"How do we fix this? Who do we even talk to?" Ichika asked, her frustration mirroring the cold dread in my stomach.
"Let's check the handbook," I muttered, pulling out the thick, school-issued guide. I flipped through the first few pages, met with a wall of mundane policies and credits.
Without asking, Ichika gracefully adjusted herself, eliminating the remaining space on the bench between us.
She leaned over, peering directly at my copy of the book while completely ignoring her own.The sudden proximity was both thrilling and unnerving. I tried to focus on the dense text instead of the faint smell of her shampoo.
We scanned the pages together, each one revealing the inner workings of the school. On the seventh page, a detailed map caught our attention.
As we traced the hallways and classrooms with our fingers on the map, the initial awkwardness began to fade. Reading together became less of a peculiar activity and more of a shared exploration. The map, while informative, also catalyzed conversation.
"Look, here's the auditorium. Do you think they have events or performances there?" Ichika pointed at a section of the map, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"I don't know, but it's worth checking out. Maybe they have clubs or activities we could join," I suggested, realizing that exploring the school together might be the better option.
"Look! The staff office!" Ichika excitedly pointed to a large block on the map.
"Do you think anyone is even in there right now?" I wondered aloud. "Classes haven't technically started, and the school is closing soon."
"It's worth a try," Ichika insisted, already snapping the handbook shut. She looked at me with renewed determination. "Come on, let's go before everyone leaves!"
"Hold on," I interjected. There was a thought nagging at me, a feeling that we should explore the handbook more before taking action.
"Huh? What is it, Kenji?" Ichika inquired, curious about my sudden hesitation.
"I think we should check the handbook more before we go," I suggested, flipping through the pages, trying to locate the section we needed.
"It's like 200 pages! It'll take us more than a day!" Ichika exclaimed, showing her reluctance to dive deep into the handbook's contents.
"I'm not gonna read the entire book, I just need to find the right section," I reassured her as I continued flipping through the pages.
I flipped through the pages frantically, the dense text blurring together. Two minutes passed. Nothing. Frustration flared hot in my chest. My plan was already falling apart.
"Ugh... I can't find it. Let's just go ask someone," I muttered, shutting the book in defeat.
I braced myself, my shoulders tensing instinctively. I fully expected her to sigh, or roll her eyes, or at least be annoyed that I had just wasted our time trying to look smart. I'm completely useless.
I felt a sudden, soft weight against my back. Her arms wrapped lightly around my shoulders.My breath hitched. It was the first time I'd ever been hugged like this. Genuinely. Not an obligatory family embrace, but a grounding touch from someone my own age. It sent a shockwave of unfamiliar emotion straight to my throat, making me want to cry.
"Huh? W-what are you doing, Ichika?" I stammered, freezing in place.
"You were overthinking so hard I could hear it," she said softly near my ear. "It's okay. We'll just go ask the staff."
"I'm fine, it was a simple mistake. Let's go, we're wasting time," I responded, trying to dismiss the unusual wave of emotions her hug had stirred within me.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Ichika pressed, clearly still concerned.
"Yes, Ichika, I'm okay. Don't worry about me," I reassured her, though her unexpected gesture had left a lasting impact on me.
"If you say so..." Ichika admitted, walking beside me as we headed towards the teacher's lounge. I discreetly wiped the sweat from my forehead, feeling a mix of emotions that had never surfaced before.
As we walked toward the teacher's room, a thought suddenly flashed through my mind. It was a section in the handbook, nestled under the classes section, the dorms section. The train ride had taken about 30 minutes, and if I rented a dorm near the school, the daily commute wouldn't be such a time-consuming ordeal. I had to share this insight with Ichika.
"Hey, Ichika..." I began.
"Yeah?" she replied, her curiosity piqued.
"Are you planning to stay in the school dorms?" I inquired.
"Huh? Aren't we all assigned a dorm room?" Ichika responded, her brow furrowing in confusion.
"What do you mean 'assigned'?" I probed, genuinely intrigued.
"Well, my mom told me we get a dorm room automatically when we enroll," Ichika explained. "I noticed they didn't talk about it at the ceremony..."
My heart sank at her revelation. "What? No way... How do I even know where my dorm is?" I muttered, my voice tinged with anxiety.
"I'm pretty sure it's tied to your student ID number. But, you know, we don't have a key yet, so it doesn't matter for now," Ichika reassured me, her tone calming my racing thoughts.
Relief washed over me as I realized that, at least for the time being, the dorm situation wasn't an immediate concern. However, the prospect of living on my own was still a novel and slightly intimidating concept.
Inside the teacher's room, the atmosphere felt different from the rest of the school. It was quieter, with only a handful of people scattered around. Since classes hadn't officially started, these individuals were likely the school staff or administrators.
"I wonder why there are teachers here when there are no classes scheduled," I mused, voicing the question that had been lingering in my mind.
"They're probably the staff or managers," Ichika replied, echoing my thoughts. It was reassuring to know that we were on the same page.
As we approached what appeared to be the secretary, a woman in her forties typing away at the keyboard, the reality of our situation hit me. I was walking next to Ichika, and the door was closer to me. If we continued walking, I would have to enter first and, inevitably, initiate the conversation.
I crouched down to tie my shoe. Took her a second to realize, just enough time for her to pass me. Exactly what I needed.
Ichika graciously stopped, and I pretended to fuss with my shoelaces, even though they were perfectly fine. A quick and awkward retying later, I was ready to face the secretary.
"Thanks for waiting," I said, playing it off with a casual smile.
"It's okay!" Ichika responded with a friendly grin.
We resumed our walk, and Ichika took the lead, entering the room first. I followed, bracing myself for the conversation ahead.
"Excuse me, miss. I wanted to ask you something," Ichika confidently addressed the secretary, who looked up from her work.
'How can she be so confident with someone she hasn't even met before?' I wondered, marveling at Ichika's ability to navigate social situations effortlessly.
The secretary didn't even stop typing. She just gave a tired, practiced sigh.
"I'm sorry, but schedules are finalized in the system. Unless there's an administrative error or a severe academic conflict, switching isn't possible right now. All the first-year homerooms are at maximum capacity."
A heavy sense of disappointment washed over us. "T-Thank you," I mumbled.
"But what if someone from my class switches with him?" Ichika pressed, leaning slightly over the counter.
"That way the numbers stay the same, right? It's fair."
The secretary finally stopped typing and looked up, giving Ichika a look of exhausted pity. "Look, I get it. You want to be with your friend. But if I let you swap, I have to let the other three hundred freshmen swap. The rosters are locked. I'm sorry."
"I understand... thanks anyway," Ichika said, trying to stay polite.
As we walked away, the weight of our thwarted attempt lingered, casting a slight shadow over the enthusiasm we had felt at the start of the day. The challenge of navigating high school just got a bit more complicated.