Chapter 5: A Quiet Understanding

The following days passed slowly for Hikari. The fever had gone down, but her body still felt sluggish, as though the weight of the illness had lingered. She knew she should’ve rested more, but her stubbornness refused to let her. Every time she felt herself growing better, she’d push herself a little too far.

It wasn’t until the next morning, walking through the school hallway toward class, that she realized something felt… different.

Aoi had been unusually quiet in class since Hikari’s incident in the infirmary. As usual, she kept to herself, but there was a new layer to her aloofness—a subtle change in her demeanor that Hikari couldn’t quite place.

She thought about it all day, but it was only during lunch that she saw it clearly. Aoi was standing near the cafeteria, leaning against the wall with her usual calm expression. Hikari, still trying to shake off the lingering fatigue from her fever, made her way to the vending machines to grab a snack. She’d almost forgotten about the strange, uncomfortable feeling that had been growing in her chest since the previous day until she saw Aoi’s gaze flicker in her direction.

Their eyes met, and for a moment, Hikari froze. Aoi didn’t look away. Instead, she walked toward her with that same expression—cool, almost detached. But there was something else there, something softer behind her usual stoic front.

“You should be resting,” Aoi said, her voice low.

Hikari opened her mouth to explain, but instead, she paused, trying to think of a reason to argue. She had always been independent, not wanting to trouble anyone, but something about Aoi’s tone made her rethink. “I… I just don’t want to fall behind in class,” she said quietly, her usual kindness showing as she considered her words carefully.

Aoi didn't respond immediately. She simply reached up, placing her hand gently on Hikari’s forehead, as if checking for a fever. Hikari was caught off guard by the sudden gesture, and before she could even process it, Aoi's expression softened for a split second.

“You’re still warm,” Aoi said, her voice more concerned than usual. “You should really take it easy.”

Hikari, a little flustered, nodded. “I’ll be fine, really. Just a bit tired.” She smiled faintly, not wanting to seem like she was complaining.

Aoi raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. Instead, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small package, handing it to Hikari. It was a candy, wrapped in shiny foil—nothing special, really. But there was something oddly comforting about the gesture.

“A little something to keep you from being so stubborn about it,” Aoi said, her voice still flat but with a hint of warmth behind her words.

“Thanks,” Hikari said quietly, almost too surprised by the gesture to speak.

Aoi gave a small nod, and their eyes met once more, lingering for just a moment. There was an unspoken understanding between them now—something deeper than words could convey.

Before Hikari could say anything else, Aoi turned and walked away, her footsteps fading as she disappeared into the bustling crowd of students.

Hikari stood there for a few seconds, still holding the candy in her hand. It wasn’t just about the candy. It was something deeper—something about how Aoi had taken the time to make sure she wasn’t pushing herself too hard, how she seemed to care in her own quiet way. She realized, then, that the barrier she had always felt between herself and Aoi wasn’t as thick as she once thought.

And for the first time in a long while, Hikari felt a sense of warmth spread through her chest.

It wasn’t much, but for someone like Aoi, it was everything.

After school, Hikari returned home, her mind still lingering on the encounter with Aoi. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed that kind of quiet connection—someone who cared, even when they didn’t have to say it out loud. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the candy Aoi had left, its simple wrapper now a symbol of something more.

As she sat down at her desk, the candy resting beside her, Hikari allowed herself a small smile. Maybe she hadn’t fully realized it until now, but somewhere along the way, her thoughts about Aoi had begun to change.