The morning sun bathed the town in a golden glow, giving it a serene, almost idyllic appearance. In the distance, Hoshin Academy, a four-tiered school loomed like a fortress at the heart of the town, surrounded by a sprawling gymnasium, a glistening pool, and a rooftop greenhouse. High walls circled the grounds, reinforced with ironclad gates as hovering drones portalled the grounds, their mechanical eyes watching over the grounds like silent sentinels.

Sakura sighed as she walked with her brother Reo towards the entrance, passing by rows of stalls and tents already set up for the various school clubs. The school belltower chimed, slicing through the town's noise as students buzzed about, excited for the new term.

“Look at all the security,” Sakura muttered, her eyes narrowing at the sight of contractors in hard hats adjusting CCTV cameras perched on poles. “It wasn’t this secure last year... I’m sure everything will be fine, Reo.”

Reo, a freshman, walking beside Sakura, gave a half-hearted shrug, clearly uninterested in her observations. "Just another waste of money, dad has been saying all summer" he mumbled, more focused on avoiding eye contact with the bustling crowds.

The school felt larger than ever that morning. Students milled around, their laughter and chatter filling the air as stalls for every imaginable club competed for attention. Banners waved, colourful flyers littered the ground, and the smell of fried food from the snack stalls lingered.

Sakura and Reo wandered past the school gates and the reinforced walls that loomed over them. She glanced around, her attention momentarily caught by the steel plates and the contractors still tinkering with the security systems, glancing at a logo of a skull in a jester hat. The atmosphere was festive, but Sakura couldn’t shake the feeling that something felt off.

“Hey, Sakura!” A voice called from the crowd, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Sakura turned, already bracing herself.

It was Suzuki, the ever-enthusiastic leader of the cosplay club, bounding over to them with a wide grin. His brown hair, styled in sharp spikes, complemented his full cosplay attire—a kimono paired with a comically oversized chest plate. A katana, adorned with a chunky, cartoonish duck plush dangling from the hilt, hung on his back, its sleeve nearly knocking over several passing students.

“Hi, Suzuki,” Sakura greeted, her voice strained. “I got your cosplay club invite…”

Suzuki beamed, practically bouncing on his feet. “Are you joining us this year?!”

Sakura’s eyes flicked to Reo, who was already retreating behind her, hoping to avoid Suzuki's overenthusiastic gaze. “No,” she answered quickly, shaking her head. “We’re not joining.”

Suzuki’s face fell dramatically. "But... but I had the pur..fect cosplay for you!" he pleaded, looking as though invisible daggers had stabbed him in the back. “You’d make the best—!”

“I said no!” Sakura snapped, turning sharply on her heel. Her face flushed as she realised several students nearby had heard her outburst and were now staring.

Suzuki recoiled, his grin faltering. “O-Okay,” he mumbled, sinking to his knees dramatically as if her rejection had physically wounded him. He clutched at his chest, pretending to collapse. “My cosplay dreams… shattered!”

Reo tugged on Sakura’s sleeve as he shot an accusatory look at his sister, clearly blaming her for dragging him into this situation. “We should go,” he muttered, his eyes darting around, clearly uncomfortable with the attention.

“I’m too busy with athletics, jujutsu and swimming clubs,” Sakura called over her shoulder for Reo. “I just can’t join another club!”

Behind them, Suzuki wailed in despair. “But you would look purrfect!” His eyes sparkled with excitement, completely absorbed in his cosplay fantasy.

Sakura sighed, rubbing her temples. “Yeah, I'm done, let’s go.” She grabbed Reo’s hand and marched past Suzuki, the noise of the school grounds swallowing them again. More students approached, eager to recruit new members for their clubs. A group waved from the archery stall, while others from the art and farming clubs called out, trying to lure Reo into their midst.

“Fresh meat!” someone shouted playfully. “Hey Sakura, bring your brother over here!”

Sakura groaned, trying to shield her brother from the chaos. Reo looked mortified, doing his best to blend into the background. Just when it seemed like they might escape, a shadow fell over them.

