Himitsu arrived at school early on May 16, a quiet sense of purpose guiding her steps. Today, she had a goal.
She slipped into an unfamiliar classroom, scanning the room until her eyes landed on a girl sitting by the window, Miya Kou. If she wanted this to work, she needed to ask.
Taking a steady breath, she approached. "Excuse me," Himitsu said, clearing her throat. "Do you know where Amari Isao sits?"
Miya looked up, eyes narrowing slightly. Suspicion flickered across her face.
Himitsu hadn't thought this far ahead. She needed a reason, anything that wouldn't invite more questions. "I wanted to thank him for something." The excuse was flimsy, but it seemed to work.
Miya studied her for a moment before lazily gesturing to the desk in front of her. "Right here." Her tone was stiff, mildly irritated.
"Thanks." Himitsu's gaze drifted to Miya's desk, where scattered lemon candy wrappers lay like discarded evidence of a small, unsatisfied craving. On impulse, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a single, limited-edition strawberry lemon candy. Without a word, she placed it on Miya's desk before setting her small gift on Amari's desk.
Miya stared, momentarily speechless and a little gobsmacked. Before she could react, Himitsu was already slipping out the door, disappearing down the hallway.
Miya glanced down at the candy on the desk. That morning, she had tried, unsuccessfully, to get her hands on this exact flavor. The only reason she had come to school early was to check the store before the rush, only to find it already sold out. Resigned, she had settled for her usual lemon drops, eating them more out of irritation than enjoyment.
And yet, here it was. The one thing she had wanted was casually left behind by the girl who had wandered into her classroom, asking about Amari Isao.
She unwrapped the candy and popped it into her mouth. The taste was sweeter than expected, but the tartness still lingered just the way she liked it.
A smile tugged at her lips.
The day had barely begun, and already, it felt a little brighter for Miya. Thanks to the strange encounter.