—

  —

  Quiet tension pervaded the student council room, the kind that lingered when everyone was thinking the same thing but waiting for someone else to say it. I sat at the head of the table, the festival committee seated alongside the full council.

  The special exam had been announced only yesterday, and already the atmosphere had shifted.

  Sullivan broke the silence, drumming his fingers on the table. “So… what are we going to do about this?”

  “We don’t know what the exam entails,” Hazel said with a soft exhale. “Not even who the other participants are. But I do find it interesting that the festival committee was pulled in.”

  She wasn’t wrong.

  “We only just formed this committee,” Tomiko added, sceptical. “There’s no way a full-blown exam like this came together in a week. It must’ve been in the works for months.”

  Hazel nodded. “Exactly. Which means the committee’s involvement was a last-minute addition.”

  She let that implication hang.

  “The question is, why?” she added.

  I’d asked myself that more than once. But unless the school came clean about its intentions—and knowing them, they wouldn’t—we wouldn’t have answers. Still, it made me wonder: just how flexible were these exams?

  “Thinking about that now won’t help,” I said, leaning back and folding my arms. “Our focus should be on the cultural festival.”

  “With the entire committee tied up in the exam, the council will need to cover our responsibilities.” I looked at Hazel, Sullivan, and Harley.

  Hazel straightened, nodding without hesitation. “Understood.”

  “Are you sure they can handle it alone?” Ayaka mumbled, her voice muffled as she slumped over her desk, cheek pressed to the wood.

  “I doubt it,” Tomiko said bluntly. “Even though we’ve already covered a good chunk of the prep, the rest was planned with a full team in mind. Asking just three people to handle what we couldn’t? That’s asking a lot.”

  Hazel’s voice was calm. “Don’t worry. We can do it.”

  “Hazel,” Diya said, her gaze sharp. “I know what you’re doing. And because I also know how impossibly stubborn you are, I’m not going to waste time arguing.”

  Hazel’s expression faltered for a moment.

  “So instead of carrying everything on your shoulders like you always do,” Diya continued, “ask for help.”

  Silence lingered before Hazel gave a small nod.

  It was just another reminder of how well Diya understood Hazel. Given what I knew about Hazel’s tendency to take on too much, this was the smarter compromise. Better than watching her push herself to the brink, trying to do everything alone.

  I cleared my throat. “Natsumi, Savannah—I need you two to send all the festival information to Sullivan by tomorrow.”

  They nodded.

  “By Friday, we’ll hold one last meeting before the exam.”

  A murmur of agreement followed, and I stood. “Meeting adjourned.”

  Chairs scraped as everyone rose and filed out. I was gathering my things when Natsumi stepped beside me.

  “Marcus. Let’s get something to eat.”

  Uh. That came out of nowhere. My eyes instinctively flicked toward Hazel, who was still nearby. She didn’t say anything, but I couldn’t shake the thought she might’ve heard.

  “I’m not hungry,” I replied. “Besides, wouldn’t it make more sense to invite everyone next time?”

  Natsumi waved a hand. “I just wanted to talk. About when we can compete.”

  I raised a brow. “And you needed lunch for that?”

  She scratched her neck, eyes darting away. “Let’s just say… I didn’t want to spend any points today.”

  Ah.

  So that was the real reason. She wanted me to cover for her.

  Each student had been given 100,000 points at the start of the term. Future earnings depended on monthly class and individual rankings or the rare, unpredictable special exams.

  It made me wonder—had Natsumi already burnt through her balance, or was she just being overly frugal, trying to stretch every point until the new rankings kick in two weeks from now?

  “Yeah… no. I’m not taking you out to eat,” I said, watching her pout.

  Out of the corner of my eye, Hazel started toward the door. “We can talk later,” I told Natsumi, then followed her.

  “Hey.” I called softly.

  Hazel stopped just outside the doorway and turned. “Hey,” she replied.

  We stood looking at each other. The truth was, I didn’t what I wanted to say to her. My mouth opened slightly, but nothing came out. Hazel’s gaze stayed on me, expectant, then softened.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  “I find it interesting you were required to accompany them on the special exam,” she said, folding her arms.

