56

Ashi turned to him, confused. "Huh? What is it?"

Riku grabbed her wrist without warning.

"Come on!" he said, pulling her through the crowd.

"N-Nagi-san! Where are we going?!" Ashi stammered, trying to keep up as Riku weaved through the fair with determined speed.

They finally stopped in front of a small booth where a distinguished-looking man was seated, casually signing books for a line of fans.

Ashi blinked. "Who is—"

"It's Kazuhiro Saeki!" Riku whispered dramatically, his eyes practically sparkling. "One of my favorite authors!"

Ashi had never seen him this excited before. It was almost… endearing?

Without hesitation, Riku stepped forward, dragging Ashi along. "Excuse me, sir! I'm a huge fan of your work!" he said eagerly.

The author chuckled, looking up from his signing. "Oh? That's always nice to hear. Which book of mine do you like the most?"

Riku's expression turned dead serious. "All of them."

Ashi stifled a laugh.

Kazuhiro Saeki smiled. "Well, I appreciate that kind of dedication. Who's your lovely companion?"

Ashi was about to answer when Riku suddenly wrapped an arm around her shoulder and grinned. "She's my—"

"We're not a couple!" Ashi blurted out, flailing slightly.

Riku cut her off mid-sentence. "—dear friend," he finished smoothly, not even acknowledging her outburst.

Ashi shot him a look, but the author laughed. "Ah, I see. You two seem close."

Riku smirked. "You could say that."

The author signed a book for Riku and handed it over. "Here you go. Keep reading and supporting books, alright?"

"Absolutely!" Riku grinned, holding the signed book like it was his most prized possession.

As they walked away from the booth.

Evening had settled over the office, the warm glow of artificial lights casting soft shadows on the walls. Haari sat at his desk, staring at the file in front of him, but his mind was elsewhere.

Ashi and Riku… together at the book fair.

Every time the thought resurfaced, an unknown weight pressed against his chest. It wasn't anger, nor was it sadness—just a dull, unsettling ache he couldn't explain. He let out a small sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose before forcing himself to focus back on his work.

Minutes passed. Then an hour. He was almost done with the report when he noticed something.

Hm? Where's the next data file?

He checked his monitor, flipping through the open tabs. Nothing.

At that moment, Ane strolled up to his desk, stretching her arms lazily. "Bro, aren't you heading home?"

Haari closed his file and placed the remaining documents in his bag. "Yeah, just about to." I just need to ask Nicawa-san if she knows anything about the missing data.

As he reached for his bag, his fingers brushed against something unfamiliar. He pulled it out—Ashi's lunchbox.

Oh… I still have this?

He had completely forgotten to return it.

"Great! If we're going, let's grab a drink on the way," Ane suggested.

"No, not today. I'm kind of busy," Haari replied absentmindedly, still looking at the lunchbox in his hand.

"What? But office hours are over," Ane frowned.

"Yeah, but I'm working on a report that needs to be submitted tomorrow morning."

Ane sighed. "Alright, just don't overdo it, okay?"

"Yeah," Haari muttered as he slung his bag over his shoulder and headed out.

The drive back home was peaceful, the streetlights casting fleeting glows inside the car as it moved through the city. Ashi sat in the passenger seat, glancing down at the books in her lap.

"You only bought a few books today, Nicawa-san," Riku remarked, his voice lighthearted.

"Yeah. I like to read them first and then buy new ones," she replied, carefully running her fingers over the book covers. "You, on the other hand, seem to have bought a lot Nagi-san."

"Of course. I grabbed all my favorites today." Riku chuckled. " So how was it today did you enjoyed it."

A small smile played on Ashi's lips. "It was fun. I had a lot of fun today."

Riku's grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly.

A brief silence settled between them.

His gaze flickered toward her—just for a second—before he returned his focus to the road. It was as if he wanted to say something, but the words never came out.

Haari stood at the doorstep, staring at the doorbell.

His fingers hesitated.

What should I even say when she opens the door?

Ever since their argument about the book she had lent him, he hadn't properly spoken to her. He wanted to apologize, but somehow, the right words never came.

His heart pounded slightly, his thoughts tangled in hesitation.

Just as he was about to press the doorbell, the door suddenly opened.

His breath caught in his throat.

But—

Instead of Ashi, her aunt stepped out.

"Oh? Haari, what are you doing here?" she asked, surprised.

Haari quickly straightened. "Auntie? What are you doing in Nicawa-san's apartment?"

"I just prepared dinner for her," she replied warmly. "She's probably exhausted from today, so I wanted her to have something ready when she got home."

Haari's chest tightened.

Wait… she hasn't returned yet?

"She's not home yet?" he asked, his voice quieter than before.

Her aunt shook her head. "Not yet."

Haari remained silent for a moment, gripping the lunchbox in his hands.

Ashi was still out. With Riku.

Something about that realization left an uneasy feeling stirring in his chest.

His aunt glanced at the lunchbox. "What did you come here for, by the way?"

"Oh…" Haari quickly snapped out of his thoughts and held out the container. "I forgot to return this to her."

Her aunt took it with a gentle smile. "I'll make sure she gets it."

