"And I'm telling you, I held it for almost three whole seconds longer this time!" she declared proudly, her voice full of excitement as she leaned forward slightly, completely immersed in her own story. "Do you know how insane that is? That's basically a breakthrough!"
Unfortunately, she was also eating.
Which meant that, with every exaggerated word, small bits of rice escaped her mouth mid-sentence, launching themselves unintentionally toward the unfortunate soul sitting beside her.
The unfortunate soul being Via who had been peacefully eating up until that exact moment.
"…Rickey." Her tone was flat, bordering on very dangerous territory. Rickey either didn't notice—Or chose not to.
"Like, if I can just stabilize it for another second or two, I swear I can push even further and—"
That was as far as she got. Because the next thing she knew, a piece of bread was firmly shoved into her mouth. "Mmgh—?!"
Via lowered her hand calmly, her expression unchanged as she resumed eating as if nothing had happened.
"Chew first. Then talk," she said simply.
Rickey blinked, then slowly began chewing. "…Okay."
Around the table, a few of the others snickered quietly, Last Shot shaking her head while Plan Nine and Quenya exchanged amused glances, Lucky Luck covering her mouth slightly to hide a laugh, and Iyasaka watching it all with her usual laid-back disinterest.
Lunar, seated near the two, let out a soft chuckle, her shoulders relaxing slightly as she observed the exchange, the lightness of the moment settling comfortably around her.
Then, she felt a small tug at her sleeve. She looked down to see it was Speedy,
The girl sat right beside her, already leaning slightly in her direction, her mouth open expectantly. "Aaah~"
Without a word, Lunar picked up a piece of fried shrimp tempura with her chopsticks and brought it over, gently placing it into Speedy's waiting mouth.
Speedy immediately lit up, happily munching away as if she had just received the greatest reward in the world, her expression bright and satisfied.
Lunar watched Speedy for a moment, a quiet hint of amusement lingering in her eyes as she chewed, the warmth of the small interaction settling comfortably in her chest.
Then—
She felt it again.
A tug.
This time from the other side.
She turned her head.
And there was Sakura. Who was… also holding out a piece of fried shrimp tempura. Except this time, it was directed toward her. "Aaah~" Sakura cooed, her chopsticks held steady as she leaned just slightly closer.
Lunar paused for a brief second, her gaze resting on Sakura before softening, and without any hesitation or protest, she leaned forward to accept the offered bite.
"Mm."
She covered her mouth lightly with her hand as she chewed, her expression relaxing as the taste settled, before giving a small, appreciative nod.
"Thank you, Sakura-chan."
Sakura's expression shifted almost as a small, satisfied smile formed on her lips, causing her to straighten slightly, clearly pleased with herself.
"Mm," she hummed softly, before casually picking up some rice and ate it using the exact same chopsticks she had just used to feed Lunar.
Across from them, Cheval Maru had been quietly eating her bento the entire time, her presence so unobtrusive that she almost seemed to blend into the background of the lively table, yet despite that, her eyes had never once drifted away.
She had been watching.
Observing.
Taking in each moment as it happens in real time and connecting them one after another.
Cheval paused mid-bite, her chopsticks hovering just slightly in front of her lips as that realization began to appear more clearly in her mind.
And then—she came to a conclusion.
…They look like a family.
With that thought in place, her gaze shifted again, more focused now as she studied them through that lens, watching how each of them fit into the dynamic almost too perfectly.
Lunar, calm and gentle, taking care of others without wanting anything in return. her actions guiding and kind in a way that unite the group around her—
…The mom.
Sakura, a little more guarded and reactive, yet clearly trying to care in her own way, her attention drifting back to Lunar again and again as if she's looking at a beautiful painting that she can never get enough of—
…The dad.
And Speedy, happily chewing her tempura that Lunar had fed her without a single care in the world, completely at ease within that space—
…The child.
Cheval stared at them for a little while, the thought settling as naturally as it had formed, and without questioning it any further, she simply took another quiet bite of her food.
The moment went on to relax into a comfortable rhythm again, the table filled with loud chatter and the occasional clink of utensils, until—
A sudden weight landed on Lunar's shoulders from behind.
"Got you~!" Neia's voice rang out brightly as she leaned in, wrapping one arm loosely around Lunar in a quick side hug while her other hand lifted her phone up without hesitation.
Click.
The flash went off before Lunar could even process what was happening. "—Huh?!"
By the time Lunar turned her head, slightly startled, Neia had already pulled away, completely unfazed as she looked down at her phone with a satisfied grin.
"Perfect~!" she chirped, scrolling through the photo. "That's today's post done."
"Hey—don't post that!" Lunar immediately protested, her brows knitting together as she reached out slightly, though not quite fast enough to stop her. "I wasn't ready, I must look weird in that—"
But Neia had already walked off.
She slid casually into the seat beside Quenya, crossing her legs slightly as she continued examining the photo, completely ignoring Lunar's concern.
"That is literally the last thing you should be worried about," she said matter-of-factly. "Do you even realize how photogenic you are?"
Lunar's face visibly frowned. "…I don't?"
