Chapter 10: Ordinary Days

The morning sun bathed the city in golden light.
For once...
Everyone seemed to be in a good mood.
...
Apartment 407.
Reina tied her hair into a ponytail.
She glanced at the clock.
"...I'm early?"
She looked again.
"...I'M EARLY!"
For the first time in weeks...
She wasn't rushing.
She proudly stepped into the hallway.
Apartment 408 opened moments later.
Shadow looked at her.
"...Morning."
Reina folded her arms proudly.
"Notice anything?"
"...You're smiling."
"Besides that."
"..."
"I left on time."
Shadow blinked.
"...Congratulations."
She laughed.
"I knew you'd be impressed."
"I am."
"You're lying."
"...A little."
...
The walk to university felt different now.
They weren't neighbors walking the same direction anymore.
They were classmates.
Students greeted them as they passed.
"Morning, Reina!"
"Morning!"
Several students looked curiously at Shadow.
"The transfer student."
"I heard he scored really high on the entrance exam."
"He barely talks."
"He looks cool."
Shadow pretended not to hear them.
...
Inside the classroom...
Professor Watanabe placed several papers on the desk.
"Group assignment."
The room immediately filled with groans.
"You will work in groups of four."
Aiko immediately pointed.
"Me."
"Reina."
"Shadow."
"And Kenji."
Professor Watanabe looked over his glasses.
"I haven't assigned the groups yet."
"...Oh."
Aiko slowly lowered her hand.
Five minutes later...
Professor Watanabe finished reading the list.
"Group Seven."
"Reina."
"Shadow."
"Aiko."
"Kenji."
Aiko stood dramatically.
"I KNEW IT!"
The professor sighed.
"Please sit down."
...
After class...
The four gathered beneath a cherry tree.
Kenji unfolded the assignment sheet.
"A presentation on modern city security systems."
Aiko groaned.
"That sounds boring."
Reina smiled.
"We'll survive."
Kenji looked at Shadow.
"What do you think?"
Shadow quietly read the paper.
"...We should divide the research."
Kenji nodded.
"Good idea."
Aiko stared.
"You've already done group projects before, haven't you?"
"...A few."
Reina smiled.
"Looks like you're officially one of us now."
Shadow looked at the three of them.
"...Maybe."
...
As they talked...
A girl carrying a camera approached.
"Sorry."
Everyone looked up.
"I'm Mika."
"Photography Club."
She smiled politely.
"We're taking photos of student groups for the university newsletter."
Aiko immediately posed.
"I'm ready."
"No surprise there."
Kenji laughed.
Mika adjusted her camera.
"Everyone together."
Reina stood beside Shadow.
Kenji and Aiko stood on either side.
"Perfect."
Click.
One photograph.
Mika checked the picture.
"It came out really nice."
She smiled.
"I'll send it to the newsletter later."
"Thanks."
"No problem."
She waved before walking away.
...
Across campus...
A man watched from a rooftop.
A camera rested in his hands.
His lens followed Mika.
Then...
The four students.
Click.
Another photograph.
"...Interesting."
He quietly packed away his camera.
And disappeared.
...
That afternoon...
The group met in the library.
Books covered the table.
Kenji was researching.
Reina highlighted notes.
Aiko stared out the window.
"I'm contributing emotionally."
"No, you're not."
"I support everyone's morale."
Shadow quietly slid a textbook toward her.
"Read page thirty-four."
Aiko looked horrified.
"You've changed."
"I have."
"For the worse."
Reina couldn't stop laughing.
Even Kenji smiled.
For a brief moment...
It didn't feel like four students working on an assignment.
It felt...
Normal.
...
The library slowly emptied.
Only the four of them remained.
As everyone packed their bags...
Reina noticed Shadow looking out the window.
"What is it?"
"...Nothing."
"You sure?"
He nodded.
"...Thought I saw someone."
She looked outside.
The courtyard was empty.
"Probably your imagination."
"...Probably."
But the feeling lingered.
Someone had been watching.
He was certain of it.
...
That evening...
The apartment hallway was quiet.
Reina stopped outside Apartment 408.
"Thanks for today."
Shadow looked at her.
"...For what?"
"For trying."
"...Trying?"
"To make friends."
He thought about it.
"...Maybe."
She smiled.
"See you tomorrow."
"...See you tomorrow."
She disappeared into Apartment 407.
Shadow unlocked his own door.
Before stepping inside...
He glanced toward the stairwell.
No one.
Nothing unusual.
Yet...
A faint feeling remained.
As though invisible eyes...
Had never left.