The morning started like every other day.

“Aru, wake up! You’ll be late,” his mother called.

Aru opened his eyes slowly and stretched.

“Five more minutes…” he mumbled.

“No,” his mother laughed. “Get up, my girl.”

Aru smiled and got out of bed.

He didn’t question it.

He never had.

Standing in front of the mirror, Aru fixed his long hair neatly.

Everything looked normal.

Just a girl getting ready for school.

He adjusted his uniform, turned left, then right.

Perfect.

Still… for a second, he paused.

Not because something was wrong.

But because something felt… a little strange.

Like forgetting something important… but not knowing what.

“…Weird,” he whispered, then shook it off.

At breakfast, everything felt warm and familiar.

His mother smiled. His father read quietly.

“Eat properly,” his mother said.

“I am,” Aru replied, laughing.

“You always rush.”

“That’s because you wake me up late!”

They both laughed.

It felt like a normal, happy family.

And to Aru—it was.

School was lively as always.

“Aruuu!” his friends called, waving.

“Coming!” he smiled, running toward them.

They talked about random things—homework, teachers, silly jokes.

Aru laughed easily.

He fit in perfectly.

He was one of them.

A normal girl.

During class, Aru looked out the window for a moment.

The sky was clear.

Peaceful.

But for some reason… his chest felt a little tight.

Like something inside him was trying to say something.

But no words came.

So he ignored it.

That’s when he noticed someone new.

A student standing near the window in the next class.

Short hair. Calm expression.

A boy.

But not like the others.

He wasn’t loud.

Wasn’t trying to impress anyone.

He just… stood there quietly.

Aru stared for a second too long.

“Hey, what are you looking at?” his friend nudged.

“N-nothing,” Aru quickly looked away.

At lunch, Aru sat with his friends as usual.

Talking, laughing, sharing food.

But his eyes kept drifting.

Back to that boy.

Rei.

He sat alone.

Just like that.

Later, as Aru walked toward the water area, he heard a voice.

“Hey.”

He turned.

It was him.

The quiet boy.

“…Hi?” Aru replied.

“I’m Rei,” he said simply.

“Aru.”

A small pause.

Then Rei spoke again.

“You seem… easy to talk to.”

Aru blinked.

“…What?”

“I don’t know,” Rei shrugged. “Just a feeling.”

Aru laughed softly. “That’s random.”

“Maybe.”

They stood there for a moment.

Not awkward.

Just… calm.

Then someone called Aru from behind.

“Coming!” he replied.

Before leaving, he looked back at Rei.

“See you.”

Rei nodded.

That evening, Aru stood in front of the mirror again.

Same face.

Same smile.

Same “normal girl.”

He tilted his head slightly.

“…Why do I feel like something’s missing?” he whispered.

But there was no answer.

In another house, Rei sat quietly on his bed.

He stared at his hands.

Everything about him said he was a boy.

That’s what everyone said.

That’s what his family said.

But still…

“…Why doesn’t it feel right?” he murmured.

Two normal lives.

Two normal identities.

Two quiet questions.

And a truth—

Still hidden.

“See you.”

Aru had said it so casually.

But as he walked away… it didn’t feel casual at all.

His friends caught up to him quickly.

“Where were you?” one asked.

“Just talking,” Aru replied.

“With who?” another teased.

Aru hesitated for a second.

“…A new student.”

“Ooooh~” they laughed.

“It’s not like that,” he rolled his eyes, smiling.

But for some reason—

His heart was still beating a little faster.

The rest of the day went on like normal.

Classes.

Notes.

Teachers talking.

But Aru wasn’t fully paying attention.

Not today.

His mind kept replaying something.

Not words.

Not actions.

Just a feeling.

That calm silence when he sat with Rei.

That strange comfort.

That quiet understanding.

Why did that feel… nice?

The final bell rang.

Students rushed out, filling the halls with noise.

Aru packed his bag slowly.

For once—

He wasn’t in a hurry to leave.

As he stepped into the hallway, he stopped.

There he was again.

Rei.

Standing near the window, just like before.

Golden sunlight falling across his face.

Still quiet.

Still alone.

For a moment, Aru just watched.

Then—

Without thinking—

He walked toward him.

“You’re always here,” Aru said.

Rei looked at him, slightly surprised.

“…You noticed.”

Aru shrugged lightly.

“You’re hard not to notice.”

The moment those words left his mouth—

He froze.

“…I didn’t mean—like—”

Rei smiled faintly.

“I know.”

Silence settled again.

But it wasn’t uncomfortable.

“Why don’t you go with the others?” Aru asked.

Rei looked out the window.

“I could ask you the same.”

Aru blinked.

“…I do go with them.”

“Yeah,” Rei said.

“But not completely.”

That hit deeper than it should have.

Aru didn’t respond immediately.

Because… he couldn’t.

“…How do you know that?” he asked softly.

Rei shrugged.

“Just a feeling.”

Aru let out a small breath.

“That’s annoying.”

Rei raised an eyebrow. “What is?”

“You keep saying things I don’t understand… but they still feel true.”

Rei didn’t reply.

He just looked at him.

And somehow—

That made everything quieter.

