April 25, 2026
Lunch break.
The canteen was filled with the sound of trays clattering and students chatting all around.
The lunch rush had already begun, yet Kentarou heard none of it.
His grandfather's words echoed endlessly in his mind.
«"The greatest regret doesn't come from losing."»
«"It comes from convincing yourself you've already lost... before taking the final step."»
The voice continued.
«"Whether it's a dream..."»
«"...a promise..."»
«"...or someone precious..."»
«"If your heart still walks toward it..."»
«"...don't be the one who tells your feet to stop."»
Kentarou lowered his gaze.
"Someone... precious..."
The words replayed over and over.
Without realizing it—
He had been staring blankly at his lunch tray for several minutes.
"...Kentarou?"
No response.
"...Kentarou?"
A little louder this time.
He blinked.
"...Huh?"
The world suddenly returned to him.
The chatter of students.
The clatter of chopsticks and spoons.
The canteen.
Yui Takamura smiled helplessly.
"I've been calling your name."
"Oh..."
"Sorry."
Kentarou scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"I was just... thinking."
Senku smirked.
"We noticed."
"You looked like your soul had left your body."
Yui giggled.
"I was wondering if you were sleeping with your eyes open."
Kentarou couldn't help but laugh a little.
"...Maybe."
The three of them sat together near the window as usual.
Lunch boxes rested on the table in front of them.
For a while—
The atmosphere was peaceful.
Yui looked curiously at Kentarou.
"You've been spacing out a lot lately."
Kentarou smiled faintly.
"...Just thinking about something."
"Your novel?"
"...Partly."
Senku looked at him knowingly but decided not to say anything.
Instead—
He quietly continued eating.
Just then—
A familiar voice came from behind them.
"Sorry for the wait."
The three turned toward the canteen entrance.
Standing there with his school bag hanging over one shoulder...
Was Park Minwoo.
A cheerful smile rested on his face.
He walked over naturally, as though joining them had always been part of the plan.
"Mind if I join you guys?"
Senku grinned.
"You're late."
Minwoo laughed.
"The teacher kept me back."
Yui smiled politely.
"Then hurry up before we finish everything."
Minwoo pulled a chair over and sat beside them.
"...Looks like today's lunch is going to be interesting."
None of them knew...
This ordinary lunch break...
Would quietly become the beginning of another unexpected chapter in Kentarou's life.
____________________________
Minwoo placed his lunch tray on the table and sat down with a grin that was impossible to hide.
Senku immediately noticed.
"...Why are you smiling like that?"
Yui tilted her head.
"Something good happened?"
Minwoo scratched the back of his head, trying to act calm.
"...Well..."
"I've got some news."
The three of them looked at him expectantly.
He took a deep breath.
"...Seo Yuna finally accepted my confession."
A brief silence followed.
Then—
"WHAT?!"
Senku nearly dropped his chopsticks.
"No way!"
Yui's eyes lit up.
"Really?!"
Minwoo nodded, unable to stop smiling.
"...Yeah."
"We started dating yesterday."
Yui clasped her hands together.
"Congratulations!"
Senku leaned across the table and patted Minwoo's shoulder.
"You finally did it."
"I was starting to think she'd never say yes."
Minwoo laughed.
"Honestly..."
"So was I."
The four of them shared a laugh.
Yui smiled warmly.
"I'm really happy for both of you."
"You two make a cute couple."
"Thanks."
Minwoo replied shyly.
For a moment—
Kentarou quietly watched the cheerful conversation unfold.
Everyone was smiling.
Everyone looked genuinely happy for Minwoo.
Without realizing it—
A small smile appeared on Kentarou's face as well.
"Congratulations..."
"You made it."
Then, almost instinctively—
His thoughts drifted elsewhere.
Toward someone far away.
Toward a girl whose smile had never left his heart.
He lowered his eyes slightly.
A quiet thought crossed his mind.
«"...I wonder when my turn will come."»
____________________________
The evening sun painted the streets in a warm orange glow.
As usual—
Kentarou arrived at the library with his backpack over one shoulder.
Today, however...
He wasn't here to write.
He quietly took out his mathematics textbook, notebook, and pencil case.
"...Might as well study."
Since nothing new had happened in his love story...
