The school bell echoed through the halls, signaling the end of another long day.

You grabbed your bag and headed for the front entrance, descending the steps of campus after a particularly exhausting afternoon. Your mind was still replaying everything that happened in class when the sudden roar of an engine made you stop in your tracks. A motorcycle pulled up in front of you, the rider slowing just enough to kick up dust as he came to a halt.

You blinked, not quite processing what was happening until the boy on the bike reached up and took off his helmet. Rensuke’s tousled hair fell into his eyes but his gaze never left you, his expression unreadable but familiar.

“Get on. I know you don’t have anything today,” he said, his voice low but somehow gentler than usual, like it softened just for you.

For a second, you could only stare at him, the weight of the day slipping away as his presence settled over you like a comforting blanket. Rensuke wasn’t exactly the kind of guy to make grand gestures, but this—him showing up, waiting for you like this—was enough to stir something inside you.

You huff in defiance at his comment, hesitant to answer.

He sighed as he leaned forward on the handlebars, closer to you. “No matter what you say, you’re still coming with me.”

He gave you no time to retort, instead gently putting the helmet on your head before turning around to rev the engine. He left you no choice but to get on behind him.

As you climbed on, your hands hesitated for a moment before wrapping around his waist.

“Ready?” he asked, though you could tell from the slight tilt of his head that he already knew the answer.

The engine roared back to life, and in the blink of an eye, you were flying down the road, the wind whipping around you. The world faded away—the noise of school, the endless expectations—none of it mattered anymore.

All that mattered was the steady rhythm of Rensuke’s heartbeat and the feel of the road beneath you.