Kanta sighed dramatically, brushing chalk dust from his hands. "You know, we live in a world where we have supercomputers in our pockets, yet here I am wiping chalkboards like we're stuck in the 90s," he said, shooting a glance at Tanya. He feigned a cough, pretending the dust was getting to him. "I think I just aged a year... Look, my hair's turning gray already."

Tanya, perched on the edge of the desk, let out a giggle that broke the quiet stillness of the empty classroom. She leaned back, a broom resting casually between her legs, her hands loosely gripping the handle. They were the last ones there, with Tanya assigned to cleaning duty, and Kanta tagging along for reasons he didn't really care to admit. Maybe it was to help. Maybe it was just to keep her company.

"Speaking of gray hair, yours is kinda cool," Kanta said, tilting his head slightly. "Like something out of a movie, y'know? It suits you."

Tanya's giggle faded, her eyes dropping to the floor, her expression slipping into something more distant. Kanta frowned, realizing he might've hit a nerve. The room grew awkwardly quiet, the kind of silence that made Kanta want to do something—anything—to make her laugh again. He put the eraser down, glancing at her, his mind scrambling for a way out of the uncomfortable space he'd unintentionally created.

After a moment, he cleared his throat, trying to sound casual. "So, uh, what are you doing after this? Cram school? Club?"

Tanya shook her head, her gaze still averted. "No," she said, her voice soft.

Kanta hesitated, watching her for a beat before an idea struck him. "Hey," he said, a grin spreading across his face, "how about we grab some ice cream? My treat." He could almost see the corners of her mouth twitch upward, and that was all the encouragement he needed.

Tanya's face brightened, her eyes meeting his again. "Sure," she replied, her voice carrying a hint of excitement.

Kanta grabbed his bag, and they walked out together. The bustling street outside was a whirlwind of people heading home from work, cars honking, and a thousand little distractions. Kanta kept sneaking glances at Tanya, trying to read her expression. She seemed deep in thought, her eyes following the pavement as they walked. He hoped that ice cream might just be the thing to shake off whatever was weighing her down.

It wasn’t long before they were sitting across from each other at a small ice cream parlor, the warmth of the setting sun spilling through the window, giving everything a soft golden glow. Kanta had gone for a banana split, while Tanya opted for a sundae piled high with whipped cream and cherries. He watched as she toyed with her spoon, her earlier tension seeming to melt away with every bite.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

"You know," Kanta began, breaking the comfortable silence, "I always thought you'd be kinda hard to approach."

Tanya looked up at him. "Really? Why's that?"

"I dunno, you just seemed... quiet, like there was this invisible wall or something. Like, no one could really get close."

Tanya laughed softly, a genuine smile breaking through. "That's funny. I thought you were a delinquent."

Kanta blinked, then burst out laughing, nearly dropping his spoon. "Wait, you knew who I was? I thought I was under the radar!"

Tanya shook her head, still smiling. "Nope. You always had that look—bored, skipping classes, but somehow still acing the tests. People noticed."

Kanta shook his head with a grin. "Man, I must've seemed like the worst kind of student."

"Maybe," Tanya said, her eyes meeting his, a flicker of warmth there, "but you're actually a lot nicer than people think."

Kanta felt his chest tighten slightly at the compliment, unsure of what to say. Before he could think of a response, Tanya looked down at her sundae, her voice dropping a notch. "Must be nice, though... being able to skip classes, do whatever you want. No expectations, no one watching. Sometimes I wonder what that's like."

Kanta's smile faded as he listened, her words sinking in. "I guess I just kinda floated along," he said, giving her an apologetic smile. "But... if you ever want to try it, just being carefree for a day, I'll be there. Even if it's just for a little while."

Tanya looked up, her eyes softening. She studied him for a moment, her lips curving just slightly. "You make it sound easy," she said, her voice almost a whisper. "Maybe... someday, I'll take you up on that."

Kanta watched as she stirred her sundae, the spoon moving in slow circles, her gaze distant again. He felt like she was on the verge of saying more, something important, but he waited, choosing not to push her.

After a beat of silence, Tanya looked at her sundae, then back at him. "You asked about my hair earlier," she said.

Kanta straightened up, curiosity sparking. "Yeah?"

Tanya paused, her fingers brushing the edge of her bowl. "It's natural. Been like this for as long as I can remember. My mom had it too." She hesitated, her voice turning quieter. "I guess... it just makes me feel different. Like I'm older than I am. Kids used to call me 'granny.'"

Kanta frowned, shaking his head. "No way. It looks... cool. Like an anime character or something," he said, his voice light. He hesitated, then decided to go all in. "Like the main character. You look beautiful."

A blush crept across Tanya's cheeks, her eyes darting away. She let out a soft laugh, her lips curving into a smile. "You're just saying that... but thanks," she replied, her tone tinged with embarrassment and something softer, something Kanta couldn't quite name.

Kanta leaned back, a smile tugging at his lips as he watched her. Maybe he was just saying it, but the way she looked right now, with the sun turning her hair silver and her smile hesitant but real—he couldn't help but think she was, indeed, the main character.