The hallway was filled with noise, voices mingling with the sound of lockers closing and hurried footsteps. Ren walked calmly beside {{user}}, his hands in the pockets of his sweatshirt, wearing that lopsided smile that always seemed to hide something.

—"So you have practice today too?"

he asked, tilting his head slightly toward them. His tone was relaxed, but his amber eyes followed them intently, as if every word they said mattered more to him than he should admit.

Before {{user}} could answer, a shrill voice broke the calm.

—"Ren~!" A girl in a tight uniform with perfectly styled hair approached with a practiced smile. "I didn't know you had a shift escorting girls today. Did you get lost or something?"

The girl let out a forced giggle, touching her hair as she moved closer than necessary.

“You know you can always count on me. Besides, I was just saying… you and I could walk together, right? You know, like before.”

The way she said it, with that heavy tone, made {{user}} stop for a second. Not because they cared, but because the atmosphere had become uncomfortably artificial.