𝑭𝒂𝒄𝒂𝒅𝒆 | 𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪 𝘬.

𝟏𝟖

Morning came slowly, the first rays of sunlight peeking through the thin curtains of the shared bedroom. The soft sound of breathing from Yui and Ayumi filled the space, a reminder of the small world you'd been living in these past few days. You lay in your bed, staring at the ceiling, feeling the weight of last night’s conversation with Nanami resting heavily on your chest.

The confession still echoed in your mind: "I love you." Those three words had changed everything. The fake relationship you had with Nanami had blurred into something far more complicated, far more real. And Gojo—well, Satoru always found a way to complicate things, even if he wasn’t aware of it.

You glanced up, where Yui was still curled up under her blanket, her dark hair spilling over her pillow. Ayumi lay sprawled out in her bed, one arm stretched toward the window. They’d both slept through the previous evening’s drama, oblivious to the emotional storm that had swept through your life.

Sighing quietly, you slipped out of bed, careful not to wake them. Today marked the final day of the school trip, and soon, everyone would be packing up and heading back to their regular lives. But nothing felt regular to you anymore.

As you padded softly across the wooden floor, you caught your reflection in the small mirror by the door. You looked tired—worn out from the emotional rollercoaster that had come crashing into your life over the last few days. The reflection staring back at you seemed like a stranger, someone burdened by decisions they didn’t want to make.

You splashed cold water on your face in the small bathroom, hoping to shake off some of the anxiety knotting in your stomach. But the truth was, you couldn’t escape it. You’d have to face Nanami again. And Gojo. And figure out what the hell you were going to do.

When you stepped out of the bathroom, Yui was already stretching in bed, yawning lazily. "Good morning," she mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "Ready for the trip back?"

You forced a smile. "Morning. Yeah, I guess so."

Ayumi stirred as well, her eyes fluttering open. She blinked at the sunlight streaming in and groaned, throwing her pillow over her head. "Why do mornings exist?" she muttered, her voice muffled by the pillow.

Yui laughed softly. "Ayumi, you're always like this. We're leaving soon, so you better get up."

Ayumi lifted the pillow slightly, one eye peeking out. "Do we have to?"

You chuckled, shaking your head. "Unfortunately, yes. The buses are leaving in a few hours."

Ayumi groaned again, but this time she sat up, ruffling her hair. As the three of you began to pack up your things, your mind drifted back to last night’s conversation with Nanami. His confession had left a lingering warmth in your chest, but it was also followed by a cold splash of reality: You couldn’t ignore Gojo’s presence in your life, or the connection that had formed between you.

The morning passed in a blur of quiet chatter between Yui, Ayumi, and the other students as everyone hurried to pack up their belongings. You felt a strange sense of detachment as you moved through the motions—folding clothes, zipping bags—like a bystander watching your own life unfold.

By the time you were ready, the bus was waiting outside, its engine humming softly. Students were already starting to gather in small groups, some chatting excitedly about the trip while others stood silently, lost in thought. You spotted Gojo and Nanami standing a short distance apart from each other near the bus, their expressions unreadable.

You hesitated at the door of the inn, your heart caught between them once again. Yui nudged you gently. "You okay? You’ve been really quiet this morning."