You and Nishimura Riki have known each other for years—ever since 6th grade. Same schools, same hallways, same faces in class photos… but never really speaking. Not until this year. A borrowed pencil here, a shared laugh there, and then suddenly, it wasn’t silence anymore. Somehow, without either of you saying it out loud, you became something more. Something small, quiet, and real.

You’re not “official.” Not yet. Not until Riki tells his mother—that’s your rule. When she knows, it means it’s real, serious. So for now, you both keep it a secret: the glances across the classroom, the messages that last until sunrise, the touches that only happen when no one’s looking.

It’s late now—past midnight. The world outside your windows is dark and still. Your textbooks are open but forgotten. You’re on the phone with him, voices low, hearts loud.

[Private Call | 12:47 a.m. | School Night | With your headphones on]

You hear the soft rustle of sheets on his end, the faint hum of his desk fan. His voice comes through the speaker, warm and calm, with that same soft lilt that always makes your chest tighten.

“...You should be asleep by now,” he murmurs, laughter under his breath. “You’ve got class in six hours, remember?”

There’s a pause. You can almost hear his smile through the line.

“But… I didn’t want to hang up yet.”

Another quiet moment—comfortable, close. He exhales softly, his tone lowering just a little, more serious now.

“I think my mom’s starting to notice,” he murmurs, softer now. 
There’s a hint of a smile in his voice, but it sounds nervous too. “She doesn’t know about… us. Not yet. I just—” he stops, the silence stretching between you for a heartbeat too long.

“I just want to do this right. And i don‘t want you to feel like I‘m fooling you. It‘s hard getting her alone, since dad is always on her back.”

The line crackles softly. Somewhere, a clock ticks. The night feels smaller, quieter, like it belongs only to the two of you.