Subaru Sakamaki sat alone on a bench in the flower gardens of Ryoutei Academy High School—the school he was supposed to attend but never truly felt a part of.
He looked like a painting done in dark tones—sharp and striking. His silver-white hair, tipped with soft pink, fell messily across his face, one bang obscuring his eye. His gaze, blood-red and distant, seemed to peer straight through the world.
He wore the school's uniform in a fashion entirely his own: the black blazer's sleeves were rolled up to the elbows, revealing strong forearms. Beneath it, a ripped black shirt layered over a longer, also-torn white one gave him a rebellious air. A chain looped from the bottom of the blazer, catching glints of light as he moved. His slim-fit pants matched the standard uniform, but the white-heeled boots on his feet clearly did not. Around his left wrist was a black band, and at his neck hung a double-wrapped necklace bearing a golden key—tarnished, yet important.
With a sigh, Subaru rose from the bench and began making his way toward the school building.
As he walked beneath the cherry blossoms lining the stone path, pink petals drifting through the air like spring snow, something caught his eye.
There, standing amidst the fluttering petals, was a girl who looked as though she belonged to another world entirely.
She stood quietly, gazing up at the sakura blossoms with wide-eyed wonder, her expression filled with awe. Her light pink hair tumbled down to her knees, tied into long twintails with flowers delicately woven into each strand. Her skin was pale, like snow untouched by sun, and her figure petite, porcelain-like—fragile in the way a glass sculpture might be.
Her eyes—hypnotic shades of lilac—gleamed with innocence and curiosity. She moved with the grace of royalty, as though every step had been rehearsed in a grand ballroom. Even the way she stood, surrounded by falling petals, made her seem more like a vision than a student.
Subaru stared, momentarily captivated. The chaos in his head stilled.
'Cute…' he thought, cheeks tinged faintly with pink.
The girl gave him a single fleeting glance before turning and walking away, her long hair swaying gently with her steps. He didn't even realize he'd been holding his breath until she was gone.
Only then did he shake his head and force his feet to move again.
As he approached the main building, he caught wind of whispers.
"Isn't that him?"
"That's Subaru Sakamaki..."
"He's dangerous, I heard he—"
A sharp crack echoed through the hallway. Subaru's fist was buried in the wall, dust still falling from the freshly formed dent.
"If you've got something to say, say it to my face. Don't whisper behind my back," he growled, voice low and filled with restrained fury.
A calm, cold voice answered him.
"Subaru, control yourself. Don't make a scene," Reiji said, frowning as he walked past with a disapproving glare.
Subaru clicked his tongue and stalked off toward his classroom.
Unbeknownst to him, the pink-haired girl from before had been watching from afar, having arrived much earlier than most. Her eyes followed him with curiosity once again.
When Subaru entered the classroom, an eerie hush fell over the room. The boys avoided his gaze, many shrinking in their seats, while some of the girls exchanged nervous glances. Ignoring them, he walked to the furthest seat in the top right corner and dropped into it without a word.
Moments later, the classroom door opened and the teacher walked in.
"Sorry for the delay, everyone," she began with a bright smile. "We've got a new student joining us today. Please, come in."
All eyes turned to the door as it creaked open slowly. A gentle chime of bells echoed softly, drawing everyone's attention.
A young girl stepped into the room.
She stood silently for a moment, taking in the class with wide, uncertain eyes before her gaze found the teacher. Without hesitation, she stepped forward and bowed politely, her long pink twin-tails swaying with the motion.
The classroom was stunned into silence once more.
Subaru's eyes widened slightly in recognition.
It's her.
"Now, introduce yourself," the teacher said warmly, motioning toward the front of the class.
The girl nodded nervously and stepped forward. A soft blush colored her cheeks as she faced the sea of unfamiliar faces.
"H-Hello, I'm Rosalina Weiss," she began, her voice quiet but clear. "I'll do my best to make friends with all of you, and I hope I'll enjoy my time here."
With a small, polite bow, she stepped back and awaited the teacher's response.
"Thank you, Rosalina. You may sit beside Mr. Subaru,"the teacher announced, pointing toward the back corner of the room.
A soft murmur rippled through the class as Rosalina made her way to her seat—next to a boy who seemed to be completely uninterested in the world around him.
Subaru had his head down on the desk, eyes closed, looking like he was already done with the day. As Rosalina settled into the chair beside him, the classroom held its breath in anticipation. No one expected someone like her to sit next to someone like him.
Curious, Rosalina hesitantly reached out and gently poked his cheek with a slender finger.
Subaru's eyes fluttered open, catching a glimpse of the pink-haired girl now staring at him intently, her head tilted ever so slightly in curiosity.
'She's totally staring at me,' he thought.
Every time he tried to meet her gaze, she would look away, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. But the moment he looked away, her eyes would return, studying him again like he was some strange new species.
It was infuriating.
Subaru turned toward her to speak, but just as he opened his mouth, she swiftly turned her head to the side, pretending she hadn't been watching him.
"Hey, uh…" he tried again.
Same result. Every time he faced her, she looked away. Like clockwork.
After a few more failed attempts, Subaru finally gave up. He sighed and rested his head back on the desk, defeated. Still, he could feel her eyes on him—curious, quiet, unwavering.
Suddenly, a loud slam echoed through the room as the teacher brought her hand down on the front desk.
"Alright, everyone! Listen up!" she declared. "This year, you'll all be working with a partner on every assignment and project—across all subjects. These pairs are permanent and were pre-assigned."
She beamed brightly, her hands clasped.
"And by 'pre-assigned,' I mean the person sitting next to you will be your partner!"
A mix of excitement and dread filled the classroom.
Subaru sat up abruptly. "I want another partner," he said, deadpan, glancing at Rosalina, who quickly looked away once more.
"I'm sorry," the teacher replied cheerfully, "but the decision is final."
Subaru slumped back in his seat, groaning internally.
'Great. Just great. Today's going to be a very long day.'