Saki Aoki had transferred to Sendai High School for mysterious reasons.
It was her first day, lunchtime… and as she stepped into the classroom, the only sound she heard was the echo of her own footsteps in the empty hall.
The absence of a crowd made the air feel strangely heavy.
She headed for the window seat she spotted among the empty desks.
Carefully, she set down her bag and took a deep breath.
A male student stood by the window, his silhouette clearly defined in the daylight.
Golden strands of hair danced in the sunlight, and his eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Saki's heart skipped a beat.
Warm blush spread across her cheeks as she tried to look away.
Who is this boy…? she whispered to herself.
The boy smiled.
"Hi. You must be the new student, right? I'm Hiroki Tanaka."
Saki nodded slightly.
"Y-yes… I'm the new student."
Why is he talking to me…? Her cheeks burned even more.
Hiroki stepped forward slowly, but with confidence.
The silence in the classroom, with only the two of them present, made every step echo loudly.
"You just sat right in front of my desk," he said, a faint spark in his eyes.
Saki flinched, fingers clutching her lap nervously.
"I-I… I just saw the first empty desk…"
Hiroki chuckled softly.
"That's fine. Honestly, it made me happy."
He quietly sat at his desk across from hers.
Sunlight streamed through the window, casting golden highlights across his face.
He rested his chin on his hand, squinting slightly, a sweet smile on his lips as he watched her.
Saki's heart raced.
"W-why are you looking at me like that?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"Just… I was looking at your eyes. They shine like stars," Hiroki whispered.
Saki's face felt like it was on fire.
"Ah… that was sudden. Sorry," Hiroki added.
"Y-yes… let's take it slow…" Saki looked down, avoiding his gaze.
Suddenly, Hiroki pulled out a guitar from beside his desk.
The wooden body gleamed in the sunlight; the faint sound of the strings echoed in the empty classroom.
Saki's eyes widened.
"A guitar…? Was it here the whole time?"
Hiroki ran his fingers lightly over the strings and smiled.
"Do you like music? Especially… romantic songs?"
Her heart skipped another beat.
First day… stay calm, Saki, she thought to herself.
"Y-yes, I like it… but I don't really have a preference," she whispered.
Hiroki nodded, pleased.
"Good. Maybe… I could play you a song I only play for special people."
The sunlight seemed to spotlight Hiroki, as if he were on a stage.
Saki tried to look away, but she couldn't.
Hiroki adjusted his fingers on the strings, checking the chords; the classroom was silent.
Even Saki's breath seemed loud in the quiet.
Then—
BAM!
The door burst open.
The silence shattered instantly.
Hiroki's fingers froze on the strings.
Saki flinched.
A female student had entered, her face tense, walking hurriedly. Her breath came fast and sharp.
Saki stared in surprise, trying to understand what was happening.
The girl froze when she saw Saki and looked slightly startled.
She bowed politely.
"Hello… you must be the new girl. Welcome to our school," said Miyuki Takeda, her voice echoing softly in the empty room.
Saki looked at Miyuki in surprise, replying shyly:
"H-hi…"
Miyuki suddenly called out to Hiroki:
"Hiroki! Where are you? I've been looking for you since morning!"
Her voice reverberated through the classroom, sharp yet tinged with curiosity.
Hiroki looked at her sheepishly, a faint smile on his lips.
"Sorry, I didn't realize the time…"
Miyuki took a deep breath, unable to suppress her smile.
"So… are you only going to play your song for the new girl again? The one you play only for special people?" she asked, slightly irritated but curious.
Saki stared, caught between Hiroki and Miyuki, utterly confused.
Hiroki suddenly stood and picked up his guitar.
"I promise, next time… I'll play my special song for you, Saki," he said, confident and smiling faintly.
He walked toward the door, while Miyuki muttered to herself, uneasy at not finding him sooner.
"Let's go before we're late," Hiroki said as they left the classroom.
The classroom fell silent again.
Saki tried to process what had just happened. She clenched her hands at her stomach, whispering to herself:
Hmm… a special song…
It felt as if all the commotion had been just for her.
She was curious, yet unsure what to do next.
Will… it be for me?
Seconds ticked by, and Saki could feel her heart racing—both anxious and excited.
Just then, the classroom door opened again.
Principal Takashi Kawada stepped inside.
Saki stared curiously.
"So, you're the new student, right? Welcome," he said.
Saki replied, a mix of excitement and surprise in her voice:
"Thank you… are you a teacher?"
The principal smiled proudly.
"No, I'm the principal of this school."
Saki thought, slightly puzzled: What's the principal doing here…?
She stood up, unsure what to do; her hands and feet felt tangled.
Takashi laughed cheerfully.
"No need to be so nervous."
Saki bowed respectfully.
"Hello, Principal."
Takashi smiled faintly.
"I came looking for Hiroki. When I heard you were here, I thought I'd stop by and say hi."
Saki replied excitedly:
"Thank you."
She glanced around the classroom.
Where is everyone? It's so quiet…
Takashi answered clearly:
"Most of the school is in the garden right now. Why aren't you out there?"
Saki looked surprised, pieces of the puzzle beginning to fit together.
"Why… I had no idea," she muttered to herself.
Takashi added with a smile:
"I didn't want to ruin the surprise. Go and see for yourself."
Saki felt a bit disappointed but tried to hide it.
"Alright… I'll head to the garden soon," she said resolutely.
Takashi nodded.
"Good. Don't be late."
As she left the classroom, Saki whispered to herself:
I wonder what's going on… but there's no way to know without going…