The birds chirped in bursts, cutting through the stillness of the morning. Cold wind sliced through the air, rustling the bare tree branches overhead. Rie shivered, pulling her blazer tighter around her.
"It's freezing… I should've grabbed my scarf," she muttered to herself, rubbing her neck with her chilled fingers. A sudden sneeze burst from her before she could stop it. "Ugh, perfect."
She stepped through the school gate, nodding politely to the security guard who gave her a brief wave. Her shoes squeaked faintly on the recently-wiped tile as she moved through the corridor toward her classroom.
"After tweaking the class duty sheet to avoid cleanup days... it's somehow my turn again. Great," Rie sighed. "Still, I'd rather get it done now than have it eat into my newspaper club time."
The classroom was empty and quiet, the echo of her footsteps bouncing off the walls. She got to work, sweeping near the windows first. Her fingers were stiff from the cold, gripping the broom tightly. Once finished with the floors, she moved to the chalkboard.
She picked up the erasers and knocked them together over the waste bin. But the dust cloud exploded back into her face.
"Ah—choo!" She staggered back, blinking rapidly. The chalk clung to her eyelashes and the tip of her nose. As she wiped her face with her sleeve, she didn't notice the mop handle sticking out behind her.
"W-Whoa!"
She lost her balance and tilted backward with a yelp, arms flailing.
But instead of hitting the ground, she felt firm arms wrap around her midsection. Her back pressed into someone's chest—warm and steady.
"Are you okay, Rie?"
Her eyes flew open. Shino. His dark eyes stared down at her, filled with concern.
"I—uh—wha—" Her voice got caught somewhere between panic and disbelief. She pushed herself away from him so fast she nearly knocked over the broom. Her back hit the wall as she held her bag in front of her like a shield. "S-Sorry! Thank you! I didn't mean to fall!"
Shino tilted his head slightly. "You alright? That mop almost had you."
"I'm fine! Completely fine! Thank you again!" Rie's face burned. Her ears felt hot, and she could barely keep eye contact. "B-But what are you doing here so early? School's not even close to starting."
"Morning training," Shino said, straightening up. "Coach says we're behind on conditioning. So… here I am."
"Oh! Right, you're on the basketball team. I forgot…" Rie awkwardly brushed her bangs behind her ear. "What about you?" he asked.
"Class duty," she answered, still avoiding his gaze. "I figured I'd clean up now instead of waiting till after school."
"That's pretty responsible of you," he said with a small grin. He walked over to his locker, opened it, and pulled out his training gear. "Anyway, I should get going. See you later in class, Rie."
"Y-Yeah…! Bye!"
The door clicked shut behind him.
Rie exhaled all at once and slumped onto a desk.
"In his arms… I was literally in his arms…" She pressed her hands to her red cheeks. "I didn't freak out too much, right? At least we can talk normally now. That's something."
The hallway outside grew louder as more students began arriving. Footsteps shuffled past the door. Back in the corridor, Sachiko made her way toward the classroom, heels clicking rhythmically against the tile. Her student council armband was perfectly in place, and her uniform crisp and neat.
"Being vice president isn't easy, but I like it. Helping people, making sure their voices are heard... It's worth the effort," she thought.
As she entered, her eyes immediately sought Tetsuo, who was already at his desk, flipping through his notebook. The sunlight streamed through the windows, casting soft rays across the floor.
"Good morning, Tetsuo," she greeted, smiling warmly.
"Morning, Sachiko."
That simple response made her heart flutter. He hadn't brushed her off. No cold glare. No silence.
"Did you sleep okay?" she asked, setting her bag down beside her desk. "I was up all night trying to figure out Hamada-sensei's math assignment."
"I had no trouble with it," Tetsuo said. "And yeah, I slept fine."
"Wow… impressive," she chuckled, sitting down. "Well, I'll talk to you later then."
Before she could fully settle in, a sudden swarm of girls surrounded her desk.
"Sachiko! Spill it! What's going on with you and Tetsuo?" Naomi leaned in, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"What… are you talking about?" Sachiko blinked.
"Don't play dumb!" Naomi said. "He actually talked to you. Like, a real sentence! You guys are on a first-name basis now too!"
"You must've made some serious progress," one of the other girls whispered.
"Something juicy definitely happened!" Naomi pressed.
Before Sachiko could form a response, the boys entered the room.
"What's with the noise?" Shino asked, raising an eyebrow.
"If it's not important, can you all shut up? I'm seriously dying for sleep," Makoto yawned, dragging his feet toward his seat.
"Oh, it's just Naomi causing drama again," Noboru muttered as he slouched into his chair.
"I heard that, you little imp!" Naomi snapped, whirling around.
"Imp? I'm taller than you, genius. What does that make you?" Noboru fired back.
"Say that again, you obnoxious runt!"
"I already did. Miss Nakamura," he said smugly.
"Whoa… lovers' quarrel?" Makoto snorted, covering his mouth.
"As if! I'd never date this gremlin!"
"Like hell I'd date you!"
Both of them glared at each other, fists clenched and cheeks puffed.
Sachiko quietly slipped her notebook over her face to hide her blush.
"They forgot about asking me more… thank goodness," she thought, sighing in relief. Her mind flashed back to the night in the storage room. "That memory is too precious. I don't want it misunderstood…"
The door slammed open.
"Alright, take your seats!" Hayami-sensei's voice cut through the noise like a whip. She stepped in with her usual unnerving aura and a stack of papers in hand. Her glasses glinted as she scanned the room.
"As you all know, your assessment tests are coming up."
"Wait, what tests?" Noboru blurted out.
"The ones that determine how well you're absorbing the material," she said flatly. "If you fail, expect after-school classes. Every day. Until your grades improve."
Makoto's head hit the desk with a thud. "Finally, quiet… I can nap…"
"I see you, Mr. Kurai," Hayami-sensei's voice loomed behind him.
He slowly turned his head and flinched. She was right there, arms folded.
"Oh crap."
"Is my lecture that boring? Or does my voice lull you to sleep?"
"N-No, Sensei! I'm just… not feeling well!"
"How unfortunate. Maybe some light exercise will help you stay awake."
Moments later, Makoto stood at the front of the class, holding two heavy water buckets, balanced on one leg.
"This is ridiculous," he muttered through clenched teeth.
"Drop your leg, and you'll get a second round," Hayami-sensei warned.
"Hang in there, Makoto," Shino thought, trying not to laugh.
Noboru snorted.
"Shut it, punk," Makoto growled.
"Mr. Takemoto. Something funny?" Hayami-sensei asked sweetly.
"N-No ma'am! Super serious! Focused!" Noboru shouted, back straight.
Across the room, Rie watched Shino from her seat. His laugh, that light chuckle that escaped when Noboru got caught—it reached her ears like music.
"He really has changed," she thought, smiling. "Back when I first met him, he never smiled like that. I think… I like this version of him more. Even if we're just friends, I'm happy we've come this far."
The morning sun rose higher in the sky, casting soft warmth across the classroom, and despite the chaos, a strange calm settled into Rie's chest. A new day had begun.