As the bell finally rang, signaling the end of the school day, I stretched in my seat, relieved that classes were finally over. Around me, the usual sounds of students leaving the classroom filled the air—chairs scraping against the floor, hurried footsteps and chatter about weekend plans.

"Alright!" Itto clapped his hands together, grinning. "Band practice time. Let's get outta here before someone finds a reason to keep us in this prison."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help smiling. "You sound like we're breaking out."

"Feels like it." he shot back, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

Yoimiya and Thoma were already at the door, waiting for us. "Hurry up, slowpokes." Yoimiya teased. "Ayaka's probably already waiting for us at the school gates."

With that, we left the classroom and headed towards the exit of the school. And indeed, Ayaka was there waiting for us. We greeted her and she greeted us.

We took the bus to Thoma's house. The walk from the bus stop to his place was pretty short.

He unlocked the door, and we all stepped inside, making our way to the practice room.

The room had basically turned into our personal studio, filled with our instruments, cables and even a couple of posters Yoimiya had stuck on the walls for "ambiance".

"Alright, let's get to work." Ayaka said, turning to us.

"We should work on the new song." Yoimiya said. "The lyrics are good, but we need to tighten up the music."

Thoma nodded, stretching his arms. "Yeah, we have the structure down but the transistion still feels a little off."

Itto plopped down on the couch, lazily drumming his hands against his knees. "We always figure it out, no pressure."

I rolled my eyes with a small smile. "You say that, but last time, you were the one who kept messing up the chorus."

Itto gasped. "Hey! That was one time! That's in the past! Today, I'm on my A-game."

I chuckled. "We'll see about that."

We started with a warm-up, playing a song we already knew well. After that, we continued working on our new song. Yoimiya experimented with some harmonies, and Ayaka suggested a slight change in the bridge. Meanwhile, Itto, despite his usal chaotic energy, was actually focused. Well, for the most part.

When we took a break. I sat down on the couch, sipping some water while watching the others chat. I caught Itto playing with one of his drumsticks absentmindly, his expression unusually thoughtful.

"What's up?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He looked up, blinking as if I'd caught him off guard. "Huh? Oh—nothing. Just thinking."

"About?"

"I don't know, everything. We've come pretty far, right?" Itto said, smiling.

I nodded, a smile appearing on my face too. "Yeah, it does."

After a quick break, we got back into position. Yoimiya tuned her guitar, letting out a satisfied hum before strumming a few test chords. Thoma tapped the body of his bass lightly, keeping a steady rhythm while waiting for us to start.

"Alright," Ayaka said, adjusting her keyboard stand. "Let's run through the song from the top again. This time, let's focus on keeping everything tight."

I nodded, gripping my guitar pick between my fingers. "Sounds good."

Itto spun one of his drumsticks in his hand before pointing it at me. "I'm watching you, (Y/N). No messing up your cues."

I raised an eyebrow. "Funny, I was about to say the same to you."

He grinned. "Touché."

So, we started with the song. This time, everything felt smoother. The transitions between sections were more natural, and we all seemed to be on the same wavelength.

As the final chorus hit, I stepped closer to the mic, putting more power into my voice. Yoimiya's lead guitar soared over the melody, and Thoma and Itto kept the rhythm grounded.

By the time we strummed the last chord, we were all slightly out of breath.

"That..." Yoimiya started, grinning, "was sick."

Ayaka nodded in agreement. "It was definitely our cleanest run yet."

Thoma let out a whistle. "Now that's how we should sound at our next performance."

"See?" he said, twirling his drumstick. "Told you we'd figure it out."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help smiling.

We continued practicing for another hour, running through other songs, fixing small details, and making sure everything sounded right. The more we played, the more natural it felt—like everything was just clicking into place.

Eventually, we reached a stopping point, all of us feeling the exhaustion set in. Ayaka stretched her arms above her head, and Yoimiya flopped down onto the couch dramatically.

We chatted a bit together, before starting to take our stuff to leave.

As we finished packing up, the room was filled with the usual post-practice chatter. Ayaka checked her phone, Thoma stretched his arms and Yoimiya leaned against the couch, looking content.

Itto hesitated for a moment before turning to me, shifting his weight slightly. His usual confidence was still there, but there was something different in the way he rubbed the back of his neck, almost like he was second-guessing himself.

"Uh, hey, (Y/N)..." He glanced away for a second before looking back at me. "Wanna—"

Before he could finish, Yoimiya suddenly grabbed my arm, cutting him off. "Alright, let's go! I'm starving, and we have important best friend business to attend to."

I blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "Huh? Oh—right." Yoimiya and I had agreed to grab something to eat ealier.

Itto closed his mouth, his expression shifting for a brief second. He quickly masked it, but I still caught the flicker of hesitation—like he'd been building up to something and lost the moment.

"Oh. You guys are—?"

