The elevator gave a faint sensation of weightlessness, then chimed. The metal doors slid open.
The corridor on the boys' dormitory floor came into view.
It was already late at night, and the fluorescent lights on the ceiling cast their glow.
Kazehara Tetsu carried a plastic bag full of heavy household supplies in one hand.
But halfway down the corridor, his steps came to an abrupt halt.
In front of the dorm room door bearing his nameplate,
a graceful figure, completely out of place on this boys' floor, stood quietly waiting.
Ichinose Honami.
The night breeze had tousled her waterfall of pink hair, and a few stray strands playfully clung to her fair cheeks.
Hearing footsteps approach, Ichinose Honami lifted her eyes.
"What's up, Honami?"
Kazehara Tetsu stopped just two steps away from her. "What brings you here at this hour?"
Ichinose Honami's fingers instinctively clutched the hem of her clothes.
"Um... I guess I wanted to chat a little, so I came over."
Her voice wasn't as bright and cheerful as usual. Instead, she had deliberately lowered it a little.
Kazehara Tetsu didn't answer right away. He took his phone out of his pocket.
Ten o'clock at night.
"It's ten at night."
Kazehara Tetsu lightly tapped the side of his phone. "Coming all the way to the boys' floor alone this late could cause quite a bit of trouble if someone else saw you."
"It's okay."
Ichinose Honami even leaned forward a little. "It's not like we're going to do anything against the rules... Anyway, could I come into Kazehara-kun's room for a bit?"
Kazehara Tetsu let his gaze linger on her face for a moment, then stopped trying to dissuade her.
Click.
The door unlocked.
"Come in."
He opened the door and stepped aside.
Ichinose Honami walked in