"Of course you don't," Neia sighed, as if this was a tragedy of the highest order. "Here, look." She turned the phone around and held it up.
Lunar leaned in slightly to see, before she pause.
Because somehow—
Despite being completely unprepared, caught mid-reaction with her eyes slightly widened and lips just barely parted, the photo looked… good.
Uhm, actually, it was more than good.
The angle had somehow emphasized the shape of her eyes and the natural definition of her cheekbones so intentionally, like the entire expression and pose had been carefully planned rather than something taken in surprise.
Lunar stared at it for a second longer. "…That's… weird."
Neia snatched the phone back with a small scoff. "I wish I could look this good without trying," she muttered, already tapping through her screen. "Maybe then my follower count would actually go up."
From across the table, Sakura narrowed her eyes slightly, her gaze shifting between Neia and the phone. "…Is that why you keep posting selfies with Lunar in them?" she asked, her tone edged with suspicion.
Neia didn't even think about it. "Duh." She turned the phone again, this time not just showing one photo, but her entire feed.
And sure enough—the last six or seven posts all had Lunar in them somehow.
Sometimes it was a selfie with Neia in the foreground, posing confidently while Lunar just so happened to be behind her, caught mid-action without even realizing it, and other times Lunar was simply part of the background entirely, unaware that she had been included at all, yet somehow still managing to stand out as if the frame itself had been built around her presence.
Lunar leaned in slightly, her eyes widening just a fraction as she looked more closely, her confusion growing the more she scrolled.
"…Why am I in so many of these?" she asked, her tone genuinely puzzled as she tried to recall ever agreeing to any of this.
Neia grinned. "Because I'm doing the world a favor," she said confidently. "People deserve to see more of Luna's beauty."
Sakura's expression immediately shifted into something noticeably displeased, her lips pressing into a thin line as she glanced at Lunar, then back at Neia.
Meanwhile, Neia continued talking as if nothing had changed, either completely oblivious to the tension she had just created or simply choosing to ignore it.
"Besides," she added, lightly waving her phone in the air, "you don't even post anything on your own Umagram."
Lunar tilted her head slightly at that, her hand coming up to scratch thoughtfully at her chin as she considered the statement.
"…I just never really felt the need to," she admitted honestly, her tone calm and unbothered. "And I don't really know what I would post anyway."
She paused briefly, her gaze drifting as she thought about it more seriously.
"I usually just open it to look at other people's posts," she continued, her voice casual as she spoke, "and sometimes I'll like a few videos here and there, but taking pictures of myself…"
She hesitated for a moment, her expression turning just slightly awkward. "…It feels kind of embarrassing."
Her gaze drifted slightly, her thoughts wandering as she considered it more seriously. "…Actually," she added after a second, "I don't think I have a single selfie on my phone."
There was a brief pause as Lunar seemed to reconsider her own statement, her brows knitting slightly as something came to mind.
"…Well," she said after a moment, correcting herself, "there is one."
Neia's head snapped up almost instantly, her interest piqued. "Oh?"
Lunar gave a small nod, her gaze drifting slightly as she recalled it. "It's a picture I took when my friend Persian fell asleep on my shoulder," she explained, her tone softening just a little at the memory. "It's mostly just my face, but… you can see a bit of her from the side."
Neia stared at her at both the screen and then to Lunar.
Then—
Smack.
Her hand hit the table with enough force to make the utensils rattle lightly, the sudden noise cutting through the conversation and drawing a few glances from nearby tables.
Quenya flinched beside her, her shoulders tensing slightly before she turned with a gentle but scolding look. "Neia-chan… please don't hit the table," she said softly.
"Ah—sorry," Neia replied quickly, lifting her hand without resistance, though the apology barely slowed her down as she immediately leaned forward again, her expression now focused with intensity. "That's exactly the problem!" she declared.
Lunar paused her movement as she was caught off guard by the sudden escalation. "…What is?"
"You don't take pictures of yourself," Neia said, pointing straight at her as if she had just uncovered a crucial truth. "Which means someone has to do it for you."
She tapped her chest proudly. "That someone is me."
Lunar stared at her for a moment, not getting the idea behind that. "…I didn't ask for that."
"I'm your unofficial photographer and PR manager now," Neia continued smoothly, speaking right over her as if the objection didn't exist, already scrolling through her phone again with an unbothered demeanor. "And clearly, I'm doing a great job."
She turned the screen toward Lunar once more, a confident grin forming on her face. "Look at this."
Lunar leaned in again to take a closer look, and this time a few others followed, their curiosity piqued as they gathered around Neia's phone.
And sure enough—the difference was obvious.
Posts that had Lunar in them, whether she was the focus or just casually existing in the background, had numbers that climbed well into the thousands, while everything else on Neia's feed struggled to even reach the hundreds.
Neia's lips curled into a smug little smile as she tilted the phone slightly, clearly satisfied with the result.
"See?" she said, her tone laced with pride. "I'm boosting your popularity."
Lucky Luck leaned forward slightly, her eyes scanning through the feed with interest, until one particular post made her pause. "Oh—wait," she murmured, tapping lightly on the screen. "This one."
Neia paused at that, then adjusted the angle of her phone so everyone could see more clearly.
