The last bell of the day rang through the halls, echoing like a sigh of relief. Students burst from their classrooms in waves, chatter, laughter, the shuffle of shoes against linoleum.
Renji leaned against the window, bag slung lazily over one shoulder as Kai argued with Aki about something trivial. His attention, though, wasn't really here. His mind drifted to the faint jazz that played in Café Lyrä, the smell of roasted beans, and the quiet voice that had stayed with him all night.
Sayuri Kanzaki.
He didn't expect a woman like her to linger in his thoughts, yet here she was, her calm, her poise, that guarded warmth that felt like silk stretched over scars.
"Renji."
He blinked and turned. Saki stood in the doorway, hair slightly mussed from the day, a hint of unease in her expression.
"What's up?" he asked, straightening. "You look like someone who just realized they left the stove on."
She frowned lightly. "Close. I forgot my notebook."
