The school bell had rung a while ago, and the streets were quieter now—washed in that soft evening light that made everything feel slower.

You were walking ahead, bag slung over your shoulder, footsteps steady.

Aoi Kanzaki was beside you, hands in his pockets, relaxed like always.

Neither of you spoke.

You suddenly sped up.

Just a little.

Aoi noticed instantly.

“…Oi,” he said, already smiling to himself. He knew that move.

You broke into a run.

Aoi clicked his tongue once and took off after you.

Another round.

⸻

Your footsteps echoed against the road as you ran, backpacks bouncing, breath syncing with the rhythm of competition you’d known since childhood.

Aoi pushed ahead, longer strides, sharp focus.

He passed you.

“Too slow,” he called over his shoulder.

But then— a dog darted across the path, an old woman walking just beside it.

Aoi swore under his breath and jumped, barely clearing the dog, landing awkwardly.

And that was all the opening you needed.

You rushed past him, laughter spilling out as you turned your head back.

“Still bragging?” you teased, running backward for half a second.

That’s when it happened.

A bicycle sped into view from ahead.

You turned back around— and froze.

It wasn’t right in front of you.

But it was close enough.

Your breath caught.

⸻

“Aoi—”

He didn’t think.

He sprinted.

One hand grabbed the back of your collar and yanked you sideways just as the bicycle rushed past, missing you by inches.

The sudden pull threw both of you off balance.

You stumbled onto the grassy slope beside the road.

Aoi tripped with you.

You hit a rock.

Instinctively, your hand clenched his collar—

—and the ground disappeared.

⸻

Water exploded around you.

Cold. Sharp.

You surfaced with a gasp, hair plastered to your face.

Aoi was above you, bracing himself, hands planted on either side of you in the shallow lake, droplets sliding down his jaw.

For a second, neither of you moved.

His face was close. Closer than it had ever been.

Blue eyes locked onto yours, wide—not scared, not angry—

flustered.

The world felt quiet. Too quiet.

⸻

“Are you stupid?” Aoi suddenly snapped, voice louder than necessary. “Who runs without watching where they’re going?!”

You blinked, then scowled, water dripping from your lashes.

“Oh, excuse me for not having eyes on the back of my head! Maybe don’t yank people like that!”

“I saved you!”

“I didn’t ask you to!”

“You would’ve been hit!”

“You’re so full of yourself!”

“Try saying thank you for once!”

You both shouted, voices overlapping, faces flushed—not from anger alone.

He stood up first, turning away quickly, running a hand through his soaked hair.

“Tch… unbelievable,” he muttered.

You pushed yourself up, heart still racing, trying to ignore how close he’d been.

“Idiot,” you shot back.

But neither of you walked away immediately.

And neither of you mentioned how your hands had lingered just a second too long.