It had only been a couple of days since Ryohei's humiliating defeat in the lockeroom, and rumors were already spreading across the school. Some people claimed Haruto was secretly a high-level caster, while others said he got lucky. But the biggest surprise? The sudden appearance of Akari Mima hanging around him like they were childhood friends.
And Sakura noticed.
Haruto had just sat down in class, preparing for the next lesson, when the door slammed open.
"Yo, Haruto!"
Akari strolled in confidently, completely ignoring the fact that she wasn't supposed to be in Class 2-A. A few students turned to stare, whispering among themselves. It wasn't every day that someone from another class just barged in unannounced.
Haruto sighed. "Akari, this isn't your class."
"Yeah, yeah, I know," she waved him off, dropping onto the empty desk beside him. "Just figured I'd drop by. You're fun to mess with."
Sakura, who had just been taking out her notebook, froze mid-motion.
Her eyes flicked to the new arrival—short blonde hair, confident smirk, and way too comfortable sitting next to Haruto. Who was this girl?
Sakura forced a smile and turned toward them. "Uh… Haruto?"
Haruto glanced up. "Oh, right. Sakura, this is Akari Mima. We ran into each other the other day."
Akari flashed a grin. "More like I saved his ass from getting ganged up on."
Haruto rolled his eyes. "It wasn't that bad."
Akari shrugged. "Maybe. But I still kicked more people than you." She turned toward Sakura. "And you are?"
Sakura straightened up. "Sakura Hoshino. I sit next to Haruto."
Akari studied her for a second, then smirked. "Ohhh, you're the one, huh?"
Sakura blinked. "The one what?"
"The one he's always talking about," Akari teased.
Haruto nearly choked. "What?! I don't—!"
Sakura's face heated up slightly. "H-He talks about me?"
Akari leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "Hmm… maybe~."
Haruto shot her a glare. "Quit messing around."
Akari just grinned. "Relax, dude, I'm just having fun."
Sakura, on the other hand, didn't look entirely amused. Who was this girl, and why was she acting so familiar with Haruto?
Before she could ask more questions, the teacher entered the room.
"Alright, back to your seats, everyone. Class is starting."
Akari stretched. "Welp, guess I gotta go." She stood, flashing Haruto a wink. "Catch you later, sunshine."
Haruto groaned. "Stop calling me that."
Akari chuckled as she strolled out.
Sakura watched her leave, her fingers gripping her pen a little tighter than usual.
She didn't know why, but something about Akari Mima annoyed her.
And that was a new feeling.
+++
Lunch came, Haruto sat at the cafeteria table near the window, his tray barely touched. Sakura sat across from him, cheerfully unpacking her homemade bento. She had already made a habit of sharing her food with Haruto, despite his polite refusals.
"Come on, just try it," Sakura insisted, holding out a piece of rolled omelet with her chopsticks. "I made it myself!"
Haruto sighed but smiled slightly, leaning forward and taking the bite. "It's good."
Sakura grinned proudly. "Of course it is!"
Just as she was about to offer him another, a voice interrupted.
"Mind if I join?"
Both Haruto and Sakura looked up to see Akari Mima standing beside their table, her tray in hand.
Sakura blinked, forcing a smile. "Oh… Akari."
Haruto nodded. "Sure, go ahead."
Akari sat down next to him, casually setting her tray on the table. "You know, it's kinda weird that you always sit here alone, Haruto. Figured I'd change that."
Sakura cleared her throat. "Well, actually, he's not alone."
Akari smirked. "Yeah, I see that now." She turned to Haruto. "So, how's school treating you so far?"
"It's… been fine," Haruto replied simply.
"That's it? No drama? No fights? No sudden love confessions?" Akari teased, nudging him.
Sakura scoffed lightly. "Why would there be any of that?"
Akari shrugged. "I dunno. You're kinda mysterious, Haruto. Girls love that type." She winked playfully.
Haruto sighed, taking a bite of his food without responding.
Sakura crossed her arms. "I've been having lunch with him since the first day, and I don't see anyone swarming him."
Akari smiled. "Guess that makes you the lucky one, huh?"
Sakura pursed her lips, narrowing her eyes slightly.
Haruto, sensing the tension, quickly changed the subject. "So, Akari, do you usually eat with your classmates?"
"Nah, they're kinda boring," Akari said, waving a hand dismissively. "Figured you'd be more interesting."
Sakura muttered under her breath, "Great."
Akari smirked but ignored the comment, casually stealing a piece of food from Haruto's tray. "Hey, your food's not bad!"
Sakura's eyebrow twitched. "Excuse me?"
Akari raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"
Sakura grabbed a piece of her homemade omelet and held it in front of Haruto. "Here, eat this instead."
Haruto blinked, confused.
Akari chuckled. "Wow, are we competing now?"
Sakura forced a smile. "Oh, not at all. I just know he likes my cooking."
Haruto sighed again, realizing this was going to be a long lunch.
Despite the subtle bickering, the three continued eating together, and somehow, it became a routine.
+++
Across the cafeteria, at a table just far enough to remain unnoticed but close enough to eavesdrop, a group of random students—mostly boys—sat watching Haruto's table with a mix of admiration, frustration, and pure jealousy.
"Unbelievable…" one of them muttered, stabbing his rice with his chopsticks. "That guy's only been here for, what, a few days? And he's already having lunch with Sakura Hoshino and Akari Mima?!"
Another student, gripping his juice box tightly, shook his head. "This isn't fair! Do you know how many guys have tried to get close to Sakura? She barely even talks to anyone outside of class! And Akari Mima? She's way too cool to just sit with random people!"
A third guy leaned forward, whispering as if discussing something truly forbidden. "What if… he's some kind of playboy genius? You know, one of those guys who acts all mysterious but is actually a total chick magnet?"
