Cherry blossoms were fluttering across the pavements to signal the spring of youth; the start of the new term in high school. The falling petals grazed Yukio’s cheeks as he made his way pass the school gate. His eyes scanned through the building, full of determination and hope. As he made his way inside, a familiar voice called him.
“Yuki!”
“Hide-nii!”
A smiling man in a formal shirt was calling his nickname and waving his hand. The moment Yukio came, the man smacked his head with a sharp chop.
“Why would you do that for?” Yukio cried in pain
“You call me ‘Tsuchiya-sensei’ here. We are at school, young man.”
“You are the one who calls me first! I would have just greeted you normally as Sensei had you not done that.”
Blinking in realization, Hidetoshi sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.
“Really? Oh well...my bad...”
Tsuchiya Hidetoshi was an old friend of Yukio’s older sister, Yumiko. Yukio had heard from Yumiko that Hidetoshi might be working at his high school, and it turned out she was right.
“Anyway, been a while. Your white eyebrows are still neatly trimmed.”
Beamed from the praise for his distinguished features, Hidetoshi stroked his eyebrows.
“Why of course. With these babies on my face, students will be paying more attention to me.”
“Yet Yumiko-nee said that you still fail to get yourself a girlfriend...”
“CEASE!”
Their banter ended with a happy laugh. Hidetoshi then gave Yukio a gentle pat on the shoulder.
“Enjoy high school, Yuki. Hopefully, you can find what you are looking for here.”
“Thanks, Hide-nii...”
Hidetoshi did not bother correcting him and simply nodded before taking his leave. Yukio looked around to check where his classroom would be. Not realizing the approaching footsteps from another direction, he went straight into someone. Yukio and the person fell on their rear. Yukio cursed his luck for having a painful experience already before the first day ended.
“I am sorry! Are you alright?”
“Ye-yeah…I-”
They both froze when they saw each other’s faces. Who ran into him was a girl with honey-colored skin, hair held with a pink hair band, and a baby face that made you want to touch her cheeks. She was none other than-
“Chisato...”
-Sanada Chisato, the girl who was pushed by Yukio, called him stupid, and ran away.
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Regaining composure, Chisato grabbed Yukio’s hand instead and lifted him up.
“Wow! Yuki-chan, it has been a long time!”
Chisato’s eyes gleamed in excitement as she held Yukio’s hand with both hands this time, making Yukio blush as it had been a long time since a girl held his hands.
“Hey...Chisato. You seem to be doing okay.”
“You bet! I have been busy outdoors.”
“Yes...I can see that.”
He was referring to her tan. Chisato giggled at his embarrassed reaction.
“Oh, how cute! You are blushing. Do you see me as a girl now? Hehe...”
Yukio did not answer and looked the other way. Chisato smiled at him and patted his uniform to make sure there were no dust left.
“All clean now, Yuki-chan! So, where were you going exactly?”
“I was looking for my class, but I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.”
“Pfft, no biggies. I was the one who should not have run around. I was just...excited you know? We are in high school.”
Yukio chuckled at Chisato's innocent and honest reaction.
“Same old Chisato who is looking forward to new stuff. Bet you cannot sleep too last night?”
“Yuki-chan! Do not spill my secret!”
She playfully beating his shoulder. Yukio was happy that Chisato was doing okay, but why is she acting like their relationship did not end badly?
“Hey, Chisato?”
“Hmm?”
“Why are you still calling me ‘Yuki-chan’? We...are not kids anymore...”
Chisato looked sad when he pointed that out. Yukio thought that Chisato probably remembered their last meeting this time, but it was dashed instantly by a tap on his shoulder.
“It’s true...but Yuki-chan is still Yuki-chan right?”
“Eh?”
“You are still the boy who likes kicking the can as far he can but always misses the trash can...get it...can and can?”
Yukio wanted to roll his eyes at Chisato’s poor attempt at dad jokes.
“Well yeah...but no! I mean, you...remembered about...the last time...didn’t you?”
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Chisato went silent. She looked away as if to hide her expression. She put her hand to the window, grazing it gently.
“Of course...stupid Yuki-chan...”
Yukio sighed. He knew it. There was no way things could have gone smoothly back then. If so, why would it have taken three years for them to talk again?
“Then...I am...”
Chisato grabbed his arm tight, refusing with strength. Yukio forgot just how strong Chisato was physically.
“But...friends fight all the time, right? Out of anyone, I want to see you first, Yuki-chan. I was...insensitive at that time.”
Yukio shook his head. It was he who should apologize. He was angry, but it was not right to react like that to an innocent party.
“No... it’s not your fault, Chisato.”
They stayed silent for a bit until Chisato’s face lit up again.
“Hey, let us check out which class we are in! Maybe we are going to the same class.”
“Chisa-TOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
Chisato did not hear what he was saying and dragged him to the bulletin board. Yukio dizzyingly looked for his name, and he found his name under the classroom of 1-4.
“So, Yuki-chan... which classroom do you get?”
“Ugh...let us see...I am in 1-4. How about you?”
A massive grin bloomed on her face.
