May 2, 2016
8:00 a.m.
The brilliant rays of the sun bathed the city beneath a clear sky of flawless blue. A gentle morning breeze stirred the treetops, while the green leaves swayed softly in rhythm with the wind.
The busy streets leading toward Sobu High School were beginning to fill with students. The murmur of hundreds of conversations blended with the whisper of the wind through the trees, creating the unmistakable atmosphere of the beginning of a new school day.
Amid the crowd walked Hikigaya Hachiman. His hands buried in his pockets, he moved at an unhurried pace, wearing the same indifferent expression he had adopted over the past few weeks.
With his head lowered, avoiding eye contact with others, he silently listened to the lively conversations taking place around him.
He had barely been inside the school for a few minutes, yet the noise had already filled the hallways and the streets surrounding the campus.
Not far from him, a group of girls chatted excitedly.
"Hey, did you hear about the new member of the soccer club?"
"You mean Hayato Hamaya?"
"Kyaa! Yes! He's so handsome... and apparently he's really nice, too."
"Last week, he even smiled at me when I walked past him. You have no idea how nervous I was."
"Lucky you... We're in the same class, but I still don't have the courage to talk to him."
"I heard even the third-years know him."
"That's normal... He's outstanding at both sports and academics."
"I'm so jealous... He already seems to have his own group."
The girls' laughter blended with the voices of the various groups of students making their way toward their respective classrooms.
Likewise, the murmurs and excited remarks of the boys could be heard throughout the crowd.
"All that effort I put into getting into this school was definitely worth it."
"You mean because of the academic level?"
"Academic? Of course not. Look around you... There are beautiful girls everywhere."
"Hahaha. You're right. This really is the beginning of our youth."
"Tch... If Hayama hadn't already stolen everyone's attention, I'd have much better chances."
"I heard Class J is full of girls who look like models or idols."
"Yeah... No wonder so many people want to transfer into that class."
As he walked through the crowd, Hachiman couldn't help but see himself as the black sheep of the story.
Everyone was laughing.
Everyone was talking.
Everyone seemed to be moving forward.
Except him.
For whatever reason, from the moment he had passed through the gates of Sobu High School, he had felt as though an invisible barrier separated him from the rest of the students.
All he cared about now was finding out which classroom he had been assigned to and who his classmates would be.
Everything else...
It didn't matter.
However, for a brief moment, a strange thought crossed his immature mind.
An absurd idea, born from someone who still viewed his life as though it were the beginning of a story.
After all, stories always began with something out of the ordinary...
An accident, for example.
Boom... boom.
The mere thought made his heart pound.
Hachiman felt embarrassment rise to his face.
He wanted to cover it with his hands.
Fortunately, no one could know what had just gone through his head.
Did I really just think that?
It was ridiculous.
He had spent far too much time consuming stories where the protagonist suffered an accident and, from that moment onward, his entire life changed.
Perhaps a small part of him was still hoping something like that would happen.
Though he would never admit it aloud.
I'm definitely thinking too much.
---
A third-year student helped him find his way to the administration office after noticing that he was lost in the hallways.
The teachers' room and the administration offices were located on the first floor of the main building, where the classrooms for first- and second-year students were concentrated.
The principal, aware of his situation and the accident he had suffered, received him and informed him of the classroom he had been assigned to. She also explained several general matters he needed to know before returning to his studies.
"Your homeroom teacher will arrive a little later due to some administrative matters," she explained. "When she arrives, I'll ask her to come and speak with you."
Hachiman simply nodded.
The principal also informed him that, after classes, the teachers responsible for each subject would provide him with additional material and assignments so he could catch up on the lessons he had missed during the three weeks he had spent in rehabilitation.
Just thinking about it made Hachiman's head begin to ache.
I studied so hard to get into this school... but definitely not for this.
Tch... What a pain.
It sounded exhausting.
After saying goodbye to the principal, he walked through the hallways, following the directions he had been given until he finally found Classroom 1-E.
The bustle of students could already be heard from the other side of the door.
There were still a few minutes before the teacher arrived, so everyone was relaxed and talking among themselves.
When he entered the classroom, several students looked at him curiously.
It was the first time many of them had seen him.
However, after a few glances, they lost interest and went back to their conversations, gathered in small groups.
What, did I expect to be some handsome protagonist who makes everyone fall silent just by walking in?
Hachiman waited for a few seconds.
A tiny part of him had expected at least some kind of astonishment.
But nothing happened.
Not even that.
Somehow, Hachiman felt a little disappointed.
His imagination had made him expect something different.
But nobody knew him.
And, when he thought about it, that also had its advantages.
None of his former classmates were here to recognize him.
Well...
This was normal.
It wasn't as though some ridiculous reaction would happen like in those movies or anime where the protagonist enters the classroom and everyone freezes in silence because of the aura he gives off.
Or because he was ridiculously handsome.
Hachiman suppressed a sigh.
