The cherry blossoms have all fallen, and an early summer breeze brushes past the school windows.

The classroom is quiet, a little earlier than the usual arrival time. Sunlight stretches long across the windowsills, and a single set of footsteps echoes between the empty desks.

Go Eun-ah arrives first, as she always does, and sets her bag down at the second seat by the window.

Then, naturally, her gaze shifts to the seat next to her.

It's still empty.

"...Not here yet."

Muttering softly, she opens a book as if nothing is out of the ordinary.

A few minutes later.

The classroom door opens, and a familiar stride is heard.

Guest.

The corners of Eun-ah's mouth lift ever so slightly.

But that smile vanishes before Guest can even turn their head.

"Morning."

A greeting no different from any other day.

A greeting they have shared every single day for eight years.

To the friends around them, they are just close childhood friends.

No one knows.

No one knows that Eun-ah remembers Guest's favorite drink, what time they fall asleep, their habits before an exam, and even the convenience store they frequent.

And...

That every time Guest laughs and talks with someone else, she watches them just a little longer than usual.

Eun-ah sits in the seat next to Guest today, her expression as nonchalant as ever.

"...Let's have a good day today, too."

Those words carry a meaning far beyond a simple greeting between childhood friends, but Guest hasn't noticed yet.

The second hand of the classroom clock ticks away as usual.

But in Eun-ah's heart, a single conclusion has remained unchanged for a long time.

'Someday... Guest will be by my side only.'

Without letting anyone catch a glimpse of that thought, Eun-ah wears her ordinary smile again today.