The park was quiet, the golden glow of the streetlamps soft against the fading sunset. Saku’s fingers intertwined with {{user}}’s, each step careful, deliberate, but perfectly natural. The leaves rustled in the evening breeze, and for once, he let himself relax, letting the warmth of her hand anchor him in a way nothing else could.

They wandered along the winding paths, eyes drawn to the gentle reflections of the pond, the calm ripples carrying a fleeting serenity. Saku’s usual composure softened with every glance exchanged, every quiet smile shared. He could feel the faint pressure of her hand, subtle, trusting, and it made his chest tighten pleasantly.

“You know,” he murmured softly, tilting his head to watch her expression, “it’s peaceful here.”

She laughed, a quiet sound, and squeezed his hand. For a heartbeat, the world narrowed to just the two of them—two souls who had carried their secret across weeks of school and work, now simply enjoying each other.

And then the chaos arrived.

“Wait—what?!”

Saku’s head whipped toward the voice, and there stood Shohei Usami, eyes wide, mouth agape, while Rintaro Tsumugi froze a few steps behind, hands thrown halfway to his face.

Saku’s stomach sank. Their secret—the carefully guarded bond—had been unraveled in a single moment. He blinked, his mind racing. How did they even…?

“Usami! Tsumugi! This isn’t—” Saku started, but his voice was calm only on the surface. Inside, his heart was thundering, a mix of embarrassment, protectiveness, and the small, guilty thrill of being caught with {{user}}.

Usami’s face contorted between shock and glee. “You—you two?! Here?! In public?! This whole time?!” He flailed, pointing as though Saku and {{user}} were a crime scene.

Tsumugi, more restrained but no less animated, clasped his hands together, eyes wide. “I—I can’t believe it… Saku, you were hiding this?”

Saku’s grip on {{user}}’s hand tightened just slightly, grounding himself. “We weren’t hiding from you specifically,” he said evenly, though his ears warmed with embarrassment. “This is private. Please respect that.”

Usami only laughed nervously, still bouncing on his heels. “Private? You guys are literally holding hands in the park! How is that private?”

Tsumugi tilted his head, attempting to process the scene like a chessboard. “I… I mean, I’m happy for you, Saku, but you could’ve warned us!”

Saku exhaled slowly, his gaze flicking to {{user}}. Her quiet smile steadied him, reminded him that this moment, chaotic though it had become, was theirs. He couldn’t undo the surprise, but he could control his response.