[Serina Mikage POV]
"E-mer-gen-cy meet-iiing!!"
Rio threw both arms up in a massive V, striking a strangely triumphant pose as she yelled—less than ten steps after we had parted ways with Aiba-kun.
The chatter filling the hallway cut off for an instant. The students packing up to head home all turned around, and several heads poked out from open classroom doorways.
"Rio, your voice."
Kotoha placed a grounding hand on Rio's shoulder.
"Ah... B-But it's an emergency! I can't hold it in!"
"More to the point, we're already gathered," Miu remarked, her eyes as sleepy as ever.
"Should we disband once and gather again?"
"That makes even less sense."
"It's a matter of mindset! We're changing locations right now to officially convene!"
Rio stood there with a fist clenched before her chest, looking immensely proud of herself.
I had nothing but a bad feeling about this.
"Convene what?"
"Hm? Obviously, Serina's—"
"W-Wait!"
Panicking, I clamped both hands over Rio's mouth.
I darted a glance toward the corner of the hallway. Aiba-kun was no longer in sight, but with Rio's volume, it wouldn't be surprising if her voice had carried well past the turn.
"He definitely heard the first part," Miu added, delivering a swift follow-up blow.
"Stop it."
"She only yelled 'emergency meeting,' so the context won't carry."
"The fact that it makes no sense is what makes it so embarrassing!"
Rio peeled my hands away and pressed an index finger to her lips.
"Understood. We'll continue after we move. So don't try to run away, okay, Serina?"
"I won't run. I'm just going home."
"That's literally what running away is. Come on, calm down."
"Look who's talking..."
"If you're going to keep this up in the hallway, I'm heading home without you," Kotoha said flatly.
That single line finally got Rio moving, and the rest of us followed in her wake.
She led us to a bench in a secluded courtyard that got little foot traffic. It was the same spot where the four of us had once held what Rio arbitrarily dubbed the "Whatever Strategy Meeting."
The sinking sun cast long shadows from the school building. While the distant shouts of the athletic clubs carried through the air, out here, there was no risk of our conversation reaching anyone else.
Rio reached the bench first and slammed her bag down with gusto. Kotoha caught it with one hand just as it threatened to slide off the edge.
"Settle down."
"I am settled. Incredibly composed."
"Composed people don't scream in the hallway," Miu said, taking a seat at the far end of the bench.
Rio ignored her entirely, fishing her smartphone out of her bag.
"And so, I hereby commence the 'Second Finding Serina's Savior Strategy Meeting, You Know!'!"
"We're still searching?"
"We'll be confirming that as well. And for the record, the 'You Know!' is part of the official title."
"That's the least important detail I've heard all day."
"It is important! It's a cherished tradition!"
"Holding something once doesn't make it a tradition," Kotoha pointed out, pressing a finger to her temple. Beside her, Rio patted the empty space across from her.
"Serina, right here!"
"What kind of seat is that?"
"The hot seat. For the person giving testimony."
"This isn't a strategy meeting, it's an interrogation."
"We're doing both."
Even if I dodged the three of them now, they would only corner me again tomorrow. Resigning myself, I took the seat facing Rio, and Kotoha sat down next to me.
Rio rested her phone on her lap and tapped the screen on.
"No recording, got it?"
"I'm not! Just notes, only notes!"
"I don't need those either."
"Then I'll engrave it into my memory."
"There's no stopping that, I suppose," Kotoha said, throwing in the towel early.
Rio cleared her throat pointedly before locking eyes with me.
"First, this morning. Serina took half a step toward Aiba-kun of her own volition and said, 'Good morning.'"
"People exchange greetings, you know."
"Have you ever initiated one with a guy before?"
"...No, but..."
"And you were smiling," Miu added curtly.
"I just smiled normally."
"The normal Serina doesn't make that kind of face just from a boy returning her greeting."
"What's 'that kind of face' supposed to mean?"
"A face that couldn't hide how happy you were."
"Miu, you're awfully talkative today, aren't you?"
"I'm only reporting what I observed."
Faced with her usual deadpan expression, I felt that the more I argued back, the deeper the grave I dug for myself.
"That wasn't all, was it?"
Rio swiped a finger across her screen.
"During the break after first period, your eyes met in front of Aiba-kun's classroom, and the two of you exchanged nods."
"He nodded first, so I just returned it."
"And then, lunchtime."
At that, Miu pulled her lips from the straw of her juice carton.
"Serina drifted half a step closer to Aiba-kun compared to the rest of us."
"I didn't get closer. I was just walking down the center of the hall."
