Miu took a deep breath, steadying herself before slowly opening her bedroom door. She could hear her mother’s footsteps getting closer, echoing through the hallway, and her heart raced as she cast a nervous glance back at the closet. She could just make out Takuma’s wide eyes peering through the slats, and she mouthed, “Stay quiet,” hoping he’d take it seriously.

Her mom appeared at the end of the hallway, her usual warm, curious gaze instantly landing on Miu.

“Miu, there you are,” she said, her voice carrying a touch of surprise. “You’re home early.”

Miu nodded, offering a casual smile. “Yeah, I finished my project at school, so I thought I’d come home and… study here.”

Her mother’s eyes narrowed slightly, an amused glint forming as she stepped into the room. “You’ve been in here studying all this time?”

Miu felt her stomach twist. She had to think fast. “Uh, yes! Very focused, you know? Midterms are coming up and all.”

Her mother looked around, her gaze landing on the faint remains of dinner on her desk—a pair of chopsticks, a small soy sauce bottle, and a couple of stray grains of rice.

“Oh, did you eat dinner already?” her mom asked, eyeing the evidence with an amused smile. “You must’ve been very focused on studying to eat here instead of downstairs.”

Miu glanced at the desk, heart pounding. She hadn’t thought to clean up all the dinner evidence, and it was clear she had been anything but “focused on studying.” She forced a laugh, inwardly cursing her oversight.

“Yeah… I, uh, thought I’d try something new. You know, make studying more… efficient?” She hoped the explanation didn’t sound as flimsy as it felt.

Her mom raised an eyebrow, her gaze still mildly suspicious. “Efficient, hmm?”

“Mm-hmm!” Miu replied quickly. “It’s this new… strategy I read about. Eat where you study. They say it’s good for focus.”

“Right…” Her mom’s eyes drifted toward the closet, where the sound of Takuma’s stifled breathing seemed to grow louder, at least to Miu’s ears. She resisted the urge to glance back, doing her best to keep her expression neutral.

“So, did you happen to see our neighbor Mr. Sakai on your way home? He mentioned he was out watering his garden around the time you’d usually come back.”

Miu’s brain scrambled for a response. She couldn’t remember passing anyone outside, much less their elderly neighbor. “Uh… no? I think I came back a little later than usual.”

“Hmm,” her mother replied, seeming to accept it for now. Her gaze softened as she looked back at Miu. “Well, I’m glad you’re taking studying seriously, even if your methods are… unique.”

Miu let out a small, relieved laugh, eager to guide her mom out of her room before any more questions arose. “Thanks, Mom! I, uh, probably need to get back to it now…”

Her mother gave her a playful, knowing smile. “Of course, dear. I’ll leave you to it. Just make sure you get some proper rest, alright?”

Miu nodded eagerly. “Will do!”

As her mom finally turned to leave, Miu let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. She shut the door softly, pressing her back against it and exhaling deeply.

From the closet, Takuma’s muffled voice broke the silence. “Is she gone?”

“Yes,” Miu whispered, crossing the room to slide the closet door open. Takuma stumbled out, slightly disheveled, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the light.

“Why do I feel like I was just in some spy movie?” he muttered, brushing off his shirt. “That was way too close.”

Miu narrowed her eyes at him. “I told you to stay quiet, and I mean quiet, Takuma.”

Takuma raised his hands defensively. “Hey, I was quiet! It’s just… that closet is way more cramped than I thought it’d be.”

Miu shot him an exasperated look, unable to believe he was complaining. “Well, you’re the one who wanted a house tour,” she retorted, crossing her arms.

Takuma smirked, leaning casually against the closet door. “Worth it, I’d say. I got a free meal, a tour, and an action scene. Couldn’t have planned it better myself.”

Miu let out a small huff, but a faint smile tugged at her lips. “Just try not to get me caught next time. I’m pretty sure my mom would faint if she found you hiding in my closet.”

Takuma shrugged, his tone casual but his eyes slightly more serious. “Noted. I’ll do my best not to cause too much trouble.”

Miu rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t deny the strange comfort she felt, knowing he was here. It was a chaotic, nerve-wracking night, but… maybe she didn’t mind it as much as she thought.

Suddenly, Takuma’s phone buzzed, breaking the momentary silence. He glanced down at the screen and his eyes widened.

“What is it?” Miu asked, her curiosity piqued.

He stared at the phone, then back up at her, his face somewhere between disbelief and panic.

“My mom just texted. She wants to know why I’m not home yet.”

Miu blinked, her own eyes widening. “Wait, you mean—she thinks you’re still out?”

Takuma nodded, already shoving his phone back into his pocket. “Yeah. I told her I’d be home an hour ago.”

They both froze, the weight of the situation sinking in.

