“Your hands are improving.”

“Yeah, right...” Hana exhaled, dropping her pencil onto the desk. 

"For real ! Look, this one's more natural !" Sanae pointed with her pencil.

"It looks like a starfish.."

Sanae chuckled, sitting next to her, sketchbook in her lap.

The clubroom was quiet enough, barely anyone except for the two of them, sitting in the middle of the room, Kai worked in the corner, where the light fell soft.. Not far from him, an empty chair.

Emi’s usual spot.

“Urrrhh..!”

Sanae's gaze snapped back. 

“I wish I could just do it already...”

Hana frowned, her expression tightening in what seemed like frustration.

“Yeah, wouldn’t that be nice ?” Sanae chuckled, opening her sketchbook. 

“She makes it look so easy..” 

Hana spun her pencil, chin resting on her hand. Sanae watched the motion, feeling the air stiffen between them.

“Yeah, but comparing all the time isn’t helpful.” She said softly.

“Easy to say.”

Sanae's breath caught, the words settling somewhere uncomfortable.

“You know It’s not a competition, right ?”

She spoke, her gaze on Hana who wasn’t looking back.

“And yet we’re having a showcase..”

The edge in her voice that wasn’t lost on her.

Sanae’s pencil froze while Hana’s grip tightened on hers.

“Come on, it’s not about that..”

The air stilled. Hana didn't look.

“When she’s there, everything’s a contest.”

Her tone cut sharper than before.

Sanae’s pencil stopped mid-line.

She looked up — Hana still wouldn’t.

“That’s not fair,” she said, quicker than she meant to. The sound of it hung there, small but firm. She glanced sideways again. Emi wasn’t here to defend herself — and maybe that’s why it felt right to say it.

She exhaled softly.

“Art’s a big deal for Emi — she’s planning to go to art school next year.” 

“I know.” Hana responded quickly, eyes still on her page..

“We shouldn't blame her for being passionate.” She followed as she set her pencil down, keeping her tone gentle.

“It’s not about that!”

Her voice cut through the room — not loud, but sharp enough to make a few heads turn.

“It's not even fun anymore!” 

Sanae blinked.

"No one asked for this—" "This whole showcase thing was HER idea."

The room stilled — the faint hum of chatter quieting instantly.
Hana’s gaze lifted, finally looking at her, too serious.

Sanae didn’t respond right away. The gazes pressed harder than she wanted to admit, her thoughts unable to settle into something simple and easy to say.

Instead, her eyes flicked across the room, landing on Emi’s painting propped near the edge of the clubroom. It lingered in her vision for a moment…

Sanae’s lips started moving slowly.

“I think…” 

She paused, weighing her words.

 “..it’s an opportunity.. it gets everyone more motivated than usual.” 

Sanae spoke without turning back.

Hana didn’t answer.

“Plus–we get to go on an art trip because of it !”

Sanae pressed on with hopeful enthusiasm, her gaze shifting back to Hana, wearing a steady smile. 

At that, Hana exhaled softly, the tension easing from her shoulders, 

“I guess so.” Hana’s mood lightened. Sanae nodded, the pencil’s motion picking back up on the paper.

“Did you invite the ghost in the end?”

Sanae’s smile faltered slightly. Glancing at her.

“Don’t call him that, come on..”

Hana's brow raised for a second.

“You think it’s alright for him to come with us? I mean, the guy barely talks as is” Hana added, closing her sketchbook.

“He talks… he’s just a bit shy.”