Makoto had always prided herself on reading between the lines. Her older sister had taught her that—watch the small things, Sae used to say. People show their truth in what they hide.
And lately, Ann had been hiding something.
It wasn't just her spacing out during meetings, or the distracted way she'd respond to messages with half-formed thoughts. It was her eyes. The way they lingered on Ren just a little too long. The way her breath hitched when he brushed past her.
And Ren—Makoto watched him too. His body language had shifted, subtly. Calmer, more confident, as if he'd claimed something, and the victory still clung to his skin.
Makoto had considered letting it go. It was none of her business, really. But they were a team, and if something had happened, it could ripple out and affect all of them.
So when she spotted Ann alone in the student council room after classes—just the two of them—Makoto closed the door behind her.
Ann looked up from her phone, startled. "Makoto? Everything okay?"
Makoto walked over, composed as ever, hands folded in front of her skirt. "I was hoping we could talk. Just us."
There was a pause. Something flickered in Ann's eyes.
Makoto took a breath. "I've noticed something's changed between you and Ren."
Ann's lips parted slightly, but she didn't speak.
Makoto continued, voice soft but direct, "You don't have to explain anything. I'm not accusing you. I just want to know... is it serious?"
Ann looked away. Her fingers clutched the edge of the desk. "I... don't know."
Makoto tilted her head slightly, studying her. "But something happened."
Ann's cheeks flushed. Silence stretched between them like a taut string.
Finally, she nodded—just once.
Makoto's stomach tightened. Not jealousy exactly—something more complex. A cocktail of protectiveness, curiosity, and something warmer, something more fragile.
"I only ask because... I care about him too," Makoto said quietly. "About both of you."
Ann blinked. "Wait... you mean...?"
Makoto didn't answer. She simply met her gaze and let the silence do the talking.
A new layer of understanding passed between them—unspoken but undeniable.
They were no longer just teammates. Something more intimate, more dangerous, was threading through their lives. A triangle neither of them had planned for.
And neither of them seemed willing to walk away from it.