The others shuddered. "Terrifying."
"Look at them," another one sighed dramatically, watching as Sakura fed Haruto another bite of food. "That should be me."
"That should be all of us," another added, clenching his fist.
One particularly bitter student slammed his hands on the table. "I refuse to accept this! What does Haruto Aoki have that I don't?!"
A quiet guy wearing glasses finally spoke up, adjusting his frames. "Well, for one, he's actually attractive."
Silence.
"Bro… not cool," one of them whispered.
They turned back to watch, their envy only growing as Akari stole a bite from Haruto's tray while grinning mischievously.
"I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE!" one of the guys groaned, burying his face in his arms. "HOW IS HE LIVING THE DREAM?!"
Another one grabbed his shoulders. "Stay strong, brother! We must endure!"
A first-year student who had just transferred leaned over and asked, "Uh, are they dating or something?"
One of the senior students, looking completely exhausted, sighed. "Not yet… but we all know where this is going."
The entire table nodded solemnly.
At another table, a group of girls sat together, casting quick glances toward Haruto's table, where he sat between Sakura and Akari. The way the two girls interacted with him—Sakura acting a little too possessive, Akari teasing him endlessly—had sparked quite the conversation.
One of the girls, a second-year with a love for drama, leaned forward excitedly. "Okay, but who is this guy? He comes out of nowhere, joins our class, and now he's casually sitting with two of the prettiest girls in school? Like… how?!"
A first-year, who had heard about the fight with Ryohei, practically bounced in her seat. "Didn't you hear? He's the guy who took down Ryohei!"
Gasps.
"No way! That Haruto?!"
Another girl, who had been there to witness the fight, nodded dramatically. "I was there! Ryohei tried to humiliate him, but Haruto completely turned the tables! And he didn't even use his powers! He dodged every hit like a pro and then—BAM!—he sent Ryohei flying!"
A girl with glasses adjusted them, looking impressed. "So, he's strong and mysterious? That's kind of… hot."
The first-year clasped her hands together. "And humble! He doesn't even brag about it! He just keeps to himself, all cool and aloof… I bet he has some tragic backstory!"
The girls exchanged glances, imagining all sorts of wild scenarios.
Another girl, who had been observing Sakura and Akari's reactions, smirked. "You know… I think Sakura likes him."
More gasps.
The first-year nearly fell out of her chair. "W-Wait! But doesn't Akari also seem kinda into him?"
"Are we witnessing the start of a love triangle?!"
One of the older students, who had been silent until now, took a sip of her drink and sighed. "All I'm saying is… if he's strong enough to beat Ryohei, sits with Sakura and Akari, and acts like he doesn't even notice all the attention… then Haruto Aoki is definitely the most interesting guy in this school right now."
They all turned back to look at him—completely unaware of the growing number of admirers watching him from afar.
+++
It was already the weekend. The sun hung lazily in the sky, casting a warm glow over the busy streets. Haruto hadn't planned anything special for his Saturday—just a quick stop at the convenience store to grab some snacks. He walked leisurely, hands in his pockets, when a familiar voice called out to him.
"Haruto?"
He turned and saw Sakura, dressed casually in a soft hoodie and jeans, holding a bubble tea in one hand and a surprised expression on her face.
"Oh, hey," Haruto replied, caught off guard but not displeased. "Didn't expect to see you here."
Sakura smiled, swaying slightly. "Same! What brings you out?"
Haruto held up a bottle of soda. "Real important mission. Snacks."
Sakura chuckled. "Well, if you're free… I was just about to check out that new movie that came out—'Skybound Hearts.' Wanna come with me?"
Haruto blinked. "A movie? Uh…"
"Oh, come on. It's not a date," Sakura teased, nudging his arm with her elbow, "Unless you want it to be." She winked playfully.
Haruto felt his face warm. "Tch, fine. But if it's one of those sappy romance flicks—"
"It is," Sakura grinned mischievously. "But there's action! I think."
With a resigned sigh and a small smirk, Haruto followed her to the theater.
+++
Inside the theater, the lights dimmed, and the movie began. Haruto sat stiffly at first, sipping his soda, while Sakura nibbled on popcorn. As the story unfolded—a high-flying adventure with romantic twists—Haruto found himself oddly drawn in.
During a cheesy romantic confession scene, he heard a soft giggle beside him.
"You're so into this," Sakura whispered.
Haruto, flustered, muttered, "I—What? No! The effects are just… decent."
Sakura smirked, eyes sparkling with amusement.
The Plot Thickens—For Them, Not the Movie:
As the climactic scene unfolded—a daring sky rescue—Sakura suddenly jumped, startled by a loud explosion on screen.
Without thinking, her hand shot out—grabbing Haruto's.
Haruto froze. Sakura, realizing it a second later, turned slowly to him. Their eyes met in the flickering light of the screen.
Neither pulled away immediately. Instead…
"This is, uh…" Haruto coughed, "a pretty action-packed romance."
Sakura, cheeks flushed, pulled her hand back with a sheepish smile. "Yeah, well… you never know what you'll get with these 'not-a-date' movies."
+++
The cool evening air greeted them as they exited the theater. Sakura stretched. "Okay, admit it—it wasn't that bad!"
Haruto stuffed his hands in his hoodie. "I'll admit… the action was alright."
Sakura narrowed her eyes playfully. "Suuuure, the action."
A comfortable silence followed, broken only by their footsteps.
Then, softly—almost too soft for her usual playful self—Sakura spoke.
"Today was… fun."
Haruto glanced at her. "Yeah. It was."
They walked side by side, the space between them small but significant. Neither said it aloud, but both felt it—this simple, random Saturday felt... special.