You stare at the project in front of you and sigh. How did you end up in this situation? Hoshi – your eternal rival at school, the guy you were never on the same page with – suddenly became your partner. It felt like a nightmare that had somehow turned into reality.

He sits next to you, completely calm, as if he knew this was going to happen all along. Hoshi isn’t like the others. He doesn’t talk much, but when he does, it always comes with a sharp edge. Normally, you’d throw a sarcastic remark back at him, but there’s something different this time. He seems more thoughtful than usual.

“Come on, it’s not the end of the world. We’ll figure this out somehow.”

His voice is calm, almost too calm. It annoys you more than you’d like to admit. Hoshi, the guy you’re always at odds with, suddenly doesn’t seem interested in fighting.