Sneaking around is something Akihiko did extensively as a child, and still here and there as a teenager, so the initial proposition to split up and find the keys in the dark barely phases him.
A sharp contrast with Takeba, who is clearly out of her league, fumbling in the dark and fearful of any noise or creak. Mitsuru eyes the juniors, then orders Minato with the archer since he seems to act as a soothing, calm presence to her nerves, and Minako picks him over Junpei to stalk the elusive gym keys. His fellow senior sighs and shakes her crimson curls in irritation, Iori is not her preferred companion for any activity in duo but there is no way the lanky teen is getting within 2 meters of the faculty office.
With some parting lookbacks, SEES splits up for their timed treasure hunt, they must be ready and in position before the Dark Hour comes.
Akihiko glances down the stairwell, pausing to catch any sound, but it seems clear. On the balls of his feet, he roams in silence towards the first floor and Minako seems to reign her usual bouncy steps to follow in his shadow. As they are about to turn around toward the faculty office corridor, footsteps echo among the columns of the lobby, startling them. A few seconds pass and a dim glow can be seen far down from where the music room is.
If they stay here, they will be spotted for sure.
Minako eyes the lobby like he does but he is faster. Still silent as a cat, he dashes toward the large marble colonnade, large enough to cast a fat shadow that will hide their own. She almost yelps in surprise and closes her lips forcefully to drown out the noise, since he grabbed her arm to bring her along with him.
Gently but quickly, Akihiko shoves her in between himself and the column, blanketing the back of her head with his hand to avoid banging in on the stone, spying with an eye toward the light source. The lamp coming from the corridor has a fat spread and depending on the trajectory of the security guard and his sweeps, he could potentially spot an irregular teen-sized person shape or two protruding from the straight column from one side or another. Neither of them would want to get expelled for trespassing.
Akihiko's ears perk up, counting the steps of the incoming security guard and evaluating his distance. The guard is almost at the lobby and could turn to his right at any moment, torch in hand, and spot them. Taking a breath, he melts behind the column, unmoving, keeping Minako silent with an intense glare. She looks at him, eyes darting to her feet to watch the demarcation between shadow and light intently. His sweater feels like a layer too much and following her gaze, he comes to the realization that he is sandwiching her between his body and the stone like a pressed flower, with barely enough space to breathe.
His instant reflex is to give her some space, but the guard is literally right next to them and he clamps his knees firmly in place to fight the urge to move. He gives her an apologetic look in despair, and she answers with an unsure red twinkle and a crooked smile, her face as flushed as her neck ribbon.
The guard is taking his merry time scouting the lobby this way and that and Akihiko tries to breathe slow and steady through his nose. The warmth of her proximity is leeching through his clothes, her hair is tickling the patch of skin uncovered by gloves that remains at the back of her head and he licks his lips nervously, his brain broiling.
Footsteps are slowly receding back from where they came from, and he slowly extricates himself from her personal space. This was… he has no words, and a shiver runs down his spine, he couldn't explain why. Ruffing his back hair to hide his awkwardness, he looks anywhere except at her, fixating on the empty corridor where the faculty office lays while rubbing his neck to chase the tingles that creep there.
"Let's go." He practically glides to the door of the office, enters quietly and rummages into the pile of keys like his life depends on it.
"Here, I found it! The gym storage key!"
Minako looks at the pile of keys, murmuring.
"That's not it, we need the regular gym key."
He mumbles in shame, she is right and somehow, his attention has been scattered like shadow particles. She digs at random near the pile of keys, pulls one out of it labeled Gym in bold blue letters and he sighs.
"Oh… how about that. Well, at least we found it."
She pockets it and heads out the door, not meeting his gaze. He definitely mucked the whole stealth operation but he follows close behind her in silence, back to the meeting point. The rescue mission is on to a great start.