It was now an unspoken rule that the boys would hang out in the Game Room, while the girls would get together in the dining room. When she arrived at the castle, Kokoro would drop off her belongings in her room and head straight to the dining room.

What Kokoro looked forward to most was seeing Aki and Fuka.

Even Ureshino was no longer the girl chaser he had been.

And slowly – ever so slowly – when Aki wasn’t with them, Fuka began opening up about not going to school.

‘You mean there’re moments when you can’t keep up with schoolwork, Fuka-chan? That’s hard to believe.’

Fuka looked like the perfect A student, what with her glasses and bowl haircut. But Fuka smiled and said, ‘You didn’t see that coming, did you? I know I look a bit nerdy, but my grades are actually pretty bad. There’s tons of schoolwork I just don’t get. I often feel left behind.’

‘So maybe you could go to juku or—’ Kokoro started to say, when a voice interrupted them.

‘Goood morning, Fuka. Kokoro.’

Aki walked in, sounding cheerful, and the two girls’ conversation ended there.

Fuka was willing to open up more about school, but with Aki it still remained a sensitive subject.

‘It’s so cool in here, I feel revived,’ she murmured. She took out her thermos and got the tea ready.

Kokoro and Fuka took out the cookies they’d each brought, and today Aki had brought patterned paper napkins which she began to spread out. When she saw the napkins, with their border design of rose vines and birds, Fuka declared them ‘So sweet.’ Not the kind of comment she typically made. She fingered one delicately and asked, ‘Where do they sell these?’

‘They are lovely, aren’t they,’ Aki said, and smiled. ‘I went to a stationer’s nearby at the weekend and they were selling them there. They had all kinds of other cool designs as well, and it was so hard to choose. Do you like these, Fuka? I’ll give them to you.’

‘Do I like them? Yeah, I suppose so.’

‘They’re so gorgeous,’ Kokoro piped up, and Fuka looked at her.

‘Aki-chan?’

‘Hm?’

‘Can I give Kokoro-chan one too?’

‘Sure. Of course.’

‘Really?’ Kokoro asked, and with a ‘Here you go,’ Fuka handed her the one she was holding. Aki poured the tea, the rising steam giving out its fragrant apple smell. The napkins and tea matched perfectly.

‘Thank you,’ Kokoro said, and Fuka spread out another napkin and placed the cookies on top. Just then, as if waiting for this moment, who should turn up at the doorway to the dining room but Ureshino.

This was unusual, seeing as he normally never came to the castle until the afternoon.

He stood fidgeting, as if waiting for Kokoro and the girls to notice him.

‘Hey, Ureshino,’ Aki called.