𝑆𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝐴𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛. | 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐲𝐚 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐢

𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙬𝙤.

The years had passed, but the memory of Sekoto Peak lingered like a distant dream in Emi's mind. Now a 16-year-old high school student, she often found herself lost in thoughts of the boy who had once sat beside her, the one who vanished without a trace. She could never forget Touya’s quiet presence or the sadness that clung to him.

On a cloudy early morning, Emi sat at her piano, her fingers gliding over the keys as she let the music carry her. It was the only way she could express what words failed to say—loneliness, confusion, the ache of a friendship lost to time.

"Emi," her sister's voice called from the other room, breaking the quiet. "Are you heading out soon? You don't want to be late for school."

"Yeah," she answered absentmindedly, still lingering in the melody she had been playing. With a sigh, she stood, grabbed her bag, and headed out the door.

As she walked to school alone the usual silence of the morning was interrupted by a familiar voice calling out to her— It was rumi alongside with keigo.

"Good morning Emi!" Rumi said as she greeted Emi cheerfully.

"Hey," She responded with a small smile.

"Oh damn... you look tired," Keigo commented as he caught up with her. "Stayed up practicing the piano again huh?"

Emi chuckled softly. "Yeah, something like that."

"Awwhe, always so dedicated," Rumi added, linking her arm with Emi's as they continued walking together. "But you have to take care of yourself too, you know. I keep telling you that."

She just chuckled softly, the three of them walking to school side by side.

"Race you to the classroom, Rumi!" Keigo grinned mischievously, giving her a playful shove on the shoulder. She then shot him a glare, her eyes narrowing in mock annoyance.

"Am I supposed to get used to this every day?" Emi sighed, referring to Keigo's mischievous, childish behavior, as Rumi grumbled curse words under her breath. She rubbed her shoulder soothingly, trying to ease the slight pain from Keigo's earlier shove.

As they reached their classroom, they were greeted by the usual morning noise—classmates chatting and laughing, filling the air with lively voices.

Emi settled into her seat and gazed out the window, lost in her thoughts as she watched  and admiring the view outside.

A few minutes passed, and some students began to wonder where their adviser was. As chatter filled the room, the teacher entered, prompting everyone to fall silent. The teacher announced that their adviser was running late due to an important meeting. Some students cheered at the news, but the teacher quickly shushed them, reminding them not to leave the classroom. With a collective nod, the students returned to their previous conversations and activities.

"Hah! finally, a free time. Now I got time to finish my notes—"

"Wait seriously?! you still haven't finished it? how are you so slow at writing?!"

He rolled his eyes at Rumi, irritation flashing across his face as he tried to ignore her. To be fair, her loud voice pierced through the chatter, and he couldn’t help but feel annoyed by the noise.

“Rumi just please shut up for once" he muttered, glancing at her with mild exasperation.

Rumi shot him a teasing smile, as she knew that she was disturbing keigo as he writes his notes "What? Afraid of a little noise?"

Emi said as she looked up from her notebook. "Maybe you shouldn't disturb him right now rumi"

Keigo leaned back in his chair, arms crossed as he sighed.