Ring!—Ring!—Ring!
The bell shrieked across the courtyard, slicing clean through the morning air. Conversations shattered. Hallways erupted—sneakers screeching against tile, lockers slamming, laughter bursting like firecrackers.
Yuri didn't move.
His fingers tightened slowly around the strap of his backpack as the noise washed past him. For a moment, he wasn't there at all.
Gemma still hasn't answered.
The thought surfaced uninvited. Not a question—an ache.No texts. No passing glimpse. No quiet confirmation that she was… okay.
He exhaled through his nose, shoulders sagging just a fraction.
Stop it. You don't even know if something's wrong.
But the feeling lingered. It always did.
"—Yuri."
A warm hand settled on his shoulder.
Instinct snapped through him like a live wire. His body tensed, the air around him sharpening—electric, alert—before recognition set in.
Eithen.
Yuri blinked, grounding himself.
Eithen stood beside him with his usual faint smile—easy, reassuring—but there was concern behind it, subtle and watchful. Like someone who noticed things others didn't.
"Hey," Eithen said. "You alright?"
Yuri straightened slightly. "Oh—yeah. I'm fine. Just… thinking."
"You've been doing a lot of that lately," Eithen replied, tilting his head. "Standing around alone like this doesn't really suit you."
Yuri's lips pressed into a thin line. "I said I'm fine."
Eithen didn't push. Instead, he nodded toward the hallway."C'mon. I'll walk you to class. Company might help."
Yuri hesitated. His chest tightened—reflexive, irrational. Then he nodded.
"Yeah. Okay."
They moved with the flow of students, bodies brushing past, voices overlapping. The hallway felt alive—too alive—yet somehow, a quiet bubble settled around them. Just the two of them, walking side by side.
"So," Eithen said casually, "whatever's eating at you… wanna talk about it?"
Yuri shook his head. "It's nothing serious. I'll deal with it."
Eithen hummed. "Funny. You said the same thing when we talked about the group."
Yuri's gaze dropped. "I'm not against it. I just—" He stopped, jaw tightening. "…I don't want anyone getting hurt."
Eithen glanced at him, something soft crossing his expression."Caring about your friends like that… that's not a weakness, you know."
Yuri swallowed. "Friends," he echoed quietly.
The word felt heavier than it should've.
They reached the classroom. The moment passed.
"See you later," Eithen said with a half-smile before disappearing into the room.
Yuri lingered a second longer, watching him go, then followed.
The classroom buzzed with noise. At the front, Sarah wiped the board. When she saw Yuri, she froze—and dropped the eraser.
"Oh! Yuri—good morning!" she said quickly.
"Morning," he replied.
She hesitated, twisting her fingers. "I didn't see you at the party. Everyone else was there, so I just… wondered."
"I'm not really into parties," Yuri said. "Hope you had fun though."
Her eyes flickered. "It would've been better if you were there."
The room erupted instantly—"Ooooo~!"
Sarah's face burned red as she spun back to the board.
Yuri stood there, stunned, unsure what he was supposed to feel.
Ring!—Ring!—Ring!
The final bell.
Students flooded out. Yuri waited, as he always did, until the chaos thinned. Then he stood.
"Last one out again?"
The voice was soft. Playful.
Yuri froze.
He turned.
Xalani.
Radiant. Effortless. Her presence felt like sunlight breaking through clouds she didn't acknowledge. Bronze skin glowing under fluorescent lights. Wild curls framing a grin far too confident for someone who had apparently been standing there the entire time.
"How—?" Yuri started.
She was already moving.
Xalani grabbed his hand like it had always belonged there. No hesitation. No warning.
"We're walking," she said brightly.
"What? Wait— I didn't—"
Too late.
She tugged him forward with surprising strength, laughing when he nearly stumbled.
"Relax, Saint. You look like you're about to activate a self-destruct sequence."
"I don't even know you," Yuri said, trying—and failing—to pull his hand back.
She glanced over her shoulder, grin wide and unapologetic. "That's usually how meeting people works."
They burst through the doors and into the evening air. The city buzzed around them, warm and alive. Xalani walked like the street belonged to her—head high, steps light, completely unbothered by the world orbiting her.
"This isn't the way to my house," Yuri said.
"Good," she replied instantly. "Your house feels… quiet."
He frowned. "You don't know anything about my house."
She hummed, thoughtfully. "Didn't say I did."
The neon sign of The Ice-U-Miii flared to life ahead of them.
"Hey—!" Yuri protested as she dragged him inside.
Moments later, she shoved a chocolate cone into his hand.
"Chocolate," she declared. "You look like a brooder."
"I don't brood."
She leaned in, squinting at him. "You absolutely brood."
Yuri stared at the cone. "…I'm not really into sweets."
"Yeah, that tracks." She shrugged. "Too busy carrying the weight of the universe on your shoulders."
That earned a look.
She laughed. "See? That face. Very 'I've seen things'."
They sat by the window. Xalani devoured her ice cream like it might escape if she didn't, while Yuri stared at his melting cone like it had personally offended him.
She noticed.
"You're not gonna eat it, are you?"
"I am."
"When?"
"Eventually."
She rolled her eyes. "Tragic."
Then she went quiet.
Not awkward. Just… observant.
She watched him now—really watched him. The way he sat too still. The way his gaze drifted past reflections instead of focusing on them.
"You walk funny," she said suddenly.
Yuri blinked. "What?"
"Not funny-haha," she clarified. "Funny like… you're not fully here."
His grip tightened around the cone.
She rested her chin in her palm. "Like you're visiting. Passing through. Everyone else is running around worrying about homework and parties, and you're out here breathing like you're counting seconds."
The words sank deeper than he wanted them to.
"I don't know what you mean," he said quietly.
She tilted her head. For once, no grin. Just curiosity.
"Yeah," she murmured. "That makes sense."
A beat passed.
Then she shook her head hard, curls bouncing, the seriousness evaporating.
"Anyway! That got weird. My bad."
She stood abruptly, tossing her napkin aside.
"Same time tomorrow," she said, already backing away.
"What—? Why?" Yuri asked.
She flashed a grin. "Because you're interesting, Yuri Saint."
And then she was gone.
Yuri sat there, ice cream dripping onto his fingers.
The city reflected in the glass. Neon. Motion. Life.
For the first time in days—weeks—the tightness in his chest loosened.
The ghost of a smile tugged at his lips.