The late afternoon sky burned gold, casting its quiet light over the empty high school rooftop.

The breeze was soft, almost apologetic, stirring the strands of Yuki Tachibana’s short black hair as she sat by the fence, knees pulled close, sketchbook balanced on her lap.

A thin trail of smoke curled from the cigarette between her fingers, dissolving into the fading sky.

The faint scent of tobacco mixed with the scent of sun-warmed concrete and distant sakura blossoms that hadn't yet fallen.

Her cardigan had slipped slightly off her shoulder, but she didn’t bother to fix it. No one was here to see her. No one ever came up here anymore.

Yuki let the pencil glide across the page, careful, deliberate. Each stroke revealed a shape she knew far too well—the curve of a cheek, the quiet strength in those eyes. Haruka’s face slowly appeared on the paper, delicate and unfinished.

"I can only draw her when no one’s looking..."

The wind stirred again, whispering against her ear, lifting the edge of the page. The rooftop was her sanctuary. Up here, no one gossiped. No one pretended.

"Up here... I can finally be myself. No one’s watching."

But then—

Creeeak.

The rooftop door groaned open behind her.

Her heart jumped, hand freezing mid-stroke. The cigarette paused near her lips. Wide-eyed, she stared straight ahead, pulse racing.

"Shit... someone’s here?"

Slow, hesitant footsteps crossed the concrete.

"...Oh. Someone’s up here?"

That voice.

Yuki swallowed hard and turned, stiff and cautious.

Standing in the doorway, light catching in her short ponytail, was Haruka Tsukishiro. Track uniform tied at the waist. A soft look of surprise in her eyes.

Haruka blinked, noticing the cigarette.

"...You're smoking?"

Yuki’s chest tightened. Heat rushed to her face. She cursed silently and quickly stubbed the cigarette out on the concrete, snapping the sketchbook shut with shaking hands.

"Don’t tell the teacher...." Her voice was tight, awkward. Like a kid caught stealing candy.

But Haruka only smiled—curious, not judging.

"Didn’t think you were that type, Tachibana-san."

Yuki flinched at the sound of her name. She’d spent weeks avoiding Haruka’s gaze in class. And now here she was, on Yuki’s rooftop.

Haruka stretched lazily, stepping fully onto the rooftop like she belonged there.

"Relax. I came up here to escape, too. Your secret’s safe with me."

Yuki sat frozen. Haruka’s eyes wandered over her—short hair tousled by the wind, the faint glint of hidden piercings catching the light.

"She’s... not like I thought."

For a moment, the breeze was the only sound between them. The late sun painted their shadows long and strange.

Yuki looked away first. Her chest felt tight again.

"You should go... I don’t want you to get in trouble."

Haruka laughed softly—a warm, amused sound that stirred something restless inside Yuki.

"Maybe I like trouble."

Silence again. The wind stirred. Their distance felt smaller than before.

Yuki gripped her sketchbook tightly, trying to calm the nervous flutter in her chest.

"This was the moment everything started to change."

......***END OFCHAPTER 1***......

Weeks had passed since that first awkward encounter on the rooftop.

Little by little, day after day, Haruka Fujimoto kept coming back. After track practice, after classes, even on rainy days when the sky hung low and gray—she’d show up with that same easy grin, towel around her neck, and quiet curiosity in her eyes.

And strangely... Yuki didn’t mind.

They never made plans. No promises. No words like “friend” or “after school” were exchanged. But somehow, this secret place on the rooftop became theirs.

With each visit, the awkwardness faded. Haruka teased. Yuki smirked. The quiet space between them softened until Yuki no longer flinched when the door creaked open.

So today, when the faint glow of the late sun lit the rooftop pink, Yuki leaned against the fence as if expecting her. Cigarette lit, sketchbook in hand, cardigan slipping carelessly off her shoulder.

Her eyes flicked toward the door.

"I knew she’d come again today..."

And right on cue—

Creeeak.

The door groaned open.

“Why’d you skip class earlier? That’s bad, you know... such a delinquent.”

Yuki smirked without lifting her gaze.

Haruka stepped onto the rooftop in her track uniform, towel slung around her neck, cheeks pink from effort and sweat glistening at her temple.

"Because I wanted to draw more," Yuki replied lazily. "The teachers are... distracting."

A faint puff of smoke drifted from her lips as she spoke.

Without thinking, she glanced sideways, catching the sheen of sweat on Haruka’s face. A teasing smile curled at the corner of her mouth.

"...And you reek of sweat. Haha."

Haruka laughed, unbothered. "Pff—shut up! That’s the smell of hard work!"

Yuki chuckled softly, hiding it behind her cigarette.

She held the cigarette out toward Haruka. "Want one?"

Haruka waved her hand, smiling. "Nah. If the captain caught me smoking, I’d be kicked out for life."

She stepped closer, eyes flicking to the sketchbook with playful suspicion.

"So… what are you always drawing up here, anyway?"