It was a selfie.
Neia stood in the foreground, flashing a cute peace sign with a bright, practiced smile—but that wasn't what held everyone's attention.
It was the background.
Lunar was in the middle of a conversation with what would be Sakura, sitting just a short distance behind, smiling like she was drawn for it. Her eyes had curved into soft crescents, while her silver hair was caught mid-motion by the wind, strands lifting and flowing like she had come right out of a fantasy book.
She didn't even look real, it was more like something out of a dream.
A fleeting, delicate presence, like a fairy that had wandered into the frame by accident and left behind only a glimpse of something beautiful and distant.
"…That one," Neia said, her voice softening just slightly as she looked at the photo, "was the first picture I ever took with Lunar in it." She tapped the post and opened it fully. "And it's still my most popular one."
The number appeared clearly on the screen.
17.6K likes.
Lunar froze. "…Ten thousand?" Her lips parted slightly, genuine shock settling into her expression as she stared at the number as her mind hadn't quite caught up with what she was seeing.
Neia let out a small sigh, though there was an unmistakable hint of pride beneath it. "Yeah," she replied. "It even beat my dance trend video."
She scrolled briefly, pulling up another post for comparison. "The one where I did the Daitaku Helios rap meme? That didn't even reach half of this."
Then she switched back and tapped into the comments and they flooded the screen almost instantly.
Line after line—but most of them weren't about Neia.
"Who's the girl in the back???"
"She's so pretty omg???"
"IS THAT THE NEW GIRL???"
"That smile—hello???"
"Drop her @ right now 😭"
Lunar continued staring at the screen, her eyes lingering on the flood of comments as her thoughts slowly began to piece everything together.
Just then, something clicked.
"…Wait." Her expressions lit up slightly as she lifted her gaze from the phone, turning it back toward Neia with a more focused look. "Did you… tag me in these?"
Neia gave a casual shrug. "Only recently."
That short answer explained everything.
Lunar's expression changed again, realization hitting her now as she thought back over the past few days—the constant stream of notifications, the sudden spike in followers that made her phone barely stay quiet for more than a few minutes at a time, all of it making sense now with the information she had received.
"…So that's why," she murmured, half to herself, her voice softer as she pieced it together. "I was wondering why my notifications kept blowing up…" Her thoughts caught up to the conclusion. "…It was you."
Neia only grinned wider, clearly proud of herself. "You're welcome."
Lunar let out a soft exhale, still thinking it through, her mind flip-flopping somewhere between mild disbelief and reluctant acceptance, though before she could fully respond or even decide how she felt about it—
Something appeared, or more like a presence. One that seemed to loom quietly behind her, casting a faint shadow onto her as the light above dimmed from the figure standing there.
Lunar slowly turned to see what it was.
And there, right behind her, stood Validissimus. Her frame naturally imposing even without any effort, her mere presence enough to make most people instinctively tense without understanding why.
And her expression was intimidating. Or at least—that's how it would look to anyone else.
Her lips were curved into what looked like a smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes, leaving her expression caught in that oddly stiff, unreadable state that could easily be mistaken for irritation or restrained anger by anyone who didn't know her well.
Around the table, a few of the others instinctively went quiet, their earlier chatter fading as they watched her, unsure of what to make of the presence now looming behind Lunar.
But Lunar knew better. Because she had seen that exact expression before.
Just last week, during one of their dance practice sessions with Sakura, Hiro, Via, Rickey, and Speedy, when she had casually teased Validissimus about how unexpectedly cute she looked while dancing, not thinking much of it at the time—
And Validissimus, completely unprepared for the comment, had frozen on the spot and ended up wearing that very same expression for the rest of the session, her face locked into something that looked far more intimidating than it actually was.
It wasn't anger.
It wasn't hostility.
It was—
Embarrassment.
One that she didn't quite know how to express.
So instead of showing it, she suppressed it entirely, her features stiffening as she tried to maintain control, only to end up looking even more intense because of it.
Realizing this, Lunar's eyes softened slightly, a faint trace of amusement flickering beneath her otherwise calm expression as she tilted her head just a little, studying her for a brief moment.
"…Do you need something?" she asked gently.
Validissimus didn't respond right away.She simply stood there for another second, still wearing that same rigid, "intimidating" smile—
One that, in truth, meant she had absolutely no idea what she was supposed to do right now.
The moment Validissimus stepped closer—the entire surrounding changed.
Conversations around them began to quiet one by one, the entire cafeteria dipping into an uneasy silence as more and more eyes drifted toward the scene at the table. It wasn't hard to understand why—Validissimus wasn't exactly someone people ignored, and the fact that she was now walking straight toward a table where Sakura Farrel sat only made it worse.
Her arch enemy.
Or at least… that was what everyone believed.
Sakura noticed her too—of course she did. Seated right beside Lunar, she moved her head slightly upward, her maroon eyes lifting to meet Validissimus's just as the taller girl came to a stop beside the table, and in that brief, suspended moment—
They locked eyes, and no one spoke.
Not Rickey, who had been mid-conversation just seconds ago, not Via, who usually had something to say no matter the situation, and not even Neia, whose voice had filled the space earlier without any pause.
