Unraveled Ties-Chapter 40: A Moment of Weakness

With exams right around the corner, the school had shifted into full-on study mode. The once lively hallways had become quieter, students drowning in textbooks and notebooks as they tried to cram in every last bit of knowledge before the tests began.

Reiji was no different.

For the past few days, he and Sena had spent their afternoons in the library, their usual lessons momentarily set aside in favor of studying. They sat across from each other, silently flipping through pages, the only sound between them being the scribbling of pens against paper.

It felt... normal.

No hand-holding. No awkward staring contests. Just two students focusing on their studies.

Yet, despite this, Reiji found himself increasingly distracted.

Not by the equations in his textbook. Not by the upcoming test.

By *her*.

Sena, sitting across from him, was completely focused on her work. Her brows furrowed slightly as she read, occasionally brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. The usual sharpness in her eyes was replaced with quiet determination.

*She’s really good at this...* Reiji thought.

It was true—Sena was one of the top students in their year. Unlike him, who had to put in extra effort to stay afloat, she made it seem effortless.

But that wasn’t what was bothering him.

No, what was bothering him was the *want*.

He didn’t want to admit it.

Didn’t want to acknowledge it.

But for some reason, a strange, greedy feeling had begun creeping up on him.

He wanted to hold her hand.

The thought alone made him mentally curse himself. *Why? What the hell is wrong with me?*

They weren’t even practicing right now. There was no reason for it.

And yet...

His fingers twitched slightly against the desk. The warmth from their last practice lingered in his mind, making his heart feel heavier than it should.

Sena, oblivious to his internal struggle, continued writing in her notebook.

*I should just ignore it. Focus on studying. That’s what we’re here for.*

Reiji gritted his teeth, trying to shake the thought away.

But no matter how much he tried to suppress it, the feeling only grew stronger.

And before he knew it—

His hand moved on its own.

Softly, quietly, he reached across the table and grabbed Sena’s hand.

Sena froze.

Her pen stopped mid-stroke, her eyes widening as she turned to look at him in pure confusion.

“...What are you doing?” she asked, blinking.

Reiji stiffened, realizing what he had just done.

Crap.

"I... uh..."

His voice was lower than usual, almost unsure.

Sena stared at him, waiting for an answer.

Reiji swallowed.

"I just... wanted to," he admitted, his ears turning slightly red.

Sena’s eyes slightly widened at his words.

Silence filled the space between them.

For a moment, she simply looked at him, as if trying to figure out if he was joking or not.

Then, to his surprise—

She didn’t pull away.

Instead, she exhaled softly, her shoulders relaxing. "You’re really weird sometimes."

Reiji let out a small, awkward chuckle.

Sena didn’t say anything else.

She simply let it be.

And for the first time, Reiji realized something.

Maybe... she didn’t mind it either.

—

Outside the Library

After their study session, Reiji walked back to class, his mind still occupied by what had happened earlier.

*Did I really just do that?*

He groaned internally. *Damn it. Why did I say that out loud?*

As he entered the classroom, he spotted a few of his classmates talking near the windows.

"Yo, Reiji!"

One of them, a guy named *Shun*, waved him over. Unlike Kaito, who was always teasing, Shun was the type to get along with everyone.

"What’s up?" Reiji asked, leaning against a desk.

"You done studying already?" Shun asked. "Exams are gonna be brutal this time."

Reiji sighed. "Yeah, tell me about it."

"Man, I should’ve asked you for notes earlier," another classmate, *Takeshi*, said. "I saw you and Sena in the library. You guys looked like you were in some intense study mode."

At the mention of her name, Reiji tensed slightly. "It’s just studying," he said casually. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"Yeah, yeah," Takeshi smirked. "Sure."

Reiji rolled his eyes, ignoring the teasing tone.

They continued chatting for a bit, talking about school, games, and the upcoming break after exams. It felt normal—something he appreciated after the strange moment with Sena.

But even as they talked—

His mind k

ept drifting back to that quiet moment in the library.

To **her hand in his**.

And to the fact that... he didn’t regret it.

—