  “Now that you mention it…yeah. From how Nomura-sensei phrased it, I’m not participating. Sounds like I’m just meant to observe.” I stepped closer.

  Hazel absently rubbed the side of her arm. “Can I be honest with you?”

  “Of course.”

  She breathed out, glanced away, then admitted, “I’m nervous about Diya.”

  “Diya?” I echoed, caught off guard.

  I took a slow breath, ready to say something—but stopped myself. No need to ask why. I understood it immediately.

  We didn’t know what this special exam involved. The school was keeping everything close to the chest, and remembering Furuya-sensei’s words—there was no telling what these special exams truly involved. If failing came with real consequences, then worrying about someone you cared for was inevitable.

  “You two are really close.”

  Hazel nodded but said nothing. Her arms were crossed tightly, almost like she was shielding herself from the thoughts swirling in her head.

  “I’ll make sure nothing happens to her during the exam,” I offered.

  “I doubt there’s anything you can do,” she said quietly. “If the school brought you just to observe, like we assume… then she’ll have to face whatever this is on her own.”

  I frowned. There was truth in her words, but I wasn’t ready to accept that helplessness.

  “Hey,” I said gently, taking another step forward, closing the distance between us. “We don’t even know what this exam will be. We’re assuming the worst before we’ve seen anything.”

  Hazel glanced away, lips pressed thin.

  “Diya’s strong,” I added. “But she’s not alone. Even if I’m just observing, I’ll be there. And if there’s anything I can do, even from the sidelines, I will.”

  Hazel slowly uncrossed her arms, exhaling through her nose.

  “I just…” her voice trembled, “I just want her to be okay.”

  Before I could respond, a voice called out.

  “Marcus?”

  We both turned. Diya was walking toward us, slowing when she saw us standing close together.

  “Oh,” she said, stopping a few paces away. “Am I interrupting?”

  Hazel straightened instantly, slipping back into composure. “It’s fine. We were just finishing up,” she said quickly, then walked past me without looking back.

  Did she not want Diya to see her worry? Why hide it?

  Diya stepped beside me, a knowing look in her eyes.

  “She’s worried, isn’t she? You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to.”

  I shifted slightly, unsure of what to say. “I…”

  Before I could continue, Diya smiled faintly, her fingers nervously twisting the edge of her sleeve.

  “Remember what I asked for in return when I helped you with the in-class voting?”

  I rubbed the back of my neck, embarrassed. “You said I owed you dinner… or, in other words, a date.”

  “Yup.” She nodded, looking away, a slight blush rising on her cheeks. “I said we’d do it after I got back from home. But, with everything going on… and the uncertainty of this special exam… I figured now might be a better time than later, right?”

  Her voice wavered slightly at the end, and I could tell that beneath the playfulness, she was nervous. This was her attempt to distract herself from the special exam.

  I smiled softly. “Alright then. Let’s do it.”

  She blinked, then smiled in return. “Saturday, 6 p.m.,” she said, walking backwards with her hands behind her. “Surprise me, Marcus Luna.”

  —

  —

  Her outfit immediately caught my eye: a bright yellow sleeveless shirt that ended just above her waist, revealing a subtle hint of her midriff, paired with a pleated black skirt that swayed lightly. Black leggings traced the lines of her legs down into a pair of sleek, high-heeled boots.

  I felt my breath hitch for a split second.

  She looked… cute. No, beautiful.

  As for me, I’d done my best to look the part.

  I wore a dark turtleneck, fitted charcoal trousers, and a long black coat that fluttered. The air was just cool enough to justify the layering. It wasn’t flashy, but I hoped it looked mature. Presentable, at least.

  After all, this was my first real date, and with someone like Diya, no less.

  As she neared, she slowed and smiled. “Sorry, I’m a few minutes late.”

  “It’s cool,” I said, scratching my neck, then I cleared my throat and held out my hand. “Come on.”

