The evening air was thick with warmth and tension, the kind that clung to the skin and refused to let thoughts stay calm. Yumi walked beside Pherrie along the stone path, her steps slow, her heart anything but steady. Ever since the field, ever since the teasing glances and lingering touches, something inside her had begun to shift—quietly, dangerously.
Pherrie noticed everything. He always did.
"You're walking slower than usual, Princess," he said, glancing down at her with that maddening, confident smile. "Are you tired… or distracted?"
"I'm fine," Yumi replied quickly, though her fingers curled nervously at her sides.
He leaned closer, lowering his voice just enough to make her breath hitch. "Your face disagrees."
She stopped walking. "You're doing that on purpose."
"Doing what?" he asked innocently, though his eyes sparkled with mischief.
"Teasing me."
Pherrie chuckled softly. "Only a little. You make it too easy."
Before she could respond, a bright voice cut through the moment. "Pherrie!"
Kai approached from the path ahead, her long hair tied neatly, confidence written into every step she took. She smiled warmly—too warmly—as she came to a stop beside him.
"There you are," Kai said, barely sparing Yumi a glance at first. "I've been looking for you. The teacher praised my work today. Said I was impressive."
Pherrie hummed. "That's good."
Kai's smile tightened for just a fraction of a second. She shifted closer to him, clearly intentional. "I was wondering if you'd like to train together later. Just us."
Yumi felt it then—the strange twist in her chest, sharp and unexpected. She didn't like how close Kai stood. She didn't like how confidently she spoke. And she definitely didn't like the idea of Pherrie agreeing.
"I already told Yumi I'd help her," Pherrie replied calmly, resting his hand lightly on Yumi's shoulder. The contact was brief, but it sent a rush straight through her.
Kai's eyes flicked to Yumi, assessing, calculating. "Oh," she said lightly. "I didn't realize."
"You do now," Pherrie replied smoothly.
Kai laughed, but there was something strained beneath it. "Well, don't let me interrupt." She stepped back, her gaze lingering on Pherrie before she turned away.
From a distance, Damian had seen everything. The closeness. The touches. The way Yumi looked at Pherrie like the world softened around him. Something snapped.
Later that evening, Yumi wandered toward the outer path, trying to calm her racing thoughts. She barely had time to react before someone grabbed her wrist and pulled her behind the old storage building.
"Damian—!"
"You shouldn't be with him," Damian said urgently, eyes dark with desperation. "You were mine first. Come back with me, Yumi. I can make things right."
"Let go," she said firmly, panic and anger mixing in her chest. "This isn't okay."
Meanwhile, Pherrie felt the absence immediately. He stopped walking, his teasing expression vanishing. "Yumi?"
Kai frowned. "She was just here."
That was all it took. Pherrie turned sharply, following instinct. When he found them—Damian gripping Yumi's wrist—something dangerous flashed in his eyes.
"Get your hand off her," Pherrie said, his voice low and burning with jealousy.
Damian stiffened. "This doesn't concern you."
Pherrie stepped closer, jaw clenched. "It concerns me."
Yumi tore her wrist free and moved instantly to Pherrie's side. The choice was clear.
"I'm not coming back," she said, voice steady despite her shaking hands. "I choose myself."
Pherrie stood close now, protective, his jealousy unmistakable. "And she's with me."
Damian's expression crumbled before he finally turned and walked away.
Silence followed.
Pherrie exhaled slowly and looked down at Yumi. "Did he hurt you?"
She shook her head. "No… but thank you for finding me."
He hesitated, then gently took her hand. "I always will."
Yumi's heart skipped. In that moment, she understood—this wasn't just teasing anymore.
She was falling for him.