A familiar voice—deep and mocking. “Sakura.”

She froze. That voice could only belong to one person.

Before either could react, a figure launched itself through the air, landing squarely on Sakura’s back with an exaggerated, victorious cackle.

"Riku!" Sakura shouted, momentarily stumbling under the weight, as she righted herself, throwing Riku off her back.

Riku, the self-proclaimed leader of the Order of Dreams, grinned mischievously, her dark cape billowing behind her. She struck a dramatic pose, as if in the middle of a stage play, her eyes glinting as though she held some great secret. Dressed in her elaborate, vintage costume, complete with fake fangs and pointed ears, Riku truly looked like a villain from a grand fantasy.

"“You recognize me even without seeing me? Ah, I am glad the Duchess hadn’t forgotten her own!" she gasped, throwing a hand to her forehead in mock disbelief.

Sakura rolled her eyes, brushing off her uniform. “Riku, grow up. We’re final-year students now.”

“Final year?” Riku scoffed, spinning on her heel, her cape flaring out dramatically. “In the realm of dreams, there is no end! Time bends to the will of the chosen few!” She pointed a finger at Sakura, as though delivering some kind of epic challenge. “And you, Sakura, are my eternal nemesis! Forever locked in a battle of fate!”

Sakura let out a heavy sigh, completely unfazed. “Yeah, sure. Whatever.”

Reo stood there, utterly bewildered. “Is she... okay?” he asked, watching as Riku continued her fantasy.

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Ignoring him entirely, Riku swooped towards Reo, her eyes gleaming with wild excitement. “Is this the young master of the Fade? The destined one! I bet you are the duchess’ sacrifice, aren’t you?” She circled him dramatically, as though evaluating his worth. “Only the chosen few can follow me into the Eternal Dreamscape! Come, young master, I shall lead you to the Order of Dreams, where you will join us in our quest to conquer the fade!”

Reo blinked. “Wait, what?”

Sakura groans as she grabs Reo's arm, pulling him away from Riku’s antics. “Let’s go, Reo, before she ropes you into her fantasy world.”

Finally, they managed to find refuge inside the school lobby. Sakura pulled Reo behind a set of lockers, both of them sinking to the floor, trying to catch their breath.

“That was close,” she muttered, leaning her head against the cool metal of the locker. “Keep clear of them, Reo, or they’ll embarrass you for the rest of your life.”

Reo chuckled softly, recalling Sakura’s own Chunibyo phase. “I know, Duchess.”

The school hallway was alive with the sounds of students heading to their classes, moving around contractors still working to adjust the new CCTV cameras including vending machines. Sakura nudged Reo playfully as they walked, “You better not get lost on your first day, Reo. I don’t have time to come rescue you.” her tone half-teasing, half-concerned.

"Stop doing that," Reo grumbled, swatting her hand away.

Just then, a soft voice interrupted their sibling banter. “Oh my, Sakura! You shouldn’t be rough on him like that.” shaking her head in mock disapproval.

They turned to see the school nurse walking toward them. She was a woman of gentle demeanour, her pink uniform and braided pigtails making her look younger than her years. Her playful expression brought an instant warmth to the otherwise bustling hallway.

Sakura straightened up and quickly bowed her head. “Sorry, Nurse. I wasn’t trying to rough him up.”

The nurse chuckled softly, waving off the apology. “No harm done. So this is your younger brother?” She studied him for a moment before nodding approvingly. “He’s the spitting image of you, Sakura.”

Reo shuffled awkwardly, his eyes darting from the nurse to Sakura. "This is Reo," Sakura explained, nudging him forward slightly. "Reo, this is the school nurse."

Reo glanced between the two, feeling slightly awkward. The nurse winked at him. “Well, if you’re as accident-prone as your sister, Reo, I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other soon!”

"Nice to meet you," Reo muttered, not quite meeting the nurse’s eyes.

Sakura groaned. “I’m not that bad…”

The bell rang loudly, signalling the start of class.