Yoimiya nodded enthusiastically. "Yup! Just me and (Y/N) today."

I felt a little bad. Itto didn't say anything else, but the way he shoved his hands into his pockets and gave a small nod made something tug at me. Maybe I really had imagined it, but it almost seemed like he wanted to ask something else.

Still, I gave him a small smile. "We'll walk home together next time, alright?"

Itto blinked, then let out a short laugh, though it sounded a little softer than usual. "Yeah, sure. No big deal."

With that, we left Thoma's house, going seperate ways.

I looked at Yoimiya, listenting to her ramble about what she wanted to eat.

~Itto's POV~

I stepped out of Thoma's house, feeling the cool evening air against my face. My arms were a little sore from all the drumming, but the energy from practice still buzzed in my veins.

Ayaka was walking beside me, a bit quieter than usual. Usually, she took the bus home, but today, she was walking with me. She said she didn't want me to walk alone. It was nice to have some company after practice.

We walked in silence for a bit, the familiar hum of the city surrounding us. I was about to say something when Ayaka spoke up.

"So, Itto," she began casually, looking ahead as we walked. "You're pretty fond of (Y/N), right?"

I froze for a second, my heart doing a little skip. She had to be talking about that kind of fondness. My face felt hot all of a sudden, and I scratched the back of my neck, trying to play it cool.

"Uh, what do you mean? I'm fond of everyone." I said, attempting to sound nonchalant.

Ayaka glanced at me, her smile gentle but knowing. "You're not fooling anyone, Itto. You've been way more focused during practce when she's not around, and you seem to be looking for excuses to hang out with her more."

I let out a nervous chuckle, trying to hide the heat creeping up my neck. "Okay, okay. You caught me," I admitted, feeling a little different. "She's... different. In a good way, I guess. She's cool to hang out with."

Ayaka smiled, her expression softening with understanding. "I can tell. You're calmer when you're around her. It's nice to see."

I rubbed my neck, feeling a little exposed. "I don't know. I mean, I like her, but I don't want to mess things up. I don't even know where we stand. What if I screw up and things get weird?"

Ayaka looked at me thoughtfully for a moment before replying. "You're overthinking it. The more you think about it, the more you hesitate. Sometimes, you just have to take the leap, you know? If you like her, then just be honest about it. But don't let it drag on too long or you might miss your chance."

I paused, thinking about what she said. Maybe I was overthinking it. Maybe it wasn't as complicated as I was making it out to be.

I laughed  a little, feeling a mix of relief and uncertainty. "You make it sound so simple. I'm not exactly the smoothest when it comes to this kind of thing."

Ayaka chuckled softly, her eyes kind. "You don't need to be smooth, Itto. Just be yourself. If she likes you, she likes you for who you are."

We walked in silence for a moment, the conversation sinking in. I was still a bit nervous, but there was something reassuring about Ayaka's words. She was like the older sister I never had. She just has those vibes of the older sister who always has good advice. Even if she is the younger sibling in the Kamisato family.

Maybe I really should stop second-guessing everything. Maybe it was time to stop being so scared of messing things up.

Ayaka broke the silence again. "Just don't wait too long, you don't want to make it awkward when she figures it out herself."

I groaned, half-laughing. "Okay. okay. No pressure or anything."

She chuckled softly, and we kept walking, the cool evening breeze swirling around us. I felt a little lighter.

Maybe—just maybe—things could work out. I had no idea where things were going with (Y/N), but I didn't feel quite lost about it.

~(Y/N)'s POV~

As soon as Itto adn Ayaka left, Yoimiya grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the door. "C'mon, let's go grab something to eat! I'm starving." she said, already dragging me down the street before I could even respond.

I laughed, trying to keep up. "You sound like you haven't eaten in days."

"That's because I basically haven't! Lunch was ages ago." She let out a dramatic sigh.

The fast wood place wasn't that far, and as soon as we stepped inside, the smell of fries and grilled burgers filled the air.

Yoimiya marched straight to the counter, already eyeing the menu. After a moment of sccanning it, she walked to the counter and placed her order.

I also walked forward, placing my order.

It didn't take long until we got our food. We made our way to a table at the back by the window, sitting down.

Yoimiya took a fry and ate it before turning to me. "So, how's it going with Itto?" she asked casually.

I nearly choked on my drink. "What?"

She smirked, resting her chin on her hand. "You heart me."

I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "It's... normal? Nothing's different."

Yoimiya gave me a knowing look. "Really? Because the way he looked like he was about to say something before I stole you away kinda says otherwise."

I paused, remembering how Itto had hesitated before Yoimiya had cut in. "I think he just wanted to ask if we were walking home together."

Yoimiya hummed, tapping her fingers against the table. "Maybe. Or amybe he wanted to hang out longer."

I remained quiet, not sure what to say. I hadn't thought much about it...

Yoimiya took a sip of her drink. "Y'know, I don't get why you act like you don't see it."