"You didn't drift to the center. You specifically closed the gap between you and Aiba-kun by half a step."
They had seen through me far more clearly than I imagined.
"After that, you were about to say something."
"I wasn't trying to say anything."
"Your mouth was open."
"I was breathing."
"Only when passing him?"
"Miu, whose side are you on?"
"Serina's side."
"Then show a little mercy."
"Because I'm on your side, I won't turn a blind eye."
Her tone was completely level. The fact that she didn't seem to be teasing only made me choke on my words even more.
Kotoha cast a glance at Miu, who set her juice carton down on her lap.
"Hear me out to the end before you stop me."
"...There's more?"
"The most important part."
Miu's gaze fixed directly on me.
"After school, when that group of boys came through, Aiba-kun made space so Serina could move either way."
The hallway scene rushed back into my mind.
"Instead of retreating with your friends, Serina chose to stay beside Aiba-kun. Even after the boys passed, you didn't step away immediately."
"...We were in the middle of talking."
"You weren't talking."
"I was trying to."
"So you admit that—"
"—Forget that part!"
Rio pressed a hand over her mouth, desperately stifling a laugh. Even Kotoha looked away, a faint smirk tugging at her lips.
"And to top it off, Serina was the one who said, 'See you tomorrow.'"
"That was because Aiba-kun first—"
"What Aiba-kun said was 'Well then,'" Miu corrected instantly. "The one who turned it into 'See you tomorrow' was Serina."
"Miu, please, just be quiet for a second."
"Understood."
"..."
When she actually went quiet, she put her straw back in her mouth and began watching a pigeon peck along the pavement beside the bench. Her straightforward compliance was almost more infuriating.
"Still, you were talking normally in the infirmary, weren't you?"
The manic energy faded slightly from Rio's voice.
"Why couldn't you find your words today?"
I opened my mouth, but no sound came out right away.
In the infirmary, I had wanted to ask about Koharu. I had been worried about his right shoulder, too. The reasons to speak were right there in front of me, and the words had surfaced before I could overthink them.
Today was different.
It wasn't just about Koharu; I had wanted to talk to Aiba-kun himself. But the more I thought about that, the less I knew what to say.
"...Because I didn't have a reason."
"A reason?"
"In the infirmary, there was Koharu, and I was worried about Aiba-kun's shoulder. But today, it wasn't because I needed to ask something... I just wanted to talk to him."
The moment the words left my mouth, heat rushed to my face.
Rio's eyes widened. Beside her, Kotoha's expression softened slightly.
Miu said nothing, simply pausing the hand holding her juice carton.
"Serina."
Rio turned her phone face down.
"Something happened yesterday, didn't it?"
The teasing edge was completely gone from her voice.
The voice I had overheard through the infirmary door replayed in my mind. The sight of him protecting his right shoulder, and the voice calling my surname buried deep in my memories. By the time I woke up this morning, those two images had completely fused into one.
"In my mind, I already have the answer."
The three of them fell silent.
"Aiba-kun is that person. At this point, it's harder to look for a reason why he wouldn't be."
Rio parted her lips slightly.
"...Really?"
"Yeah."
"You found him."
This time, her voice was surprisingly soft.
Rio started to speak, then stopped herself. A quiet, heartfelt smile spread across her face.
"...That's wonderful. You wanted to see him for so long, Serina."
A lump formed in my throat.
"I haven't heard it directly from him yet, though."
"What was the deciding factor?" Kotoha asked gently.
"It wasn't just one thing. His right shoulder injury, the period he was hospitalized, the space he naturally leaves for me—they all lined up. And when I heard his voice talking to Koharu, I remembered the last time he called my surname during the fire."
It wasn't just the pitch of his voice.
The way he hadn't rushed me when I was paralyzed with fear, the way he had waited until I could move on my own, the reassuring resonance when he told me, "It's all right"—my body simply remembered it.
"So it's not that I need to investigate anymore... I just already know."
Miu gave a single nod.
"If that's what Serina thinks, then it's probably true."
"That's rare for you to believe something so easily, Miu."
"It's not easy. Serina was looking at nobody but Aiba-kun all day today."
"I really need you to stay quiet for a minute."
Rio burst into giggles. But the laughter quickly settled, and she rested both hands on her knees, savoring the moment.
"Then the search for your savior is officially over."
Rio said this, laying her phone flat on her lap.
Miu gave a small nod.
Kotoha, however, maintained a cautious look.
"Still, Aiba-kun himself hasn't said a word about it, right?"
I nodded in response.
"He told me he was Koharu's older brother, but nothing about the fire. He didn't even tell me his given name."
