"S-Sorry…"
Despite the gentle smile, Yamauchi Haruki didn't feel the usual warmth he associated with Kushida.
Instead—
What wrapped around him was pressure.
Kushida… is scary…
No, that's not right. Kushida is an angel. It's not that she's scary—it's just because everyone's watching .
Convincing himself of that, Yamauchi stamred out an apology.
"I—I rembered wrong. No, I mixed it up. Um, anyway, it wasn't Sakura who confessed to —it was a girl from the class next door. So… yeah… that's fine now… right?"
"I don't know." Kushida Kikyo's expression didn't change. "You should ask Sakura-san."
She wasn't the one who needed the apology. Explaining it to her was aningless.
"Th-then… Sakura-san, I'm sorry…"
In front of everyone, Yamauchi lowered his head again, humiliated.
Sakura Airi: "…"
He apologized.
Then… does that an I should forgive him…?
"…Mm." She let out the faintest response.
After all, Sakura Airi wasn't the kind of person who would press soone relentlessly once they apologized.
Since he said sorry… she would let it go.
…Though if Kushida hadn't stepped in, she probably would've just kept her head down, silently suffering on her own.
I should… thank Kushida-san… right?
With that thought, she suddenly stood up and bowed deeply in front of Kushida.
"—Th-Thank you!"
Her voice was far louder than expected.
"…"
For a brief mont, the class fell silent.
Then, in the next instant—
Laughter erupted.
"Hahahaha—!"
"Is she seriously bowing like that?"
"Wow, Kushida-chan really is the best!"
"Hey, don't laugh! Sakura's ears are totally red!"
The noise swallowed Sakura whole.
Regret flooded her as she realized she had spoken too loudly on impulse.
Her mind buzzed uncontrollably.
Her body stiffened.
But—
Sowhere within that mont—
As she bent forward, closing the distance—
She caught a faint scent from Kushida.
"…"
It was hard to describe.
Was it shampoo? Sweat? Sothing else?
She couldn't tell.
But one thing was certain—
That scent didn't seem to belong to Kushida herself.
It was… different.
"Mm, no need to thank . It's just what I should do."
Smiling warmly, Kushida reached out and helped Sakura up.
She had long been annoyed with Yamauchi.
This was just a convenient chance to put him in his place.
Without Hirata keeping him in check, he had started acting up again. It was irritating.
She didn't know how long this would keep him quiet, but with final exams approaching, Hirata would handle things soon enough.
"Um… really… th-thank you…"
As Kushida spoke, the laughter gradually subsided.
Pulled upright, Sakura murmured her thanks again, barely audible.
Kushida nodded gently.
"Mm-hm. If you ever have trouble, you can co talk to anyti."
With that, she let go of Sakura's hand and returned to her seat.
The bell rang.
Sakura Airi went back to her own seat.
The mont Kushida held her hand—
That faint scent beca clearer.
But if it wasn't Kushida's…
Then whose was it?
A bold thought—one she herself didn't quite believe—surfaced in Sakura's mind.
Could it be…
A boyfriend?
Thinking about it, it wasn't impossible.
Kushida was so popular—if she were secretly dating soone, it wouldn't be strange at all.
If it were a boy… no one could resist Kushida.
Unlike …
Aside from soone like Yamauchi, no one would even look at . No one would approach . No one would ever…
…connect with .
Yes.
Sakura Airi, who feared interacting with others, feared eye contact, feared crowded places—
Had always longed for soone who could truly understand her.
But even now—
The one who understood her best…
Was soone loved by everyone.
Soone who belonged to everyone.
Kushida Kikyo.
"…"
Suddenly—
She felt like putting on her mask again.
Sakura Airi didn't know when she had beco like this.
But by the ti she noticed—
She was already alone.
She didn't speak first. Didn't reach out. Avoided eye contact. Couldn't express herself.
She stayed in her corner, hiding in her small world, waiting for soone to discover her—
Like a hidden treasure.
Yet at the slightest misstep, she would retreat again.
Hide. Fall silent. Unable to speak.
Unless it was soone like Kushida—
A bright, outgoing person who could connect with anyone—
No one would ever beco her friend.
But precisely because Kushida was that kind of person—
She could never belong to just one individual.
So Sakura understood.
She was destined to be alone.
And yet—
She also understood—
That humans cannot live alone.
Even if her instincts pushed her toward isolation—
Her heart still longed for connection.
Even if her body rejected crowds—
Deep inside, she still dread of shining on stage like an idol.
And so—
Sakura Airi put on a mask.
As long as she hypnotized herself, convinced herself over and over—
Put on makeup, wore pretty clothes, mimicked the lively expressions of idols—
Maybe, just maybe—
That version of herself could be loved by everyone.
"…"
Careful.
Hesitant.
Moving as if sneaking through a ga.
Avoiding the gazes of passersby—
Carrying her cara and a set of beautiful clothes—
Sakura Airi quietly pushed open the rooftop door, its electronic lock long disabled.
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