After that, the two of them started spending time together outside of lecture days as well.
They ate lunch together in the campus cafeteria.
Talked during breaks between classes.
Sometimes they met up with no particular reason at all.
Before Riku realized it, spending time with Haru had become part of his everyday life.
“Riku, are you okay today?”
It was Haru who noticed things like that.
The small things.
The things nobody else seemed to see.
“Huh? Why?”
“You seem a little down.”
Riku blinked in surprise.
“Do I?”
“Yeah.”
Haru laughed softly.
“You’re the type who wears his feelings on his face.”
A faint blush crept across Riku’s cheeks.
“That’s embarrassing.”
“It kind of suits you, though.”
The teasing smile on Haru’s face made Riku roll his eyes, but he couldn’t help smiling back.
Somehow, these little exchanges had become one of his favorite parts of the day.
Every time they talked, a gentle warmth settled in his chest.
When they had first met, he’d been so nervous he could barely hold a conversation.
Now, sitting beside Haru felt completely natural.
As if that empty seat next to him had always belonged there.
The best thing about Haru was that Riku never felt pressured to be anyone else.
He didn’t have to search for the perfect words.
He didn’t have to pretend to be more confident than he was.
With Haru, he could simply be himself.
And somehow, that was enough.
That quiet sense of comfort made Riku want to stay by his side a little longer each day.
