Write me a Love Letter Pt. 1

I stretched my arms over my head and cracked my knuckles with a satisfying pop.

Another day, another... set of classes done? Yeah, that sounds about right. Not exactly poetic, but hey, not everything has to sound cool.

With a deep sigh, I closed my laptop and gently slid it into my school bag. The moment I zipped it up, I heard the unmistakable sound of thundering footsteps.

"Aikamiii~!" came Lana's voice, bursting into the room like a gust of chaos.

Right behind her was Chloe, trying to keep pace with dainty steps, and a few meters behind that, Alice—calm, collected, and clearly unbothered by the urgency of the other two.

Naturally, their arrival turned heads. A trio like them never went unnoticed. All around me, students were already sneaking glances, their eyes lighting up in admiration at the girls while simultaneously glaring holes into me. I could almost hear their thoughts.

At this point, I've just accepted it. Like it or not, these three goddesses have taken a peculiar liking to me, and there's no undoing it now.

"Survived, I see," I said with a faint smirk.

"Pshh~ Hardly," Lana groaned, crossing her arms in exaggerated frustration. "I don't know how you do it, Aikami. Staying focused through seven hours of school, five days a week? That's a miracle in itself."

"It's not that bad once you get into a rhythm. I usually wake up an hour before class, get everything in order, then—"

"—Then you hang out with us to recharge your brain cells, right?" she cut in, puffing her chest proudly.

She said it with so much confidence, I felt guilty just thinking about saying no. Maybe it's best not to crush that enthusiasm.

"Sure," I said, giving a half-shrug. "Let's go with that."

"Eh?! That better not be some half-hearted response just to keep me happy!" she pouted.

"Hah. It wasn't, I swear."

Meanwhile, Chloe's attention drifted toward my school bag, her eyes catching on the small plush keychain dangling from the zipper. She leaned in and gave it a gentle squish, practically sparkling with excitement.

"Aikami... This is so cute," she mumbled. "You like plushies too?"

"Uh, not exactly," I said, scratching my cheek. "Someone gave it to me. I didn't want to waste it, so I figured... why not?"

No way I could tell them about that little secret detour with Lana. Technically, we canceled that day... but we ended up hanging out anyway. If the others found out? I'd be toast.

Alice stepped in next, narrowing her eyes at the plushy like it was some cryptic puzzle. "Someone gave it to you? How is that possible when you don't have a fate?"

My heart skipped a beat. Her gaze was sharp, threatening even.

I quickly glanced at Lana, who was doing a rather convincing job pretending not to exist.

"W-who knows?" I said with a nervous laugh. "Maybe being around you guys all the time is rubbing off on me."

Alice tilted her head slightly, considering it. "That... might actually be plausible. And if that's true, it's a very good sign."

I let out a subtle sigh of relief. Close call.

"So, what's the plan for today?" I asked, eager to change the topic.

"Hehe, not this time, Aikami," Chloe giggled. "I promised Demeter I'd help restock her grocery store. Winter's coming in fast, and she wants to be ahead of schedule."

"...Right..." I nodded.

Still not quite sure how to feel when hearing things like Demeter's grocery store in a casual sentence. You'd think gods would have better things to do, but here we are.

"As for me," Lana said with a devious grin, "I've got a little visit to make to Old Man Undies. Aunty Persephone's been trying to get him out of the house, but he's being a stubborn mule. Fufu~ Let's see how long he lasts once I show up..."

That grin was so wicked I almost felt bad for Hades. Almost.

Just then, Chloe's phone let out a soft chime. She glanced at the screen, and her eyes lit up.

"Oh! That's me," she said, holding it up. "See you later, everyone!"

"Have a good time, Chloe," Alice replied with a small wave.

"Bye, Chloe," I added with a smile, waving her off.

Lana stretched her arms high above her head with a dramatic sigh. "Well, I guess that's my cue too. What about you, Aikami? Big plans for the rest of the day?"

"Catch up on homework, then crash."

"Hah! Classic you. Good luck with that. Try not to miss us too much!"

And with a playful grin, she followed after Chloe, leaving just me and Alice behind.

"Well, looks like it's just the two of us now," Alice said with a faint scoff, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Homework, huh? I keep forgetting you're the diligent, academic type."

"I kind of have to be," I shrugged. "My whole future depends on it, unfortunately."

She lowered herself into the seat beside me with a light groan, resting her chin in her hand. "Right... Because you humans gamble your entire lives on pieces of paper and standardized tests. Fascinating—and slightly pathetic."

"It is what it is. How did people succeed back in your day, then?"

"There were plenty of paths," she said with a dramatic flick of her wrist. "But the quickest way to fame and fortune was gladiatorial combat. You'd fight, survive, gain renown, and possibly become a legend."

"…That sounds way more intense than passing an exam."

Her eyes perked up in genuine surprise. "Wait, don't you still have gladiators? That big coliseum in Rome is still standing, isn't it? I saw it online the other day. If you're not using it for battles anymore… what is it for?"

"Tourism, probably."

She clicked her tongue in disappointment. "What a waste of a perfectly good arena."

I couldn't help but picture what life must've been like back then—war zones, political corruption, everything decided by sword and blood. The idea of living without modern comforts like electricity, phones, or the internet made me immediately regret my curiosity.

"Anyway," I said, shaking off the thought, "what about you? No mysterious divine duties like your sisters?"

"Hmm… I was planning to stop by a stationery shop. I need new notebooks and pens—some for me, some for my sisters," she said offhandedly.

Then, like a switch had flipped, a sly glimmer flashed in her eyes. She turned to me slowly, that all-too-familiar mischievous smirk creeping onto her lips.

"…What?" I asked warily.

"Oh, Aikami," she said, laughing softly. "Didn't get the hint? Come with me. Or are you seriously going to let a poor, helpless girl carry all those heavy supplies by herself?"

"It's just a few pens and notebooks."

"Maybe. Or maybe I'll get carried away like last time. You know how I am when I start browsing."

There it was—that same look. Not the innocent kind Chloe gave me, or the exaggerated puppy eyes from Lana. No, this was a calculated, confident stare, the kind that made it feel like saying 'no' wasn't really an option… even though she probably wouldn't force me. Probably.

"…Do I have to?" I asked.

"Naturally."

"No way out?"

"Only if you want to see what happens when I do start forcing people,” she said sweetly. “Even Lord Zeus knew better."

I sighed in defeat. "Fine. When?"

"When else but now?" she said with a grin, already grabbing my school bag and slinging it over her shoulder like it was hers.

"Come along, Aikami."