Takeshi arrived at the academy ten minutes early and used the extra time to check his phone before heading into the building. He had three messages from Nyx sent early that morning.

The first said: I already found the restaurant I told you about at the shrine.

The second was a shared location.

The third: See you after classes.

Takeshi put his phone away without replying. Not because he did not want to, but because he did not know exactly what to say. He had agreed to go, but he had not told Aoi, which meant that if Aoi found out he was going out alone with Nyx after classes, the situation was going to escalate in a way he preferred not to imagine.

Before he could think about how to handle that, he heard his name.

"Takeshi."

Aoi was standing by the main entrance, her uniform perfectly arranged and an expression of relief on her face when she found him.

"You’re already here."

She said.

"Yeah."

"Good, come on, first class starts in a few minutes."

Takeshi slipped his phone into his pocket and followed her without saying anything else.

The morning moved along with a normality Takeshi appreciated. Classes passed, teachers lectured, and students took notes. At the same time, two separate problems kept spinning around inside his head, and neither of them had a simple solution.

’What do I do!?’

The first was figuring out how to go to the restaurant with Nyx without Aoi finding out. He could say he had to stay in the library or claim Merwyn had called him over something related to the student council.

He could also say nothing and simply disappear after the final bell, though that would probably make things worse if Aoi looked for him and could not find him.

The second problem was what happened if Aoi found out anyway. Because there was a very real chance of that happening, considering Aoi had a talent for appearing at the worst possible moment.

While the history teacher explained something about territorial treaties from the last century, the floating chat appeared in the corner of his vision with its usual enthusiasm.

[Someone’s got secret plans today]

[The MC’s face in class lol he’s obviously thinking about something else]

[How long until Aoi finds out? I’m saying before lunch]

[I’m saying during lunch]

[I’m saying she already knows and is just waiting for the right moment]

Takeshi ignored the messages and looked forward again. The teacher kept talking. Aoi, seated to his right, was taking notes with a level of concentration that left room for nothing else.

’Good.’

Takeshi thought.

’As long as she stays like that, there’s still time to think.’

The problem was that he could not come up with a single solution that did not have an obvious weak point. Every excuse he built in his head had a moment where Aoi could ask one question and the whole thing would collapse, and it was obvious that Aoi was going to ask questions.

He decided the best option was to say nothing for now and evaluate the situation once noon arrived.

At lunchtime, Aoi waited for Takeshi to put away his materials and then walked beside him toward the main hallway.

They were crossing the corridor in the central wing when Takeshi spotted Nyx.

She was leaving one of the first-year classrooms with a book tucked under her arm and walking in the opposite direction. She saw them before Takeshi could do anything and immediately changed course.

"Takeshi."

Nyx said when she reached them. Her tone was completely normal, the same one she used in the library or out in the courtyard. She looked directly at Takeshi.

"Did you get the messages?"

"Yeah, I saw all of them."

Takeshi replied.

"Good."

Nyx nodded once.

"Then I’ll see you later."

Aoi stopped walking.

Nyx had not made any aggressive or calculated gesture, at least not visibly, but she had spoken to Takeshi as though Aoi was not even standing in that hallway.

"We’re on our way to lunch."

Aoi interrupted in a tone that clearly marked territory.

"This isn’t a good time to interrupt."

Nyx slightly turned her head toward Aoi and looked at her for exactly one second.

"I’m not interrupting you."

Nyx finally said.

"I’m already done."

Then, turning back to Takeshi again.

"See you later."

She walked off down the corridor without hurrying. The book remained tucked under her arm, and her pace never changed.

Takeshi stayed frozen for a moment. He quickly calculated whether there was anything he could say right then that would improve the situation, but found nothing.

The chat did not take long.

[That "see you later" was so casual and calm, definitely said in a completely innocent way]

[Aoi processing what she just heard in real time]

[Takeshi say something. SAY SOMETHING.]

[Too late. Way too late. Catastrophically too late.]

Aoi resumed walking. She did not say anything or change her expression. Takeshi followed after her because he had no other choice.

The cafeteria was a three-minute walk from where they were. Takeshi counted them.

Aoi chose a table near the south-side window, the same area where they usually sat whenever the cafeteria was not too crowded. She placed her tray on the table and sat down. Takeshi did the same across from her.

For the first two minutes, neither of them spoke.

Takeshi watched Aoi without making it obvious he was watching her. She ate without unnecessary movements or visible distraction, but she had not said a single word since the hallway.

Aoi had not ignored what Nyx said. Right now, she was processing it.

Takeshi knew that, but he could not decide whether it was better to speak first or wait.

The chat kept appearing in his vision with comments that contributed absolutely nothing useful.

[Most tense silence in the stream so far]

[Somebody please say something]

[Takeshi’s deathless streak is about to end because of a "see you later"]

Takeshi drank some water while Aoi ate. The cafeteria was filled with the noise of conversations from other tables, chairs moving around, and the sounds of the kitchen through the doors at the back.

None of that changed what was happening at this specific table.

Aoi looked up and met his eyes. Takeshi held eye contact because looking away at that moment would have been worse.

She did not say anything, but the way she was looking at him made it very clear that was about to change.

Takeshi waited.

’This...’

He thought.

’Is going to be a very long lunch.’