Yeah. I've definitely watched too much anime.
He looked for an available seat toward the back. The first few rows were already occupied, so he ended up finding a seat in the fifth row, near the windows.
He settled into his seat and began observing the classroom, trying to identify the people who would be his classmates for the year.
Just as he had expected, many of them had already begun forming their own groups of friends.
Some were groups of four or three.
Others were simply pairs of friends.
There were also students sitting alone, several of them occupying the seats toward the back, just like him.
Hachiman rested his arm on the desk and silently observed the scene.
Looks like everyone has already found their place.
Then...
Riiiin!
The school bell echoed through the hallways.
The conversations gradually died down as the students took their respective seats.
Hachiman remained seated in silence, his gaze fixed absentmindedly on the desk.
A moment later, the classroom door opened.
A man entered the room. He wore black trousers, a white shirt, a red tie, and a black suit.
The students stood up at the same time.
"Good morning, students."
"Good morning, sir!"
"Before we begin, we have a returning student who has been absent for the past few weeks."
The teacher looked toward the back of the classroom.
"Hikigaya Hachiman."
Hachiman raised his head.
"Yes, sir."
The eyes of several students turned toward him again.
"I'm glad to hear you've recovered. For your information, I'm Kenji Takahashi, your mathematics teacher."
Takahashi paused briefly before continuing.
"If you have any questions about the lessons you've missed, don't hesitate to ask. We're here to support you."
He then turned toward the rest of the class.
"Isn't that right, everyone?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Very well. Please take your seats. Open your books and turn to page twenty-nine."
The students obeyed and began taking out their books.
Takahashi paused for a moment as he remembered something.
"Ah, right. Hikigaya is still getting his school supplies sorted out, isn't he?"
Hachiman nodded.
"Then, please, someone help him get whatever books he needs."
For a few seconds, no one said anything.
Then a hand went up.
"I will, sir."
Takahashi looked toward the student.
"Sakuma. Help Hikigaya-kun get whatever materials he needs."
"Yes, sir."
The student stood up and approached Hachiman.
"I'm Sakuma Ryohei. Nice to meet you. If you have any trouble or don't understand something, just tell me. I'll help however I can."
Hachiman looked at him for a few seconds.
It's really that easy?
"Hikigaya Hachiman."
"Yeah, I already heard that from the teacher."
Sakuma smiled slightly.
"Anyway, nice to meet you, Hikigaya-kun."
Hachiman looked away.
"Thanks."
"No problem."
Sakuma returned to his seat.
Hachiman looked down at the book sitting in front of him.
That was... surprisingly normal.
And for some reason, that normality felt stranger than anything else.
---
The classes proceeded normally.
Each teacher who entered the classroom gave him a brief introduction, and at the end of each lesson, they called Hachiman over to give him additional assignments and study material to help him catch up.
At first, the amount of homework piling up in front of him seemed excessive.
Three weeks.
He hadn't expected catching up to be this exhausting.
If I'd known it was going to be like this, I would've come here in a wheelchair or with a cane just to avoid this torture.
...
Riiiin!
The bell announced the end of the fourth period.
The students began putting away their books, and almost immediately, the classroom filled with the bustle of the morning again.
It was lunchtime.
While his classmates left in groups toward the cafeteria or the courtyard, Hachiman remained in his seat.
He opened his bag and took out a large lunch container that his younger sister had prepared for him that morning before he left for school.
Since the accident, his appetite had increased considerably.
He was no longer satisfied with one or two servings during meals at home. Now he could eat much more.
His sister had even been surprised by the sudden change in his appetite.
That was why she had decided to pack him plenty of food that morning.
After all, she was his little sister, and she cared a lot about him.
Hachiman began eating quietly, paying little attention to his surroundings.
Little by little, the classroom became much quieter.
It wasn't completely empty, but it was quiet enough for him to distinguish the faint sounds of the conversations scattered throughout the room.
He raised his gaze.
Everything seemed normal.
Some of his classmates remained in their seats, talking with their friends or with the students sitting nearby.
However...
Something was changing.
In different parts of the classroom, the colors seemed to vibrate.
Some areas became more intense, while others turned strangely dark and sharply defined.
Hachiman blinked.
Seriously? Again?
He blinked once more.
For a fraction of a second, he thought he saw the colors surrounding one of his classmates extending beyond his body.
Like some kind of aura.
He blinked again.
It was gone.
What the hell was that?
The sounds of the classroom began to fade away.
The voices grew weaker.
As if he were slowly sinking beneath the surface of the water.
Hachiman placed his chopsticks down on the lunch container.
No.
Not again.
The same words that had been circling through his mind for the past few days appeared once more.
Seer...
Magician...
Seer...
Magician...
"..."
He clenched his teeth.
Pain appeared behind his eyes.
Then it spread throughout his entire head.
Don't think about it.
Just ignore it.
But the harder he tried to ignore it, the louder the voices became.
