Work Text:
Morning. The school hallway is quiet. 7:23 a.m.
Sakura opened the locker as usual. Between the books and the files, there was a small piece of paper neatly folded.
He opened it, read with raised eyebrows:
“I see you. Every day.” His fingers automatically tightened their grip on the paper.
Sakura: ….
Eyes scan left and right. Empty. The breeze drifts slowly.
And just like that, the drama begins playing in the head.
“WHO’S TRYING TO SCARE PEOPLE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING?!”
His voice echoed to the end of the block. A second-year student who was just about to enter the intersection turned around and whispered, "Not today."
———
Location: Back benches behind Block A.
Sakura shows the note to Suo with a serious face.
Suo takes it, reads it—with zero reaction.
Suo: “…oh.”
Sakura: “‘Oh’?!! Don’t you think this is creepy?!”
Suo: “Maybe a secret admirer. You are kind of… famous.”
In Suo’s head:
(One, two… and there it is. Blushing right on cue.)
Sakura: (blushing) “This isn’t the time for jokes!”
Suo gives a small smile. “Alright. Let’s investigate.”
(Inner thought):Actually, I already know who did it. But your reaction is... priceless.
———
The next day, there was a new note.
"You're wearing a blue shirt today. Looks good.”
Sakura immediately felt like climbing the wall. His heart felt like it was going to explode. Horror + embarrassment mixed together.
He dragged Suo to the locker.
Sakura: "Look at this! He knows what I'm wearing! He's STALKING me!"
Suo: (in his mind: Well… he saw you this morning…) “Hmm… do you think he’s with you, or is he… in our class?”
Sakura: “DON’T SAY STUFF LIKE THAT—!”
———
They tried checking under the locker and found a blue pen cap with a small "NIREI" stamp on the end.
Sakura: “…You think…?”
Suo: "Do you want to ask him now, or let him write another note first?"
Sakura: “SUO–!!”
———
Nirei stands in class, flustered. Finally confesses that he was experimenting with invisible ink.The note was written with lemon juice & can be read when the morning light hits it at a certain angle.
Nirei: "I... I didn't know it was Sakura's locker. I just picked it randomly... But the experiment worked, didn't it? Great, right?"
Sakura really wanted to hit him, but Suo pulled him away just in time.
———
Evening.
They sit on the rooftop bench.
The breeze is gentle, the sky glowing orange.
Sakura: “I think… I overreacted a bit today.”
Suo: “No. I liked seeing you so passionate.”
(beat.)
Sakura: “…You knew from the start, didn’t you?”
Sakura looked at him. His eyes were wide open with a red face. He knew from the beginning that… Suo knew.
Suo: (smiles) “Maybe.”
Sakura covered his face. Very ashamed.
Suo (voiceover): Sometimes, the real mystery… It's not who wrote the note. But why does your heart beat faster, When he sits next to you, And reads the note together.
———
(beat. Long silence. Breeze passes.)
Sakura: “…But seriously, if there are any more of those strange notes tomorrow… I’ll pull all the locker doors off.”
Suo:
“Eh, don’t. I’ve got my tea thermos in there. Still keeps the temperature stable for six hours.”
Sakura: “…Your priorities are really weird.”