Barrier

If the students of Class D were previously curious or privately speculated about the ambiguous, non-ordinary relationship between the two of them, then these past few days, the naturally linked hands after school, the oblivious yet extremely natural intimate feeding during lunch, and the current scene of them snuggling in the library, have presented the answer clearly and undeniably to everyone.

Their relationship has been confirmed without a doubt.

Although Class D already had the high-profile and ostentatious couple Hirata Yosuke and Karuizawa Kei as "seniors," somewhat diluting everyone's surprise at the birth of a new couple, the intimate atmosphere between Kiyona and Hoshino Kanade, where silence is golden and they seem to form their own barrier, along with the affection that naturally flowed from them almost every moment without any pretense, still gave onlookers an invisible "lethality"—in the words of the classmates privately, it was "too frequent and too concentrated dog food, truly unbearable."

The library in the afternoon was so quiet you could hear the rustling of turning pages.

This was their usual spot for the small group reading club.

Hoshino Kanade and Kiyona were squeezed into the same seat.

Hoshino Kanade could clearly feel the weight of Kiyona leaning on his shoulder, as docile as a tired bird that had found its home. His gaze fell between the pages of the book, but his thoughts gently floated with the approaching footsteps of Shiina Hiyori.

He wasn't unaware of the teasing within the class about him and Kiyona "spreading dog food."

This overt intimate bond had clear pros and cons.

It was like an invisible barrier, both isolating unnecessary external interference and inevitably hindering other potential affections from germinating.

When Shiina Hiyori's figure appeared at the edge of his vision, this realization rippled through his heart like a pebble dropped into a lake.

But he quickly gathered his thoughts. The pad of his finger unconsciously caressed the edge of the book page, the rough texture pulling him back to the present. The weighing of pros and cons seemed so pale at this moment.

Kiyona's cool fingertips were unconsciously gripping a small piece of fabric on his cuff, her breath evenly brushing past the side of his neck.

This unreserved attachment entwined his perception like fine vines, carrying a sense of reality that was almost domineering.

What he had always wanted was meticulous planning or the freedom to advance or retreat.

But at this moment, he yearned for the heavy presence in his arms, for the focus in Kiyona's eyes that reflected only him, for the stability of their souls temporarily anchoring when their breaths synchronized.

As for "other possibilities"? They were just vague background sounds.

At least in this second, in this second where Kiyona's profile was gently outlined by the shadow of the book, he had no hesitation in his heart.

The future might be full of variables, but the choice at this moment was simple enough not to require thought.

He liked Kiyona, and Kiyona needed him. That was enough.

Complex deductions could wait for tomorrow; for now, he just wanted to protect this quiet harbor in his arms, belonging only to them.

Shiina Hiyori, carrying a few books, walked lightly towards their familiar corner seat.

However, when she clearly saw the scene before her, her steps faltered for a moment, as if tripped by invisible threads.

The large single armchair seemed a bit cramped to accommodate two people.

Hoshino Kanade sat in a slightly relaxed posture, while Kiyona was almost leaning in his arms, her back against his chest, their shoulders and arms touching, their knees also bumping.

They were looking at a hardcover book spread across Hoshino Kanade's lap. Hoshino Kanade's left arm was around Kiyona's shoulder, steadily holding the book spine for her, while his right hand occasionally turned the pages.

Kiyona's gaze was focused on the text, her profile quiet, her long eyelashes casting a small shadow beneath her eyes.

Hoshino Kanade lowered his head slightly, his chin almost touching Kiyona's soft hair, and whispered something. His voice was as light as a whisper, and Kiyona nodded almost imperceptibly in response.

The afternoon sun streamed through the tall windows, gently enveloping them, the scene so tranquil... like a double portrait that couldn't accommodate a third person.

Shiina Hiyori felt as if her heart was being squeezed by an invisible hand, her breathing becoming difficult for a moment.

The feeling that the sky was falling might be an exaggeration, but the sudden suffocation and dull ache were real. She hadn't not anticipated this outcome.

The way Hoshino Kanade looked at Kiyona, Kiyona's unique dependence on Hoshino Kanade—all signs had long been subtle clues.

But when this scene presented itself so directly and intimately before her eyes, the impact still caught her off guard, her chest feeling heavily pressed down by something.

She bit her lip hard, her fingertips unconsciously tightening their grip on the book spine in her arms, trying hard to maintain her usual gentle and proper expression, not letting any crack show.

Shiina Hiyori walked to the empty seat opposite them, pulling out the chair as gently as possible and sitting down, placing her books lightly on the table.

"Good afternoon," she greeted softly, her voice steady and carrying its usual gentleness.

Hoshino Kanade looked up at the sound, offering a gentle smile. "Good afternoon, Shiina-san." Kiyona also looked up from her book, her glass-like eyes gazing at Shiina, nodding slightly without much emotion as a response.

Shiina Hiyori returned the smile and began organizing her books and notes. However, the air seemed to have changed.

Were her feelings for Hoshino-san admiration? Shiina Hiyori asked herself, feeling it wasn't quite to that extent.

But what was certain was that the calm, profound, and slightly distant mysterious aura Hoshino-san possessed had always been something she deeply yearned for.

Hoshino-san was someone she admired, someone she wanted to approach and communicate with.

Now, the invisible barrier between the two of them seemed to have completely disappeared, replaced by a natural intimacy only found between boyfriends and girlfriends, as if forming a warm domain belonging only to them, which outsiders could hardly enter.

This intimacy was displayed so frankly before her.

The atmosphere of the reading club remained quiet, but Shiina Hiyori clearly felt as if she had been separated by an invisible barrier.

She was still a member of the reading club, still able to discuss the content of the books with them. Hoshino Kanade would listen attentively to her insights, and Kiyona would occasionally participate.

But the pure atmosphere of easy communication and unreserved conversation they once shared seemed to be covered by a subtle barrier.

Sitting opposite them, watching the tacit understanding and intimacy flowing between them, she realized for the first time so clearly that in this small circle, she seemed to have become the one... who needed to be treated "politely" as an "outsider."

That subtle sense of distance silently stretched across the air.

Shiina Hiyori lowered her eyelashes, her gaze falling on the open pages of the book, her fingertips gently brushing the smooth paper surface, trying hard to concentrate her attention on the text.