There was nothing to write.
The only thing he could do was wait.
---
A few minutes later—
A familiar voice greeted him.
"Good evening."
Kentarou looked up.
"...Good evening."
It was Hee-Young.
She smiled before taking her usual seat beside him.
"You came again."
"So did you."
She laughed.
"I always come here after school."
"It's quieter than studying at home."
Kentarou nodded.
"I can see why."
Without another word—
Both of them opened their mathematics books.
The library once again became silent.
Only the sounds of turning pages and moving pencils could be heard.
---
Nearly twenty minutes passed.
"...Umm."
Hee-Young looked at Kentarou.
"Hm?"
"I think I'm stuck."
She turned her notebook toward him.
"I can't solve this question."
Kentarou glanced at the problem.
"...This one?"
"Yeah."
He picked up a pencil.
"You used the wrong formula here."
He erased one line.
Then another.
A few calculations later—
He placed the pencil down.
"There."
Hee-Young blinked.
"...That's it?"
"Yeah."
"...You solved it in less than a minute."
Kentarou smiled awkwardly.
"...Math is one of my stronger subjects."
Hee-Young stared at the solution.
"...I spent almost ten minutes on that."
She sighed dramatically.
"...Life is unfair."
Kentarou chuckled.
---
Time quietly passed.
The books remained open.
But Hee-Young had clearly reached her limit.
She stretched both arms above her head.
"...I'm tired."
Kentarou closed his notebook.
"Take a short break."
"Gladly."
She rested her chin on the table.
After a brief silence—
She suddenly looked at Kentarou with a curious smile.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"You told me before..."
"...that the novel you're writing..."
"...is actually your own love story."
Kentarou nodded.
"Yeah."
She leaned a little closer.
"Then..."
"...the main heroine..."
"...she's a real person too, isn't she?"
"...Yeah."
A mischievous smile slowly spread across Hee-Young's face.
"So..."
"...what's her name?"
Kentarou looked away.
"..."
Hee-Young smiled even wider.
"And..."
"Can I see her?"
The answer came instantly.
"...Never."
There wasn't even a second of hesitation.
Hee-Young burst into laughter.
"That fast?!"
"You didn't even think about it!"
Kentarou folded his arms.
"I don't need to."
"So protective..."
She teased with a grin.
"Is she really that special?"
Kentarou paused.
A faint smile unknowingly appeared on his face.
"...She is."
Hee-Young noticed that smile.
It wasn't the smile of an author talking about a character.
It was...
The smile of someone talking about the person they loved most.
She smiled to herself.
"Now I'm even more curious..."
____________________________
The evening sky had already begun to darken.
A cool breeze drifted through the slightly open window.
Inside the Izumi household—
Kentarou sat at the study table in his room.
His mathematics notebook lay open before him.
Pencil in hand, he quietly worked through one problem after another.
"...Done."
He stretched his arms.
Just as he was about to begin the next question—
Ding Dong.
The doorbell echoed throughout the house.
Kentarou looked toward his bedroom door.
"...I'll get it."
He walked downstairs and opened the front door.
The moment the door swung open—
His eyes widened ever so slightly.
Standing outside were three familiar faces.
Mrs. Kubo.
Beside her stood Violet.
And next to Violet was her older sister.
"Good evening, Kentarou."
Mrs. Kubo greeted him with her usual warm smile.
"Good evening."
He stepped aside politely.
"Please come in."
The three entered the house.
As they settled into the living room, Mrs. Kubo looked around.
"Is your father home?"
"Yes."
"He should be upstairs."
She smiled apologetically.
"I actually came because I wanted to ask him a favor."
"What is it?"
"Our old phone finally stopped working."
"I remembered your father mentioning that he had an extra phone."
"So... I thought I'd ask if we could borrow or buy it."
Kentarou nodded immediately.
"I'll call him."
He turned toward the staircase.
"Kenta!"
A small voice answered from upstairs.
"Yeah?"
"Can you wake Dad up?"
"Mrs. Kubo is here."
A few moments later—
Footsteps echoed down the stairs.
Their father appeared, still looking half asleep.
He rubbed his eyes and let out a yawn.
"Oh..."
"Mrs. Kubo."
