Chapter 93: Unusual.
“Violet-sama…!”
“Rosette… sama?”
She had left home at the usual time and arrived at the entrance hall just a little earlier than the morning rush, when she spotted a beautiful figure waiting gracefully.
The surprise lasted only a moment. The instant. The moment their eyes met, Rosette broke into a run toward her.
“Good morning!”
“G-good mor… no, why are you here?”
While Violet stood frozen in confusion, Rosette remained perfectly composed.
The same gentle smile as always, toes neatly together, the way she held her bag flawless. Everything about her was impeccable.
Violet knew this hour well; there were almost no people around.
In fact, she chose this time precisely because of that.
An empty classroom meant no one treated her like something fragile, and she didn’t have to treat anyone else that way either. No curious stares. No need to read faces or voices.
It was far more comfortable than that house.
She didn’t know Rosette’s usual arrival time, but today was clearly different.
They used the same entrance and had never once run into each other before.
Which meant Rosette had deliberately chosen this hour for some reason.
“I was waiting for you, Violet-sama.”
“Me…?”
If she had urgent business, she would have come during a break; there was no need to ambush her the moment she arrived.
So what could this business be?
Violet tilted her head, completely unable to guess, and Rosette’s shoulders drooped ever so slightly.
“You seemed… strange yesterday. I was worried you might have fallen ill.”
“Ah…”
The memory of yesterday came rushing back all at once.
She had forgotten because everything she had realized had been so overwhelming.
She had obviously been distraught; she couldn’t even recall how Rosette had reacted.
Or rather, she probably hadn’t seen anything at all back then.
She vaguely remembered saying “I’m fine” to the worried girl.
That exchange was all she retained, but she had no memory of Rosette’s expression.
“I thought you might be absent today, and I got anxious. I heard you didn’t leave early, but sometimes people get worse at night…”
“So you came this early?”
“I-I did think it might feel like I was lying in wait and be creepy…!”
Rosette’s gaze darted away awkwardly.
Their positions had reversed; now it was Violet calmly observing a flustered Rosette.
Her fair cheeks were dyed pink, her lips pressed tightly together; everything about her was adorable.
“…”
“U-um… I’m sorry—”
“F… fufu…”
“Eh?”
“Fufu… ahaha!”
The laughter spilled out before she could stop it.
Covering her mouth was useless; even turning her face away didn’t hide the smile clearly etched on her profile.
Rosette stared wide-eyed, unable to process what was happening, until Violet’s laughter finally quieted.
She looked straight into those violet eyes and spoke; carefully, deliberately, making sure every word reached her.
“Thank you… I’m really, really happy.”
“Ah… y-yes!”
The world doesn’t change.
Not yesterday, not today, not tomorrow, not ever.
That’s why it was only a thought.
In the middle of an utterly ordinary moment, she simply noticed.
That a gentle time like this
could belong to her, too.