Akira took Shouko's schoolbag and casually tossed it onto the sofa before pulling her down to sit with him at the coffee table. Grabbing an orange, he started peeling it as he asked, a little puzzled:

"Cherry blossoms are blooming again already?"

He'd only learned after coming to Japan that the Cherry Blossom Festival was a major seasonal tradition—but not held at a fixed date. Typically, it was celebrated between mid-March and mid-April, depending on when the blooms opened across different regions.

The earliest cherry blossoms appeared in southern Kyushu's Okinawa region, sometimes as early as late January. By late February to early March, other regions would gradually join in the bloom.

"Yes," said Miyamura Shizuka, nodding. "I'll ask Yaeko if she wants to go too."

She stole the orange her son had just peeled and popped a slice into her mouth before he could protest.

Akira gave her an exasperated look and reached for another orange.

Meanwhile, Shouko kept her eyes glued to the fruit in his hand. The first one had been stolen right under her nose, so she was determined not to miss out this time. To distract him, she casually brought up another idea:

"Should we invite Shinnosuke and his family too? It's been ages since we all went cherry blossom viewing together."

Akira didn't respond, but Shizuka seemed to consider it. "Hmm… okay. I'll call Miya and see what she says."

(Shinnosuke's mother, Miya, had known Shizuka for years.)

Akira had no objection—he knew he wasn't the decision-maker when it came to outings. Just like his father, he was fine simply following the arrangements. Eat, play, repeat. That was the way.

"Here." He handed the freshly peeled orange to Shouko without hesitation. He used to wonder why people always stared so intently at a peeled orange. Then he realized—it wasn't the orange. It was the attention behind it.

Shouko looked up, stunned by the warm look in his eyes. Her thoughts wandered for a moment... until a hand suddenly shot out and snatched the orange.

Miyamura Shizuka, grinning like a mischievous child, split the orange in half and started eating again.

"Hehe, this one's mine too."

"Godmother! I'm breaking up with you—for a full minute!" Shouko puffed out her cheeks, standing with hands on hips.

Shizuka just laughed and pulled her into a hug, rubbing her cheeks and stuffing half of the orange into her mouth.

"Ah, my little Shouko... I wonder which lucky pig will end up with you someday." Her eyes flicked not-so-subtly toward Akira, who was quietly watching from the side.

Akira ignored the teasing. Without saying a word, he grabbed the remote, turned on the TV—and immediately got smacked on the shoulder by Shizuka.

The next morning, as Akira and Shouko entered the classroom through the back door, they immediately noticed Ishida Shoya's desk—and now even the chair—was once again covered in graffiti.

Shouko frowned and murmured, "This is too much…"

"Let's go," Akira said calmly. He knew Shouko's heart was soft. She'd always been sheltered, and it made sense that this kind of scene upset her. Even if it annoyed him, he knew she wasn't sympathizing with Ishida out of anything more than basic decency.

"What's too much?" a voice asked behind them.

They turned to see Shimada Ikki.

"Ishida caused plenty of trouble in the past," he added, smiling faintly. "This is just a little payback."

He gave them a polite nod before heading to his seat.

So it wasn't just one person, Akira thought. "They"... huh.

Shouko leaned closer and whispered, "Is it really okay for Shimada to say that? Weren't they close before?"

Akira didn't reply. Instead, he stuffed his schoolbag into the desk, stood up, and walked over to her. He reached out and pinched her cheeks gently.

Shouko blinked in confusion.

"I mean, Classmate Nishimiya, how should I know something like that?" he said with mock irritation as he tugged her cheeks again. "I only know, like, four people."

Shouko realized immediately—he was jealous.

Her heart fluttered at the thought, but she didn't want him to actually be upset. "Okay, okay! I was wrong! I won't say anything like that again, promise."

She gave him her best puppy-dog eyes.

He didn't relent. His fingers continued their playful torment.

"Akira~"

When pleading failed, she suddenly wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her cheek against his stomach. Only then did he finally stop.

"Don't be mad~ How about I give you a knee pillow for five minutes when we get home?"

"Ten," he countered immediately, seizing the moment.

Shouko pouted. "No—"

But her sentence was cut off by a familiar voice.

"Okay, that's enough. Just because it's early and no one's here doesn't mean you two can be cuddling like it's your living room."

It was Sahara Miyoko.

Startled, Shouko quickly let go, turning to face her. When she saw it was only Miyoko, she let out a sigh of relief.

"Good morning, Miyoko. Have you had breakfast?"

Then she turned back and glared at Akira, giving him a sharp jab in the arm. He saw her coming and didn't say a word—definitely on purpose. She silently docked his knee-pillow time down to two minutes.

"I'm full now," Miyoko replied with a wink. "That was a sugary scene. I don't even need breakfast."

Shouko gave her a few playful punches in protest. "Skipping breakfast is bad for your stomach, you know."

Akira had already slipped back to his seat. No way was he going to insert himself into a girls' conversation. He was also still a bit sleepy—and besides, whatever jealousy he'd felt earlier was long gone. Shouko understood him better than anyone.

Later that morning, Ishida Shoya entered the classroom alone.

His eyes went immediately to his desk—and his face fell.

The graffiti was worse than yesterday. Even his chair wasn't spared.

He didn't say a word. But when he looked up and saw the mocking, sarcastic glances from his classmates, something inside him shifted.

For the first time, he truly hated their eyes.

---------------

POWER STONE!!!

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