The Distance Between Them

If Class D's students had previously been curious or privately speculated about the ambiguous relationship between the two of them, which was different from an ordinary friendship, then over the past few days, the hands they naturally held after school, the casual, utterly natural feeding each other at lunch, and now their oblivious embrace in the library had made the answer clear to everyone, beyond all doubt.

Their relationship had been confirmed.

Although Hirata Yosuke and Karuizawa Kei, the class's flashy, outspoken couple, had somewhat softened everyone's surprise at the arrival of a new couple, the unspoken intimacy between Kiyona and Hoshino Kanade, as if they had formed a world of their own, and the unforced affection they seemed to show at almost every moment, still had an invisible "impact" on anyone watching. As their classmates privately put it, "They're showering us with couple affection too often, and at way too high a concentration. It's honestly getting hard to take."

The library was so quiet that the rustle of turning pages could be heard. It was the regular meeting place for their little reading group.

Hoshino Kanade and Kiyona were squeezed into the same seat.

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

He hadn't been unaware of the teasing in class about him and Kiyona "showering everyone with couple affection."

The pros and cons of making their intimacy so public were quite clear. It was like an invisible barrier: it kept out unnecessary interference from others, but inevitably hindered any other feelings that might begin to take root.

When Shiina Hiyori appeared at the edge of his vision, the realization was like a stone dropped into a lake, sending a few ripples across his heart.

But he quickly gathered his thoughts. His fingertip unconsciously brushed the edge of the page, its rough texture bringing him back to the present. Weighing the pros and cons seemed so meaningless now.

Kiyona's cool fingertips were unconsciously clutching a small piece of his sleeve, her steady breath brushing his neck. Her unreserved dependence wrapped around his senses like delicate vines, carrying an almost possessive sense of reality.

What he'd always wanted was a meticulous plan, or room to advance and retreat at will.

But right now, he craved the solid presence in his arms, the focus in Kiyona's eyes that reflected no one but him, and the peace of two souls briefly coming to rest as their breathing fell into rhythm.

As for "other possibilities"? They were nothing more than indistinct background noise. At least in this second, with the shadow of the page gently tracing Kiyona's profile, he felt no hesitation at all.

The future might be full of uncertainties, but the choice before him was simple enough not to require a second thought: he liked Kiyona, and Kiyona needed him. That was enough.

He could leave complicated calculations for tomorrow. Right now, he only wanted to protect the little tranquil harbor in his arms, a place that belonged to the two of them alone.

Shiina Hiyori walked lightly toward the familiar corner seat, carrying a few books. But when she saw the scene before her, her steps faltered almost imperceptibly, as if an invisible thread had caught her.

The wide armchair was a little cramped with two people in it.

Hoshino Kanade sat in a relaxed posture, while Kiyona was almost half reclining against him, her back against his chest. Their shoulders and arms pressed close together, and their knees touched too.

They were sharing a hardcover book opened across Hoshino Kanade's lap. His left arm went around Kiyona's shoulders to hold the spine steady for her, while his right hand occasionally turned a page.

Kiyona's gaze was fixed on the text, her profile quiet, her long eyelashes casting a small shadow beneath her eyes. Hoshino Kanade dipped his head, his chin almost touching the soft crown of Kiyona's hair, and murmured something. His voice was as soft as a whisper. Kiyona gave an almost imperceptible nod in reply.

The afternoon sunlight streamed through the high windows, gently enveloping them. The scene was so serene... like a portrait of two people that had no room for a third.

Shiina Hiyori felt as if an invisible hand had gripped her heart. For a moment, it became difficult to breathe.

The feeling that the sky was falling might have been an exaggeration, but the sudden suffocation and dull ache were real. She hadn't failed to anticipate this outcome.

The way Hoshino Kanade looked at Kiyona, the one-of-a-kind dependence Kiyona showed toward Hoshino Kanade—all the signs had been there.

But seeing them so plainly, so intimately, still caught her off guard. It felt as if something heavy had pressed down on her chest.

She pressed her lips together, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the spine of the book in her arms. She tried to maintain her usual gentle, composed expression, not letting the slightest crack show.

Shiina Hiyori walked over to the empty seat across from them, pulled out the chair as quietly as she could, and sat down, gently setting her books on the table.

"Good afternoon," she greeted them softly, her voice steady and as gentle as ever.

Hoshino Kanade looked up at the sound and smiled warmly. "Good afternoon, Shiina." Kiyona also raised her eyes from the book and looked toward Shiina. Her jewel-like gaze showed little emotion as she gave a slight nod in reply.

Shiina Hiyori smiled back and began arranging her books and notes. Yet the air seemed to have changed.

Were her feelings for Hoshino Kanade admiration? Shiina Hiyori asked herself honestly, and felt they probably didn't go that far.

But one thing was certain: Hoshino Kanade's quiet, well-read nature, with its hint of aloof mystery, had always been something she deeply admired.

Hoshino Kanade was someone she admired and wanted to get closer to and talk with.

Now the invisible barrier between the two of them seemed to have vanished completely, replaced by the natural intimacy of a couple, as if they had created a warm world of their own that outsiders couldn't enter.

They displayed that intimacy so openly before her.

The reading group remained quiet, but Shiina Hiyori could clearly feel as though an invisible barrier had separated her from them.

She was still part of the reading group. She could still discuss the books with them. Hoshino Kanade listened carefully to her thoughts, and Kiyona occasionally joined in.

But the easy, unguarded atmosphere they had once shared, where they could talk about anything, seemed to have acquired a subtle distance.

Sitting across from them and watching the understanding and affection flowing between them, she realized more clearly than ever that in this little circle, she had somehow become the one who needed to be treated as an "outsider" with "politeness."

That subtle distance hung silently in the air between them.

Shiina Hiyori lowered her lashes, her gaze falling on the open pages. She lightly traced the smooth paper with her fingertips, trying to focus on the words.