would surely improve, and Aoi would be able to release the weight on her heart.

A Tense Start

The next day, as planned, Aoi and Shōta were assigned to the same decoration group. Ryō took on a supportive role, carefully watching over them to create opportunities for them to talk.

But, as expected, the atmosphere was awkward at first. Aoi refused to even look at Shōta, and their interactions were minimal. Shōta, on the other hand, seemed uncomfortable and unsure of what to say. Several times, he looked like he wanted to speak but hesitated.

Ryō observed the situation carefully and then spoke up at the right moment.

“Hey, Aoi, Shōta, can you both help me with this? Let’s hang this up together.”

He tried to involve them naturally in the work, but Aoi didn’t respond to his voice and continued her task. Shōta remained silent as well.

Meanwhile, Kirito addressed the whole class.

“Everyone! Let’s finish up the wall decorations today. Let’s work together!”

The students followed Kirito’s lead, diving into their tasks. As the classroom’s energy calmed, Ryō glanced back at the pair. Shōta looked like he was trying to find the right words to say to Aoi, but nothing came out.

“Shōta, don’t you have something you want to say to Aoi?” Ryō finally asked, his desire to help them connect driving his words. Shōta looked at Ryō, surprised, but after a moment, he nodded slightly.

“...Yeah. But I don’t know how to say it.”

Ryō nodded silently, then gently encouraged him. “Now’s your chance.”

Shōta took a step forward and, with a trembling voice, spoke to Aoi.

“Aoi… I’ve been meaning to say this for a long time. About the past… I’m sorry.”

The moment those words left his mouth, Aoi turned to look at him, surprised. Her eyes widened, and though there was shock in her expression, something in her gaze softened.

Shōta continued.

“Back when you first came back from America, I treated you terribly. I’ve regretted it ever since. I’ve wanted to apologize, but I never found the right time… Until now. I’m sorry, Aoi.”

The classroom went silent. The other students who had been working turned their attention to the pair. Aoi didn’t say anything at first. Her eyes wandered for a moment before finally settling back on Shōta, and she gave a small nod.

“...I’m not saying I forgive you, but… thank you. I’ve thought about it for a long time, too. Back then, I didn’t know how to handle things either.”

The wall that had separated them seemed to begin dissolving. The tension in the room eased, and the atmosphere gradually returned to its usual brightness.

Ryō watched over the two of them, feeling a quiet sense of relief. Though they hadn’t fully reconciled yet, he was grateful that they had taken their first steps toward healing.