Ink between us

Time didn't rush anymore.

It moved differently now—steadier, quieter. Not like the hectic days of high school when every moment felt like a panic or a confession waiting to happen. These days, time made room for breathing. For becoming.

Their group was still intact—just stretched out across Japan, each pursuing the path they once only whispered about during library detentions and late-night calls.

Even from different campuses and cities, they stayed connected. Emotionally rooted. Unbreakable.

---

🎨 Ren Sakamoto – Tama Art University

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Illustration Major)

Years Remaining: 1

Ren had become someone people watched.

His portfolio had made it into regional exhibitions, and his professors often called him a visual storyteller with "an eye that bleeds emotion." He was quiet as ever, but something had shifted—he didn't flinch as much when receiving praise.

Freelance projects trickled in regularly now. Most nights, he worked until dawn sketching book covers, character sheets, and manga panels. And whenever he was asked about inspiration, he said, "a conversation I can still hear."

Of course, that meant Yuuji.

---

⚖️ Yuuji Aikawa – Keio University

Bachelor of Law

Years Remaining: 2

He was sharp, composed, and completely obsessed with constitutional law. Yuuji had made it into Keio's legal stream straight out of high school, bypassing the crowd with sheer intellect and ambition.

His schedule was stacked—moot court training, lectures, internships. But he never missed a chance to check in on Ren's posts or attend a gallery event when he could.

He still carried around the drawing Ren once gave him—the one sketched after their first real argument and makeup.

Sometimes, he looked at it more than he admitted.

---

🧠 Ian Moore – Kyoto University

Bachelor of Science (Psychology)

Years Remaining: Final Year

Ian had fallen into the rhythm of academia easily. Psychology suited him—it gave names to the feelings he once thought made him weak. He was working on his thesis now, exploring adolescent attachment and emotional defense mechanisms.

Rio still interrupted his study sessions with chaotic voice notes and messy film reels. Ian never stopped smiling through them.

He thought about grad school. Maybe abroad. But the idea of leaving Rio made something twist in his chest.

---

🎬 Rio Wilson – Musashino University

Bachelor of Film and Media Arts

Years Remaining: 2

Rio had found his home behind the camera.

He'd already directed a few student short films and had one accepted into a local youth film festival. His visual language was experimental, sometimes chaotic, always sincere.

He kept recording moments, like Ian half-asleep during study breaks or the petals falling near the train tracks when he missed him too much.

Rio didn't say "I love you" a lot. But his camera did.

---

📐 Kenji Suguru – Tohoku University

Bachelor of Architecture

Years Remaining: 3

Kenji's world was blueprints and concrete now.

He was known for his calm demeanor and flawless execution in studio critiques. Most people assumed he was intimidating—until they saw him with Will.

He sketched buildings with wide windows and open skies. Buildings that looked like homes for someone else. Will always joked he was drawing the place they'd retire in.

Kenji never denied it.

---

🎭 Will Ethan – Tohoku University

Bachelor of Performing Arts (Theatre Focus)

Years Remaining: 1

Will was fire, laughter, and standing ovations. His plays were raw, theatrical, and deeply personal. His dorm room was littered with annotated scripts, half-finished monologues, and dried flowers Kenji gave him after every show.

He still overshared, still got too emotionally attached to his characters. But now he turned that into art. Into something unforgettable.

Kenji kept every program Will had written his name in. Even the ones with typos.

---

💬 Still Six, Still Us

They weren't together every day. They had different train routes, majors, cities, and sleep cycles. But none of that dulled what they had.

A group chat named "Project Perfectionists Forever (no escape)"

Surprise visits during summer breaks

Secret group notes passed via care packages

Birthday countdowns, angry rants about professors, and constant photo spam

---

They had changed.

They were becoming who they were meant to be.

But they still laughed. Still loved. Still carried pieces of one another.

---

Ren still sketched Yuuji's eyes from memory.

Yuuji still read Ren's messages three times before replying.

Ian still reached for Rio during midnight silences.

Rio still filmed Ian when he thought he wasn't watching.

Will still quoted love poems mid-conversation.

Kenji still listened without interrupting, offering warmth with silence.

---

Six boys.

Six journeys.

Still one story.

And this time, they were writing it on their own terms.