“Well,” Takuma said with a wry smile, glancing at the clock. “Looks like I might need to borrow that closet again.”

Miu’s eyes widened, realizing the chaos she’d just barely escaped might still be brewing. She glanced back at the closet, then at Takuma’s face, where that smug little smirk lingered.

“Are you seriously suggesting that hiding in my closet for the night is an option?” she hissed, her voice dropping to a whisper as if her mom could hear her through the walls.

Takuma held up his hands, half in surrender, half in mischief. “Look, I’m just saying… it was surprisingly comfortable in there. You keep it clean.”

She shot him an exasperated look, her brain scrambling for a solution. “Takuma, you have to get home. Your mom’s probably worried sick by now.”

Takuma rubbed the back of his neck, seeming to consider his options for the first time. “True. But if I text her now, she’ll want to know where I am, and… let’s just say she won’t believe ‘I got lost on the way home.’”

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“Maybe,” Miu began, pacing around her room and glancing at her window, “you could, you know, sneak out the back?”

“Out the back?” he echoed, raising an eyebrow. “And scale down the fence in the dark? What am I, a ninja?”

Miu gave him a deadpan look. “Didn’t you basically just play the role of one in my closet?”

Takuma laughed softly, but Miu noticed a hint of nervousness in his gaze. His tough, indifferent front was finally cracking. She crossed her arms and tilted her head, studying him.

“You’re not really that rebellious, are you?” she teased, just loud enough for him to hear but not loud enough for her mom.

Takuma opened his mouth to protest but stopped short, his shoulders sagging. “Fine. Maybe I’m not as wild as I act. Happy?”

Miu couldn’t help but laugh, though she quickly tried to stifle it. It felt strange to see Takuma—the mysterious, slightly distant guy she’d known only from afar until recently—looking this unsure.

She placed a hand on her hip, thinking. “Alright, here’s what we’re going to do. You’ll go out through the back door. I’ll walk you halfway to the street so no one hears, and you can just make up some excuse when you get home.”

“Got it,” he said, nodding with the seriousness of a soldier receiving orders.

Quietly, Miu crept down the stairs, motioning for Takuma to follow closely behind. They tiptoed through the dimly lit kitchen, and just as they reached the back door, Miu turned to give him one last look.

“Try not to get into any more trouble, okay?”

Takuma chuckled under his breath. “Noted. Thanks for everything, Miu. This… was fun.”

She rolled her eyes, though a smile crept onto her lips. “Right. Fun.”

They shared a small smile, one that seemed to hold an unspoken understanding. Then, without another word, Takuma slipped out into the night. Miu watched until his shadow disappeared beyond the fence, only then letting out a deep breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

As she turned to go back upstairs, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out, seeing Takuma’s message.

Takuma: Made it out alive. Thanks again, “partner in crime.” Next time, maybe let’s meet somewhere less... closet-like?

She stared at the message, feeling a strange mix of relief, amusement, and… something else. Shaking her head, she quickly typed back.

Miu: Next time, try not to get caught in the first place, “ninja.”

Miu hit "send" and leaned back against the counter, stifling a laugh at Takuma’s response.

Almost instantly, her phone buzzed again.

Takuma: Duly noted. But hey, admit it—you kind of liked the thrill.

She stared at his text, her cheeks warming as she typed back.

Miu: Thrill? I’m pretty sure I just aged five years from the stress.

Takuma replied immediately.

Takuma: Stress keeps us sharp. You handled it like a pro.

Miu rolled her eyes, but her smile lingered. It was strange how easily Takuma could make her laugh, even after the most bizarre night she’d had in ages. Before she knew it, she was typing again.

Miu: If that’s your idea of sharp, I don’t want to see what your normal nights are like.

Takuma: My normal nights? Now that’s a secret… but maybe if we have another “operation,” you’ll get a peek.

She could practically hear the smirk in his words. Another operation? Miu was still trying to comprehend the chaos of tonight, but something about Takuma’s confidence made her stomach flip. She hesitated, wondering how to respond without encouraging more of his schemes.

Miu: We’ll see. Let’s try to survive tomorrow at school first. I’d rather not have my mom catch you sneaking around again.

A longer pause followed her last message. Finally, her phone buzzed.

Takuma: Fair point. But thanks for being… you know, cool with all this. I owe you one, Miu.

Miu bit her lip, her heart doing a little flip at his words. She hadn’t really expected Takuma to thank her, but reading it now, it felt… well, nice. She responded simply.

Miu: Just don’t get us both in trouble next time, and we’ll call it even.

Takuma’s final message of the night was short but somehow made her heart skip.

Takuma: Deal. Goodnight, Miu.