"Good evening."
She smiled.
"Sorry for disturbing your rest."
"No problem at all."
He disappeared into another room for a moment.
When he returned—
He was holding a neatly kept smartphone.
"I think this is the one."
He plugged it into its charger.
"The battery's completely drained."
"It'll take a few minutes before it turns on."
Mrs. Kubo nodded thankfully.
"That's perfectly fine."
The adults naturally began chatting.
Talking about work...
The neighborhood...
And everyday life.
Meanwhile—
Silence filled the space between the younger ones.
Kenta had already wandered off to his room.
Leaving only—
Kentarou...
Violet...
And her sister sitting quietly on the sofa.
Mrs. Kubo suddenly glanced toward them.
She laughed softly.
"You three are awfully quiet."
Then she looked specifically at her daughters.
"Why aren't you girls talking?"
Violet blinked.
"..."
She slowly turned her head.
Her eyes met Kentarou's.
Almost as though...
She had been waiting for him to say something first.
Kentarou froze for a brief moment.
The room suddenly felt much quieter than before.
Even with the adults talking nearby...
All he could notice...
Were Violet's calm eyes, patiently waiting for him to break the silence.
__________________________
Violet suddenly let out a small gasp.
"Oh!"
Kentarou looked at her.
"What is it?"
She smiled awkwardly.
"I just remembered..."
"I finished reading the manga you lent me."
"...But I completely forgot to return it."
Kentarou chuckled softly.
"It's okay."
"Take your time."
"You don't have to rush."
Violet smiled in relief.
"Thank you."
Before either of them could continue—
Buzz...
A notification appeared on Kentarou's phone.
He casually unlocked the screen.
New Comment on Chapter 19.
His eyes scanned the comment.
A small smile unconsciously appeared on his face.
---
Violet quietly watched him.
"He's smiling..."
Then another thought crossed her mind.
"What exactly happened that day...?"
"At my birthday party..."
"He suddenly looked so sad."
"Even when he left..."
"Something felt different."
She lowered her gaze.
"I want to know."
"What happened to him?"
As she thought that—
Her curiosity shifted toward the phone in Kentarou's hands.
She found herself stealing little glances at the screen.
Kentarou noticed.
He smiled slightly.
"...Do you read novels?"
Violet nodded.
"Yeah."
Without hesitation—
He handed his phone to her.
"You can have a look."
Violet blinked.
"...Really?"
"Yeah."
She carefully accepted the phone.
The page displayed a web novel.
Its title sat proudly at the top.
She looked back at Kentarou.
"You... read this?"
Kentarou smiled awkwardly.
"...Not exactly."
"I wrote it."
"...Huh?"
Violet stared at him.
Then at the phone.
Then back at him again.
"You... wrote this?"
She couldn't quite believe it.
The quiet boy sitting beside her...
Was an author?
Before she could ask another question—
Kentarou's father returned to the living room.
"The phone's ready."
Mrs. Kubo smiled thankfully as she inserted a new SIM card into it.
A few moments later—
The screen lit up successfully.
She looked toward Kentarou.
"Kentarou."
"Can you save the new number for me?"
"Sure."
He took out his phone and typed the number into his contacts.
"Let's see if it's working."
He pressed the call button.
A ringtone echoed from the newly activated phone.
Mrs. Kubo smiled.
"Perfect."
"It works."
After thanking Kentarou's father once again—
The Kubo family prepared to leave.
They walked toward the front door.
Just before stepping outside—
Mrs. Kubo suddenly turned around.
"Kentarou."
"Hm?"
"My girls spend almost all their free time inside the house."
She laughed gently.
"When you get some free time..."
"Why don't you take them out somewhere?"
For a brief moment—
Kentarou didn't answer.
Instead—
He looked toward Violet.
She was already looking at him.
There was a quiet curiosity in her eyes.
Almost as if...
She was waiting to hear what he would say.
A small smile appeared on Kentarou's face.
"...Okay."
"I'd be happy to."
Violet's expression softened.
She didn't say a word.
But somehow...
That single answer made her smile.
The front door slowly closed.
The house became quiet once again.
Neither of them realized it yet—
But a simple promise made that evening...
Would quietly become the beginning of something neither of them expected.