"See what?" I asked, even though I knew exactly what she meant.

She sighed dramatically. "That you two have something. I'm not saying you should, like, confess your undying love or anything, but come on, (Y/N), you can't tell me you don't feel at least a little different when you're around him. Haven't you thought about it?"

I looked down at my fries, grabbing one but not eating it yet. "...I mean, yeah. It's fun being around him."

Yoimiya gave me a pointed look. "You always just say that. 'It's fun being around him.' But don't you like him more?"

I hesitated, my fingers tightening slightly around the cup. "I..."

Yoimiya leaned forward a bit. "I'm not saying you have to admit anything right now. But if you keep dodging the quesiton every time, doesn't that kinda say something?"

I sighed, leaning back against my chair. "FIne. Yeah. I do like him."

Yoimiya's eyes lit up, but before she could say anything, I quickly added, "But I don't know if it's just a silly crush or something more."

She hummed, a smile appearing on her face. "Well, how do you feel when you're around him?"

I exhaled, staring at my fries as if they had the answers. "It's fun. He makes things exciting, and I don't have to think too much when I'm with him. It's easy. But at the same time... I get nervous sometimes. Like the time we went to the mall, when we hugged."

Yoimiya grinned. "So you wanted to hug him?"

I groaned. "That's not the point."

"But you did," she smirked.

I hid my face behind my hand. "I don't know, okay? I just—what if it's not real? What if it's just some temporary thing?"

Yoimiya's teasing expression softened. "Then take your time. You don't have to rush anything, (Y/N). But, for what it's wotth... I think the way you talk about him already says a lot."

There was a pause, and then I added, "I don't even know if he likes me back. I mean, he's always so... unpredictable. Sometimes I feel like I'm reading too much into things, like when he acts all confident and then seems awkward at the same time. I don't know what he's thinking."

Yoimiya gave a small, knowing smile. "Trust me, he's into you."

I frowned, skeptical. "How can you be so sure?"

She leaned back, crossing her arms, looking at me like I should have figured it out already. "The way he acts around you. Sometimes I look at him and catch him staring at you with a dreamy expression. He's really obvious."

I blinked, my mind racing. I hadn't noticed that. "Really?"

Yoimiya nodded confidently. "Yeah. You're not the only one who's clueless here. Itto has been just as nervous around you."

I looked away, my heart skipping a beat. "I didn't notice."

"You're both just too stubborn to admit it, but it's there." She grinned. "But you'll figure it out. Don't worry about it."

I stayed quiet for a moment, trying to process what she said. I didn't know if I was ready for that kind of change—if I was ready to know what it all really meant.

But maybe, just maybe, she was right. Maybe I wasn't the only one feeling uncertain.

Yoimiya leaned forward, taking another sip of her drink. "Anyway, enough about Itto for now. Let's talk about something important."

I raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"Like food." she said, grinning. "I'm starving, and I think I've earned it after all this matchmaking talk."

I laughed, shaking my head. "Sure."

We ate in comfortable slence for a bit, the topic of Itto and my feelings lingering in the back of my mind. Yomiya always a way of making everything sound impler, like it was all just a matter of time before things fell into place. Maybe she was right. I wasn't sure what to make of the growing tension between Itto and me, but it was something I couldn't ignore anymore.

The thought of it made my stomach do a little flip, but I pushed it aisde, focusing on the present instead.

Yoimiya and I both finished our food. And knowing her, she was alredy planning the next thing.

"So, what now?" I asked, wiping my hands on a napkin.

She shrugged. "Maybe we can just take a walk or something."

"Sounds like a plan." I agreed, standing up and tossing the trash away.

We left the fast food place, stepping out onto the sidewalk. The air had cooled down a bit, but it still felt nice outside. We walked down the street, chatting casually about random things—nothing to deep.

As we walked, I checked my phone to see the time. It was getting pretty late. We walked together until we reached the road we had to part ways.

"See you tomorrow." I said with a smile, giving Yoimiya a hug. She smiled and hugged me back. "Yup, take care!"

As I walked the last bit home alone, my thoughts drifted back to Itto again.

Now that Yoimiya really said it, there was something between Itto and me—it was just a matter of figuring it all out.

A small smile appeared on my face.

I like Itto.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

(A/N: HELLOOOOOO!!!! Sorry to disappoint but I couldn't write. I had a pretty important exam last week but I failed it T-T I don't know what got into me, but it is what it is.

ANYWAY I did this chapter more to like show we're getting to the romantic parts!! Whooo!!!

ASDASDKPASKDPASMD I've been craving those moments too, dw you're not alone

I'll try to write the next chapter as soon as possible. I only have one more English exam this week but I'll get a good grade there with closed eyes. So far I've only gotten A+ in English. So that shouldn't be an issue. Two more weeks of school and then I have two weeks off. Finally

Thanks for reading!!)