A Ripple in the Routine
It was a day like any other under Amy's roof. But a small change had found its way into our daily routine. Or perhaps, a massive one. Slipping out from under the covers, I looked down at Shine, who was squirming under her blanket. My body flinched instinctively at her every movement. Before she could wake up, I quickly slipped into the bathroom to wash my face. A faint blush dusted my cheeks as water dripped from my chin. Looking into the mirror, I began to tidy my wet hair.
"Shine~" Amy's voice drifted in from outside. A moment later, Shine's sleep-addled mumble followed. At the sound of her voice, the girl in the mirror—me—panicked. Flailing my arms, I scrambled off the step stool and rushed toward the towel rack. Three towels hung side by side: Shine's, Amy's, and mine. I reached out, grabbed my towel, and wiped my face and hands. Burying my face in the soft fabric, I strained my ears to listen to the sounds outside. Shine's soft footsteps were approaching the door. With every step she took, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I hurriedly hung my towel back up and bolted out of the bathroom. Even if I didn't leave, I would have run into her anyway, but being trapped in a small, inescapable space alone with Shine felt... a little too dangerous.
"Jeff." The moment I opened the door, I ran right into Shine, who was waiting outside. Locking eyes with me, she offered a bright smile. "Did you sleep well?" It was a perfectly ordinary greeting, no different from any other day. I replied in kind. "Yeah. Did you sleep well too, Shine?" After exchanging greetings, I brushed past her. Behind me, the bathroom door clicked shut. I froze in place, swallowing hard. My racing heart showed no signs of calming down. Am I just overthinking this? Am I being paranoid? The thoughts swirled in my head. Taking a deep breath, I turned around and crept back to the bathroom door. I carefully cracked it open. The door slid open without a sound, revealing Shine's back through the narrow gap.
Sniff, sniff. Shine had her face buried in a towel, deeply inhaling its scent. The instant I saw that, I slammed the door shut. I didn't even need to check whose towel it was. It was mine. Clutching my trembling hands, I trudged back to the bed.
"Are you done washing up already?" "Yes..." "You look a bit drained." Amy looked at me with a worried expression as I slumped down. I looked up at her, my mouth twitching. This was hardly something I could ask her advice on. It was far too awkward. I couldn't say a word. Shine is still young. She's just confused by emotions she's experiencing for the very first time. At least, that was what I chose to believe. I collapsed onto the bed, burying my face in the blankets. Because Shine had been clinging to me all night, her scent clung heavily to the sheets. The fragrance tickled my nose, sending a rush of heat straight to my face. I squeezed the blanket tightly.
"Jeff, are you going back to sleep?" "A-Ah, no!" Startled, I bolted upright. Today's schedule was the same as yesterday's, minus the training. I immediately changed my clothes. Shine soon emerged from the bathroom and began to change as well. It was a sight I saw every day, but I found myself instinctively looking away. Perhaps because we had no training today, she wasn't wearing her usual tracksuit. Dressed in a snow-white dress that fell to her knees, Shine looked as pure as freshly fallen snow. And so did I. Standing in front of the large full-length mirror, I toyed with the hem of my dress. The unfamiliar sensation of the fabric made me self-consciously press my legs together.
"You both look lovely." The clothes Amy picked out for us were always like this—fluttery, soft, and feminine. Though it felt a bit embarrassing, I could tolerate this minor discomfort if it meant supporting one of Amy's few hobbies.
"Stand next to each other, you two." Amy pointed her phone camera at us as we stood before the mirror. Shine and I blinked, looking at each other. Taking a photo meant capturing a slice of this moment to keep as a memory. Thinking back to the empty gallery on my old phone, I nodded.
"Come here, Jeff." Shine gently reached her hand out to me. Ever since Shine realized her feelings weren't just sisterly affection but something else entirely, she had been acting a bit strange. Her hand approached slowly, looking no different than usual. But when her fingers wrapped around my wrist, my skin burned as if touched by fire. She had been looking at me, but suddenly she averted her gaze, turning her head away. Seeing the tips of her ears turn red, it was obvious she was feeling the same racing heartbeat I was. Yet, despite her shyly turned face, her hand moved with startling boldness. Softly, clingily, like a snake slithering up my skin. I panicked at the sensation and tried to pull away, but she was too quick. Sensing my retreat, she gripped me tightly and yanked me toward her. Caught off balance, I stumbled right into her. Shine caught me, stepping slightly behind me, and rested her chin on my shoulder. Her breath was too close. I couldn't tell if the frantic thumping in my chest belonged to me or to her.
