Chapter 12: Study Group

Rain gently tapped against the university windows.
Most students wished they were still in bed.
Unfortunately...
Professor Watanabe had other plans.
...
"The group presentation will be next week."
A collective groan echoed through the classroom.
"You may use today's afternoon to prepare."
...
Aiko immediately stood.
"Library?"
Kenji nodded.
"Library."
Reina looked toward Shadow.
"You coming?"
"...Of course."
...
The university library was unusually quiet.
Rows of books stretched endlessly between tall shelves.
The four claimed a large table near the windows.
Kenji opened his notebook.
"So..."
"Who researches what?"
Shadow quietly divided the assignment.
"History."
"Technology."
"Security."
"Presentation."
He slid one page toward each person.
Aiko blinked.
"...You planned this already?"
"I thought it would save time."
Reina smiled.
"It did."
Kenji nodded.
"I like him."
"I've been saying that."
"Not like that."
Aiko grinned.
"Sure."
...
Two hours passed.
Books piled higher.
Empty snack wrappers appeared.
Aiko sighed dramatically.
"My brain has officially resigned."
"You've written three lines."
"They were excellent lines."
"They were the title."
"I stand by my work."
Everyone laughed.
Even several nearby students glanced over.
...
As the afternoon continued...
A nervous first-year student approached their table.
"Um..."
Everyone looked up.
"I... lost my wallet."
"It has my student ID."
"I've looked everywhere."
Reina frowned.
"Oh no..."
Kenji stood.
"We'll help."
The student looked relieved.
"Really?"
"Of course."
...
The four split up.
They searched classrooms.
Hallways.
The cafeteria.
Nothing.
Shadow quietly stopped near a vending machine.
He looked at the wet floor.
A small trail of muddy footprints.
One footprint stopped.
Another turned toward the outdoor benches.
He followed them.
A few moments later...
A black wallet rested beneath a wooden bench.
Untouched.
He picked it up.
The student stared in disbelief.
"That's mine!"
"Thank you so much!"
Shadow simply nodded.
"You dropped it while buying a drink."
"...How did you know?"
"You were carrying coffee."
"There was mud on one shoe."
"The footprints stopped here."
The student blinked.
"...You're amazing."
After he left...
Aiko slowly turned toward Shadow.
"...Are you secretly a detective?"
"No."
"Then how—"
"I just noticed."
Kenji laughed.
"Remind me never to lose anything around you."
Reina smiled quietly.
She wasn't surprised anymore.
Shadow always noticed things other people didn't.
...
Evening arrived.
The group finally packed their bags.
The presentation was almost finished.
As they stepped outside...
The rain had stopped.
Golden sunlight broke through the clouds.
"It actually cleared up."
Kenji smiled.
"Perfect timing."
...
The four walked home together.
Talking.
Laughing.
Arguing over where to eat tomorrow.
For a little while...
Life felt completely ordinary.
Across the street...
A newspaper stand displayed a university newsletter.
On the front page...
A photograph.
Four students laughing beneath a cherry tree.
Below it...
One small credit.
Photographer: Mika Hayashi.
But tucked between the pages...
Someone had quietly slipped another photograph.
One that didn't belong.
A picture of Reina and Shadow walking together.
No name.
No credit.
Only the image.
Waiting...
For someone to notice.