Above it all

Chapter 17

The wind on the rooftop grew stronger, tangling their hair and scattering the tension, though not completely. The silence that followed Damien and Zero’s words felt almost ominous.

— Either eat or fight, — Joon finally muttered, tearing open a sandwich wrapper. — But just staring at each other like two predators before a battle is kind of stupid.

Zero shot him a heavy look but didn’t respond. Damien, however, smirked and casually grabbed an apple, rolling it in his hand.

— Don’t worry, Joon. If I ever decide to provoke him into a fight, I’ll pick a place with no witnesses, — he winked, making a theatrical gesture with his hand.

Zero tensed sharply as if about to say something, but a loud voice interrupted them.

— We’re here! — Miki’s voice shattered the silence like a firework explosion.

The rooftop door swung open with a bang, and she burst inside, beaming with joy, dragging the Redheart twins behind her. Their arrival instantly shifted the atmosphere: from Adena emanated a cold, aristocratic grace, while Aden, though composed, felt softer—there was more understanding in his gaze than disdain.

A little behind them all, quiet and unassuming, walked Rumiya. She didn’t hurry, as if used to staying in the background, but she didn’t lag behind either.

As soon as Damien noticed Miki, he fell completely silent, his gaze turning distant. Zero, unaccustomed to so many people, retreated to the farthest corner, leaned against the wall, and frowned.

Joon was the first to break the awkwardness with an easy joke:

— Miki, if you crash into the door like that again, we might start worrying about its survival.

— I’m just setting the mood! — Miki laughed carefree and, without missing a beat, rushed over to Damien.

She plopped down next to him, radiating happiness. Damien, while not reacting in any way, didn’t move away.

Rumiya quietly settled beside Joon.

Too quickly.

As if she didn’t want someone else to take that spot.

Joon glanced at her briefly but said nothing.

— You don’t mind? — Rumiya asked softly, though she was already sitting.

— Do I even have a choice? — Joon smirked slightly.

Rumiya shrugged a little and looked away.

— Well, — Miki started, — we’re like characters from different universes—now we just need to figure out whose canon wins.

Damien said nothing, though the corners of his lips twitched slightly.

Rumiya sighed and turned to Joon. He, as always, was ready for a joke.

— Miki never gets tired, does she? — Rumiya commented, but there was no irony in her voice, only emptiness.

— That’s her style! — Joon grinned. — If her energy were a weapon, she’d have wiped us all out by now.

Rumiya chukled at his words, but quickly returned her calm expression back. Her gaze drifted past Joon, but she remained close, still lost in thought.

Aden and Adena, the twin siblings, stood slightly apart. Their expressions were different—one calm, the other cold.

Aden glanced at his sister, noticing the way she sighed, and said quietly:

— You’re not planning to join in, are you?

Adena didn’t answer, only shook her head slowly. But her gaze grew heavier, and she cast a quick glance at Miki as she spoke again.

— Aren’t you going to join us, Aden? Adena? I even brought your favorite fruit. — Miki was clearly expecting an answer.

Adena turned her head toward her brother, pressing her lips together before saying indifferently:

— It’s pointless. This is all a waste of time.

Her gaze was icy, as always. But her words burned, and everyone felt the shift in the atmosphere. Even Miki, who usually brushed off such remarks, fell silent for a moment.

— So you’re really not going to say anything? — she asked, a note of frustration in her voice, though there was still a trace of concern. — I just wanted all of us to be together!

Aden raised an eyebrow and let out a light sigh.

— My sister has some business with the student council.

— But sometimes you need to take a break too, — Miki continued. — We’re here to spend time together, to talk… just like in childhood…

Adena shook her head.

— I understand. But I don’t have to find meaning in every meeting. We’re not little kids anymore to just get together like this.

Miki sighed and turned away as if her energy had hit a wall too thick to break through. She could have argued, but something about that coldness felt familiar, and she couldn’t find the right words.

Meanwhile, Adena glanced at her brother, and her expression became even more distant.

— I’m leaving, — she said calmly, rising from her seat. — This isn’t for me.

She stepped toward the exit without looking back.

Aden, her brother, made no attempt to stop her. He knew this was her decision. He always stayed on the sidelines, never trying to influence her choices. He simply stood up and slowly followed her without a word. He turned back to Miki and noticed that she was already enthusiastically telling Damien something.

As soon as Adena left, Miki puffed out her cheeks and sighed theatrically.

— Unbelievable. So cold! As if we weren’t childhood friends!

Aden paused for a second upon hearing this but said nothing and just followed his sister.

Miki watched him go, then turned to the others and pouted even more.

— Tell me, is this normal? We’ve been through so much together! And now she walks around like an ice queen, not even trying to remember that she used to laugh with me!

Joon smirked, biting into his sandwich.

— Maybe you just talk too much?

— Joon! — Miki protested.

— What? — He shrugged. — You know Adena. She’s always been… a little different.

Miki sighed, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.

— Yeah, but at least she used to laugh at my jokes! Now she just looks at me like I’m some annoying kid…

— You are an annoying kid, — Zero chimed in, but Miki ignored him.

She was still fuming, waving her hands angrily.