"Why are you two being so shy?" I hung my head at Amy's teasing. Feeling Shine's breath tickling my ear made my vision spin. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. I wanted to push her away, but I couldn't bear the thought of hurting her feelings.
"Alright, look over here and smile." At Amy's instruction, I lifted my head. As I moved, Shine's hair brushed against my cheek. I flinched at the ticklish sensation, causing Shine to let out a sharp breath. Hngh! Her warm breath puffed against my ear, making me shrink back again. Click! The shutter sound echoed from Amy's phone.
"Well..." Amy scratched her cheek as she reviewed the photo. It seemed she didn't get the shot she wanted. "This is a bit... peculiar." Mumbling to herself, Amy slipped her phone into her pocket. The photoshoot was over. I immediately broke free from Shine's embrace. Shine let out a soft, disappointed sigh, but I couldn't take it anymore. My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would burst; I desperately needed to calm down. Why am I acting like this? I couldn't understand myself. Walking a short distance away from Shine, I leaned against the wall and panted. I was as out of breath as if I had just run a full sprint.
"Shall we go eat?" "Yes..." On the way to the cafeteria, the distance between us felt different. Normally, Shine would walk right by my side, but today she insisted on staying a step behind. The intense, burning gaze prickling the back of my neck was overwhelming. Unable to bear it any longer, I scrambled to walk in front of Amy. I quickened my pace, but Shine immediately slipped into the gap between Amy and me. I quickly shifted to walk right beside Amy. But wherever I moved, Shine followed. After we spun in circles around Amy a few times, Amy finally spoke up.
"What on earth are you two doing?" I kept my mouth shut, my face burning hot. The cafeteria was already packed with people. As the mouth-watering aroma of food hit my nose, my worries about Shine were pushed to the back of my mind. I ran my tongue over my lips.
"Pork cutlet for Jeff?" "Yes!" I nodded vigorously. I had eaten pork cutlet literally every single day. "Don't you think you should try something else for a change?" I shook my head at Amy's suggestion. Food—eating—was meant to be about having exactly what you wanted. That was the only way to find true happiness.
"I'll have the pork cutlet too," Shine said. Amy went to order our food. I immediately scanned the cafeteria to see if there was anyone I knew. Rain was nowhere to be seen.
"Oh." Scanning the room, I spotted Victor. I immediately ran over to him. Since Victor always ate alone, the area around his table was quiet and empty. "Victor!" Chewing on a mouthful of fried rice, Victor looked down at me at the sound of my voice. "Hello!" I chirped, sliding into the seat opposite him.
"Hello, Victor." Shine, who usually ignored him completely, actually greeted him too. I felt a tiny swell of emotion seeing her take my past advice to heart. Shine was definitely changing. For better, and... well, for more overwhelming.
"Right. Hello." Victor seemed unusually cheerful today. A faint, subtle smile played on his normally exhausted face. "Did something good happen?" At my question, Victor glanced around the room. It looked like he was searching for Amy. I pointed a finger toward where Amy was standing. "Amy is over there." "I see..." Victor nodded and went back to munching on his fried rice. I frowned at his reaction. He hadn't answered my question at all. He kept his mouth shut as if he had no intention of telling me. This time, Shine, sitting next to me, spoke up.
"Victor." "Uh..." Victor's eyebrow twitched, clearly caught off guard by Shine addressing him. He replied with a dazed expression. Honestly, it was the first time I had ever seen the two of them talk. "Do you have someone you like, Victor?" Shine's question made Victor's face freeze. "Do you like Amy?" At Shine's blunt, innocent question, Victor became visibly flustered. He slammed his spoon down onto the tray with a loud clatter. "M-Me?!" Crackle! He was so rattled that a faint blue spark of electricity actually flickered off the spoon he had just dropped. I stared at him in shock. Judging by his reaction, he looked exactly like a schoolboy whose secret crush had just been exposed.
"Is that a no?" "Of course not!" They say a strong denial is as good as an admission. I had heard that somewhere before. I watched Victor with an amused, intrigued expression. Victor immediately stood up, casting a quick glance toward Amy, before picking up his tray and making a hasty retreat. His sudden departure was telling. If his reaction was anything to go by, Shine was right—Victor definitely had feelings for Amy. But it was highly unexpected. Based on his usual gruff demeanor, I would have never guessed he harbored a crush on her.
"How did you know, Shine?" "Because he's like me." "Like you...?" "Yes. And you're starting to become like that too, Jeff." I swallowed hard at Shine's cryptic explanation. It was vague and imprecise, but I had a pretty good idea of exactly what she meant.