  Diya blinked. Her eyes flicked from my hand to my face, and then, without a word, a smile spread across her lips as she reached out—not for my hand, but to hook her arm around mine instead.

  “Lead the way, Marcus Luna.”

  

  I could still feel the warmth of her touch as we stepped into the mall. The elevator ride to the top floor was quiet as Diya glanced at our reflections in the mirrored wall, then smirked at it. I caught it but said nothing.

  When the doors opened, we walked straight to the restaurant located there.

  Aurora Heights Bistro.

  The restaurant’s entrance was framed by tall glass doors and a minimalist design that exuded class. Inside, amber lighting bathed a polished lobby where a hostess in a sleek black uniform approached with a bow.

  “Good evening, and welcome to Aurora Heights Bistro. How may I assist you?”

  “Good evening,” I said, adjusting my coat. “I have a reservation under Luna.”

  She nodded and tapped her sleek digital tablet. After a moment, her brows lifted. “Sir, there are two reservations under that name.”

  “Two?” I blinked, confused, then it clicked—Kailey. Of course. But what was she doing booking a reservation here?

  “The other one’s probably my sister,” I explained. “Mine should be the gold package.”

  “Ah, I see.” She tucked the tablet to her side and gestured. “Right this way.”

  We followed her through a narrow hallway that opened onto a breathtaking open-air terrace. The transition from the warm indoor lighting to the twilight sky outside was magical. Our table was positioned by the edge of the terrace, offering a stunning panoramic view of the city skyline of Osaka stretching far into the horizon

  Around us, the fairy lights woven into the surrounding foliage cast a gentle glow as the leaves fluttered in the cool evening air. Not another soul in sight—the entire terrace was ours.

  “Looks like we’ve got some privacy,” I said, pulling out a chair for Diya.

  She smiled as she sat, smoothing her skirt. “Now I’m starting to come to terms with how serious this date is.”

  “Gold package serious,” I teased, taking my seat.

  We each picked up a leather-bound menu, scanning over the names of dishes.

  “What are you thinking of having?” Diya asked, glancing at me from over the top of her menu.

  “Not sure yet.”

  She reached over, pressing down on the page I was skimming. “How about this one?”

  “You just picked that at random.”

  She shrugged with faux innocence. “Come on. You still get to pick your side and drink.”

  “Oh, that’s how it works?” I chuckled, tapping her menu in return. “Then you’re getting this.”

  She laughed. “Alright, deal.”

  Just then, the hostess returned, now as our waitress. “Have you decided what you’ll be having?”

  “I’ll have the seared salmon with mashed potatoes,” Diya said.

  “And I’ll go with the fillet mignon, medium rare, with roasted vegetables,” I added.

  “And your beverages?”

  “Strawberry lemonade for me… and a Juneteenth Punch for her.”

  “Hey, I didn’t ask for that.”

  “Are you really going to turn down a gift I personally selected?” I said with mock offence.

  “Nicely done, Luna.” She sighed and rested her chin in her hands, her elbows propped up on the table. “Alright, Juneteenth Punch for me.”

  The hostess nodded and left with our order.

  For a moment, we just sat there, listening to the soft music and the breeze rustling the leaves.

  “So,” Diya said casually. “Your sister… what class is she in?”

  “Year 7,” I replied, resting my arms against the table. “But don’t worry about her.”

  “I’d like to meet her someday. See how similar you two are.”

  I winced. “Not the best idea. She’s… unpredictable. And I still need to ask why she booked a reservation here.”

  Diya giggled, covering her mouth.

  “Have you been here before?” I asked.

  She nodded, glancing toward the skyline. “Yes, a few times. Maybe… three? Yeah, about three times.”

  “So this isn’t new territory for you.”

  “Nope,” she said proudly. “But it hits different at night, with the lights and everything.”

  “Were they… dates?”

  She froze for a second, then quickly looked away, cheeks warming under the glow of the string lights.

  “No,” she said quietly. “Just hanging out with friends. Nothing serious.”

  She took a breath, then smiled.

  “After all, this is my first date.”