Haari nodded. "Thanks… I should head back now. Good night."

As he turned away from the apartment, his footsteps felt heavier than usual.

The cold night air wrapped around him, but strangely, the unease inside him wouldn't go away.

The city lights flickered outside the car window as Riku pulled into a quiet street near Ashi's apartment. The engine hummed softly before he turned the key, silencing the car.

Ashi unbuckled her seatbelt, stretching slightly. "Thanks for the ride. Today was really fun."

Riku sat still, gripping the steering wheel. His expression was unreadable, his fingers tapping lightly against the leather.

He exhaled sharply. "Nicawa-san."

She blinked at the sudden seriousness in his tone. "Hmm?"

Riku hesitated, staring ahead at the dimly lit road before finally turning to face her. His brown eyes held an unusual intensity, one she hadn't seen before.

"I…" His voice wavered, but then he clenched his fists and steadied himself. "I like you, I like you Ashi."

Ashi froze.

The words lingered in the air, carried by the faint sound of distant traffic.

Riku continued, his tone softer now, but firm. "I've liked you for a while now."

Ashi's fingers curled around the fabric of her skirt, her heart pounding against her ribs. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

Riku smiled bitterly. "I know you probably weren't expecting this. And I know you might not feel the same way. But I didn't want to keep pretending that I don't feel anything."

Silence.

The streetlights cast soft shadows inside the car, illuminating Ashi's face, which remained unreadable.

Riku let out a small laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "You don't have to say anything right now. Just… think about it, okay?"

Moment after. Ashi stepped into her apartment, closing the door softly behind her

Letting out a deep sigh, she turned her attention to the dinner already prepared on the table.

"Aunty must've made this for me..." she murmured, her lips curling into a small smile.

Pushing aside the thoughts clouding her mind, Ashi sat down and quietly ate her meal. Each bite was comforting, but the strange tension from earlier refused to leave her.

After finishing, she gathered the dishes and walked into the kitchen. As she reached out to place a plate in the sink, something caught her eye—a small lunch box sitting on the counter.

She frowned, recognizing it instantly.

This is my lunch box… but how did it get here?

Curious, she opened the lid—and her breath hitched.

Inside, neatly folded, was a small piece of paper.

Ashi hesitated before picking it up, carefully unfolding it. The moment her eyes landed on the handwriting, her heart skipped a beat.

"Nicawa-san,
First of all, I'm sorry about the book. I read it, and it was a really good story… I should've listened to you sooner.
Also, thank you for preparing lunch for me every day. I never said it properly, but I really appreciate it.
I forgot to return the lunch box to you, so I dropped it off.
Good night."

Ashi stared at the note, her fingers tightening around the paper.

For some reason, reading those words made her chest ache.

It wasn't dramatic. It wasn't romantic. It was just a simple note.

And yet, her heart felt heavier than before.

He read it...

She had been upset with Haari for never taking the time to read the book she recommended. It felt like he never really cared. But now—he did.

He actually read it.

And he didn't just return the lunch box. He thanked her for making him lunch every day.

Then, suddenly, her eyes widened in realization.

Ever since that day… I haven't made lunch for him.

The thought struck her like lightning, making her grip the note even tighter.

Memories of Haari flashed through her mind.

Every single time she needed help—he was there.

The time she struggled with work, drowning in reports and deadlines—Haari stayed late, helping her organize everything.

The time she was sick and couldn't even lift her head—Haari had been the one to bring her medicine.

And then—the moments when he saved her life.

Twice.

And yet…

Just because he didn't read one book, she got mad at him and forgot about everything?

Her fingers trembled slightly as guilt wrapped around her heart.

After everything he's done for me… I just pushed him aside?

Her lips parted slightly, her breath uneven.

Why had she been so stubborn?

Why had she let something so small drive a wedge between them?

Why… did it feel like she had lost something important?

Ashi clenched the note close to her chest, a lump forming in her throat.

She had been so focused on her own feelings—so blinded by her own expectations—that she had never once thought about how Haari must have felt.

And now, for the first time…

She wondered if she had hurt him, too.

The thought echoed in her mind all night.

Even as she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, the note remained on her bedside table, its words replaying over and over in her head.

Why didn't I notice?

She turned onto her side, hugging her pillow tight.

She thought about the countless times Haari had quietly supported her without asking for anything in return.

And how easily she had brushed him aside, over something so small.

But was it really small? Or had she simply blown it out of proportion because of her own pride?

Sleep never came easy that night. The weight of realization pressed on her chest, making her toss and turn restlessly.

Eventually, exhaustion pulled her under, but even then, fragments of regret lingered in her dreams.

The next morning arrived with a heaviness she couldn't shake.

Ashi placed her purse on her desk and immediately noticed something strange.

"Huh? A coffee cup?" she murmured, eyeing the half-drunk cup sitting on her desk. She reached out and touched it lightly. It was still warm.

Who put this here?

She didn't think much of it, pushing the cup aside as she settled into her chair. Her gaze drifted toward Haari's desk, expecting to see him there, but it was empty.

Huh, Kichiro-san hasn't arrived yet?

Just as she was about to turn back to her work, a familiar voice called out.