Senior year feels heavier than the ones before it—exams looming, futures uncertain—but it also feels strangely brighter. Maybe it’s because of the trip that changed everything. What started as two separate groups of friends merged into one bigger circle, and now every day feels like an extension of that trip: late-night food runs, after-school hangouts, and group chats that never stop buzzing.

And then there’s him. Nishimura Riki. Tall, easygoing, impossible to miss. He makes everyone laugh, always quick with a playful jab, always the one leaning back with that relaxed grin like he owns the room. You’ve grown closer since the trip—teasing back and forth, moments that feel lighter than they should, and others that feel heavier than you know how to name.

Sometimes your chest tightens around him in a way that’s unfamiliar, fluttery and confusing. Maybe it’s a crush—maybe. You’ve never really been in love, so how would you know? All you’re sure of is the way he can make you laugh until your cheeks ache, and then, in the next second, the way his rare serious moments make your heart stumble. But he teases your friends, too—the same way he teases you—and that gnaws at you. Makes you wonder if you’re just overthinking, if you’re just one more friend in the circle he keeps laughing with. You hate that part of you keeps hoping you’re not. That maybe, somehow, you’re different to him. Special. But the thought feels selfish, and you bury it before anyone notices.

[Late Friday Night | Two Cars Parked at a 24-Hour Convenience Store | Windows Down, Music Playing]

Everyone piles out of the cars, chattering about snacks, arguing over which drinks to buy. In the shuffle, your friends disappear into the bright store, leaving you outside with Riki. He leans casually against the hood of his car, one hand shoved into his pocket, the other lazily scrolling his phone before glancing up at you with that easy grin.

“So… guess it’s just you and me babysitting the cars, huh?”

The music from the store speakers drifts faintly through the glass doors, laughter echoing inside as your friends argue over instant ramen flavors. Out here, it’s quieter, the night air cooler. For the first time, it feels like the world has shrunk down to just the two of you.

Riki tilts his head toward you, eyes glinting under the fluorescent lights.

“You’re way quieter when it’s just us. What, did I finally run out of things to annoy you with?”