Across the table, Quenya, Last Shot, Plan Nine, Iyasaka, Lucky Luck, and Cheval Maru all went completely frozen, their attention fully captured as they watched the silent exchange, the tension rising almost imperceptibly with each passing second.
Even beyond the table, the rest of the cafeteria had begun to take notice, whispers fading into quiet anticipation as heads turned subtly, students pretending not to stare while very clearly doing exactly that.
Everyone was waiting.
For something.
Anything.
And then—
Sakura reached her hand up and tugged lightly on Validissimus's sleeve, the gesture casual and friendly, like there was nothing unusual about the situation at all.
"…Huh?" Validissimus responded, her stiff expression cracking just slightly as confusion flickered across her face and she glanced down at Sakura.
Sakura didn't answer as she simply lifted her hand and pointed to the empty seat beside her.
Then gave a small, wordless gesture.
Sit.
Validissimus blinked once, then twice, clearly taking a moment to process what had just happened, as if her mind needed an extra second to catch up to the simplicity of the gesture.
Then—
"…Oh." And just like that, she sat down.
The entire opposite side of the table exploded.
"EHHHH?!"
The reaction wasn't contained to just them, nor did it stay quiet for long, because the moment it registered, it spread like wildfire across the cafeteria, voices rising in unison as shock rippled through the room.
"EHHHHHHH???!"
Heads turned in every direction, conversations breaking apart as students openly stared, disbelief written across their faces as they tried to process what they were seeing—Validissimus, seated right beside Sakura Farrel, the two of them existing side by side as if there had never been any animosity between them at all.
Meanwhile—
At the very center of it all—
Lunar simply smiled faintly, her expression calm and unbothered as if none of this was particularly surprising.
Speedy continued eating like nothing had happened, completely immersed in her meal.
Via took another bite of her snack without so much as blinking, her usual aloof demeanor remaining perfectly intact.
Rickey, though slightly wide-eyed, didn't look nearly as shocked as she probably should have been.
And Hiro-senpai was openly laughing.
"Pfft—HAHAHA, you should see your faces!" she managed between bursts of laughter, clearly far too entertained by the reactions around her to even attempt to hide it.
Because unlike everyone else, they already knew about this. And the question that now lingered in everyone else's mind—
How?
—
The studio had already been filled with familiar faces long before that moment, music equipment set up and ready as usual, the atmosphere relaxed yet expectant as the group gathered for their regular practice session.
Everyone was there.
Except—
Sakura.
Rickey checked the time again, her brows furrowing slightly as she glanced toward the door, confusion beginning to spiral. "…That's weird," she muttered, her voice carrying just enough for the others to hear. "Sakura's late?"
That alone was enough to raise concern.
Sakura Farrel—
Late?
Impossible.
"She's always the first one here," Rickey continued, looking around as if expecting someone else to confirm it, her tone laced with disbelief. "No matter what time practice starts."
Which made this—
Unusual.
"…Something's off."
"Mm~ not really," Via chimed in lazily from the side, already seated and scrolling through her phone. "Just wait~ she'll come soon."
Rickey turned to her slowly.
Suspicious.
"…Why are you so chill about this?"
Via didn't even bother lifting her gaze from the screen.
"Because I know what's coming."
That didn't help.
If anything, it made Rickey even more uneasy. "…Okay, now I'm really concerned."
She moved attention elsewhere. Her eyes moving across the room until they landed on Lunar—
And that didn't help either, because Lunar looked…happy. Far more happy than she should be considering Sakura was late, a small smile lingering on her face like she was waiting for something she already knew was about to happen.
Rickey narrowed her eyes further. "…Lunar."
"Hm?" Lunar responded, her tone soft and seemingly innocent.
"…Do you know why Sakura's late?"
There was a pause.
"…No?"
Lunar tried.
She really did.
But she was terrible at lying.
Her expression betrayed her almost instantly, the slight dim in her bright eyes, the way her smile twitched just a little too much, the awkward movement of her face—
Rickey's eyes narrowed further. "…You're lying."
"I'm not—"
"You are."
"I'm not very good at it," Lunar admitted.
"That's not the point!" Rickey threw her hands up slightly, now fully convinced that something was going on. "…What are you hiding—"
Click.
The studio door opened.
All eyes turned toward the sound. And there, standing in the doorway was Sakura.
Finally. Rickey exhaled in relief— "Oh, there you—" She stopped mid-sentence because Sakura wasn't alone, there was someone standing behind her.
"…Wait." Rickey blinked. Then leaned forward slightly, squinting as if her eyes were somehow playing tricks on her. "…What the fuck?"
Behind Sakura—
Standing there like it was totally normal and not mindblowing at all—
Was Validissimus.
Rickey was the first to react, her entire body jolting like she got hit by lightning.
"—WHAT?!" she yelped, nearly knocking over her own water bottle in the process as she stared toward the doorway in complete and genuine disbelief, her voice loud enough to echo slightly through the room.