"Since we're at the same school, if we wanted to find out—"
"No."
I cut Rio off before she could finish.
"I didn't even say anything yet!"
"You were thinking about checking class rosters or asking someone else, weren't you?"
"...Just for a split second."
"Even a split second is banned. I want to hear his name from his own mouth."
What I was waiting for wasn't just learning a few unknown kanji. It was the moment he chose to share his name with me of his own free will.
"Understood. We won't pry behind your back," Rio replied immediately.
"We won't bring up the fire with him either. That's for Aiba-kun to share when he's ready."
Miu nodded in agreement with Kotoha.
"Still, though," Rio said, softening her tone. "As Serina's friends, we want to thank Aiba-kun too. He's the one who saved your life, after all."
"Yes. When the time comes, I want to express our gratitude properly."
As Kotoha spoke, Miu added quietly:
"When the time comes, all four of us."
Their words sank gently into my chest.
I gave a small nod.
"Still, why wouldn't Aiba-kun say anything?" Rio murmured thoughtfully.
"I don't know the real reason. But because I hate guys, maybe he thought that if he revealed he was the one who saved me, it would force my hand and I wouldn't be able to keep my distance... I wondered if he was being that considerate."
"If he thought that far ahead, that's incredible."
"It's entirely possible, but right now it's still just your speculation, Serina."
"I know. That's why I don't want to turn my assumptions into an absolute answer and overstep his silence."
I didn't need a strategy to make him confess who he was.
At the same time, I didn't want to just passively stand by in the space he had so carefully preserved for me.
"So, the reason Serina's been acting so weird since this morning is just because you found your savior?" Rio tilted her head.
"I wasn't acting weird, for the record."
"Setting that aside for now."
"D-Don't just set it aside!"
"You were happy because you found him. Is that really all?"
My voice caught in my throat.
Miu tucked her juice carton into her bag, glancing up at me.
"If that were all, maybe you wouldn't feel so reluctant to leave Aiba-kun's side."
"Miu," Kotoha warned softly. But before she could stop her, I spoke up first.
"It's fine. I'll say it."
The three of them locked their eyes on me.
In the past, I would have denied it before even thinking. I would have brushed it off by insisting I only wanted to see him because he had saved my life.
Yet now, whenever my eyes met Aiba-kun's, my heart hammered. Just hearing him say my surname made me restless, and I found myself yearning to hear his voice more.
Not just because he was the person who carried me out of the fire, but because he was a brother who cherished Koharu, someone who waited patiently for me when I struggled to get close—I wanted to know the Aiba-kun of today.
Around other boys, I was always looking for an escape route, yet beside him, I never wanted to step away.
Putting a name to that feeling terrified me a little.
Once I said it aloud, I could never retreat behind the excuse of "he's just my savior" again.
Even so, I didn't want to pretend this feeling didn't exist.
I slowly uncurled my fists in my lap. Taking a steadying breath, I met their eyes.
"...I think I'm falling in love."
The words hung in the air, followed by the suddenly loud rustle of leaves in the wind.
Rio froze, eyes wide. Kotoha's lips parted slightly, and even Miu blinked twice in surprise.
Hearing my own words echo in my ears sent heat rushing straight to my face.
"Ah, nope, never mind! Scratch that!"
"We cannot scratch thaaat!!"
Rio sprang to her feet.
"Serina admitted it! First love, officially confirmed!"
"Keep your voice down! And sit back down!"
"How can I?! This is a historic moment!"
"Stop making it historical! And all of you... stop looking at my face!"
"Impossible. We can't look away."
"Rio."
"Right, sitting down."
At Kotoha's firm tone, Rio planted her hands on her knees and dropped back onto the bench, though her beaming grin didn't waver.
"Still, you said 'I think I'm falling in love' instead of 'I'm in love,'" Miu observed.
"Do you really have to dissect every syllable?"
"It seems like an important distinction for Serina."
"...Because I still barely know anything about him."
All I knew was the boy in the fire, and the brief glimpses I caught through Koharu. I didn't know his favorite food, how he spent his weekends, or even his given name from his own lips.
"I wanted to see him because he was that person. But now, because he's Aiba-kun, I want to know more about him. I think it's love, but I don't want to decide that solely because he saved me."
"I think that's lovely."
Rio's smile softened into something genuinely sweet.
"Sometimes you get to know someone after falling for them, and getting to know them makes you fall even harder. There's no rule about what comes first."
"There's no need to force gratitude and romance into the exact same box either," Kotoha added. "Why not just accept your feelings as they are and figure things out as you get to know Aiba-kun himself?"
