The rooftop door clicked shut. The lock engaged.

  Wind moved across the concrete. It carried the scent of rain and distant traffic. Neo Ashford spread out below, a grid of grey and green.

  Hana Mitsuki stood by the railing. Her hands rested on the cold metal. She watched the students moving in the courtyard below. Tiny figures. Ants in uniform.

  Jin Seok-Min sat on a ventilation unit. A book lay open on his knees. He wasn't reading. His eyes were on the back of Hana's head.

  The lunch bell had rung twenty minutes ago.

  Kaito wasn't here.

  He hadn't been in the cafeteria. He hadn't been in the classroom. Ryota was downstairs, probably fighting the vending machine again.

  Hana turned around. She leaned against the railing. She crossed her arms.

  "He skipped lunch."

  Jin turned a page. He didn't look up.

  "Again."

  "He promised. Yesterday. He said fine. Fine means yes. Usually."

  "Usually."

  Hana pushed off the railing. She walked across the rooftop. Her shoes squeaked on the concrete. She stopped in front of Jin.

  "You're not surprised."

  Jin looked up. His eyes were dark. Calm. Unreadable.

  "About what."

  "About him. About Kaito." Hana gestured toward the door. "He disappears. He comes back tired. He wears that jacket even when it's thirty degrees. He flinches at noises nobody else hears."

  Jin closed the book. He set it aside.

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  "You notice things."

  "I pay attention."

  "Good."

  Hana frowned. She stepped closer.

  "You know something."

  Jin picked up the book. He ran a thumb over the cover.

  "Know what."

  "About him. About why he's like this." Hana's voice dropped. "You watch him. More than Ryota. More than me. You watch him like you're waiting for something."

  Jin stood up. He was taller than her. He didn't use it. He just stood.

  "He's interesting."

  "That's not an answer."

  "It's the only one you get."

  Hana searched his face. She looked for a crack. A smile. A twitch. Anything that gave him away.

  Jin was still. Like stone. Like water.

  "Is he in trouble?"

  "Everyone is."

  "Seriously, Jin." Hana's hands tightened at her sides. "I think he's hiding something. Something big. Not like skipping homework big. Like... life-changing big."

  Jin looked past her. Toward the city. Toward the Grey District in the distance.

  "Obviously."

  The word hung in the air. Heavy. Final.

  Hana blinked. She hadn't expected confirmation. She had expected denial. She had expected him to say she was overthinking it.

  "You knew."

  "Yes."

  "How long."

  "Long enough."

  Hana took a step back. The wind caught her hair. It whipped across her face.

  "Why didn't you say anything."

  Jin picked up his bag. He slung it over his shoulder. He walked toward the door. He stopped beside her. He didn't look at her.

  "Some things aren't mine to tell."

  "That's not fair."

  "Fair doesn't keep him safe."

  Jin reached for the handle. He paused.

  "Don't push him, Hana."

  "I'm not pushing."

  "You are. You're gentle. But you're pushing." Jin opened the door. The noise from the hallway spilled out. Voices. Laughter. Normalcy. "If he wants you to know, he'll tell you."

  "And if he doesn't."

  "Then you wait."

  Jin stepped through the door. He held it open. He waited for her.

  Hana stood where she was. She looked at the sky. She looked at the empty space where Kaito should have been.

  She walked toward the door. She passed Jin. She didn't look at him.

  "You're protecting him."

  "Someone has to."

  "From what."

  Jin didn't answer. He let the door close. The lock clicked.

  They walked down the stairs. The sound of their footsteps echoed. Step. Step. Step.

  Hana stopped on the landing. She turned.

  "Jin."

  He stopped one step below her. He looked up.

  "Is it dangerous."

  Jin held her gaze. For a second, something flickered in his eyes. Fear. Or maybe resignation.

  "Yes."

  He continued down the stairs.

  Hana stayed on the landing. She gripped the railing. Her knuckles turned white.

  Dangerous.

  She thought about the jacket. The tired eyes. The way he stood between her and the wall. The way he scanned every room before sitting down.

  She thought about the night last week. Walking home. She had seen a shadow move in the alley. Just a shadow. But it had felt wrong. Like the air had changed pressure.

  Kaito had been there. He had walked her home. He had stood on the corner until she was inside.

  She had thought it was sweet.

  Now she wondered if it was strategic.

  She went down the stairs. She reached the hallway. Jin was gone. Probably back in class. Probably reading. Probably watching the door.

  Hana walked to her classroom. She stopped outside.

  Through the window, she saw Kaito.

  He was at his desk. Head down. Eyes closed. Sleeping.

  His hand was in his pocket. Gripping something.

  Even in sleep, he was ready.

  Hana opened the door. She walked to her desk. She sat down. She took out her notebook.

  She wrote a note. She folded it.

  She waited for the teacher to turn around. She stood up. She walked to Kaito's desk.

  She placed the note on his desk.

  She went back to her seat.

  Kaito didn't wake up.

  The note sat there. White paper. Black ink.

  Jin watched from the corner of the room. He saw the note. He saw Kaito's hand tighten in his pocket.

  Kaito didn't wake up.

  But his fingers moved. Just once. Tapping against the fabric.

  A code. A signal. Or just a habit.

  Jin opened his book. He turned the page.

  He kept watching.