The words no longer sounded like simple whispers.
For an instant, he had the sensation that someone was whispering them directly beside his ear.
Hachiman clenched his hands.
Who's there?
He slowly turned his head.
No one.
The students continued talking.
No one seemed to have noticed anything.
Then...
Where is that voice coming from?
The pain intensified until he felt as though his head were about to split apart.
He wanted to cover his ears.
But he stopped himself.
He couldn't.
Not in front of everyone.
Without showing anything unusual to the people around him, he clenched his teeth and fists tightly while trying to concentrate.
He thought about his sister.
About the moments they had shared.
About the things he cared about.
About the peace of his home.
About anything that could keep his mind anchored to reality.
Little by little...
The whispers began to fade.
The strange colors disappeared.
The sounds returned.
The conversations became audible again.
The classroom became a classroom once more.
Hachiman breathed slowly.
It's over...
He waited a few seconds.
Yeah. It's over.
Then a nearby voice pulled him from his thoughts.
"Hey, are you okay? You're sweating a lot."
Hachiman raised his eyes.
It was one of his classmates, sitting in front of him. He was looking at Hachiman with a puzzled expression.
Hikigaya had gone pale, and several beads of sweat ran down his forehead.
"Yeah... I'm fine. I just... bit my tongue."
"Ahh... Okay. Be careful. There's an infirmary down the hall if it hurts."
"It's fine. Just a little sting. Thanks for telling me, though."
"No problem."
Hachiman lowered his gaze again.
Those episodes could strike at any moment, without warning.
The only thing that managed to calm him was focusing on his sister or the things he cared about.
It was as though, whenever he did so, the sounds and strange images disappeared for a while.
Every episode filled him with panic.
He didn't want to look like some strange person who suddenly grabbed his head and started muttering meaningless things in front of everyone.
He finished his lunch.
He put the chopsticks back inside the container, closed it, and placed it back into his bag.
Then he took a sip of water and stood up to go to the bathroom.
Before leaving, he took one last look at the classroom.
Everything seemed normal.
Too normal.
Seer...?
The word appeared in his mind again.
Hachiman stopped.
He waited.
Nothing.
...Magician.
Nothing.
Only silence.
He finally left the classroom.
---
The last few classes passed normally.
Hachiman spent his time writing down all the assignments each teacher had given him.
Several classmates helped him with his books and with subjects he didn't understand.
More than once, he wanted to start a conversation with them to thank them, but the words simply wouldn't come out.
He could only respond with short or overly curt answers.
"Thanks."
"Yeah."
"I understand."
"Okay."
Some understood his nervousness and tried to keep the conversation going, while others simply looked at him strangely before returning their attention to their own affairs.
Hikigaya had returned to school intending to change.
The problem was that his attitude wasn't helping much.
After spending so long being excluded, his social skills were terribly rusty.
Maybe I should try harder.
The thought remained in his mind for a few seconds.
Hachiman analyzed it.
No.
That sounds exhausting.
Then he remembered that, at the very least, he had managed to talk to a few people.
Even if it wasn't much.
I guess it's a start.
---
Riiiin!
The bell announced the end of classes.
The students began putting away their belongings while several headed toward the respective clubs they had joined.
Hachiman finished writing down the last assignments he had been given.
As he left the classroom, he overheard the teacher and some of his classmates talking about the following day's activities.
Apparently, they would have physical education.
He would have to come prepared.
Hachiman didn't belong to any club, so there was no reason for him to stay.
He simply left the school and began his walk home.
His first day was over.
It had been far more normal than he had expected.
Classes.
Teachers.
Homework.
Classmates.
Lunch.
Nothing extraordinary.
Nothing that could change his life.
Hachiman walked calmly through the streets.
Then he stopped.
A sensation ran down his back.
It wasn't pain.
It wasn't cold.
It was something different.
The feeling of being watched.
Hachiman looked to the side.
Nothing.
He continued walking.
The sensation persisted.
He looked back.
The streets were filled with people returning home.
No one seemed to be paying attention to him.
I'm just being paranoid.
He continued walking.
A few seconds later, he felt that gaze again.
This time, it didn't seem to be coming from a person.
It was as if he were being watched from everywhere at once.
Hachiman pressed his lips together slightly.
That doesn't make any sense.
He forced himself to keep walking.
He didn't look back again.
But somewhere, far beyond his field of vision...
Something had seemingly fixed its attention upon him.
He didn't know what was happening.
He didn't know what those voices were.
He didn't know what the words that kept appearing in his mind meant.
Seer.
Magician.
Nor did he know why, for the past several days, he had felt as though something was waiting.
Waiting for him to take the next step.
Hachiman continued walking toward home.
With the persistent feeling that he wanted to know more about what he was hearing.
And although he still couldn't understand it, a part of him was beginning to suspect that those words weren't simply hallucinations.
Perhaps someone...
Or something...
was trying to tell him something.