She tapped out a quick “Goodnight” in reply, and as she set her phone down, Miu found herself smiling at the quiet, unexpected thrill of the evening. She never could have imagined this—having Takuma in her home, helping him out of a ridiculous situation, and actually enjoying it. And for the first time, she realized she was looking forward to whatever “operation” they might get tangled up in next.

Because with Takuma, it was never quite predictable—and she kind of liked that.

The next morning, Miu could barely focus on her breakfast, her mind constantly drifting back to last night’s unexpected events. She replayed each moment in her head—the way Takuma had teased her, how he’d almost been caught by her mom, and the funny exchange of messages that had followed. It was so different from anything she’d ever experienced.

"Miu, are you okay?" her mom’s voice broke through her thoughts, pulling her back to the present. Miu looked up to see her mom studying her, a knowing smile tugging at her lips.

"Uh, yeah! Just thinking about… school," Miu replied quickly, hoping her face didn’t betray anything.

Her mom gave her a small, skeptical nod, though she thankfully didn’t pry further. Miu quickly finished breakfast, muttering something about not wanting to be late, and practically dashed out the door.

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At school, Miu spotted Takuma leaning against the courtyard wall, earbuds in, looking as nonchalant as ever. Her heart skipped slightly as she approached, still unsure what to say after the night they’d had. But before she could even greet him, Takuma looked up and slipped one earbud out, a slight smirk on his face.

"So," he said, tone casual, "survive the aftermath at home?"

Miu crossed her arms, trying to look unimpressed despite the fluttering in her chest. "I survived, but if my mom had found you, that would’ve been a different story."

Takuma laughed, tucking his earbuds away. "Good thing you’re pretty good at ‘operations,’ then."

She rolled her eyes but couldn’t help smiling. "And maybe you should try getting in less trouble."

"Where’s the fun in that?" he replied smoothly, though there was a playful glint in his eyes. He adjusted his bag, then looked around as if making sure no one was listening. "So… what’s your plan for lunch today? Feel like grabbing something off-campus?"

Miu blinked, taken aback. She wasn’t sure if Takuma was just being friendly or if he genuinely wanted to spend more time with her outside of school. "Off-campus? Isn’t that technically against the rules?"

Takuma shrugged, looking completely unbothered. "Only if we get caught."

There it was again—that mischievous streak that seemed to follow him everywhere. She considered his offer, part of her wanting to play it safe, but another part of her—perhaps influenced by last night—found herself nodding.

"Fine," she said, feigning reluctance. "But if we get caught, it’s on you."

Takuma grinned. "Wouldn’t have it any other way."

----------------------------------------

When lunchtime arrived, Miu found herself slipping out through the side gate with Takuma, her pulse quickening with every step as they moved farther from the school grounds. The streets were bustling, but the sense of breaking the usual routine, of doing something even slightly rebellious, made the city feel different—sharper, more alive.

They ended up at a small ramen shop a few blocks away, and as they settled into a booth, Miu couldn’t help but feel a little out of place, as though this was a scene from a movie she’d accidentally stepped into. Takuma seemed right at home, though, scanning the menu before glancing up at her.

"So, Miu," he began, resting his elbows on the table, "do you always follow the rules this closely?"

She laughed, feeling the tension ease slightly. "Maybe, but you make it sound like that’s a bad thing."

"Not bad," he said, grinning. "Just... safe."

They ordered their food, and as they waited, they found themselves talking more openly than they ever had before. Takuma asked about her favorite books, her interests, things she’d never thought he’d want to know. And for every question she answered, he shared something too—small glimpses into his life, bits of humor, and opinions she hadn’t expected from him.

As their food arrived, she found herself watching him more closely, taking in the way he ate, the small expressions he made as he spoke, and the easy way he laughed. Somehow, the Takuma she’d always seen as distant, even intimidating, had started to feel… familiar.

"Alright, Miu," he said, slurping the last of his noodles, "here’s the real question. If you had one day to do whatever you wanted, no rules, what would you do?"

She blinked, surprised by the question. "I… I’m not sure. I mean, I’ve never really thought about it like that."

Takuma leaned back, crossing his arms. "Come on. There’s got to be something."

She glanced down, trying to think. Finally, she shrugged. "Maybe go somewhere new. Somewhere unexpected. I don’t know… try something I’ve never done before."

Takuma’s eyes gleamed with interest. "Then maybe we’ll have to make that happen."

Miu looked up, meeting his gaze, the warmth in his eyes sparking something inside her. Before she could respond, though, the bell tower from the school echoed in the distance, jolting them back to reality. They had barely ten minutes left to get back.

Takuma’s eyes widened. "Alright, partner in crime. Time to run."

They dashed out of the ramen shop, laughing as they hurried back toward the school.