New rival

Ani steps out of her house, the fatigue clearly visible under her eyes.

Dark shadows linger beneath them, evidence that she didn't get any sleep last night.

Her mind had been consumed with the anticipation of a message from Adam, a notification that never came.

Now, a blend of anger and frustration stirs within her. As she walks, she tells herself firmly, "I won't message him. He clearly didn't think it was important enough to message me."

But just as she vows to ignore him, memories of their shared mornings come flooding back.

They had been walking to school together every day, and that habit was hard to break.

Without thinking much, she pulls out her phone, her fingers hovering over the screen.

Despite her earlier resolve, she types out a simple "Hello" and presses send.

Her mind races, rationalizing, 'I'm just texting to check where he is. That's all.'

Yet, the frustration resurfaces, and she exclaims aloud, "What am I even doing?! I was angry at him, and now here I am, sending him a message!"

Exasperated, she finds herself sending another "Hello," and this time, closing her eyes, she taps the send button.

As soon as the message leaves her phone, Ani mutters to herself, "Well, I've sent it. Who knows what he'll think now?"

The scene shifts, and we see Adam, surrounded by leo and Susan.

Pratham says, "Lord Adam, you've got a message from Ani. She says hello."

Adam, who had been casually talking with another friend, leo, and Suzan nearby, pulls his phone out discreetly and steps aside.

A faint smile touches his lips as he reads her message, and he quickly types a response, "How are you?"

On the other end, Ani's heart skips as her phone buzzes.

Her hands fumble slightly as she opens Adam's reply, and a rush of excitement fills her when she reads, "How are you?" Her fingers swiftly type a response, "I'm good. How about you?"

For a while, they continue exchanging short messages, but each one carries an unspoken connection between them.

Finally, Ani's curiosity gets the better of her, and she types, "Where have you reached? Are we meeting today?"

Adam replies, "Yes, I'll be getting off at the Futaba station and waiting there for you."

As Ani reads his message, a blush creeps onto her cheeks.

The irritation she'd felt just moments before vanishes, replaced by a warm, fuzzy feeling she couldn't ignore. Smiling to herself, she types back, "Alright, I'm on my way."

Adam, upon reading her message, pockets his phone and boards the train, anticipation subtly brightening his gaze.

---

When Adam steps off at the Futaba station, he finds a quiet spot to wait for Ani.

Shortly afterward, she appears, her figure framed by the morning light.

She brushes a stray strand of hair behind her ear and greets him with a soft, "Good morning." Adam feels his cheeks warm slightly, yet manages to respond with his own shy, "Good morning."

They fall into an easy rhythm as they board the train to school together.

Their conversation flows comfortably, until Ani, after a moment of hesitation, finally musters the courage to ask, "I thought… I thought you'd message me last night."

Adam pauses, then scratches the back of his head sheepishly. "Oh… I'm really sorry about that. There were… some issues with my family, and it slipped my mind."

A pang of guilt stabs through Ani's chest as she processes his words. 'Here I was, getting all worked up, and he was dealing with family problems.' She lowers her gaze, feeling foolish. "I… I'm sorry too. I was just being… silly."

Adam chuckles softly and reassures her, "No, really, it's okay. I should've let you know."

Their conversation carries on as they approach the school. As they reach the train station next to the school, Ani glances at Adam and says, "Guess this is where we part ways."

Adam nods. "Yeah. See you in class."

They exchange a final glance, Ani giving him a soft smile before heading off. Adam trails behind her at a distance, his mind lingering on their conversation.

---

Adam enters the classroom only to find that Ani is already there, seated at her desk and seemingly waiting for him.

The moment he steps through the door, their eyes meet, and she greets him with a warm, unwavering smile.

Adam feels a familiar rush of warmth in his cheeks as he gives her a shy nod, then quickly makes his way to his own desk at the back.

As he passes by, he overhears the conversation of his classmate, Robin, who is animatedly talking to his friends. "Just watch. I'm going to go for it. I'm done keeping my feelings hidden; I'm going to ask Ani out directly."

One of Robin's friends chimes in, "Are you nuts? Ani is, the school's ideal girl. She wouldn't ever go for someone like us."

Hearing this exchange, Adam feels a subtle but unmistakable irritation.

He makes his way to his desk, unable to resist listening in as Robin continues. "I don't care if she's the ideal girl or whatever. I'm done letting fear hold me back."

Just then, Adam's close friend, Erik, enters the classroom. Spotting Adam's intense focus on Robin's words, Erik chuckles to himself, amused by the sight of his friend's quiet frustration.

He approaches Adam, placing a hand on his shoulder, making Adam jump slightly. Turning, Adam lets out a sigh of relief, "Oh, it's you, Erik."

Erik leans down, his voice low but mischievous, "Hey, if you want, I could teach that Robin a lesson."

Adam shakes his head, though inwardly he's tempted. "No, let it go, Erik."

Erik shrugs, accepting Adam's choice, and heads to his desk.

Moments later, two more friends, Leo and Cale, enter and quickly spot Robin walking up to Ani.

The entire class watches in anticipation as Robin, nervously yet determinedly, approaches Ani, his eyes sparkling with confidence.

Clearing his throat, he says, "Hey, ani. You… you look really pretty today." His bold compliment draws everyone's attention.

Caught slightly off-guard, Ani lets out an awkward smile and says, "Thank you." She rises from her desk to leave, but Robin follows closely behind, his voice filled with forced nonchalance. "There's a pet shop near the school. Would you like to go check it out sometime? They say it has the cutest pets."

Ani stops, turns to him, and responds politely yet firmly, "I have something to do today, so I can't." With that,

she steps out of the classroom, leaving Robin visibly deflated.

But, with a falsely confident grin, he returns to his friends, declaring, "See? That wasn't rejection. I'll make it happen. Just you wait; one day, I'll take her out on a real date."

---

Watching this unfold, Leo and Cale glance at Adam, whose frustration is barely concealed.

They approach him, Leo placing a comforting hand on Adam's shoulder. Nearby, Erik rises from his seat, glaring at Robin and muttering, "I swear, that guy needs a reality check."

Leo grabs Erik's arm, stopping him. "Calm down, Erik," he says with a grin. "We all know Robin's got no real chance with Ani."

Adam, hearing leo's reassurance, tries to relax. But he can't shake his irritation, muttering internally,' Thanks, Lok. So reassuring...'

Suddenly, Pratham's voice echoes in his ear, his tone laced with amusement, "Lord Adam, should I investigate this Robin? " Adam doesn't respond, but Pratham, sensing his master's silent approval, begins quietly gathering information, planning his next steps.

To be connected...