In the halls.

Takashima’s smile flickered for a second, his eyes darting between Yuna and the girl who had just effectively marked her territory.

"Oh, right. Friday," Takashima said, his shoulders dropping slightly as the excitement from seeing Yuna seemed to drain out of him. He looked down at the floor, then back at Reika. "I... yeah, I’m ready. I didn't forget."

Reika didn't waste a heartbeat. She stepped forward, sliding effortlessly into the space between Takashima and Yuna, her silk sleeve brushing against his arm. "Perfect. My brother already set up the sound system in the lounge. It’s going to be so much more productive than trying to fumble through it alone, don't you think?"

She turned her head just enough to catch Yuna’s eye. The look wasn't one of anger anymore; it was one of pure, cold victory. "I’m sure Yuna understands. After all," Reika added with a sweet, condescending tilt of her head, "she has that big art club cleanup to worry about. We wouldn't want to distract her from her responsibilities."

Yuna felt the familiar weight in her chest return, heavier than before. She looked at Takashima, hoping he would say something—anything—to show he saw through it. But he just gave a small, apologetic wave.

"See you around, Yuna," he muttered, sounding more like he was reciting a script than speaking from the heart.

"Come along, Takashima. We have so much to plan," Reika chirped, hooking her arm through his and leading him down the hall.

Yuna stood frozen by her locker, watching them walk away.

The "sun" was being pulled behind a thick, dark cloud, and for the first time, the hallway felt colder than it ever had before.

Azami let out a sharp breath of disbelief. "I can't believe he just... let her do that."

Yuna didn't answer. She just opened her locker, letting her bangs fall over her eyes again, disappearing back into the shadows where Reika wanted her to stay.

The rest of the day felt like a blur for Yuna. During lunch, she sat picking at her food while Azami ranted about Reika’s manipulative tactics, but

Yuna barely heard her. Her eyes kept drifting to the table across the cafeteria, where Reika sat triumphantly next to Takashima.

Reika was in her element. She had her phone out, showing Takashima photos of "her brother’s studio," leaning in so close their shoulders touched. Takashima nodded politely, but he looked at his watch more often than the screen. Still, he didn't pull away.

Reika had built an invisible wall around him that Yuna didn't dare to break.

When the final bell rang, Yuna walked with heavy shoulders toward the music room to grab her forgotten notebook. In the hallway, she ran into him unexpectedly. He was alone, looking stressed.

"

Yuna!" Takashima called out softly. He walked quickly toward her, glancing nervously over his shoulder as if expecting Reika to teleport behind him. "Hey, about this morning... I’m sorry. Reika can be... persuasive. And she’d already told her brother I was coming."

Yuna felt a tiny spark of hope, but it was instantly extinguished when she heard Reika’s voice echoing from the entrance: "Takashima! Are you coming? The driver is waiting!"

Takashima bit his lip, looking torn. "I have to go. But listen, I wanted to give you this." He pressed a crumpled piece of paper into her hand. "I tried to write down the tabs for 'Lunar Echo' from memory. I still think I’m getting the bridge wrong. Maybe you could... look at it? If you have time?"

Before Yuna could even find her voice, Reika appeared at the end of the hall. Her eyes narrowed into slits when she saw them together. "Takashima! Now," she commanded, her voice sharp enough to cut glass.

Takashima gave Yuna one last, apologetic look and walked obediently toward Reika. Reika grabbed his arm firmly, threw a look of pure venom over her shoulder at Yuna, and pulled him toward the exit.

...Yuna stood alone in the darkening hallway. She unfolded the paper. It was messy, with little guitar sketches in the margins. At the very bottom,...

...in hurried handwriting, he had scrawled: Helpme...

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