"Yeah."
The knot tangled in my chest settled into a much lighter, calmer place.
Beyond the memories of the rescue, I wanted to build our everyday conversations at school. And I wanted him to know me not just as the girl he saved, but as who I was right now.
"...Um, can I ask just one more thing?"
Rio raised a tentative hand.
The teasing energy from before was gone. Seeing her look so uncharacteristically cautious brought my bad feeling rushing right back.
"What is it?"
"Promise not to get mad, okay?"
"Depends on what it is."
"Well... Have you considered the possibility... that Aiba-kun might have a girlfriend?"
My chest seized up.
Aiba-kun, walking side by side with a girl I didn't know.
The image of that girl casually calling him by a first name I didn't even know flashed into my mind unbidden.
He had a life entirely separate from me. It wouldn't be strange at all if there was someone who had known him long before the fire, someone who was already allowed to be by his side.
The moment the thought took root, the weight in my chest grew suffocatingly heavy.
"...Serina?"
"I-I'm sorry! Maybe that was too soon!"
Rio pressed her palms together in an urgent apology. She wasn't enjoying my reaction in the slightest.
"No. It's not that I was wrong not to think about it, but... I really hadn't considered it at all."
Giving voice to it only made the reality hit harder.
"Are you worried?"
To Miu's quiet question, I couldn't bring myself to bluff.
"I am. Incredibly worried. But going to interrogate him right this second is totally off the table, okay?"
"We know. We're not going to ambush him, and we won't go around gossiping to dig up dirt."
"Tormenting yourself over things you don't know won't give you any answers right now," Kotoha said, glancing down at my stiffened hands. "For now, wouldn't it be best to start by simply getting to know Aiba-kun as a person?"
"Getting to know him..."
"Serina, what's Aiba-kun's favorite food?" Rio asked.
"I don't know."
"What club is he in?"
"I don't know."
"What does he do on his days off?"
"...I don't know."
"You really don't know anything yet, huh?"
"Did you really have to list all of that out?"
"Sorry. But that just means there's a whole world of things left for you to find out."
Rio's spin on it gave me a faint sense of relief.
"Then the next goal: learn one new thing about Aiba-kun," Miu summarized.
"No grilling him like a job interview, though."
"Right, just naturally, in the flow of conversation—find out one detail."
Rio reached for her phone screen again.
"Don't write that down!"
"Even though it's our key takeaway?"
"I'll remember it, so put it away."
"That's the spirit!"
"Why are you looking so pleased with yourself, Rio?"
Kotoha let out a small sigh, and Miu zipped her empty juice carton into her bag.
Even though I had insisted I had nothing to talk about, before I knew it, I had been the one talking the most.
I didn't know if Aiba-kun had a girlfriend. Just thinking about the possibility made my chest ache.
Even so, rather than freezing up in fear of what I didn't know, there were so many things I actively wanted to discover.
Not just about the person who pulled me from the flames.
I wanted to gradually get to know the Aiba-kun who was Koharu's brother, who walked these same halls, and whose eyes had met mine so many times today.
And above all, I wanted him to get to know me.
In the end, that was the only conclusion our strategy meeting reached.
◇◇◇
When we stepped back into the school building from the courtyard, the hallway was much emptier than before.
Rio was agonizing over whether she should rename our strategy meeting before the next session, while Kotoha told her, "Don't go scheduling a next time without asking." Miu trailed slightly behind them, wearing her usual sleepy expression.
Just as I moved to fall in step beside them, a figure caught the edge of my vision, slowing my pace.
I was used to boys staring at me. Usually, even when I noticed, I would pretend not to see and simply walk past.
Yet this particular gaze felt distinctly familiar.
I turned toward the far side of the hallway.
Standing near a pillar a short distance away was a boy with short black hair. He was slightly taller than me, wearing the uniform of our grade.
When our eyes met, he didn't look away.
It was a face I recognized.
Searching my memory, I remembered him as the boy who had picked up a mechanical pencil I dropped in class.
Back then, I had simply thanked him and walked away. We hadn't spoken a single word since.
His lips parted faintly, as if he were on the verge of calling out to me.
My shoulders stiffened.
"Serina?"
Ahead of me, Kotoha paused and looked back.
"Is something wrong?"
"...No. It's nothing."
Giving my answer, I stole one last glance toward the pillar.
The boy was still watching me.
Without meeting his eyes again, I hurried forward to catch up with the other three.
He had picked up a mechanical pencil for me once. That was the extent of who he was.
Even as I rounded the corner telling myself that, the prickling weight of his gaze on my back refused to fade.