The encounter at the school gate lingered in Reiji's mind longer than he expected.
Not because it had been particularly intense—just a few guys being pushy—but because of the way Sena reacted afterward.
Or rather, the way she didn't.
She hadn't thanked him. She hadn't even looked at him properly.
And yet, she acknowledged him.
That alone felt like a shift.
—
The next day at school, Reiji sat by the window in class, absentmindedly watching the trees sway outside.
"Oi, Tsukishima," Kaito nudged him from the side. "You've been zoning out a lot lately. Thinking about someone special?"
Reiji gave him a flat look. "No."
Kaito smirked. "That was too fast. You hesitated."
Reiji sighed, rubbing his temple. "I didn't hesitate."
"Right, right," Kaito leaned back, stretching. "By the way, Yuna made me try this new coffee place yesterday. The line was ridiculously long, but damn, it was good. You should take notes."
"Notes?"
"Yeah, you know. For when you finally stop acting like a monk and start dating someone."
Reiji exhaled, shaking his head. Kaito had a way of making every conversation steer into his love life—or lack of one.
"Anyway," Kaito continued, "are you heading to the clubroom later?"
"Yeah," Reiji answered, looking out the window again.
He wasn't sure what to expect today.
—
When he arrived at the clubroom, Aoi was there, flipping through some papers.
Sena was sitting across from her, tapping her fingers lightly against the table.
Their eyes met for a brief second.
Then she looked away.
Reiji sighed inwardly and took his seat, pulling out his notebook.
Aoi glanced up. "Reiji-kun, I was thinking of rearranging some of our project deadlines. Do you have a minute?"
"Yeah, of course."
He got up and walked over to her, listening as she explained.
Sena, from her spot, was silent.
But he could feel her presence, lingering at the edge of his awareness.
—
The club ended without much conversation between him and Sena.
He had expected that.
But what he didn't expect was to run into her again after school.
He had stayed late, finishing up some notes, and by the time he left, most of the students were already gone.
As he walked down the hallway, he spotted Sena near the vending machines.
She hadn't noticed him.
She was staring at the row of drinks, arms crossed, looking unusually conflicted.
Reiji stopped a few steps away. "Choosing a drink that hard?"
Sena startled slightly before turning to him with a glare. "None of your business."
Reiji raised an eyebrow. "I didn't say it was."
She huffed and turned back to the machine. "They changed the brands. I don't know which one's good."
Reiji glanced at the selection. "What do you usually drink?"
She hesitated before pointing at an empty slot. "That one."
"Well, that's not an option anymore."
"Obviously."
Reiji sighed and pressed a button, selecting one of the other drinks. The can dropped down, and he picked it up before holding it out to her.
Sena frowned. "What are you doing?"
"Try it. If you don't like it, then you wasted my money instead of yours."
She gave him a look that clearly said *you're an idiot,* but after a moment, she took the drink.
She cracked it open, took a sip—then immediately frowned.
"It's sweet."
"Too sweet?"
She was silent for a moment before shaking her head. "...No. It's fine."
Reiji smirked. "So I have good taste."
Sena scoffed. "Don't push it."
But she took another sip.
For a while, they stood there, the tension from before slightly faded.
It wasn't much.
Just a small, unexpected moment.
But it was the first time they had actually talked—really talked—since their fight.
And somehow, it didn't feel as unbearable as before.
—
As Reiji walked home that evening, he found himself thinking back to Sena's expression.
She had been annoyed.
But not angry.
Not like before.
And that alone made him wonder just how much their relationship was starting to change.