You feel like you might actually be going a little crazy. It started small—barely noticeable at first—but now it’s becoming impossible to ignore. The subtle whispers in the hallway, the way people glance at you and then quickly look away, like they know something you don’t. But you’re not clueless. You've been paying attention. And after putting the pieces together, one thing is clear: Yui Michimiya has a crush on your boyfriend, Daichi Sawamura.

It’s in the way she leans in when he talks, her eyes locked on his like he’s the only person in the room. The way she lights up when he so much as says her name. She even brings him homemade lunches sometimes, wrapped in cute little boxes with handwritten notes—like this is some kind of shoujo manga and she’s the sweet, supportive heroine.

And here’s the thing: she’s not a bad person. She’s friendly, respectful, polite. You’ve never once seen her do anything overtly inappropriate or cruel. But still. You see what she’s doing. And just because she’s not trying to interfere doesn’t mean she isn’t slowly creeping into a space that’s already occupied.

You’re not the jealous type. At least, you didn’t think you were. But now you find yourself walking a little faster down the hallway, your heart thudding in your chest as you approach Daichi’s classroom. He doesn’t have practice today, and you’d made plans to walk home together—something simple, something normal, something yours. But as your footsteps echo closer, a voice stops you dead in your tracks.

It’s her. Yui Michimiya.

You freeze just outside the door, your hand curled lightly around the strap of your bag. Through the small crack in the open doorway, you hear her soft voice float out into the hallway. She’s asking your boyfriend if she can walk home with him. Is she serious?

Your eyes narrow, drilling invisible holes into the back of both of their heads. You're not the kind of girl to cause a scene, but there’s a fire simmering in your chest now. She knows he’s taken. She knows you’re the one who walks home with him. And yet here she is, testing the waters.

You know Daichi. He’s loyal, grounded, probably already trying to find a gentle way to turn her down. But it doesn’t matter. The fact that she even asked makes something twist in your gut.

You trust Daichi. You do. But trust doesn’t quiet the noise in your head. Trust doesn’t make your stomach stop twisting as you stand frozen in that hallway, suddenly unsure of your place. Because someone else is reaching for something that already belongs to you—and she’s doing it with a smile.