A Bento Box
The day had started out like any other. The crisp winter air hung over Tokyo, its bite softened by the warmth of the late morning sun. Bharu Sakura strolled through the halls of Shujin Academy, his usual calm, composed expression in place as he navigated the bustling crowd of students. His dark green jacket was slung over one shoulder, and he wore his usual black jeans and half-coin necklace. After the events of the third semester and the fight against Maruki, things had mostly returned to normal, though the specter of the metaverse still lingered in their thoughts.
Bharu had become reacquainted with Sumire Yoshizawa, the gymnast who had once believed herself to be her deceased sister, Kasumi. After months of struggle, she had regained her sense of self and had found a renewed confidence in being Sumire. The two of them had started reconnecting, their friendship blossoming again as they bonded over their shared experiences in the metaverse and the journey that had brought them both so much growth. Yet something lingered beneath the surface, a tension neither had fully acknowledged, but was always present.
As Bharu made his way through the crowded hallway of Shujin Academy, he let his mind wander. The noise of chattering students, footsteps echoing against the tile floor, and the occasional clatter of locker doors being slammed shut surrounded him. His thoughts were far removed from the bustling scene around him, however. His eyes scanned the hallway out of habit, but his focus was elsewhere, drifting to more abstract matters, to the Metaverse, the recent events with the Phantom Thieves, and his own place in the strange, often chaotic world they navigated.
But his mental wanderings were interrupted by a familiar voice that broke through the general din of the morning rush.
"Bharu!"
The sound of her voice was like a bell cutting through fog, pulling him back to the present moment. He turned instinctively toward the direction of the voice, immediately recognizing it before his eyes even found her. Standing at the entrance of the classroom, Sumire waved to him enthusiastically. There was something bright and infectious about her energy—a palpable excitement that radiated from her as she made her way toward him with quick, eager steps. It was impossible not to notice her.
Sumire looked different today. Not in any dramatic, superficial way, but there was a new confidence in her posture, a liveliness in her smile that Bharu hadn't seen before. She had always been kind-hearted and determined, but the girl who approached him now seemed even more self-assured, more comfortable in her own skin. She wore the usual Shujin uniform, but something about the way she carried herself made her seem... radiant.
Bharu felt a small smile tug at the corner of his lips as he watched her approach. Sumire was always so earnest, and seeing her in such high spirits had an almost infectious effect on him. He shifted slightly as she drew closer, the subtle weight of the attention from the surrounding students pressing in from all sides. He could feel their eyes on them—an odd, unwelcome sensation, but one he was mostly accustomed to by now. His presence, or perhaps more accurately, his absence of emotion, often drew curiosity from others, but it was different when Sumire was involved. She had a way of attracting attention without even trying.
"Hey, Sumire," Bharu greeted her calmly, his voice carrying its usual measured tone, though the faint smile lingered on his face.
Sumire came to a stop in front of him, slightly out of breath from her quick pace. Her cheeks, already beginning to flush from the effort, only seemed to grow pinker as she stood there in front of him, her wide smile faltering just a bit as she shifted on her feet. She looked down for a moment, her eyes darting to something she was holding behind her back. Bharu's brows arched in mild curiosity as he noticed her fidgeting, wondering what she was up to.