Yuki stiffened just slightly, instinct tugging at her chest.

In an instant, she hugged the sketchbook to her chest.

"None of your business."

Haruka grinned. "Is it me? You’ve been staring at me a lot lately."

Yuki flushed, her grip tightening.

"Don’t look! I said no!"

But Haruka only leaned in further, grin widening. "Stop being stingy! Just one look!"

"Tsukishiro—!"

Yuki twisted away as Haruka lunged for the sketchbook. Their balance gave out—

"Ah—"

Thud!

They tumbled to the ground, breathless and tangled on the cold concrete.

Yuki gasped, frozen, her wide eyes staring into Haruka’s grinning face—far, far too close.

"Wh-What the hell?!"

Haruka seemed perfectly calm, totally unbothered by the proximity.

"Finally got it," she murmured, plucking the sketchbook from Yuki’s loosened grip.

"W-Wait—!"

Haruka stood, flipping through the pages, her smile deepening.

"So it is me you’ve been sketching... cute."

Yuki bolted upright, heart pounding.

"G-Give that back, you idiot!!"

Haruka only laughed softly, brushing off her jacket. "Hey, no need to freak out. You’re pretty good, Yuki."

Her name again, spoken so easily.

Yuki clutched the sketchbook close to her chest, cheeks burning. She could barely breathe.

The breeze stirred gently between them.

They stood apart now—Haruka relaxed and grinning; Yuki trembling, her chest tight with unfamiliar heat.

"Why does she act like nothing happened... while I can't even breathe?"

.........--- END OF CHAPTER 2 ---.........

The rooftop door creaked softly as Yuki stepped into the familiar late afternoon light.

Warm rays of sunset brushed against her face, casting everything in a faint, dreamy glow.

Haruka was already there.

As always.

She stood near the fence, one foot up on the rail, stretching her long legs with surprising grace for someone who always seemed so loud and careless.

The wind caught the towel around her neck, making it flutter slightly.

Yuki clicked her tongue softly.

"Tch... why does she look kinda cool doing that...?" she thought irritably, feeling strangely annoyed at how natural Haruka made everything seem.

Haruka turned, flashing that annoyingly wide grin of hers the moment she noticed Yuki lingering in the doorway.

"Look who's late today. What happened, Miss Delinquent?" she teased, wiping her neck with the towel, playful as ever.

Yuki yawned lazily in reply, lifting one arm to stretch while her other hand flicked open her silver lighter. The familiar weight of the cigarette rested between her lips.

"I'm not late..." she murmured around the cigarette, half-yawning. "You're just early."

Haruka pouted dramatically, puffing one cheek out as she pulled something from her pocket—a colorful handful of lollipops shining like tiny jewels in the sun.

"I know smoking looks all cool and mysterious,"

Haruka said, waving the candies like a bribe,

"but it’s bad for your health. Eat this instead."

Yuki stared at the lollipops blankly, cigarette still perched between her lips.

"...Seriously? What am I, five?"

Haruka grinned wider, cocking her head in that annoyingly carefree way.

"Better five than coughing your lungs out at twenty-five."

Yuki sighed heavily, pulling the cigarette from her mouth and exhaling a long, thin stream of smoke toward the sky.

She shot a sideways glance at Haruka, half-annoyed, half-amused.

"...Tch. You’re annoying when you act all proper like this."

Without waiting for permission, Haruka gently shoved one of the lollipops into Yuki’s hand, smirking like she always won these tiny battles.

"Shut up and take the candy, delinquent."

With a quiet grumble, Yuki sat herself down on the rooftop bench, eyeing the lollipop in her hand. Giving in, she unwrapped it and popped it into her mouth, letting the sweet taste replace the bitter tinge of smoke.

"...I'm not a delinquent though," she muttered softly, gazing out toward the sky, lollipop stick between her lips.

Haruka crouched nearby, resting her chin in her hand, grinning like she always knew exactly what buttons to push.

"Sure you’re not. Says the girl who skips class, smokes on the roof, and glares at everyone like you wanna kill 'em."

Yuki shifted the lollipop in her mouth, glancing at Haruka with her usual deadpan stare.

"I’m not glaring... I’m just looking. For inspiration. For my sketches."

Haruka laughed quietly, the sound soft and close.

"Ahh... so that’s why you keep staring at me in class, huh?"

Yuki’s hand twitched slightly on the bench, her gaze flicking to the horizon. She didn't answer.

But the corner of her lips curved—just barely. A small, gentle smile formed as she watched the sunset coloring the sky in soft gold and rose. The breeze stirred lightly, carrying the warmth of summer and something more quiet, more fragile.

For the first time in a long while, the rooftop felt peaceful

.

Haruka sat nearby, glancing sideways with a faint smile of her own. Neither of them said a word.

No teasing.

No jokes.

Just quiet.

The soft glow of sunset wrapped around them like a secret only they shared.

A sweet, unspoken habit was beginning to form.

...***End of Chapter 3***...