Each passing day had been peaceful—as if no danger lurked in the shadows.
Four months had gone by.
It was now April.
Spring had arrived.
The scenery was breathtaking—clear skies, a gentle breeze, and rows of beautiful sakura trees surrounding the campus, their petals drifting softly through the air.
It marked a new academic year for Ken and Lucy in college.
Inside the classroom, their new teacher stepped in, carrying an announcement.
"Good morning, everyone. You will have new classmates joining you today."
He turned his gaze toward the door, where two students waited outside.
"Please, introduce yourselves."
The door opened.
Two girls entered and stepped forward.
Both had gentle faces and graceful figures, their presence instantly capturing the attention of the room.
"Good morning," the first girl said as she bowed politely. "My name is Shirakawa Miyara. It's a pleasure to meet all of you."
The second girl followed, her voice bright and full of energy.
"Good morning, everyone!" she greeted cheerfully. "I'm Yukimori Aelira. You can just call me by my first name. I'm really happy to meet you all!"
A quiet murmur spread across the class.
The boys were instantly captivated by their beauty.
"Looks like you've got competition now, Lucy," Hima whispered teasingly from beside her.
Lucy let out a soft laugh.
"That's fine with me. I don't really want to be the center of attention anyway… so I'm actually glad they're here. Maybe my life will finally be peaceful," she replied jokingly.
---
Hours passed.
As classes ended, Ken and Lucy walked together along the corridor.
Meanwhile, the two transfer students found themselves surrounded by a crowd of boys, all eager to introduce themselves.
"Uhm… it's nice meeting all of you," Aelira said politely with a smile. "We're going to head to the cafeteria for now."
"I'll treat you!" one boy quickly offered.
"No, I'll be the one to treat you!" another insisted, as they began competing with each other.
Their teacher soon noticed the commotion.
"What are you all doing? Stop crowding them!" he scolded.
"Sorry, sir…"
"See you later!" one of the boys called out to the two girls.
"Thank you, sir," Aelira said politely.
Then—
They spotted Ken and Lucy.
"Ken! Lucy!" Aelira called out loudly.
Ken and Lucy stopped in their tracks.
The two girls hurried toward them.
"Uhm… can we join you for lunch?" Aelira asked with a bright smile.
"Sure," Ken replied.
"Really?!" Aelira's face lit up.
"Of course. I'd be happy to spend time with you," Ken said.
"I'd be happy too," Lucy added with a gentle smile. "Let's have lunch together."
"Let's go," Ken said.
As the four of them walked toward the cafeteria, they drew countless stares from the students around them.
"Seriously? Ken didn't leave anyone for the rest of us…"
"I'm so jealous of him…"
"Damn it, he got all the beautiful girls…"
The whispers of the boys echoed behind them.
Nearby, Lucy's friends Mira and Hiley approached, while Ken's friend Liam watched from afar.
"Ken, you really gathered all the beautiful girls, huh?" Liam remarked with a smirk.
---
Inside the cafeteria, they all sat together.
Ken couldn't help but feel slightly uneasy being surrounded by girls.
"Can we be friends with you?" Miyara asked gently.
"Of course," Lucy replied warmly. "I'd be really happy to be friends with you."
"Lucy, your hair is so beautiful… can I touch it?" Aelira asked curiously.
"Uhm… sure," Lucy answered.
Aelira gently reached out and touched Lucy's hair, her eyes widening in amazement.
"It's so beautiful… and the shade of red is incredible. Did you and Ken dye your hair?" she asked.
Lucy shook her head slightly.
"Believe it or not… this is our natural hair color."
Aelira looked even more amazed.
"Ken, can I touch yours too?" she asked.
"Go ahead," Ken replied.
She touched his hair and smiled in fascination.
"Wow… it's exactly the same as Lucy's," she said.
Miyara then looked at the two of them.
"Uhm… Ken, Lucy… are you two a couple?" she asked.
Ken immediately spat out his drink.
Lucy's entire face turned bright red.
Mira and Hiley burst into laughter, clearly amused—and slightly excited.
"U-uhm… we're not a couple," Lucy said nervously. "To me… he's like a brother."
"Ah… I see," Miyara replied.
Lucy felt a slight sense of confusion at her response.
"But I heard you two are dating," Aelira added. "You're even known around the school as the 'Crimson Couple,' right?"
Lucy let out a small laugh.
"That's just a rumor. People tend to misinterpret our friendship," she explained with a smile.
Ken nodded in agreement.
Then—
A gentle chime echoed across the entire campus.
A series of soft, melodic notes rang through the air—clear and delicate, like a distant piano carried by the wind. The sound flowed through the corridors, slipping past open windows and drifting beneath the blooming sakura trees, as if the very sky itself was signaling the end of their fleeting moment of peace.
Students began to move once more, their voices rising as the spell of break time quietly faded.
"Let's head back to class together," Aelira said with a cheerful smile.
Ken and Lucy nodded.
And together, they walked back—unaware that this peaceful moment was only the beginning of something far greater.