Chapter 87: A peaceful afternoon

For Kai, the strangest part of the day wasn't the overwhelming tasks he'd been given for the school festival.

No, it was seeing Hina chatting happily with Yuna, as if nothing had ever happened between them.

The scene felt so unnervingly natural that it sent a shiver down his spine, as if he were witnessing something that shouldn't be.

Hina had always been extremely jealous and possessive of Kai, to the point where it bordered on obsession.

It was the first time he had seen her interact so warmly with another girl, especially someone like Yuna, who, only weeks ago, had been involved in all sorts of drama that had complicated their lives.

Kai clearly remembered the early days of his relationship with Hina.

She had bombarded him with questions about his female friends and had been openly hostile towards any girls that showed even the slightest interest in him.

So, seeing her now, laughing and chatting with Yuna, felt surreal, like watching a different person altogether.

As they walked together, Hina explained to Yuna how she and Kai had been chosen to organize the mid-year school festival, mentioning the big announcement the school was planning regarding the abandoned part of the campus.

"This is amazing!" Yuna exclaimed, her voice filled with a strange sense of wonder that seemed almost too exaggerated.

"I know, right?" Hina replied with a proud smile. "And not only that, but Kai and I are the lead organizers!"

Kai remained silent, trying to dissect Hina's behavior.

He couldn't tell if she was pretending to be this excited or if she was genuinely happy.

Her voice had a certain pitch to it that felt unfamiliar, almost too cheerful. Was she putting on a show for Yuna? Or had something truly shifted in her?

"That's fantastic news! But isn't it a lot of work for just two people?" Yuna asked, her tone carrying a hint of concern.

"Well, in some ways, yes," Hina responded, lightly bumping Kai's elbow to get his attention, "but I'm confident we'll manage."

Kai snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Hina, who was smiling at him, clearly expecting him to agree.

"Oh, uh… yeah. Definitely. We've got this," Kai said, awkwardly scratching the back of his head.

He wasn't exactly sure what he was agreeing to, but he knew he had to say something.

Hina sighed, then let out a soft laugh, amused by his response.

Even Yuna chuckled along with her, as if they were sharing some inside joke.

Kai, on the other hand, couldn't shake the feeling that he was the odd one out here.

He found himself overanalyzing every word, every smile, every glance exchanged between Hina and Yuna.

It didn't make sense.

Had Hina truly worked out on her jealousy? Or was she simply playing along, biding her time until… something else?

Kai didn't even know what to think, so he kept living the moment.

The trio continued walking, and after some idle chatter about the festival plans and their schoolwork, they eventually arrived at the "Factory of Sweetness".

During the walk, Yuna never mentioned the events that involved her.

She just kept chatting along with us like nothing happened.

Another strange thing, was that Hana didn't even send a single message to Kai.

She used to text him a lot, even for normal things, but it seemed like she stopped to exist.

When they entered inside the place was cozy, with warm lighting and a pleasant hum of conversation in the air.

Hina immediately took the lead, pulling open the door with a cheerful "Let's get something sweet to celebrate!"

Yuna smiled, following her in, while Kai hesitated for a moment at the door, still trying to make sense of everything.

His thoughts were swirling.

Maybe he was overthinking it.

Maybe Hina was just… changing.

After all, people could change, right?

Once inside, they grabbed a small table near the window.

Hina was seated across from Yuna, leaving Kai sandwiched awkwardly between them.

He fidgeted slightly, uncomfortable with the positioning, as the girls resumed their conversation as if he weren't even there.

"So, Yuna," Hina began, leaning in slightly, "I never asked, how's everything going with your club? I heard you've been working on some really cool projects."

"Oh, it's been great, actually!" Yuna responded, her eyes lighting up. "We're preparing a big presentation for the festival too. It's going to be all about sustainable energy solutions."

"That sounds so impressive," Hina said, her voice smooth and full of genuine interest. "You're always doing such meaningful things."

Kai was looking at them with a confused look on his face, not asking question about how Hina knew these things.

