"Rio! Please slow down! This is way too fast!" Mae shouted.
Rio laughed heartily. "Are you scared? I thought a tough girl like you wasn't afraid of things like this."
"Huh! I'm not scared. Do you actually want us to die together?"
"Aww... Doesn't that sound incredibly romantic?"
"You're crazy. Slow down right now!"
"Fine."
Rio slowed down his motorcycle.
"Tomorrow is a special day," Rio remarked.
"What's going on?" Mae asked.
"How terrible. It seems you've developed dementia."
"What are you talking about?!"
"Good. I'll tell you later~"
"It's still early, and you've already annoyed me three times."
"Why three times? Hasn't it only been twice?"
"The first time was before we left. You spilled the chocolate milk from my older brother Ren onto my shoes."
"Oops, I didn't do that on purpose."
"You're so clumsy."
Mae and Ren arrived at school. After parking the motorcycle and taking off their helmets, they immediately ran toward their classroom.
Students could be seen scattering across the field, getting ready for the flag ceremony.
"We almost ended up late. Come on, let's run as fast as lightning!" Mae shouted.
"How was my driving? Worthy of some appreciation, right?" Rio asked teasingly.
"Yeah, it was so amazing I felt like I was going to die."
"Aww~ How mean. But I'll take that as a compliment."
Mae and Ren had been best friends since childhood. They had always played together, even as babies. Their parents had been friends since high school. So it was safe to say they were practically inseparable.
To Mae, Rio was someone she couldn't describe. But there was one thing she knew for sure. Mae loved him dearly.
Without realizing it, Mae's lips curved into a gentle smile as she looked at Rio. When Rio noticed, he quickly turned his face directly toward Mae.
"You're captivated by my good looks, aren't you? I mean, I am that handsome."
Mae turned away. "You're awfully confident."
"If you like me, just say so. Wait too long, and I'll become a captive of the ladies."
Mae furrowed her brow, then walked quickly toward the field.
"Hey! Wait for me!"
Lunchtime arrived. This time, Mae wasn't with Rio but with her three female friends. They were Nayla, Valley, and Farah.
"The cafeteria food today is so delicious!" Valley exclaimed while chewing.
"Don't talk with your mouth full, Valley. You'll choke," Farah admonished.
Nayla looked at Valley, who was happily chewing away. "You like it that much? Want to eat mine too? I'm not really hungry."
Mae, Valley, and Farah immediately looked at Nayla.
"Are you sick?" Mae asked.
"No. I don't know why... Lately, I've been having a really bad feeling. It's made my appetite keep getting worse."
"Something bad? What kind of thing?" Farah asked, full of curiosity.
An unusual look of concern appeared on Nayla's face. "I'm not sure exactly what it's like. But it feels like the intense danger signal I experienced a few years ago, when I was about to be hit by a huge truck."
"What?!" the three of them shouted in unison.
"Wait, hearing that actually made me even hungrier. I'm going to eat your portion, Nayla," Valley said.
Nayla nodded.
"This girl," Farah remarked.
"You went through something that terrifying? How did you avoid it?" Mae asked, curious to hear the rest.
Nayla fell silent for a moment.
"Someone saved me. They ran while holding me in their arms, until we both tumbled to the ground together."
"Did you know them?" Valley asked, continuing to chew her food.
"No, but they looked familiar..."