This is the story of a boy and a girl — Mark and Larry.
Larry was born into a poor slave family. Her mother passed away at her birth, and her father, Orokam, left her in the care of a servant's house. Before leaving, he said softly,
"I'm sorry, my dear. I can't stay with you, but I promise… Daddy will come back soon."
He then went to America to work, as he couldn't find a job in Japan.
On the other side, Mark was born into a rich family, but his life wasn't happy either. His parents, Alya and Melto, lived separately — their marriage was forced by their families. Mark stayed alone in a rented house, despite his wealth.
At 17, Mark was smart, athletic, and admired by everyone. His friends called him the perfect boy. But deep inside, he was lonely, and his only real friend was Ooka-san.
One rainy day, Mark met Larry for the first time at a train station. She was sitting quietly on a bench, shivering in the cold rain. Mark walked up and asked gently,
"Why are you sitting here in the rain? You'll get sick. Take my umbrella."
Without waiting for a reply, he left — leaving her speechless and a little touched.
Days later, Larry joined Bicom High Secondary School as a new transfer student. Coincidentally, Mark was in the same class, second year.
The teacher announced,
"Class, we have a new student — Larry-san. She's from Tokyo."
Larry bowed politely and went to sit near the window, right across from Mark. Her beauty immediately caught everyone's attention. The boys tried to talk to her, but she ignored them all, quietly reading her novel.
Just then, Mark entered the class — late as usual.
"You're late again, Mark!" the teacher scolded. "This is your last warning!"
"Sorry, sir," Mark replied and went to his seat — only to realize Larry was sitting right beside him.
During lunch, Mark teased his friend,
"Ooka, did you stay up late watching anime again?"
"Yeah, bro," Ooka grinned. "It was a new romance one. You should totally watch it!"
"You'll never stop with your anime," Mark sighed, smiling.
Meanwhile, a group of girls approached Larry.
"Hi, I'm Layla, this is Rose, and that's Meko," one said.
"Nice to meet you," Larry replied calmly, continuing to read.
Rose frowned.
"You're acting like you're better than us. Do you even know who I am?"
"Not interested," Larry said coldly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm busy."
Angry, Rose tried to kick Larry, but before she could, Mark rushed forward and stopped her.
"Enough!" he shouted. "This is my class, and no one fights here!"
Rose stepped back, embarrassed. Larry looked at Mark — the same boy from the rain — and for the first time, she smiled softly.
Later, the teacher rearranged the seats.
"From now on, Mark and Larry will sit together. Seats fifteen and sixteen."
And that's how their story began — not with love at first sight, but with a quiet connection that touched both of their souls.
Larry looked up from her book and smiled.
"Do you also love reading novels?" she asked.
Mark nodded. "It's my hobby. I read a new one every day."
"Oh, that's nice," Larry replied, and went back to her book.
After a moment, Mark spoke again. "Larry, would you like to come with me to watch a movie?
"
She raised her eyebrows playfully. "Sure. When are we going?"
"At four o'clock," he said. "We'll be back by seven.
"Alright," she agreed, then added with a small laugh, "But one thing you should know—I'm a boring girl. So, don't expect too much fun."
Mark chuckled softly. "I'll take my chances