Beside her, Hiro-senpai straightened herself up as her eyes widened just a fraction, surprised by what she was seeing, while Speedy, who had been moving to the rhythm just a second ago, froze mid-step before letting out a small, startled sound as she instinctively peeked out from behind Lunar. "…Eh?!"
"…EHH?!"
The reactions overlapped and bounced off one another, shock spreading through the room almost instantly as everyone tried to process the same impossible sight—
Everyone, that is, except two particular girls.
"Took you guys long enough~ Thought you two fought again or something… would be unfortunate that I couldn't record it," Via said casually, her tone light as she didn't even bother to look up from her phone, as if this had been part of the plan all along.
Lunar, who had been standing nearby, turned slightly at that and reached over without much thought, pinching Via lightly at her side.
"Via-chan," she murmured in mild scolding, though the faint smile resting on her lips made it clear that she wasn't actually upset.
Via only hummed in response, completely unrepentant.
Meanwhile, Sakura stepped fully into the room, entirely unfazed by the chaos her arrival had caused, carrying herself with her usual composure as if nothing about this situation was out of the ordinary, while Validissimus followed just a step behind her, her presence far less steady under the weight of everyone's stares.
Lunar tilted her head slightly, her gaze shifting between the two of them. "You're late," she said, her tone gentle but laced with quiet curiosity. "What happened?"
"This idiot got a stomach ache from eating spicy ramen," Skura replied flatly, jerking her thumb toward Validissimus without so much as sparing her a glance.
"I did not—" Validissimus shot back immediately, her voice defensive as she tried to refute it—
But there was no conviction behind it.
None at all.
It was so painfully unconvincing that everyone in the room could hear it.
Lunar raised a brow slightly, her expression turning just a bit more teasing. "…Really?"
Validissimus hesitated, her confidence faltering almost immediately as her gaze flickered uncertainly before slowly shifting toward Lunar, who was very clearly not convinced.
At all.
"…I," she tried again, her voice catching slightly as if she was searching for a way to salvage it but ultimately failed.
Realizing the circumstances, she finally relents and confesses her crime.
"…I can't handle spicy food," she admitted at last, her voice dropping just a little as she looked away, her earlier defensiveness dissolving into reluctant honesty. "I just… didn't want to look bad in front of my roommates."
There was a brief pause as the admission was given. "…So I tried to eat it anyway." Another pause followed, slightly more awkward than the first.
"…And then I had to run to the bathroom right after."
Lunar laughed at that. Soft, warm, and completely unrestrained, the sound light and genuine as it broke through the tension that had built up in the room.
"That's so silly," she said, her shoulders shaking just slightly as she smiled at her, amusement clear in her expression without a trace of judgment.
Beside them, Sakura let out a small huff, the corner of her lips lifting ever so slightly into a faint smirk.
Rickey, however, had just barely recovered from her initial shock.
"…Okay, hold on," she said, stepping forward as she pointed between the two of them, her expression strained as her brain visibly struggled to process everything at once. "Why is she here?"
Her finger landed squarely on Validissimus.
"And why are you so okay with it?!" she added, turning toward Sakura with wide eyes, as if the entire world had just flipped on its head from what she understood.
But before Sakura could even open her mouth to respond, Via answered instead.
"Oh, that?" she said boringly, still scrolling through her phone. "They made up a few days ago in our room while you guys were gone."
Rickey froze. "…They what."
"Mutual understanding," Via continued, her tone light and almost absentminded as she kept her focus on her screen. "Very touching, honestly. Lots of emotional development. Sucks that there wasn't a final confrontation though."
Rickey stared at her for a full second, then abruptly reached forward and grabbed her by the shoulders. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?!" she demanded, shaking her lightly, her voice filled with betrayed outrage.
Via barely reacted, her body swaying slightly with the motion, her expression unchanged. "Because this is funnier," she replied simply.
Rickey looked like she was on the verge of combusting, her expression caught somewhere between outrage and disappointment as she struggled to process everything happening at once.
Meanwhile—
Hiro-senpai stepped forward.
Without a word, she walked straight up to Validissimus until they were standing face to face, the difference in their height barely noticeable thanks to the way Hiro carried herself, her presence strong as that natural senpai aura radiated from her so strongly that it seemed to weigh down the very air around them.
Validissimus's body stiffened on instinct, her shoulders tensing as Hiro's expression became far more serious, her features sharpening as her golden eyes locked onto Validissimus in a way that felt as though they were looking straight through her rather than at her.
It was intimidating, genuinely so.
Validissimus froze where she stood, her mind blanking for a brief moment under the pressure of that gaze.
And then—
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Speedy ran up from behind and began smacking Hiro repeatedly on the back, her small hands landing with surprising insistence as she tried to break the tension. "Don't scare her for no reason!" she protested, clearly unimpressed with whatever Hiro thought she was doing.
The moment shattered instantly.
Hiro snapped out of it, the intensity disappearing just as quickly as it had appeared, before she broke into a wide grin, her entire demeanor shifting back to her usual carefree self as if nothing had happened at all.
"Ahaha, I was just playing," she said lightly, waving a hand dismissively.
Validissimus did not look convinced. If anything, the image of those piercing golden eyes had already etched itself firmly into her memory, lingering in a way that made it very clear she wouldn't be forgetting that anytime soon.
