Monday, April 8 — 7:35 AM
The morning air tasted new.
A soft breeze drifted through the cherry blossoms lining the pathway to Kawa High School, shaking loose petals like gentle confetti. First-year students in crisp uniforms flooded through the school gates, wide-eyed and silent or chattering nervously in groups. Among them, Ayumu Nishikawa clutched his school bag tighter, avoiding eye contact as he moved against the tide.
He had polished his shoes three times the night before and packed two pens of every color just in case. As someone who had always been more comfortable with books than with people, starting high school felt like walking into a whole new game—one where he didn't know the rules.
He arrived at the school's notice board, where a swarm of students crowded around the class assignments.
"Class 1-B… 1-B…" Ayumu muttered to himself, scanning.
There it was—Nishikawa Ayumu – 1-B.
He sighed, partly relieved, partly tense. It had begun.
7:48 AM
As he stepped into Class 1-B, his eyes immediately scanned the room—not for people, but for an empty seat near a window. He found one, second row from the back, and made a quiet beeline to it.
The classroom was filled with soft murmurs and shifting chairs. Some students already laughed in small groups, others sat nervously like him. He noticed someone enter the classroom in a hurry—their footsteps quick, just behind him.
A girl's voice, breathless: "Oh—uh, excuse me. Is this 1-B?"
Ayumu glanced over. She had short brown hair and a sunflower hairclip. Bright eyes, a little flustered.
"Yes," he said, then immediately looked away.
"Thanks!" she smiled and walked in, pulling a small bag over her shoulder. She seemed like the type who would easily make friends.
She ended up taking the seat right in front of him.
8:15 AM
Homeroom began.
Their teacher, Ms. Hanamura, introduced herself with a wide smile and a relaxed tone. She talked about rules, expectations, and upcoming events. Most of it went over Ayumu's head. He was too busy pretending not to panic.
Then came the part he dreaded: introductions.
Each student stood up, said their name, where they were from, and something about themselves.
When it was Ayumu's turn, he stood stiffly.
"I-I'm Nishikawa Ayumu. I'm from Minato. I… I like reading novels and astronomy."He sat down quickly. A few polite claps followed, but he heard some whispers from the corner seats.
"Did he say astronomy?" someone giggled.
Ayumu stared at the desk.
Then it was the girl in front of him.
"I'm Sakura Ichinose. I just moved here from Yokohama. I like photography, and I want to join the arts club."Her voice was calm, clear. She smiled at the class, and the class smiled back.
Ayumu didn't.
He envied her.
Lunch Break — 12:10 PM
Ayumu pulled out his neatly packed bento and quietly opened it. Rice, tamagoyaki, and leftover karaage. He sat alone.
He had barely taken two bites when a tray clattered in front of him.
"You don't mind, right?"
It was Sakura. She had moved her lunch to his desk without waiting for a reply.
"Um… sure," he mumbled, half-choking.
She took out her camera—an old film one—and placed it next to her lunch. "I like to take pictures during lunch. It's the best lighting."
Ayumu blinked. "Of… the food?"
She grinned. "Of everything."
He didn't know what to say to that.
"So, astronomy, huh?" she asked casually. "Like stars and planets?"
Ayumu nodded slowly, surprised she even remembered.
"My dad used to show me constellations when I was little," she continued. "But I could never remember their names. I only remember Orion."
"Most people start with Orion," he said, voice barely above a whisper. "It's one of the easiest to find."
"I like easy things," she replied with a soft laugh.
Ayumu chuckled, the sound foreign in his throat. It was probably the first time he'd laughed in front of someone outside his family in months.
After School — 3:45 PM
They were both assigned to clean the classroom that day. Brooms in hand, they swept silently at first.
"So… do you read sci-fi too?" she asked.
Ayumu hesitated. "Sometimes. I prefer stories grounded in something real. Even if they have fiction in them."
She paused. "I guess photography is a bit like that. It's real, but how you frame it tells a different story."
He looked at her for a second longer than he meant to. She really was different.
As they locked up the classroom, Sakura looked up at the setting sun outside the window and said, "This school feels huge, doesn't it?"
He nodded. "Yeah… like a different planet."
She laughed. "Then we better learn how to breathe here."
Later That Night — 9:20 PM
Ayumu stared at his astronomy notebook, but the stars didn't hold his attention tonight.
Instead, he found himself sketching the classroom… and at the center, a girl with a camera and a sunflower clip.
He closed the notebook quickly, embarrassed—even though no one could see.
His phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number:
"Thanks for talking today. You're not so scary, Nishikawa-kun. :) – Sakura"
His heart skipped.
He stared at the message for a long time.
Then typed:
"You're welcome."
He deleted it.
Typed again:
"Likewise."
He deleted that too.
Finally, he replied:
"Thanks."
Simple. Safe.
He put the phone down. But his eyes kept drifting back to it.
Outside, the wind shifted.
Cherry blossoms swirled under the moonlight.