“For real? I am there too! Hurray, we are classmates again!”
Chisato grabbed his hands in joy before pulling them up and down. Yukio did not realize how physically strong she had become. He wondered if it was right to immediately start high school with old faces again.
“Are you...not happy being with me again, Yuki-chan?”
If it were not for what had happened, he would be delighted to have Chisato as a classmate.
“Of course I am happy. At the very least, no short of laughter there.”
He tried to shift the mood because of what happened earlier too. Chisato looked happier this time.
“Hahaha, that is the spirit Yuki-chan! Let us go!”
Yukio is helplessly being dragged again to the class. A bit further from there, a girl was playing with the edge of her silver hair. She tapped on her phone, and press the shutter button on the camera app. A smirk rose before she licked her lips and made her exit.
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When Yukio and Chisato arrived at the classroom, it had already filled with people. For the time being, they could sit wherever they like since most likely the homeroom teacher will rotate the seats.
“Yuki-chan where do you want to sit? I want the seat at the front!”
Chisato’s hopes of Yukio sitting next to her were crushed by Yukio’s immediate retreat.
“No thanks, I am going to the back.”
“Eeeeh?”
Yukio ignored Chisato and sat at the far back near the window. Just like all those manga or anime protagonists. Except, he was not.
“Is the seat taken?”
“Oh…no.”
Someone had asked if the seat next to him was empty. Yukio just answered without looking, but when he turned around, he was greeted by another old face.
“Umm...are you perhaps...Kaede?”
“Meanie...how come you have forgotten about your dear Kae-chan?”
Cutely pouting with a mature face made Yukio’s heart race. Narita Kaede, who was the prankster, boyish, and blunt girl has grown too contrasting from before. She looked like a proper girl this time. Alluring, flirty, and tempting for Yukio.
“Dear Kae-chan? We are not even...”
“Ufufufu, my bad. Your panicked expression is just too funny.”
“Grr, still like to tease people huh...”
His final moment with Kaede was not nice either. He ignored her call for his name and never looked back.
“Not everyone gets the privilege of being teased by Narita Kaede. So, be grateful Yuki-chan.”
She was getting into his personal space that he instinctively pulled away.
‘She smells so good! Her lips look so glossy and rosy, her eyes feel like sucking me in.’
“Hey hey hey! What is this? Eh...Kae-chan?”
Kaede’s expression for split second changed to annoyed then back to full smile when Chisato came checking on Yukio.
“Oh my...Sanada-san? It has been a while.”
“Wait, why does Yuki-chan get to be called Yuki-chan but not even the first name for me?”
“I am free to choose however I like to address people. Is it wrong that your name is Sanada?”
“It’s not, but still!”
“Then it is no problem, Sanada-san. Now where were we, Yuki-chan?”
She quickly turned her attention to Yukio by resting her head on her folded hands.
“Hey don’t ignore me!” protested Chisato to no avail.
Gazing through her book from the right side of the classroom, a student was observing the interaction at the far back of the class. She said nothing, then returned to her book.
Hidetoshi made his way to the classroom, as apparently, he had been appointed the homeroom teacher. Chisato who knew him greeted him quickly. Hidetoshi almost lost composure, which made both Yukio and Kaede snicker. Hidetoshi noticed that but Kaede threw Yukio under the bus. Hidetoshi then asked the class for a self-introduction. Chisato who sat on the leftmost was the first one. She made a short but enthusiastic introduction. She also told the class that currently she was busy as an athlete.
“Chisato is an athlete?”
“You do not know, Yuki-chan? Sanada-san has played football since middle school.”
“You kidding?”
“I wished. Ever since middle school she had been actively participating with the school’s football team. She got scouted near the end of middle school.”
“I see...amazing.”
“It’s more amazing that you don’t even know this, considering you like football and all...”
“Yeah haha...”
Kaede could notice his expression saddened. She wondered if there was something more happened back then. She shrugged it off and turned her attention away. Across the room, a girl with long black hair with a pair of glasses stood up.
“Misawa Ayaka, it is a pleasure to meet you.”
That name and the looks put the trio on notice.
“Ayaka?”
“Aya-chan?”
Yukio and Chisato collectively let out their shock. Ayaka said nothing, but simply bowed in acknowledgement and sat again gracefully.
“Ufufufu, so Misawa-san is here too...looks like this high school life won’t be such a boring time after all, don’t you agree Yuki-chan?” Kaede on the other hand looked enjoying this development.
“Eeeh...”
Just when Yukio was hoping for a clean slate of school life, fate chose to play with him by bringing him not one, not two, but three of his former childhood friends to the same school as his, not to mention his classmates as well!
“Am I gonna be fine?”
“Hang in there, Yuki-chan. Ufufufu.”
Kaede gently rubbed his back. He felt nostalgic about this gesture but noticed too that her hand had become so delicate now.
“You were thinking something dirty, weren’t you?”
“No, I am not!”
“Ah you at the back, you can take your time to get ready, it is not your turn yet.”
The classroom giggled at Yukio’s shouting. He glared at the snickering Kaede who looked amused.