The midday sky looked bright, thin clouds hanging weightlessly above the school building. The atmosphere in class 11 2C began to feel a bit drowsy. The afternoon breeze entered through the open window, gently brushing the thin white curtains hanging in the corner of the room. The clock on the wall showed 13:30, just as the bell signaling the change of lessons echoed through the quiet school hallways.
In the third row from the front, Aiko sat slightly hunched over, quickly taking notes. Her fingers moved swiftly, and her face was full of concentration. But suddenly, a small piece of paper floated from the side and hit her directly. Aiko, slightly startled, picked it up and slowly unfolded it.
Ren's handwriting was clear:
"Don't go straight home after school, I want to talk to you for a moment."
Aiko stared at the paper, her brow furrowed. Questions instantly popped up in her head, and her mind began playing with various possibilities.
---
"What does he really want to talk about? Is he planning something again, or is he going to confess that he peeked on purpose and pretended it was an accident when someone came in?"
Aiko peeked at Ren from the corner of her eye. Her sharp gaze seemed as if it could pierce into Ren's thoughts. On the other hand, Ren began to feel uneasy realizing that stare. He tried to look relaxed and stared straight at the blackboard while pretending to write something in his notebook. The atmosphere in the class felt tenser, at least for those two.
---
15:40 - In a classroom that was starting to empty.
The sky outside began to turn yellow, marking the approaching evening. The cooler breeze now entered through the window, carrying the scent of grass and warm earth from the school garden.
Ren sat at his desk, trying to calm himself. Aiko stood not far from him, near the window, staring at the evening sky with an unreadable expression. They glanced at each other occasionally, but neither of them started the conversation. Until finally, Aiko spoke, with a calm tone but still keeping her distance.
"What do you want to talk about?" she asked, still looking out the window, her black hair swaying slightly in the wind.
Ren clasped his knees with both hands, trying to find the right words. Then with a soft yet steady voice, he said:
"I'm sorry. I really regret it... I honestly didn't mean to do that yesterday. I know it was wrong, and I promise I'll be more careful. I hope you won't feel uncomfortable around me after this. And I hope we can be good friends from now on, and forget what happened yesterday."
After saying that, Ren extended his hand.
Aiko stared at that hand for a moment. Then, with a slight thin smile and still looking at the window, she said:
"Aiko Yumi."
Ren, surprised but happy because he finally knew the girl's name, immediately replied:
"Ren Kazuki."
Only then did Ren realize that he really didn't know Aiko's name. She was a transfer student who had just joined since the second semester started, and during yesterday's introduction day, his mind was too chaotic because of the unexpected incident—making him not pay attention when Aiko mentioned her name in front of the class.
Later Ren found out that Aiko previously attended an all-girls school, and her habit of wiping sweat or changing clothes spontaneously in class before other students arrived might have carried over from her previous environment. Unfortunately, that day, she forgot that she was now in a co-ed school. That accidental incident made both Ren and Aiko feel awkward—even though it lasted only a few seconds, it was enough to leave an impression not easily erased.
As they shook hands, Ren felt the soft and warm touch of Aiko's hand. Instantly, his heart pounded fast, and his face turned red. He quickly pulled his hand back and looked down.
"Why is my heart beating so fast that I can feel its vibration through my hand," Ren thought to himself.
"I'll go home now," said Aiko as she quickly grabbed her bag, then walked out of the classroom with a slightly flushed face.
Ren watched her leave with a sigh.
"Looks like I made her uncomfortable again."
---
In the school corridor, Aiko walked briskly, her face still red. Her footsteps quickly descended the stairs to the ground floor, but her mind was still struggling with the strange feelings she couldn't quite understand.
Aiko: "What is this feeling?"
Ren: "This is a heartbeat I've never felt before."
Aiko: "It feels like a mix of emotions."
Ren: "A feeling of happiness, but also a racing heart."
Aiko: "This feeling can't be explained with words or logic. No way... could it be, I'm starting to like him..."
Both of them spoke in their hearts, at different places and times, but with the same rhythm of emotion.
---
As Aiko turned toward the school gate, she didn't realize that her bag was slightly open. A book fell silently onto the corridor floor.
Ren, who had just walked out of class, saw the item and recognized it as Aiko's. He immediately picked it up and quickly stepped forward to catch up with the girl who was already near the end of the hallway.
When Ren reached the main school exit, his eyes widened. Aiko, lost in thought, was crossing the street without looking left or right. A car was speeding from the left.
"AIKO!!" shouted Ren, without thinking twice.
With strength from who knows where, he ran and pulled Aiko forcefully to the side of the sidewalk. Their bodies fell together—Ren underneath, Aiko on top. The world seemed to stop for a moment.
Aiko, just snapping out of her thoughts, opened her eyes wide. Her face was only a few centimeters from Ren's. Their breaths touched, and they stared into each other's eyes. Their heartbeats pounded so loudly, it felt like the world could hear it.
Unconsciously, Aiko slapped Ren, maybe from reflex or shock.
"PERVERT! A-ah sorry, I didn't mean to slap you that hard..."
Ren winced, then slowly opened his eyes.
"It's okay, it's understandable if you think that. Next time, don't cross the street so carelessly," he said, trying to sit up even though Aiko was still on top of him.
What Ren didn't know was that their lips had briefly touched when they fell. Aiko realized it, and her face immediately turned an even deeper red.
"NO WAY, MY FIRST KISS WAS TAKEN BY RENNN!!!" Aiko screamed in her heart, panicked but unsure what to say.
Strangely, all the pain Ren should have felt disappeared the moment Aiko unintentionally hugged him when they fell. Aiko slowly stood up, then extended her hand to help Ren get up.
"You're okay, right, Ren?"
Ren, still in shock, could only respond with a faint smile,
"Y-yeah, I'm fine."
Behind the tired face and body that should have been sore from the fall, Ren felt happy. There was something warm in his chest. Even when they walked home without saying much, that feeling remained in each of their hearts.
---
"I think I'm starting to like her,"
both of them said in their hearts, at the same time—
without realizing, fate was slowly beginning to weave a red thread between them.