Estrangement

If the students of Class D had previously harbored curiosity or private speculation regarding the ambiguous, non-standard relationship between the two, then the events of these past few days—the hands naturally intertwined after school, the incredibly natural and oblivious feeding during lunch, and the sight of them snuggled together in the library right now—had presented the answer clearly and indisputably before everyone's eyes.

Their relationship was confirmed beyond a doubt.

Although the class already had the high-profile couple Hirata Yosuke and Karuizawa Kei as "seniors," which somewhat diluted the shock of a new couple emerging, the silent yet profound intimacy between Kiyona and Hoshino Kanade—a closeness that seemed to form its own barrier—and that almost constant, effortless display of attachment still dealt an invisible "blow" to onlookers. As the students put it in private, "The public displays of affection are too frequent and too intense; it's honestly a bit hard to handle."

The library in the afternoon was quiet enough to hear the rustle of turning pages. This was their regular spot for the group study session.

Hoshino Kanade and Kiyona were squeezed into the same seat.

Hoshino Kanade could clearly feel the weight of Kiyona leaning against his shoulder, as docile as a weary bird that had finally found its home. His gaze rested on the pages, but his thoughts drifted gently with the sound of Shiina Hiyori's approaching footsteps.

He was not unaware of the teasing in class about him and Kiyona "flaunting their love."

The pros and cons of this overt, intimate binding were actually quite clear—it acted like an invisible barrier, shielding them from unnecessary outside interference while inevitably hindering any other budding sentiments that might have otherwise taken root.

When the figure of Shiina Hiyori appeared at the edge of his vision, this realization rippled through his heart like a stone cast into a lake.

But he quickly gathered his focus. His fingertips unconsciously brushed over the edge of the page, the rough texture pulling him back to the present. The weighing of pros and cons seemed so pale in this moment.

Kiyona's cool fingertips were unconsciously clutching a small piece of his sleeve, her steady breathing brushing against his neck. This unreserved attachment wrapped around his senses like fine vines, carrying a near-overbearing sense of reality.

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

But in this moment, what he craved was the heavy sense of presence in his arms, the focus in Kiyona's eyes that reflected only him, and the stability of their souls temporarily anchored together as their breathing synchronized.

As for "other possibilities"? That was nothing more than blurred background noise. At least in this second, in the second where Kiyona's profile was gently outlined by the shadow of the book, he felt not a shred of hesitation in his heart.

The future might be full of variables, but his choice in this moment was so simple it required no thought—he liked Kiyona, and Kiyona needed him; that was enough.

Complex deductions could be left for tomorrow; for now, he only wanted to protect this small, quiet harbor that belonged solely to them.

Shiina Hiyori carried a few books, walking with light steps toward their familiar corner seat. However, when she saw the scene before her, her steps faltered almost imperceptibly, as if she had been snagged by invisible threads.

The large single armchair looked somewhat cramped for two people.

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

They were reading a hardcover book spread across Hoshino Kanade's lap. Hoshino Kanade's left arm was wrapped around Kiyona's shoulder, holding the spine of the book steady 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 nearly touching the soft crown of Kiyona's head, and whispered something. His voice was as soft as a murmur, and Kiyona gave a barely visible nod in response.

The afternoon sun filtered through the high windows, gently enveloping them. The scene was so tranquil... it looked like a double portrait that had no room for a third person.

Shiina Hiyori felt as if her heart had been gripped by an invisible hand, and for a moment, breathing became somewhat difficult.

To say it felt like the sky was falling might be an exaggeration, but the sudden sense of suffocation and dull pain was real. It wasn't as if she hadn't anticipated this outcome.

The way Hoshino Kanade looked at Kiyona, the unique sense of reliance Kiyona had on Hoshino Kanade—all these signs had long been there as subtle clues.

But when this scene was presented so directly and so intimately before her eyes, the impact still caught her off guard, as if something were pressing heavily down on her chest.

She pressed her lips together firmly, her fingertips subconsciously pinching the spine of the book she held, struggling to maintain her usual gentle and proper expression, not letting a single crack appear.

Shiina Hiyori walked to the empty seat opposite them, pulling the chair out as gently as possible to sit down, and placed her books softly on the table.

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

Hoshino Kanade looked up at the sound, revealing a mild smile: "Good afternoon, Shiina-san." Kiyona also lifted her eyes from the book, her glass-colored pupils looking toward Shiina, and gave a slight, emotionless nod in acknowledgment.

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

Were her feelings for Hoshino-kun love? Shiina Hiyori asked herself, feeling that it perhaps hadn't reached that extent.

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

Hoshino-kun was someone she admired and was willing to approach and communicate with.

Now, the invisible barrier between the two of them seemed to have completely vanished, replaced by a natural intimacy that only boyfriends and girlfriends possessed, as if they had formed a warm domain that belonged only to them, one that outsiders found difficult to enter.

This intimacy was displayed so frankly before her.

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

She was still a member of the study group, still able to discuss the content of the books with them; Hoshino Kanade would listen to her insights earnestly, and Kiyona would occasionally participate.

But the pure atmosphere of effortless, open communication they once shared seemed to have been covered by a subtle layer of estrangement.

She sat opposite them, watching the tacit understanding and affection flowing between them, and for the first time, she realized so clearly that in this small circle, she had become the "outsider" who needed to be treated with "politeness."

That subtle sense of distance hung silently in the air.

Shiina Hiyori lowered her eyelashes, her gaze falling on the open pages, her fingertips gently stroking the smooth paper as she struggled to focus her attention on the text.

If the students of Class D had previously harbored curiosity or private speculation regarding the ambiguous, non-standard relationship between the two, then the events of these past few days—the hands naturally intertwined after school, the incredibly natural and oblivious feeding during lunch, and the sight of them snuggled together in the library right now—had presented the answer clearly and indisputably before everyone's eyes.

