‘Oh, I was just wondering what time it is.’

Rion pointed down the hallway. ‘There’s a clock over there, you know.’

And of course there was – the tall grandfather clock, in the middle of the foyer with its staircases and mirrors. ‘Ah yes,’ said Kokoro, noticing how Rion’s light brown hair hung loosely just above his smiling eyes.

So Subaru was right: Rion mainly came over in the late afternoon. He’d speculated that Rion probably spent the day at a juku or in lessons somewhere. Kokoro found it pretty strange that Rion, and Aki too, seemed so laidback, and able to go to juku and external lessons, yet had still dropped out of school. They both looked like they’d be really popular.

When they reached the Game Room, more of the group had gathered.

Fuka was sitting on the sofa in front of the table – the plastic bag Kokoro had brought the apple in was still there – and she was reading a book.

‘Well, well, everyone’s here today,’ the Wolf Queen said, appearing diminutively in the doorway. Fuka looked up from her book, and the boys from their video game. They greeted Rion with a quick ‘Hey’ and ‘’Sup.’

Fuka didn’t say anything. She glanced at the Wolf Queen, and just as quickly dropped her eyes back down to her book.

‘Hey, Kokoro-chan?’ said Ureshino.

‘Yes?’

‘Do you have, like, a boyfriend or somebody you fancy?’

‘Err?’ Her eyes widened at this question out of the blue. Kokoro wondered if he was dying to talk to somebody about his infatuation with Aki. She looked around at the others and realized something was in the air.

Masamune had stopped playing the video game and was grinning. Subaru had an awkward smile on his face. Kokoro, stuck for a reply, stood stiffly, and Masamune said, teasingly, ‘My commiserations.’

Even Kokoro understood in that moment what he was getting at.

‘Tell me, Kokoro-chan. Will you be here tomorrow? What time, do you think?’ Kokoro didn’t respond and he asked again.

‘I don’t know,’ was the best she could manage.

She could see the Wolf Queen’s teasing stare from the corner of her eye, as the Wolf Queen asked Masamune, ‘So, what’s going on now? Has Ureshino switched his crush already?’ She gave a small giggle.

Ureshino grimaced at the Wolf Queen. Then, his expression changed. He looked at Kokoro. ‘Did you hear what she said?’ He sounded on the verge of tears.

Kokoro had no clue how to respond.

Rion shot her a quick look and changed the subject. ‘So what kind of games did you bring today, Kokoro?’

Then a high-pitched voice: ‘How dumb can you get?’ Fuka, speaking to Ureshino. Her tone was piercing and caustic.