— How can she even act like this? We were best friends! And now she looks at me like I’m a random stranger!

— Maybe you’re just pushing too hard? — Damien remarked lazily from his spot, still sitting apart. — Adena isn’t as simple as she seems. She doesn’t show everything to us.

Joon glanced at him again, this time more thoughtfully.

— What are you implying?

Damien raised an eyebrow as if the question surprised him.

— Not everyone likes being pulled back into the past. Maybe she has her reasons for keeping her distance from those she used to be close to.

Rumiya frowned slightly.

— And what reasons could Adena Redhart have?

At that moment, Damien abruptly shifted his attention to Miki, leaning back and nodding toward her.

— Does it even matter when you have such a persistent friend?

Miki flushed and exclaimed:

— Of course, it matters! Friendship isn’t something you can just forget! Damien, you could at least be supportive instead of taking her side!

Joon squinted. Rumiya also looked wary but said nothing. They exchanged glances again, but this time, it wasn’t just a silent question—it was more of a mutual understanding: something was off here.

But Miki was still brimming with emotions.

— Aden could have at least said something! — she huffed, jumping up again. — He saw how she ignored me!

Joon chuckled.

— Do you really think he’d say something you’d like to hear?

— Well, at least he’s kinder! — Miki countered. — Unlike his sister, he doesn’t look at people like they’re ruining his life!

Rumiya smiled slightly.

— So now you’re mad at him too?

— I’m not mad! — Miki crossed her arms. — I just don’t get why he always accepts whatever Adena does so calmly.

Damien scoffed.

— Because he’s her brother.

Miki frowned.

— So what? That doesn’t mean he has to be so silent!

She twirled a strand of hair around her finger again and declared with determination:

— That’s it. I’m going to talk to him. Maybe he’ll tell me something I don’t understand.

Joon shook his head.

— And you really think that will help?

Miki nodded without hesitation.

— Of course! If anyone understands Adena, it’s her brother.

Suddenly, a chuckle came from behind. Rumiya and Joon turned around. Zero covered his mouth with his hand, trying to hold back laughter.

— What’s so funny, Zero? — Miki stood up. — What’s making you laugh?

— Oh, nothing, — Zero smirked, glancing in her direction, though he was clearly looking at Damien. — I just know he won’t be able to refuse you.

A taunt. Miki ignored his words once again and sat back down with a loud sigh. She quickly unwrapped her sandwich, tired of this conversation.

---

Harabi opened the door to the rooftop, and the noise immediately hit her ears. She frowned slightly, not expecting such liveliness. Usually, the rooftop was a place for rare, quiet meetings, but now it felt like a full-blown gathering.

— Whoa, — she muttered, scanning the faces around her. — Seems lively here.

Joon, noticing her, lazily waved a hand.

— Join us if you’re not afraid of the noise.

— I’m already afraid, — Harabi smirked, but still took a few steps forward.

She glanced around quickly, but to her surprise, the Redheart twins were nowhere in sight.

— No one else here? — she asked, sitting next to Rumiya and Joon. At that moment, Joon pointed at Miki, who was sulking.

— I see, — Harabi chuckled. She wasn’t close with the Redharts, but this outcome wasn’t unexpected.

Joon, however, noticed that Harabi seemed to be missing someone.

— Did you come alone? — he asked, giving her a curious look.

Harabi hesitated for a moment, then sighed.

— Yeah. Tatsuki refused.

Joon smiled slightly.

— She wouldn’t enjoy sitting in a noisy crowd. I get her.

— Was that a hint that you want to leave too? — Zero drawled lazily.

Miki shot him a glare filled with both annoyance and clear resentment.

— No, but if Miki keeps being so loud, I might reconsider.

— Hey! — Miki protested.

— It’s just a joke, don’t worry, — Rumiya reassured her.

Harabi watched them with mild amusement. She settled in more comfortably, letting herself relax.

She observed how easily they interacted, without the usual tension that arose when people with different interests collided. There were small jabs here and there, but even those felt natural.

— Well, since I’m here, — she said, — I hope no one minds?

— As long as you don’t start philosophizing, sure, — Joon replied with a slight smile.

— Oh? You don’t like deep conversations? — Harabi asked with mock offense.

— In this place and with these people? — Zero, now sitting across from Harabi, gestured at Miki, who was wildly gesturing at Damien, trying to prove a point. — It’s pointless.

Miki turned abruptly.

— Hey, I heard that!

— I wasn’t hiding it, — Zero shrugged, lazily reaching for a sandwich.

Harabi smirked. She already felt more comfortable here, despite the noise.

Rumiya, sitting beside her, leaned in slightly.

— Still… it’s a shame Tatsuki didn’t come.

— Yeah, — Harabi agreed. — She doesn’t like gatherings like this. But maybe next time I can convince her.

— Maybe, — Rumiya smiled faintly, though there was doubt in her voice.

— Ooooh, — Miki suddenly chimed in, noticing their conversation. — So even Harabi couldn’t drag someone to the rooftop.

Harabi narrowed her eyes.

— What do you mean even?

— Well, — Miki spread her arms, — in case you didn’t notice, someone else also left.