Rika sat at her desk, staring blankly at the open textbook in front of her. The classroom around her buzzed with chatter and laughter, but all of it felt distant, muted. Her gaze wasn't on the equations or notes—it was on the empty seat across from hers.
Jousuke. Daikuhara-kun.
He hadn't been to school for days. Every hour that passed, her worry tightened around her chest like a vice. She had tried calling him once, twice, but each time it went straight to voicemail. The usual stream of messages and calls from classmates, the notifications that normally filled her phone, had stopped. Everything felt unnaturally quiet.
Rika's fingers drummed nervously on the desk. 9:47 a.m. One week. Almost a week since she last saw him.
Leah, sitting beside her, scribbled absentmindedly, but Rika knew she was thinking the same thing: Where is Jousuke?
She leaned back in her chair, arms crossed. "He can't just vanish… not like this," she murmured, more to herself than anyone else.
Leah glanced at her. "Do you think he's—"
"No," Rika said quickly, shaking her head. "No, he wouldn't. I just… I need to know he's okay."
The bell rang, dismissing them for lunch, but Rika didn't wait. She grabbed her bag and bolted out of the classroom, ignoring the curious stares from classmates.
Outside, the winter air bit at her cheeks. She hugged her jacket tighter, pulling her scarf around her neck. Her boots crunched against the pavement as she walked quickly through the streets, scanning every familiar path, every place Jousuke might have gone.
The streets near school were crowded, but she didn't notice anyone else. Her mind was focused, calculating. She checked the usual convenience stores, the streets where he sometimes stopped to chat with friends, even the small café he had gone to over the winter break. But every place she searched, he was nowhere to be found.
"Where are you…?" she whispered, wrapping her arms around herself. Her voice caught in her throat. "Why aren't you answering?"
Each unanswered call and empty street made her chest ache. Maybe he was avoiding her? No, that wasn't possible. He wouldn't do that. He had never—could never—make someone worry like this.
Hours passed. She walked past familiar corners, each one stirring memories of him—the way he laughed at a joke in class, the casual way he teased Asa, the way he had handed her a small piece of chocolate on Valentine's Day. Each memory tightened the knot in her chest, making her determination grow.
She sank onto the steps of a building near the school, letting herself rest for a moment. The wind swirled around her, but she barely noticed the chill. She needed to keep going, to keep looking. She couldn't wait for someone else to find him first.
"I have to know he's safe," she whispered, hugging her knees. Her voice was firm, but inside, a storm of worry raged. "I need to see him. I have to."
Her phone buzzed briefly in her pocket, and hope flickered in her chest. She pulled it out, expecting a message from him. But it was just a notification from school. Disappointment hit her like a wave, but she didn't stop. She wouldn't.
As the sun dipped lower, the streetlights flickered on, casting pools of warm light on the snow-dusted pavement. Rika's legs ached, her fingers were numb, but her resolve didn't waver. She would find him.
"I'm coming, Daikuhara-kun," she whispered into the quiet evening. "I won't stop until I know you're okay."
And with that, she rose to her feet once more, moving through the streets with determination.
No familiar park. No favorite corner. Just the city, the snow, and her resolve. She didn't know where he was, but she would find him. One way or another.