𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐧 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞

A Shift In The Air

Kanae’s POV

Kanae found herself back in the library after school, working on another biology project. She loved the quiet of the place, how the smell of old books seemed to calm her. The sun filtered through the large windows, casting a warm glow over the study tables.

She was so engrossed in her notes that she didn’t notice when Sanemi entered. He wasn’t the type to frequent the library, and seeing him there felt... out of place.

“Hey,” his familiar voice cut through the silence.

Kanae looked up, startled. Sanemi was standing a few feet away, hands stuffed into his pockets, his usual cocky smirk missing. He seemed almost... unsure. It was a strange look on him.

“Shinazugawa?” she blinked, a little thrown off by his presence. “What are you doing here?”

He shrugged, walking closer and dropping into the seat across from her. “Just needed a quiet place to think, I guess.”

She raised an eyebrow, glancing around at the nearly empty library. “The library? You don’t seem like the bookish type.”

He chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “Yeah, well, maybe I’m full of surprises.”

Kanae tried to focus on her notes again, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that Sanemi had come for a reason. He had that same look on his face the one he wore when he was up to something. But this time, there was a hint of something else. Was it hesitation?

“So,” she said after a moment, her pen tapping lightly against her notebook, “what’s really going on?”

Sanemi’s gaze flickered to the flower hairclip she had in her hair, a soft purple that matched her eyes. For a second, he just stared, his expression shifting into something she hadn’t seen before.

“That clip,” he said, his voice lower than usual, “it suits you.”

Kanae’s hand instinctively went to the small flower clip, brushing it gently. She hadn’t expected him to notice something so simple. “Oh... thanks. It’s nothing special.”

“It looks good on you,” he added, and this time there was no playful grin, no hint of sarcasm. His gaze was steady, and Kanae felt her heart skip a beat. It was so unlike him to compliment her without some ulterior motive or at least, she thought so.

“Thanks,” she murmured, feeling a little awkward under his scrutiny. She quickly turned back to her notes, hoping to regain her composure. Why did his words make her feel so unsettled? He was just being nice, right?

Sanemi, for his part, didn’t push further. He leaned back in his chair, eyes drifting to her notes. “What’s all that for?”

“Chemistry project,” Kanae answered. “I have to get it done by the end of the week.”

He nodded, as if he cared about schoolwork all of a sudden. But there was something different about him today. He wasn’t trying to impress her. He wasn’t teasing her or flirting. It was just... simple conversation.

“I used to hate Chemistry,” Sanemi said with a small laugh. “Never really got the point of it.”

Kanae smiled, though she kept her eyes on her work. “It’s interesting when you actually pay attention.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

They fell into a comfortable silence after that, and for the first time, it didn’t feel awkward to be sitting across from Sanemi. There was no pressure, no games. Just two people in a library, talking.