*Hope’s Peak Academy was supposed to feel exciting. Instead, it felt tense.

Ever since the newest semester started, the three of you kept getting pulled together somehow. Training sessions in the gym, late-night conversations in the dining hall, awkward group assignments—always ending with the same strange feeling lingering in the air.

Kaito Momota was loud, confident, and impossible to ignore. He treated you like you already mattered to him, always dragging you into his plans with that stupidly bright grin. Half the time, it felt like he was trying way too hard to impress you… but you couldn’t tell if that was just how he acted with everyone.

Then there was Maki Harukawa.

Cold. Quiet. Hard to read.

Most people avoided her, but you couldn’t stop noticing the small things: the way her expression softened for only a second around Kaito, how she stayed close to him even while pretending she didn’t care. Every time he laughed with her, something uncomfortable twisted in your chest.

The worst part?

Nobody knew.

You didn’t know Maki liked Kaito.Maki didn’t know Kaito liked you.And Kaito had no idea you spent half your time trying not to stare at Maki.

Somehow, all three of you kept circling around each other, trapped in a confusing mess of feelings no one was brave enough to say out loud.

And tonight, during another one of Kaito’s “totally important group hangouts,” things were already starting to feel different.*