Their relationship was confirmed beyond a doubt.

Although the class already had the high-profile couple Hirata Yosuke and Karuizawa Kei as "seniors," which somewhat diluted the shock of a new couple emerging, the silent yet profound intimacy between Kiyona and Hoshino Kanade—a closeness that seemed to form its own barrier—and that almost constant, effortless display of attachment still dealt an invisible "blow" to onlookers. As the students put it in private, "The public displays of affection are too frequent and too intense; it's honestly a bit hard to handle."

The library in the afternoon was quiet enough to hear the rustle of turning pages. This was their regular spot for the group study session.

Hoshino Kanade and Kiyona were squeezed into the same seat.

Hoshino Kanade could clearly feel the weight of Kiyona leaning against his shoulder, as docile as a weary bird that had finally found its home. His gaze rested on the pages, but his thoughts drifted gently with the sound of Shiina Hiyori's approaching footsteps.

He was not unaware of the teasing in class about him and Kiyona "flaunting their love."

The pros and cons of this overt, intimate binding were actually quite clear—it acted like an invisible barrier, shielding them from unnecessary outside interference while inevitably hindering any other budding sentiments that might have otherwise taken root.

When the figure of Shiina Hiyori appeared at the edge of his vision, the realization rippled through his heart like a stone cast into a still lake.

But he quickly gathered his focus. His fingertips unconsciously brushed against the edge of the book page, the rough texture pulling him back to the present. The weighing of pros and cons felt so pale in this moment.

Kiyona's cool fingertips were unconsciously clutching a small piece of fabric on his sleeve, her steady breathing brushing against the side of his neck. This unreserved attachment wrapped around his senses like fine vines, carrying a sense of reality that was almost overbearing.

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

But in this moment, what he craved was the heavy sense of presence in his arms, the focus in Kiyona's eyes that reflected only him, and the stability of a soul temporarily anchored when their breathing synchronized.

As for "other possibilities"? They were nothing more than blurred background noise. At least in this second, in the second where Kiyona's profile was gently outlined by the shadow of the book pages, there was not a shred of hesitation in his heart.

The future might be full of variables, but his choice in this moment was so simple it required no thought—he liked Kiyona, and Kiyona needed him, and that was enough.

Complex deductions could be left for tomorrow; for now, he only wanted to protect this small, quiet harbor in his arms that belonged solely to them.

Shiina Hiyori held a few books, her footsteps light as she walked toward the familiar corner seat. However, when she saw the scene before her, her steps faltered almost imperceptibly, as if snagged by invisible threads.

The large single-seater sofa looked a bit cramped for two people.

Hoshino Kanade sat in a slightly relaxed posture, while Kiyona was almost half-leaning into his arms, her back against his chest, their shoulders and arms pressed together, their knees touching as well.

They were reading a hardcover book spread open on Hoshino Kanade's lap, his left hand wrapped around Kiyona's shoulder to steady the spine of the book, while his right hand occasionally turned the pages.

Kiyona's gaze was fixed intently on the text, her profile quiet, her long eyelashes casting a small shadow beneath her eyes. Hoshino Kanade bowed his head slightly, his chin nearly touching the soft crown of Kiyona's hair, and whispered something; his voice was as light as a murmur, and Kiyona gave a barely visible nod in response.

The afternoon sunlight filtered through the high windows, gently enveloping them, the scene so quiet... like a portrait of two that left no room for a third.

Shiina Hiyori felt as if her heart had been gripped by an invisible hand, and for a moment, breathing became difficult.

The feeling that the sky was collapsing might have been an exaggeration, but the sudden suffocation and dull ache were real. It wasn't as if she hadn't anticipated this outcome.

The way Hoshino Kanade looked at Kiyona, the unique sense of reliance Kiyona had on Hoshino Kanade—all these signs had long been there as subtle clues.

But when this image was presented so directly, so intimately before her eyes, the impact still caught her off guard, her chest feeling as if it were being heavily pressed by something.

She pressed her lips together firmly, her fingertips subconsciously pinching the spine of the books in her arms, struggling to maintain the usual gentle and proper expression on her face, not letting a single crack appear.

Shiina Hiyori walked to the empty seat opposite them, pulling the chair out as gently as possible to sit down, and placed her books softly on the table.

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

Hoshino Kanade looked up at the sound, revealing a mild smile: "Good afternoon, Shiina-san." Kiyona also lifted her eyes from the book, her glass-colored pupils looking toward Shiina, and she gave a slight, emotionless nod in response.

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

Were her feelings for Hoshino-san love? Shiina Hiyori asked herself, feeling that it perhaps didn't reach that level.

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

Hoshino-san was someone she admired and wanted to be close to and communicate with.

Now, the invisible barrier between the two of them seemed to have completely vanished, replaced by a natural intimacy that only existed between a boyfriend and girlfriend, as if they had formed a warm domain that belonged only to them, one that outsiders could hardly enter.

This intimacy was displayed so openly before her.

The atmosphere of the book 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 book club, still able to discuss the contents of the books with them; Hoshino Kanade would listen to her insights earnestly, and Kiyona would occasionally participate.

But the pure atmosphere of effortless communication and talking about everything seemed to have been covered by a subtle layer of estrangement.

She sat opposite them, watching the tacit understanding and affection flowing between them, and for the first time, she realized so clearly that in this small circle, she had become the "outsider" who needed to be treated with "politeness."

That subtle sense of distance hung silently in the air.

Shiina Hiyori lowered her eyelashes, her gaze falling on the open pages, her fingertips gently stroking the smooth paper as she struggled to focus her attention on the text.