Before the awkwardness could stretch any further—
A hand reached out and grabbed hers. "Come on," Lunar said brightly, already tugging her along without hesitation, her tone light and inviting. "It's time to practice. You still have to teach me how you dance like that."
Validissimus stumbled a little, footwork a little unbalanced by the sudden shift—
And then, just a little, her expression softened. "…Right."
And for a brief moment, She looked… extremely happy.
Off to the side, Sakura watched them go, her arms loosely crossed as she let out a small, quiet sigh, though the faint smile lingering on her lips made it clear that she didn't mind nearly as much as she might have before.
___
"…Is my eyesight failing me?"
Cheval Maru found herself wondering that quietly as she stared across the table, her chopsticks pausing mid-motion as she tried to process what she was seeing.
Because right there, sitting beside Sakura Farrel as if this had always been the case, was Validissimus.
Calmly eating her lunch and completely unbothered by the situation. And Sakura….wasn't reacting at all. If anything, the two of them looked…normal.
Cheval blinked once, then again, as if expecting the image to correct itself.
Nope.
Still there.
"…What timeline is this?" she wondered silently, taking another slow bite of her food as she continued observing the scene, her expression remaining composed even as her thoughts quietly unraveled.
Naturally, it didn't take long for someone crazy to break the fragile calm that had descended over the table.
Neia leaned to the other side casually, resting her chin against her hand as her eyes moved between Sakura and Validissimus with open curiosity, completely unfazed by the lingering tension that everyone else was still trying to navigate.
"So…" she began, dragging the word out just slightly, her tone teasing and far too relaxed for the situation, "you two seem pretty buddy-buddy now."
Quenya, seated beside her, stiffened almost immediately, already sensing exactly where this was heading. "Neia-chan, maybe we shouldn't—"
"Did you guys kiss and make up or something?" Neia finished anyway, completely ignoring her.
Quenya closed her eyes briefly, as if bracing herself for whatever might come next.
Across the table, Validissimus paused mid-bite, her movements slowing as her expression shifted into a slight frown, her brows knitting together in thought as she considered how to respond, and for a moment it gave her that same intimidating look again.
But then, somehow it changed. Her features softened as she smiled, not the usual restrained, barely-there curve of her lips, but something far more natural, something genuine in a way that immediately stood out because of how rare it was.
Lucky Luck found herself stunlocked at the sight as a thought slipped into her mind along with it.
…She's actually kind of handsome.
Beside her, Iyasaka's cheeks tinted faintly pink, her gaze lingering for just a moment too long before she quickly looked away, suddenly very interested in her food that she had not touched since earlier.
"…Yeah," Validissimus said simply, her voice quieter now, softer, carrying a calmness that hadn't been there before. "We worked things out."
Her gaze shifted slightly towards Lunar. "…Thanks to her."
Sakura, still chewing, gave a small nod in agreement, making a quiet approving sound as she continued eating.
Naturally—
Everyone's attention followed.
Straight to Lunar.
"…I didn't really do anything," Lunar said, waving in denial slightly at the sudden focus.
Both Sakura and Validissimus turned to look at her, blankly and unconvincingly.
Lunar hesitated under their gaze before lifting a hand slightly, trying to organize her thoughts into something clearer.
"I just… gave you both a space to talk," she explained, her tone thoughtful and sincere. "The apology, the understanding… that was all you two. You were the ones who chose to let go and start again."
She paused briefly, her gaze dipping for a moment as she considered her own words. Then she nodded lightly, confirming it to herself. "…So it wasn't really me."
The entire table stared at her with the distinct feeling that she had just said something incredibly stupid.
Lunar looked around at their response, clearly not understanding the reaction. "…What?"
No one answered.
Because, at this point, they were used to it.
"…She's just like that," Rickey muttered under her breath, shaking her head slightly as if that alone explained everything.
And just like that, the moment dissolved, the group collectively decided it was far easier to move on than to try and untangle Lunar's logic any further.
Plan Nine leaned forward slightly, her attention shifting away from Lunar and settling instead on Validissimus, The Junior B's expression sharpening into seriousness. "…You've changed," she put it bluntly, her tone direct but not hostile.. "That's pretty sudden."
There was no accusation in her voice, only scrutiny.
Validissimus didn't flinch. "…I was wrong," she admitted without any other thoughts. "About a lot of things."
"I said things I shouldn't have, and I apologized for them," she continued, glancing briefly at Sakura before looking back at Plan Nine. "So… I'd like to turn over a new page."
Plan Nine studied her.
Carefully.
Her eyes narrowed just slightly, clearly not someone who would accept things at face value.
But before she could respond—
Sakura spoke.
"…It wasn't just her." Sakura set her chopsticks down for a moment to truly get this over with. "Half of that whole mess was my fault too," she said, her tone straightforward. "Actually… I kind of started it."
"…Even if I didn't realize it back then." She turned her head slightly toward Plan Nine. "So if you're going to be suspicious of her," she added, "then you should be just as suspicious of me."
That caught everyone off guard.
