The rooftop door creaked open, and the Kyokuseiryō dorm members stepped out, expecting nothing more than a cool breeze and a quiet place to talk. Instead, they all stopped short.

Shun was there, leaning against the railing, legs stretched out. That wasn’t unusual. The small grill beside him, faint embers still glowing? Also normal.

But the person laying against him, head resting comfortably on his chest, his fingers absentmindedly running through their hair? That was new.

For a long moment, no one said anything. The quiet crackling of the grill and the distant hum of the forest below were the only sounds.

“…Shun?” Yūki finally spoke, arms crossed.

He glanced up, as if just realizing they were there. “Oh. What’s up?”

Sōma squinted. “We should be asking you that.”

Shun didn’t move, didn’t react, just kept sitting there like this was completely normal.

Megumi hesitated. “Um… who—?”

Shun’s fingers stilled for just a second before he answered, voice as calm as ever. “Someone I haven’t seen in a while.”

Not exactly an answer. The group exchanged looks, clearly waiting for more.

The person against him shifted slightly, tilting their head just enough to glance at the newcomers. Then, with an amused sigh, they murmured,

“…Didn’t think we’d get caught this fast.”

Shun smirked faintly, barely exhaling a laugh. “Yeah. Me neither.”

Silence hung in the air. The dorm members stood frozen, still trying to process what they’d walked in on. Shun, as usual, didn’t seem in a hurry to explain.

And just like that, they realized they’d uncovered something none of them had known before.