𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓.

── .✦ 9

The rooftop was quiet, bathed in soft autumn light. A breeze rolled through lazily, brushing through Y/n's hair as she adjusted the sleeves of the flannel draped over her shoulders. Akira's flannel. It still smelled faintly like him, and she tugged it closer without thinking.

Ayato's eyes flicked to the fabric.

Then away again.

He said nothing. His face stayed carefully unreadable, the same neutral calm he always wore. But something in the way his chopsticks stilled for a second—barely noticeable—betrayed a flicker of thought he didn't voice.

The three of them sat in their usual spot, lunch scattered between them. Taeko was animated, eyes shining as she recounted last night's movie, her voice bouncing with excitement.

"And when the hero showed up, I swear, the whole theater screamed!" she laughed, throwing her hands up for emphasis. "I had goosebumps. Literal goosebumps."

Y/n grinned, nodding in agreement as she took another bite of her sandwich. "Same. I haven't felt that much energy in a cinema in a while. It was electric."

Ayato hummed in response, quiet and distant. He pushed the rice around in his bento, but barely touched it. His thoughts weren't on the conversation—or the food.

Osano.

The plan was in motion. He'd gone to the holding facility early that morning. Everything was lined up. No loose ends, no room for mistakes.

Still, something buzzed in the back of his mind, dull and persistent.

His gaze drifted—again—to the flannel.

Y/n laughed at something Taeko said, leaning back with that familiar ease of hers. So unaware. So far from everything that lived beneath the surface of his world.

There was a pressure in his chest he couldn't explain. Something unsettled. He told himself it was about Osano. It had to be.

Taeko eventually turned her teasing toward him. "You're extra quiet today, Aishi-kun," she said, tilting her head. "Thinking about world domination again?"

He blinked, pulled from his thoughts. "Something like that, Taeko-senpai," he said dryly which surprised him since he wanted to be enthusiastic to reply to his senpai.

Taeko pouted, half-playful. "Well don't overthink it, whatever it is. We're supposed to be enjoying lunch."

Y/n gave him a curious glance. Her voice was lighter than Taeko's, but gentler too. "Yeah... You alright?"

Ayato met her gaze for a second too long. His eyes lingered—not on her face, but on the familiar blue of the flannel wrapped around her.

"Fine," he said. Then, with a flick of his eyes back to his food, "How's the jacket? Comfortable?"

There was something subtle in the way he said it. Not enough to sound off. But just enough to feel off.

Y/n didn't catch it. She just chuckled, pulling at the sleeves again. "Yeah, it's cozy. I should return it soon, though. Starting to feel like I've borrowed it way too long."

Ayato didn't reply. Just shifted his grip slightly, the wood of his chopsticks creaking faintly between his fingers.

He refocused on his food, letting the conversation drift away again. He had more important things to think about.

That's what he told himself, anyway.

⊹ ࣪ ﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖

The atmosphere on the rooftop shifted in an instant as the screams echoed from below. Conversations died out, and the students gathered at the railings, their curiosity piqued. Y/n and Taeko shared a concerned glance, their lightheartedness now replaced by unease. Without a word, they both stood up, abandoning their lunch, and walked toward the edge to see what had caused the commotion. Ayato followed quietly behind them, his expression as unreadable as ever.