The next time Ayumi saw Kaito, she wasn't wearing her uniform. It was a Saturday, and curiosity had gotten the better of her.
She stood in front of the small motorcycle garage tucked between two tall buildings, the sign above reading Sora Motors in faded paint. The wide garage door was open, letting in the spring sunlight—and there he was.
Bent over a bike, sleeves rolled up, a smudge of grease on his cheek and the radio humming softly in the background.
Ayumi hesitated for a second, heart fluttering. Then she knocked on the metal frame.
Kaito looked up, surprised—and then grinned like she'd just made his whole day.
"Well, well. Didn't expect to see you here, Ayumi."
"I said I wanted to know what you do," she said, trying to keep her cool. "Besides flirting with high school girls."
He laughed. "Guilty. Want a tour?"
She stepped inside, the scent of oil and metal strangely comforting. "Let me guess. That one's yours?" she said, pointing to the sleek black bike she'd ridden on.
"Yup. My pride and joy," he said, brushing a hand across the seat like it was something sacred. "Built it up from scraps with my old man."
There was a quiet beat between them, but it wasn't uncomfortable.
"Your dad… he's not around?" she asked gently.
Kaito shook his head. "Passed away two years ago. Left me the shop. I've been keeping it running since."
Ayumi looked around—at the tools neatly organized, the spotless floor, the framed picture on the desk of a younger Kaito with a man who shared his eyes and easy smile.
"You're doing a good job," she said softly.
He looked at her then—really looked at her. "You're something else, you know that?"
She tilted her head. "Meaning?"
"Most girls your age wouldn't bother talking to a guy who smells like motor oil and coffee 90% of the time."
"Maybe I like coffee," she said, stepping a little closer. "And the smell's not that bad."
He raised a brow, grinning. "Is that your way of saying I smell good?"
"Don't push it."
Too late. He chuckled and leaned down just enough to be eye level with her. "You're cute when you get flustered."
She turned bright red. "You're impossible."
"Maybe," he said. "But you keep showing up."
Ayumi turned away to hide her smile. "Whatever. Just show me how to change oil or something."
"As you wish, milady," he said with a mock bow, handing her a wrench. "Let's get your hands dirty."
An Hour Later – Sunlight and Silence
Ayumi's fingers were covered in grease, her hair tied in a messy ponytail, and she was laughing more than she had in weeks.
Kaito wiped his hands and tossed her a towel. "Not bad for a first-timer."
"I only dropped the wrench twice," she said proudly.
"Three times," he corrected, smirking.
She threw the towel at him.
As the sun started to dip, casting a warm glow over the garage, Kaito handed her a soda from the mini fridge and plopped down next to her on the steps outside.
"You ever think about what you want to do?" he asked. "After school, I mean."
"Sometimes. Maybe something with engineering. I like figuring things out, you know? Making things work."
He nodded thoughtfully. "You'd be great at that."
Ayumi blinked. It wasn't just the words—it was the way he said them. Like he really meant it.
"What about you?" she asked.
Kaito stared at the horizon. "Honestly? I don't know. Just trying to keep things from falling apart. But lately… things feel a little brighter."
He looked at her. And this time, the silence wasn't just quiet—it was charged.
"I think you're good for me, Ayumi."
She swallowed, heart thudding. "You barely know me."
"Then let me fix that."
To be continued…