Murmurs spread lightly across the table, quiet whispers of surprise at how easily Sakura had stepped in to defend Validissimus, how naturally she had taken responsibility alongside her.
Plan Nine's expression changed as the sharpness in her gaze eased up just slightly.
Because if Sakura herself was saying that, then it wasn't something to be taken lightly.
"…Alright," she said after a moment, leaning back slightly. "If you're vouching for her… then I'll leave it at that."
And just like that—
The tension disappeared.
Not abruptly, not awkwardly, but naturally, as if it had simply run its course and found no reason to linger any longer.
Conversations slowly picked back up, voices rising again as the table returned to its usual rhythm, laughter and chatter filling the space where silence had briefly taken hold, the earlier disbelief fading into something quieter and far more accepting.
Even the rest of the cafeteria seemed to settle along with them, the shock of seeing the two former bloodied rivals sitting side by side gradually dissolving into a new understanding.
Maybe, it really was time to move on, to something better.
Amidst it all, Lunar reached out gently, her fingers brushing lightly against Sakura's hand to get her attention.
Sakura looked up at her.
Lunar smiled, soft and sincere. "…You did well," she said. "Defending her like that."
Sakura's eyes widened in surprise, clearly not expecting the praise, before her expression softened into a smaller, more personal smile. "…I learned it from you."
Lunar let out a quiet breath, rolling her eyes just slightly in amused annoyance, though there was no real objection behind it.
And just like that, they both returned to their meals.
For a while more, the table stayed like that, until Speedy, who had been quietly chewing beside Lunar, suddenly paused mid-bite. Her eyes narrowed, catching onto something."…Hm?"
She leaned a little closer, tilting her head as if trying to get a better look, her focus narrowing onto Lunar's hand as it moved subtly while she ate. "…Ooo…"
Without warning, she scooted closer.
"Lunaaa," she called softly, her voice filled with curiosity as she reached out and gently pointed toward Lunar's finger. "That ring is really pretty…!"
Lunar blinked at the sudden attention. "…Hm?"
She followed Speedy's gaze—
The ring, right.
"…Oh," she said, kind of surprised by how quickly it had been noticed.
She had never worn it outside like this before, not during academy hours, not in any place inside the academy really, because she did not see anyone wearing rings… though she ended up having the courage to do so after personally asking Sato-ojiisan if it was okay.
Speedy's eyes lit up as she leaned even closer, practically sparkling with curiosity as she pointed at the delicate half-sun design resting on Lunar's finger and asked where she had bought it, her voice full of genuine fascination. That alone was enough to draw attention, because the moment Speedy spoke, Rickey immediately turned her head with interest, leaning over with an excited "Oooh, wait—what ring?" Before Plan Nine followed suit, her gaze narrowed slightly in quiet observation as she murmured, "…That one?" and then Lucky Luck joined in as well, nodding with a small smile as she added that it actually looked really nice.
It didn't stop there, though, because as if pulled by the same invisible thread, Sakura and Validissimus both shifted their attention too, their gazes landing on Lunar's hand, and just like that, one by one, the entire table's focus converged on that single point until suddenly everyone was looking at her, at the ring, at something she hadn't expected to become the center of attention so quickly.
"…Uh…" Lunar instinctively shrank back just a little under the sudden wave of attention, her shoulders drawing in slightly as she wasn't quite prepared for the entire group to zero in on her like this, but the curiosity didn't fade—in fact, it only grew stronger as questions began overlapping, voices stacking over one another in a chaotic but harmless chorus.
"Where'd you get it?"
"Is it custom?"
"It looks expensive…"
"Is there a story behind it?"
The barrage came all at once, leaving Lunar blinking rapidly as she tried to process everything, her thoughts scrambling for a moment before she let out a small breath to steady herself. "…Ah—" she started hesitantly, pausing just long enough to gather her words before finally finding her footing again, her voice soft but clear as she lifted her hand slightly, her eyes briefly flickering down to the ring.
"…It was a gift," she said, a little quieter than usual now, though still calm, the weight of the memory settling gently into her tone. "From my… dearest friend," she continued, and there was a small pause before she added the name, "…Saichan."
That was enough to cause a subtle shift—Sakura's expression tightened just slightly, a faint frown forming without her even realizing it, though Lunar, lost in her own explanation, didn't notice.
"She bought it for me back in Australia," Lunar went on, her voice softening further as the memory played back in her mind, something warm and distant lingering behind her words, "and I promised her I'd wear it everywhere," she added, a small, almost sheepish smile forming as she glanced at it again. "…So I'm starting now."
"Awwww…" The reaction spread instantly across the table, a wave of softened expressions and fond smiles replacing the earlier curiosity as the meaning behind the ring sank in, with voices chiming in one after another about how sweet it was, how meaningful, how it was such a "best friend goal" kind of thing. Lunar, caught in the middle of it all, scratched her cheek lightly, a little embarrassed by the attention but not uncomfortable, her smile lingering quietly as she let them react.
And then—
Cheval Maru spoke. "…Wait." She looked at the ring again and then back at Lunar. "If that Saichan person bought this for you…" she said, tilting her head slightly, "…does that mean she has one too?"
The question landed.
