The next day, the school returned to its usual rhythm, the vibrant energy of the festival replaced by the quiet hum of routine. The decorations had been taken down, the stalls dismantled, and the once-lively halls now felt almost too ordinary in comparison.
Students sat at their desks, some still reminiscing about the festival, others struggling to stay awake after the excitement of the previous night. The teachers resumed their lessons, their voices blending into the usual monotony of the school day.
Axel stared out the window, the golden hues of autumn filtering through the glass. Just yesterday, the same view had been filled with festival lights and bustling crowds, yet now everything felt still. He let out a quiet sigh, resting his chin on his palm.
Across the room, Emi absentmindedly tapped her pen against her notebook, her thoughts drifting back to the performance. The warmth of the spotlight, the way Axel's guitar had harmonized with her voice, the lingering applause—it all felt like a dream now.
Kyomi, ever the restless one, scribbled in the margins of her notebook, stealing glances at Ito, who was already half-asleep with his head resting on his arms. She smirked, poking his side with her pen, earning a muffled groan in response.
Everything was back to normal—or at least, it should have been. But beneath the surface, something had changed. The memories of the festival still lingered, carrying with them an unspoken shift in the air, a feeling that things wouldn't stay the same for long.
Though the school had returned to its usual routine, something felt different. Amid the monotony of classes and the usual chatter in the halls, subtle moments stood out—unspoken yet undeniable.
Axel and Emi would often find themselves gravitating toward each other, even if just for fleeting moments. A quiet exchange of glances across the classroom, a shared laugh between lessons, or the way their conversations naturally found their way back to music. It was never much, never anything obvious, yet those small moments carried a warmth that neither could ignore.
Meanwhile, Ito and Kyomi seemed to have their own silent shift. Their usual bickering hadn't disappeared, but there was something different about it now—something softer, almost playful. Kyomi would roll her eyes at Ito's antics, but her smirk lingered just a second longer. Ito, for all his teasing, found himself drawn to her company more than before.
The festival had come and gone, but the echoes of that night still lingered, threading through their daily lives like an unspoken melody—one that none of them were quite ready to name just yet.
Kyomi and Ito had undoubtedly developed feelings for each other, but neither was willing to admit it outright. Even when one of them came close to confessing, the moment would somehow twist into playful banter, as if their hearts refused to let their emotions be taken too seriously.
"You know, you'd be completely lost without me," Kyomi teased one afternoon, arms crossed as she leaned against the classroom door.
Ito scoffed, smirking. "Me? Lost? Please, I'd thrive. You, on the other hand, would be miserable without my charm to brighten your day."
Kyomi rolled her eyes, but the warmth in her expression betrayed her. "Right. Keep telling yourself that."
Their conversations always seemed to follow the same rhythm—playful jabs, a little laughter, and a lingering silence where neither dared to take a step forward. Yet, despite their reluctance to admit their feelings, there was an unspoken understanding between them. No matter how much they bickered, they always ended up right back at each other's side.
Emi and Axel had caught up to their feelings, no longer lost in uncertainty. Their quiet glances and shared moments now carried a deeper understanding, a silent acknowledgment of what had been growing between them.
Naturally, this didn't go unnoticed. After enduring plenty of teasing from Kyomi and Ito, they finally had their turn to strike back.
One afternoon, as the four of them sat together after class, Emi smirked, resting her chin on her hand. "You know, for all the teasing you two give us, it's funny how you're just as obvious."
Axel leaned back, arms crossed, his usual composed expression tinged with amusement. "Honestly, watching you two dance around your feelings is more entertaining than half the festival was."
Kyomi and Ito, who had been bickering just moments ago, suddenly went silent. Their eyes darted to each other, then back to Axel and Emi, their confidence visibly wavering.
"T-That's not—" Kyomi started, only to immediately falter as Emi leaned in with a knowing grin.
"Oh? Then you wouldn't mind if we just happened to mention how you two were practically glued together during the haunted house?" Emi added, voice dripping with playful innocence.
Ito, usually quick with a comeback, found himself at a loss for words. His mouth opened, then closed, as a deep flush spread across his face.
Kyomi, arms still folded, tried to keep up her usual bravado but couldn't stop the way her ears turned red. "Sh-Shut up, Emi."
Axel chuckled, shaking his head. "What was it you guys said to us before? 'Just admit it already?'"
Kyomi and Ito exchanged a look, both too flustered to fight back this time. For once, they had no witty retort—just the undeniable truth written across their faces.
For the first time in a while, Kyomi and Ito had fallen completely silent on their way home. No playful jabs, no bickering—just an unusual, awkward quiet between them.
Axel and Emi, walking slightly ahead, couldn't help but notice. They exchanged a knowing glance, stifling their amusement. It wasn't often that the two troublemakers were at a loss for words, and seeing them so flustered was almost refreshing.
As they neared the point where they'd part ways, Axel smirked slightly. "Think they'll ever admit it?" he murmured just loud enough for Emi to hear.
Emi giggled softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Give them some time," she whispered back. "They'll figure it out eventually…."
With that, they reached their apartment building. Since they were neighbors on the same floor, their walk together lasted just a little longer. As they stepped into the elevator, a comfortable silence settled between them—different from the awkward one Kyomi and Ito had fallen into. This silence was warm, filled with quiet understanding.
When the doors opened at their floor, they stepped out, standing outside their respective doors for a moment. Emi turned to Axel, a soft smile playing on her lips. "Goodnight, Axel."
Axel returned the smile, his voice gentle. "Goodnight, Emi."
With that, they parted, each disappearing into their own apartments—yet still connected in a way that words didn't need to express.
As the night deepened and the city lights flickered outside, Ito lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. The events of the day played back in his mind—the teasing, the stolen glances, the quiet yet telling silences. There was something different about today, something subtle yet impossible to ignore.
He thought about Kyomi—how effortlessly they always seemed to fall into their usual banter, yet today, something had shifted. Even when they weren't arguing, the silence between them felt charged, like an unspoken truth lingering just beneath the surface.
At the same time, in her own room, Kyomi lay in bed, hugging her pillow. She recalled the way Ito had looked at her, the way he hadn't fired back with another playful remark but had simply gone quiet instead. A soft sigh escaped her lips.
Neither of them said it out loud, but in the silence of their own rooms, they both knew.
This day had come to an end, but the feelings it left behind lingered—unspoken, yet undeniably real.