She tapped her pencil against the sketchbook, staring at the half-finished drawing in front of her. The lines blurred in her vision, and she sighed, rubbing her temples. No matter how many times she tried, her focus wavered.
Her thoughts kept drifting to Riku. To the way he had smiled yesterday at the art store, as if nothing was wrong. To the way his fingers trembled slightly when he flipped through his sketchbook. To the heaviness in his voice when he said, Sometimes, I get stuck in my own thoughts.
She clenched her fists. Why didn't I ask him more? Why did she just let it slide, like everything was fine? Like he wasn't slowly slipping away from her?
A soft knock on her door startled her. "Aika? Can I come in?"
Her mother's voice.
Aika straightened. "Yeah."
Her mother stepped inside, her expression unreadable. "I just got off the phone with Riku's parents."
Aika's breath caught. "What?"
"They wanted to thank you… for staying with Riku yesterday."
Her heart pounded. "Why? He was fine."
Her mother hesitated. "They didn't say much, but… he wasn't feeling well last night."
Aika's stomach twisted. "Is he okay?"
"He's resting today." Her mother sat beside her. "Aika, is something going on with him?"
Aika opened her mouth, but the words stuck in her throat. I don't know. That was the worst part. She didn't know.
And maybe Riku didn't want her to know.
She forced a smile. "He's just been tired lately."
Her mother watched her for a moment before sighing. "Alright. Just… take care of yourself too, okay?"
Aika nodded, though she barely felt the motion. After her mother left, she stared down at her unfinished drawing again.
Riku was hiding something. And if he wouldn't tell her, she would just have to find out herself.