He heard that she was one of the most brilliant students in the school, so it was normal for her to know things.

Well, Yuna was an important part of the student council, but only a few people knew about her club activities.

She always had a passion for poetry, and she wanted to become an important one in a distant future.

But more than that, Yuna was a simple girl, special in her simplicity.

But even the most simple girl could hide something bigger than her, who knows.

Kai sat there, feeling like a third wheel.

His mind wandered back to the odd interactions they'd had over the past few weeks.

He didn't saw them interacting with each other, considering the fact that Yuna avoided her.

But he also thought that they could've talked when he was absent from school and was investigating on Hina's past.

And about that, he also remembered that he still had Hiro's notebook.

While he was sitting at the table, he was thinking to give it back to him.

But his thoughts returned on the two girls in front of him.

Was Hina genuinely warmed up to her? Kai couldn't tell anymore, and the uncertainty gnawed at him.

Suddenly, Hina turned her attention to Kai. "So, Kai, what are you getting?"

"Huh?" he mumbled, lost in his own thoughts. "Oh, uh… vanilla, I guess."

"Vanilla? How predictable," Hina teased with a sly smile, making Yuna giggle. "Every normal guy preferes vanilla."

"Hey, vanilla's a classic!" Kai defended, but the playful tone in his voice masked his growing unease.

He glanced at Hina who was now happily engaging in conversation with Yuna again.

It was like they had known each other for years.

As the afternoon wore on, the group eventually finished their ice-cream, and they stepped back out into the warm afternoon air.

Kai couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, but he had no concrete reason to believe that anything was truly wrong. Still, his instincts were rarely wrong.

As they began walking back toward the school, Yuna stopped to check her phone.

"Oh, looks like I've got to run. I promised the club I'd help with some last-minute prep."

"What? Where did she get her phone?" Kai thought, but once again, he preferred not to ask any further question.

"Already? You're leaving us so soon?" Hina asked with mock disappointment, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

"I'm sorry... but I must also help the student council with... hard stuff." Yuna replied, giving Hina a small wave. "But we'll catch up later, okay? And Kai, don't be a stranger!" With that, Yuna hurried off down the street.

Once she was gone, Kai felt the shift in the air.

Kai clearly didn't want to leave her after what happened, but he had the feeling that he had to let her go.

Alone with Hina now, he could sense the tension creeping back in.

"She's sweet, isn't she?" Hina asked casually, slipping her arm through Kai's as they began walking again. There was an edge to her voice that made Kai's skin prickle.

"Yeah, she's… nice," he replied, unsure of where this conversation was headed.

Hina's grip tightened slightly on his arm. "You really like her, do you?" Hina whispered with a deadly tone of voice.

Kai blinked, caught off guard by the question. "What? No, I mean—she's fine. She's a good friend, that's all."

Hina stopped walking, turning to face him fully. Her gaze was intense, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Just a friend?"

"Of course," Kai said, his voice steady but his heart racing. "Why would you even ask that?"

Hina held his gaze for a moment longer before letting out a soft laugh, releasing the tension. "I'm just messing with you. Relax."

But Kai couldn't relax.

The playful mask Hina wore only deepened his unease.

Something about her behavior today felt… calculated.

"Come on," Hina said, tugging his arm gently. "Let's head back before it gets too late."

Kai nodded, following her lead, but the nagging doubt in his mind refused to go away.

As they walked in silence, he couldn't shake the feeling that Hina was playing a game.

A game whose rules he didn't understand.

And for the first time in a long while, Kai wasn't sure if he was still in control.

They remained togeter for a while until the sun started to set. 

Kai and Hina took a peaceful walk around peaceful places like they used to do in their early days, not caring about anything.

Hina was genuinely clinging to her boyfriend's arm and the fresh air was gently caressing their skin.

The day was way too peaceful... 

And after another walk, they ended up at the park where they used to go together in their early days.

"This place surely brings out memories, doesn't it?" Hina whispered with an affectionate tone, while still clinging to his arm...