After they finished cleaning up the art room and securing the backdrop for the day, Akira checked his phone. It was nearly 5 PM, and his muscles were stiff from hours of painting and the earlier... activities.

A workout session would help clear his head and burn off some excess energy.

He pulled up Mia's contact and hit the video call button. She answered on the second ring, her face filling the screen.

"Akira! I was just thinking about you." Her smile was bright, but he could see she was walking somewhere with the background moving behind her.

"Where are you?"

"Running an errand for Mei-san. She needed some documents delivered across town." Mia's expression turned pouty. "Why? Did you want to see me?"

"I'm heading to the gym. Thought you might want to join me for a workout."

"I wish I could! But this is going to take at least another hour or two." She sighed dramatically. "I miss you already. We barely spent any time together this week between your basketball stuff and everything else."

"I know. Things have been crazy."

"How was the art project with Aoi?" There was a slight edge to her tone, and Akira sensed that familiar jealousy creeping in.

"Productive. We got a lot done. The backdrop's coming together nicely."

"Just the backdrop, right? Nothing else came together?"

Akira kept his expression neutral, thankful she couldn't see him fully. "Just painting, Mia. That's all."

She studied his face through the screen, then seemed to accept it. "Okay. I trust you. But hurry up and finish that stupid painting so you can spend more time with me. I can't wait to be done with this errand and get back to you."

"I'll be home later tonight. We can watch something together if you want."

"Really? You promise?" Her face lit up again. "Okay, I'll finish this fast and be waiting for you. Don't take too long at the gym!"

"I won't. See you tonight."

"Love you, Akira-kun!"

The call ended before he could respond, leaving him staring at his phone screen. Mia's intensity was both endearing and exhausting. He pocketed the phone and headed toward the gym.

—

The gym was moderately busy for a Saturday evening. Akira found his usual spot near the free weights and began his routine, falling into the familiar rhythm of reps and sets. The physical exertion felt good, grounding him after the complicated emotions of the day.

He was halfway through his third set of bench presses when a familiar voice cut through his focus.

"Need a spotter?"

Akira looked up to find Yuki Hayashi standing over him, her fitted workout clothes clinging to her sweat-slicked skin like a second layer. The tight sports bra strained against her full, heaving breasts, and her hardened nipples were poking through the thin fabric in sharp, tempting peaks.

The shorts hugged her toned thighs and were short enough to tease the firm curve of her ass.

Her expression was carefully neutral, but he could see the tension in her shoulders, the way her hands fidgeted at her sides, fingers twitching as if aching to touch… or be touched.

This was the first time they'd really spoken since that incident in the gym… since she'd witnessed him with Mia in a way that left no room for misunderstanding.

"Sure," Akira said, keeping his tone casual. "Thanks."

Yuki moved into position, her hands hovering near the bar as he completed his set. The silence between them was heavy and filled with unspoken words.

When he racked the weight and sat up, she didn't move away immediately.

"Can we talk?" she asked quietly. "Just for a minute?"

"Okay."

They moved to a quieter corner of the gym, away from other people. Yuki crossed her arms, then uncrossed them, clearly looking uncomfortable.

"I owe you an apology," she started. "For that day. The whole shirt thing, making assumptions about you being a…" she trailed off. "I was wrong."

"You already apologized for that."

"I know, but..." She took a breath. "I've been avoiding you since... since that other day. In the gym. And that's not fair either. You didn't know I was there, and it's not my business what you do or who you're with."

Akira studied her face, noting the flush on her cheeks, the way her eyes darted away and then back to his. "You don't have to apologize for that."

"I just want us to be able to exist in the same space without it being weird. We might not be the best of friends back in middle school, but I'd like to think we could be friends this time."

There was something vulnerable in her expression, a reaching out that felt genuine despite the complicated history between them.

"I'd like that too," Akira said honestly. "Fresh start?"

"Fresh start." Relief flooded her face. "Thank you."

They stood there for a moment, the awkwardness dissipating slightly.

"So, uh, you're really into the whole gym thing now?" Yuki gestured at his physique, then seemed to realize what she was doing and quickly lowered her hand. "Sorry, that sounded weird."

"It's fine. Yeah, I've been taking fitness seriously. Helps clear my head."

"It shows. I mean…" She caught herself again. "Sorry, I'm being awkward. This is harder than I thought it would be."

Akira couldn't help but smile slightly at her discomfort. The prettiest girl (to him) from middle school who'd always been so composed was fumbling over her words. "You want to grab coffee sometime? Like normal people who are trying to be friends?"

"Coffee?" Yuki's eyes widened slightly. "Like... a date?"

"Like two people who used to be friends getting coffee and catching up. Not a date."

"Oh. Right. Not a date." She nodded quickly, perhaps too quickly. "Yeah, that would be nice. When?"

He reached for his phone and asked her to put in her number, and she did. "I'll text you. We can figure out a time that works for both of us."

"Okay. I'd like that." She smiled, and for a moment, he saw a glimpse of the girl he'd known years ago, before everything got complicated. "I should let you get back to your workout. Thanks for not being weird about this, Akira."

"No problem, Yuki."

She walked away, and Akira returned to his equipment. As he resumed his workout, Ai's voice chimed in his head.

[YUKI'S ROUTE REPAIRED]

[YUKI'S AFFINITY: + 15]

"Well, well. Repairing the Yuki route, are we? Interesting strategy after traumatizing her with your exhibition in the gym."

"She reached out. I'm not going to be an asshole about it."

"How noble of you. Though I noticed you didn't mention anything about your busy afternoon with Aoi."

"That's none of her business."

"True. But this web you're weaving is getting more intricate by the day, darling. Eventually, threads start crossing in problematic ways."

"I'll deal with that when it happens."

—

By the time Akira got home, evening had fully settled in. He climbed the stairs to his apartment, muscles pleasantly sore from the workout, already thinking about a hot shower and maybe that movie with Mia.

He unlocked his door and stepped inside, hitting the light switch.

His heart skipped a beat.

Rina was sitting on his couch with her arms crossed and an unreadable expression in the dim light.

"Rina? What are you doing here?" He closed the door behind him slowly.

"I've been waiting for you." Her voice was calm, but there was something underneath it. "We need to talk."

"About what?"

Rina stood up, and in the light from the window, he could see her face more clearly. Her eyes were red-rimmed, like she'd been crying. "I've been thinking about everything. The weird energy I feel around you, the way you disappear sometimes… that day you snuck out of school and came back exhausted…."

Akira's mind raced, calculating responses, weighing options. "Rina, I don't know what you think is going on…"

"Don't." She held up a hand. "Don't lie to me. Not after everything. I've been piecing it together, all the strange things I've noticed but ignored because I… I don't even know why I was ignoring them."

She took a step toward him. "That night on the rooftop with Ayaka. I know I was there. I know something happened that I can't remember properly, but I feel it. Like a dream I can't quite grasp."

"The Mind Wipe is degrading faster than I thought," Ai said urgently in his mind. "Her subconscious is breaking through the barriers. This is bad, darling."

Rina's voice dropped lower, almost a whisper. "So I'm going to ask you directly, Akira, and I want the truth. No games, no deflections."

She looked him straight in the eyes with a mix of fear, confusion, and determination in hers. "Who are you, Akira? Or maybe the better question is... what are you?"

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