The hug changed everything.
In that brief second, the hallway went silent. And then the whispers began. Not like before—this time, they stuck.
Yes, Hikari Amamiya had confessed to Yuuto Kurokawa before loudly in public. Right in front of everyone, back in April. But everyone had laughed it off.
"That gal's being dramatic again."
"Just one of her playful stunts."
Nobody had believed it until now.
That hug—arms tight, face glowing, voice warm as she whispered "I did it, Yuuto!"—was too real to ignore. Too sincere to be a joke.
And the school?
It exploded.
Lunch Break – Cafeteria
"He's still such a loner. What could she possibly like about him?"
"Kurokawa's just average, man. Doesn't even have good fashion sense."
"Probably manipulating her. He's acting innocent, but he's just lucky."
"I bet she feels pity for him. That's all."
Yuuto sat quietly in the cafeteria because the rooftop is locked and the class is full of glares, barely touching his sandwich. Every word from the nearby tables went into his ears, even with his head low.
Across from him, Ren jabbed a fork into his karaage.
"Man, what's their problem?" he muttered. "Jealous freaks. Just say you're mad 'cause Yuuto's girlfriend is the prettiest girl in school."
Yuuto gave him a tired glance. "Ren, don't—"
"No, seriously," Ren interrupted. "This is dumb. You didn't do anything wrong. You're just existing, and apparently, this is not a crime if Amamiya-san is your girlfriend."
From a few seats away, Rika spoke up. "It's the same for Hikari, too. Some of the girls are already saying she could've done better. As if people are trophies to be compared."
Yuuto lowered his eyes. "Maybe… they're right."
Ren's chair scraped against the floor as he stood up.
"Nope. You're not allowed to say that," Ren said firmly. "You're smart, kind, and honestly, kind of a looker if you ever did something about that mop you call hair."
That got a rare snort out of Yuuto.
"Point is," Ren continued, crossing his arms, "Hikari chose you. Everyone else? They're just watching from the sidelines."
Yuuto didn't respond.
But his hand tightened slightly around the sandwich.
Meanwhile – Hikari's POV
Hikari scrolled through her messages as she sat by the window in class.
[Mika 🧃] — Did you seriously hug Kurokawa-kun??
[Suzu 👀] — Omg so it WAS real?? You're dating him fr???
[Nanami 💅] — Girl, I'm not judging, but WHY HIM
She sighed and locked her phone.
She felt so bad reading all of it, even from her own friends.
It was like no one could believe that someone like her… could fall for someone like Yuuto.
But they didn't see what she saw.
They didn't see him quietly place his umbrella over a shivering kitten in the rain.
They didn't see how he always moved aside to let others pass in crowded hallways or help people without them noticing him.
They didn't see the way he looked at the things he cared about—with a softness, a quiet kind of love the world never noticed.Not loud. Not shiny. But real.
And when he smiled… even a little… it made her chest ache.
Her fingers curled into fists as the comments echoed in her mind.
Does love have to be loud and perfect to be real?
Does it have to make sense to anyone else?
Yuuto saw her.
Not the perfect image. Not the popular mask.
He saw her—her real self.
In a world that only cared about the surface, he looked deeper.
And for her…
That was enough.
She didn't need anyone else's approval.
She just needed him.
.
After School – Evening
Yuuto walked home alone.
His footsteps were slow. Thoughtful. The sky was dimming orange.
The day's voices still echoed in his head.
"What does she see in him?"
"He's not even good-looking."
"He doesn't deserve her."
The worst part?
A small part of him agreed.
He stood in front of the mirror when he got home, staring at himself.
His bangs hung low, covering almost everything. His eyes. His expressions. Like a curtain, he was too scared to pull back.
But now, that curtain felt more like a wall.
Do I really want to hide forever?
He picked up the scissors.
His hand trembled.
Snip!
A few strands of hair fell into the sink.
Again.
He didn't go too short—just enough to show his eyes and face clearly.
Just enough to stop hiding.
He stared at his reflection again.
Different. Still him. But clearer.
He took a breath.
Next Morning – Class 2-B
The moment Yuuto entered the classroom, time froze.
A pencil rolled off someone's desk.
A girl dropped her lip balm.
Even the homeroom teacher blinked twice before continuing roll call.
His new haircut wasn't flashy—just clean. His black hair still framed his face, but now his sharp eyes were visible, revealing quiet intelligence and something gentler underneath.
It was like seeing a side of him that had always been there, just tucked away in shadow.
"W-Wait… is that Kurokawa?"
"Dude, he's actually kinda cute…"
"No, like, for real. He's handsome??"
Yuuto walked to his seat as if nothing had happened.
Behind him, Rika's voice cracked softly: "Bro just leveled up."
Ren stared. "That's not Yuuto. That's Yuuto-sama now."
Yuuto raised an eyebrow. "I can hear you two, y'know."
"Good," Ren grinned. "Everyone should hear how fine you look today."
Across the room, Hikari froze when she saw him.
Her heart skipped.
His face—clear, confident, and calm. A small piece of hair still fell over one eye, but now the rest framed him perfectly.
When their eyes met, Yuuto gave her a soft smile. A real one.
Not nervous. Not shy.
Just… Yuuto.
Hikari felt her cheeks go red.
She quickly turned to the window, biting her lip.
Oh no. He's going to make me fall even harder.
Lunch Break – Classroom 2-B
Yuuto leaned back in his chair, stretching quietly. The classroom buzzed with noise as students pulled out bento or headed toward the hallway. He stood up, slinging his bag over his shoulder, ready to leave for lunch.
That's when it happened.
A girl from another group walked over, flipping her hair, voice sugary sweet. "Kurokawa-kun! You look totally different today…"
Yuuto blinked. "Uh… thanks?"
She giggled. "Are you heading to the cafeteria? We were thinking you could join us."
Another girl chimed in from beside her. "You don't actually have a girlfriend, right? I mean, that confession from Amamiya-san... everyone thought that was just a joke."
The first girl leaned in slightly. "Unless you're taken for real?"
Yuuto opened his mouth, unsure how to answer.
But before he could speak, a chair scraped loudly.
Hikari stood up so fast that it made her desk shake.
She marched over, her shoes clicking against the floor. Without a word, she wrapped her arm around Yuuto's in front of everyone.
"I'm his girlfriend," she said clearly. "And no, it's not a joke."
The classroom went silent.
Someone dropped their chopsticks.
Yuuto's chicks turned red. "H-Hikari..."
She didn't let go. "He's mine. So back off."
The girls blinked, shocked, and quickly muttered something before walking away, awkwardly laughing it off.
Rika covered her mouth, whispering, "Oh my god. She just did that."
Ren grinned. "Claimed him like a Pokémon. Respect."
Yuuto looked away, flustered. "Y-You didn't have to..."
Hikari glanced up at him, cheeks a little red too, but her eyes stayed sharp. "Yes. I did."
He looked at her—really looked. The confidence. The blush. The fact that she stood up for him when he didn't know what to say.
And in that moment, he smiled.
Just a little.
To be continued....