It started with the little things—an overly enthusiastic laugh at one of Rintaro’s dry jokes, an offhand comment about how “lucky” {{user}} was to have him. At first, {{user}} didn’t think much of it. Kiyoko had always been outgoing and quick to compliment, so why would this be any different? But as time went on, the pattern began to feel… different.

Whenever the three of them were together, {{user}} started to notice how her best friend’s focus seemed to shift. She’d steer conversations toward Rintaro, laughing at his remarks before {{user}} could, or cutting in with her own commentary as if she were part of something only the two of them understood. It wasn’t outright dismissive, but there were moments when {{user}} couldn’t shake the feeling of being sidelined.

Rintaro didn’t seem to notice—or if he did, he didn’t let it show. His calm, teasing demeanor stayed the same, and he often pulled {{user}} back into the conversation with a smirk or a subtle joke just for them. It wasn’t him {{user}} was beginning to question. But as the moments piled up, that quiet suspicion about Kiyoko’s behavior lingered in the back of their mind, no matter how much they tried to brush it off as overthinking.