And suddenly—
Several people froze.
Sakura.
Validissimus.
Via.
Even Neia, who had been casually observing up until now, suddenly leaned forward with intense interest, her eyes lighting up as she zeroed in on Lunar.
"…Wait," Neia said, her tone shifting immediately. "Hold on, that's REALLY important." She scooted closer. "Is it true?"
Lunar leaned back slightly on instinct, caught off guard by the sudden invasion of her personal space as Neia practically hovered over her. "…Uh—"
She swallowed. "…Yes." The answer came out small at first, before she found herself. "It's a pair ring," she clarified. "She has the other half." There was a brief pause. "…A moon."
"Ooooh… a sun and moon?"
"That's kind of poetic…"
"Wait, that's actually really cute…"
The reactions came again, but this time they were softer, more thoughtful, more intrigued than outright excited, as if everyone had shifted from simple curiosity into trying to understand the meaning behind it. Cheval Maru, however, studied the ring a moment longer than the others, her gaze lingering with quiet focus before she gave a small, certain nod.
"…That's really romantic."
And just like that, something changed.
The people who had been leaning in just moments ago slowly stilled, their expressions shifting in subtle but telling ways as the mood dipped into a heavier one. Sakura's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, a faint tension forming in her gaze as her composure tightened, while beside her, Validissimus straightened just a fraction, her expression sharpening as her presence grew more imposing without her even realizing it. Even Via, who had been idly snacking without a care in the world, paused mid-bite, her hand hovering slightly as her usually detached expression flickered into something far more complicated.
She lightly shook her head with a faint and helpless smile as she tried to wave off the implication. "It's not like that," she said, her tone calm but carrying a little more insistence now, as if she felt the need to correct something she couldn't quite see. "It's just a gift from a friend."
Neia leaned in immediately, clearly unconvinced, her eyes glowing with playful suspicion as she waved a hand dismissively.
"There's no way that's just a friend," she shot back without hesitation. "Friends don't give each other matching rings like that, come on."
"…Saichan was the one who proposed it," she added, thinking that maybe more context would help smooth things over. There was a brief pause before she continued, her voice still gentle, still completely sincere.
"She even knelt down and said, 'Will you be my dearest friend?' before giving it to me."
The words left her mouth naturally, but the moment they did, something strange ran through her—a small, inexplicable jolt that made her pause for just a fraction of a second.
She didn't dwell on it.
But everyone else was staring.
The table had gone quiet again, the earlier chatter completely gone as they looked at her with expressions that ranged from disbelief to confusion, as if trying to process whether what she had just said was real or not.
Lunar blinked, glancing between them. "…What?" she asked, genuinely puzzled. "It's true."
She wasn't joking.
And the reactions that followed were… mixed.
Some looked like they had just lost a small piece of their understanding of how the world worked, their expressions faintly strained as they tried to accept it, while others chose not to question it at all, retreating into neutral silence instead. As for the three who had reacted the strongest earlier—Sakura, Validissimus, and Via—the tension in them gradually eased, their expressions returning to something more familiar, more controlled, though there was a subtle shift beneath it all, something quieter… something along the lines of relief.
The conversation gradually drifted away from that, easing into something lighter as everyone returned to their meals, though the earlier topic still lingered faintly in the background like an echo that hadn't quite faded.
Lucky Luck's fingers brushed gently against Lunar's hand, just enough to catch her attention without disrupting the flow of the table. Lunar glanced over at her, tilting her head slightly. "…Hm, What is it, Lucky-chan?"
Lucky Luck offered a small smile. "Are you going to race this year?" she asked, pausing briefly before clarifying, "As a junior, I mean."
"I am." The answer came easily, without doubt, which made Lucky Luck tilt her head just slightly, her brows lifting as she considered it.
"But… aren't most of the nearby racecourses closed right now?" she pointed out, her voice thoughtful. "It's getting close to winter."
That made Lunar pause. "…They are?"
Her gaze immediately shifted toward Via and Rickey, who both looked back at her with matching expressions of mild surprise, as if this was something they had simply assumed she already knew.
"We thought you knew," Rickey said.
"Yeah," Via added with a small shrug, completely unfazed. "We figured you just didn't plan on racing."
Rickey nodded, picking up the thought without hesitation.
"Since you'd probably just smoke everyone anyway," she said bluntly, as if stating an obvious fact. "There wouldn't really be a point."
Lunar shook her head almost immediately at that, her expression soft but certain.
"I don't agree with that," she replied, her tone firm yet calm, not defensive but grounded in something genuine. "Even if I don't gain much in terms of competition, the experience still matters, and more than anything, I just want to run."
Validissimus spoke up as she glanced at Lunar. "…But how would you do that?" she asked. "There aren't any official races here until next year."
Lunar didn't answer right away.
Instead, she continued chewing slowly, her brows knitting just slightly as she thought it through, turning the problem over in her mind piece by piece while everyone else watched in quiet curiosity.
A second passed.
Then another.
And then—
"…Well," she murmured after swallowing her tempura. A small, playful smile formed at the corner of her lips as if she had just come to a simple conclusion.
"…Guess I'll have to travel a bit."