Students passed by them.

Voices echoed.

But around them—

It felt still.

“…Do you ever feel like something’s missing?” Aru asked suddenly.

Rei didn’t look surprised.

“…Yeah.”

“Even when everything is normal?”

“Yeah.”

Aru looked down.

“I thought it was just me.”

Rei shook his head.

“Not anymore.”

For the first time that day—

Aru smiled differently.

Not the usual smile.

Not the one he showed everyone.

This one felt…

Real.

Outside, the sky was turning orange.

Evening had arrived quietly.

“I should go,” Aru said.

“Yeah,” Rei nodded.

Aru turned to leave.

But after a few steps—

He stopped.

“…Rei.”

Rei looked up.

“Hmm?”

Aru hesitated.

Then—

“Let’s talk again tomorrow.”

A small pause.

Then Rei nodded.

“…Okay.”

Aru walked away.

This time—

His steps felt lighter.

Behind him, Rei watched quietly.

Then looked at his own reflection in the window.

For a second—

His expression changed.

Just slightly.

“…Why does this feel different?” he murmured.

And far ahead—

Aru touched his chest lightly.

His heartbeat was still there.

Fast.

Unfamiliar.

But not bad.

Two strangers.

One strange feeling.

And a connection—

Neither of them could explain.

Morning came quietly again.

“Aru, wake up,” his mother called.

“…I’m up,” he replied sleepily.

Aru stood in front of the mirror, getting ready.

He wore the same things he always did—his school uniform, neatly pressed, everything in place.

He adjusted his clothes carefully, just like he had been taught since he was little.

Everything about his routine felt normal.

Natural.

Like this was simply who he was.

He brushed his long hair slowly, watching his reflection.

Same face.

Same life.

Same “girl.”

He didn’t question it.

Not really.

Because this was how it had always been.

At breakfast, his mother smiled warmly.

“You look perfect.”

Aru smiled back.

“Thanks.”

And just like that—

Another normal day began.

At school, his friends immediately pulled him in.

“Aru, come sit here!”

“Did you finish the homework?”

“Listen, something funny happened—”

Their voices overlapped as usual.

Aru laughed, responded, reacted—

Everything flowed naturally.

And yet—

Somewhere between those moments—

His eyes searched again.

Until they found him.

Rei stood near the gate this time.

Not by the window.

Not alone inside.

But outside.

Waiting.

Aru paused.

Just for a second.

Then smiled.

“I’ll come back,” he told his friends.

“Again?” one teased.

“Yeah, yeah,” he waved it off.

He walked toward Rei.

This time—

Without hesitation.

“You’re early today,” Aru said.

Rei glanced at him.

“…You’re earlier than yesterday.”

Aru smiled.

“Maybe.”

There was something different today.

Not in what they said.

But in how easily they stood next to each other.

“You wait here every day?” Aru asked.

“Sometimes.”

“For what?”

Rei thought for a second.

“…I don’t know.”

Aru laughed softly.

“You say that a lot.”

“What?”

“I don’t know.”

Rei looked at him.

“…Maybe I just don’t.”

For some reason—

That answer felt honest.

They walked inside together.

Not planned.

Not discussed.

It just… happened.

As they passed by, some of Aru’s friends noticed.

“Wait—wasn’t that the new boy?”

“Yeah… since when does Aru walk with him?”

“I don’t know…”

Aru didn’t hear them.

Or maybe—

He chose not to.

During class, something felt clearer.

Not the confusion.

Not the questions.

But the space around them.

Whenever Aru felt that strange, quiet discomfort—

He looked toward Rei.

And somehow—

It softened.

At lunch, his friends called him again.

“Aru, come here!”

He looked at them.

Then at Rei.

Then back again.

“…I’ll come later,” he said.

This time—

He didn’t hesitate.

Under the tree, Rei was already sitting.

“You chose this again,” Rei said.

Aru sat beside him.

“…Yeah.”

A small silence.

Then—

“…It feels more real here,” Aru said.

Rei looked at him.

“…What does?”

Aru searched for words.

“…Me.”

Rei didn’t laugh.

Didn’t question it.

“…I get that,” he said.

And for the first time—

Aru didn’t feel strange saying it.

Later, after school, they walked together again.

Same road.

Same sky turning orange.

“You talk a lot with your friends,” Rei said.

“Yeah.”

“…But not like this.”

Aru blinked.

“…What do you mean?”

Rei looked ahead.

“You don’t laugh the same way.”

Aru went quiet.

Because—

That was true.

“…You notice too much,” Aru said.

Rei shrugged.

“…Only about you.”

Aru felt his heart skip.

Just slightly.

They reached the same crossing again.

And stopped.

“Tomorrow?” Aru asked.

Rei nodded.

“Yeah.”

This time—

It felt certain.

That night, Aru stood in front of the mirror again.

Same reflection.

Same clothes.

Same life he had always known.

But now—

There was a question behind his eyes.

Small.

Quiet.

But growing.

“…Why do I feel more like myself with him?” he whispered.

And far away—

Rei asked himself something similar.

Two normal lives.

Still unchanged.

Still unquestioned.

But something inside them—

Was beginning to shift.