While Aizen and Violet were navigating the complexities of their relationship, Kei was going through changes of her own. Kei had always been the cheerful, outgoing member of the group, full of energy and laughter. But lately, she’d started to feel a bit lost, like she was missing something important.

  It began to hit her during the summer vacation, after the barbecue challenge and the beach trip. While Aizen and Violet were getting closer and Ryuen was content with his long-distance relationship, Kei found herself wondering what was next for her. She loved her friends dearly, but she started feeling like the odd one out, like everyone else had something figured out that she didn’t.

  One afternoon, after school, Kei decided to talk to Ryuen about it. They were sitting on a bench near the baseball field, watching the sunset after one of Ryuen’s practice sessions.

  “Ryuen, have you ever felt like... I don’t know, like everyone else has their life together except you?” Kei asked, her voice unusually serious.

  Ryuen paused, wiping sweat from his forehead before answering. “Honestly? Yeah, sometimes. But it’s not like anyone really has everything figured out. We’re all just trying to get through high school, you know?”

  Kei sighed, kicking at the dirt with her shoe. “I know, but it’s different. You’ve got baseball, Aizen and Violet have each other, and your girlfriend’s coming to our school next year. But I don’t have anything like that.”

  Ryuen gave her a thoughtful look. “You’re an amazing friend, Kei. You’re always there for us, and you bring so much energy to everything we do. Maybe you just need to find something that’s yours, something you’re passionate about.”

  Kei nodded slowly, taking his words to heart. “Yeah... maybe you’re right. But I don’t even know where to start.”

  “Why not try out some new things?” Ryuen suggested. “There’s gotta be something that’ll click for you. You’re talented, Kei. You just need to find what makes you happy.”

  Kei smiled, feeling a bit more hopeful. “Thanks, Ryuen. I think I’ll do that.”

  Over the next few weeks, Kei threw herself into trying out different clubs and activities. She joined the art club, helped out with the school newspaper, and even tried her hand at cooking in the home economics club. While she had fun and made new friends, none of these activities felt quite right. Something was still missing.

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  It wasn’t until one afternoon when she was hanging out with Violet that she found her answer. Violet had invited Kei over to play some video games, a hobby they both enjoyed, though Kei had never been as into it as the others. But as they played, Kei noticed something: she was good at this. Really good.

  “Wow, Kei, you’re killing it!” Violet said, genuinely impressed. “I didn’t know you were this good at gaming.”

  Kei laughed; a bit surprised herself. “I guess I just never really paid attention before. I’ve always played for fun, but... maybe I could get more into it?”

  Violet nodded enthusiastically. “Definitely! There’s a whole community out there, and it could be something you really enjoy. Plus, you’d get to hang out with Aizen and me more often if you wanted.”

  Kei’s eyes lit up at the idea. “You know what? I think I will. Maybe I’ll even start streaming or something. It could be fun!”

  Over the next few months, Kei dove headfirst into the world of gaming. She started playing more seriously, learning strategies, and improving her skills. She even began streaming her gameplay, building a small but loyal following online. It was something she never expected to enjoy so much, but it quickly became a passion.

  Her friends noticed the change in her, too. Kei was more confident, more driven, and she finally felt like she had something of her own. Aizen, Violet, and Ryuen were all incredibly supportive, cheering her on and even joining her streams occasionally.

  One day, as they were all hanging out together, Ryuen brought it up. “So, Kei, how’s the streaming going? You’ve been getting pretty popular, huh?”

  Kei grinned, a sense of pride swelling in her chest. “Yeah, it’s been going great! I never thought I’d get into something like this, but it turns out I love it. It’s like I finally found my thing.”

  Aizen nodded in approval. “I’m really happy for you, Kei. You’ve always had the energy and charisma for something like this. I knew you’d find your path.”

  Violet smiled warmly at Kei. “You’ve always been there for us, Kei. Now it’s our turn to support you in what you love.”

  Kei felt a warmth in her heart, surrounded by friends who believed in her. She realized that she didn’t need to have everything figured out, and that it was okay to take her time discovering what made her happy. What mattered most was that she was doing something she loved, and she had the support of the people who meant the most to her.

  As the school year progressed, Kei’s newfound passion for gaming brought her closer to Aizen and Violet, and she even found herself bonding with other students who shared her interests. The feeling of being lost slowly faded away, replaced by a sense of purpose and excitement for the future.

  Kei had found her path, and it was just the beginning.

  To be continued...