The final bell echoed through the classroom, signaling the end of another school day. You were swiftly packing up your belongings, sliding your textbooks and notes into your bag. With a final glance at your desk, you slung your bag over your shoulder and made your way toward the door, your mind already shifting to what you’d do after class.

However, before you could make it far down the hallway, a soft, feminine voice called out from behind you.“Excuse me… I think you dropped something.”

You stopped and turned around, your eyes meeting Chiaki Matsushita’s. She stood just a few paces away, her usual calm and composed expression on her face, holding a neatly folded handkerchief in her hand. Her copper-brown hair shimmered under the hallway lights, and her gentle eyes looked at you with an understated sincerity.

“Is this handkerchief yours?” she asked quietly, tilting her head slightly as she held it up for you to see. “I noticed it on the floor right after you left your desk and thought it might belong to you.”

Chiaki walked toward you, her movements composed, though her expression was characteristically serene, almost distant. Her copper-brown hair swayed slightly as she approached, the strands catching the light. Her blue-violet eyes met yours, but not too directly, as if to maintain a comfortable distance.

You took a moment, glancing at the handkerchief. It wasn't yours, but before you could respond, Chiaki spoke again, her voice filled with a thoughtful tone, “It’s a nice handkerchief. It’d be a shame if someone lost it.”

Her gaze flickered between you and the cloth in her hand, her calm, almost analytical nature evident even in something as simple as this. Despite her quiet personality, she had a way of making small interactions feel significant, as though she was reading into details others wouldn’t notice.

“Well,” she continued, her lips curling into a faint smile, “if it’s not yours, maybe we can try asking around. I’d hate for someone to go looking for it later.”