“Better hurry now,” the nurse called, her voice playful. “Would you like me to take Reo to the first-year rooms?”

Sakura smiled gratefully. “That would be great. Thank you, Nurse!”

With a final wave, the nurse continued down the hallway with Reo under her wing as Sakura dashed off to her classroom, slipping into her seat, in the nick of time, beside the window, where her friend Yuma was already lounging.

"Yuma Uchida?" shouted the teacher.

"Here, Miss," Yuma called out, her usual cheerful tone in place.

“Morning,” Yuma whispered to Sakura, her shoulder-length red hair catching the sunlight.

“Morning,” Sakura replied, catching her breath. “I nearly forgot to help Reo find his homeroom but the nurse saved the day for me.”

Yuma smirked. “You’re lucky, or you would’ve been late. Speaking of which, have you seen Ichika yet? She’s supposed to be joining us for lunch.”

Sakura shook her head, their hushed conversation was cut short, the intercom chimed with a loud BingBong.

The principal’s voice echoed through the classroom. “Good morning, students, and welcome back to the new school year.”

Sakura leaned toward Yuma. “I’m surprised he’s still here after everything that happened last year.”

Yuma nodded, her expression more serious than usual. “Yeah... He doesn’t sound too broken up about it, either.”

The principal continued, “Tomorrow I’ll be hosting an assembly to explain everything, I hope you’re all excited as I am to let the fun and games begin for students.”

Sakura glanced at Yuma, who raised an eyebrow. "See what I mean?" Yuma whispered.

The teacher shot them a warning glance, and the girls straightened in their seats, exchanging curious glances. The intercom continued to drone on about school security improvements and new vending machines, but neither Sakura nor Yuma could focus.

Before they knew it ,the morning flew by as the bell rang, signalling lunchtime. Sakura stretched in her seat. “Hey, Yuma, want to stay here, the freshmen will just flood the dining hall?”

“Sure. I messaged Ichika to join us too,” Yuma replied as they gathered their lunches.

They found Ichika waiting for them outside their homeroom with her usual determined expression, her long black hair tied back. Merging tables together they sat down, as the trio began eating their lunches together, laughing and joking between bites.

“You always have such a cute lunch, Ichika,” Yuma teased, admiring Ichika’s neatly packed bento box.

Ichika blushed slightly. “Yuma, you always have something delicious too.”

Sakura rolled her eyes. “And here I am, eating the best-looking lunch on the store shelf.”

They laughed, lighten up the home room until Ichika brought up the elephant in the room. “Did you guys hear the principal this morning? I’m surprised he’s still with us after everything.”

Yuma nodded. “Losing his son and wife so suddenly... It’s strange that he doesn’t sound more... affected.”

"I was telling Yuma earlier," Sakura said, her voice low. "I’m surprised he’s still around after... everything."

Ichika leaned in closer, her voice dropping. “You know Kazuto, the big scary one with the ungroomed hair, right?” Ichika said. “He was bullying the principal’s son before it all happened. He’s still in my class, acting like nothing ever happened..”

Sakura frowned. “I heard about that, but I didn’t think he’d stick around after all that had happened last year.”

“I can’t believe that creep’s still allowed at this school,” Yuma muttered.

Ichika whispered not to be overheard, “The police couldn't link Kazuto to the principal's son's death, then his wife took her own life weeks later.”

Sakura shifted the topic, sensing the tension. “Anyway, Ichika, we didn’t see you over the summer. What did you get up to?”

There was a moment of silence as Ichika seemed to collect her thoughts, the weight of their earlier conversation lingering in the air. Then her face brightened, breaking the sombre mood. “Oh! My family took a trip through Europe! It was incredible!”

Sakura and Yuma exchanged excited glances, the heaviness of the previous topic dissipating as Ichika continued. “We visited London, Paris, and Barcelona! You won’t believe the British accents—they’re so much better than Mr. Hanson’s American one.”

Yuma leaned in, her interest piqued. “No way! Tell us everything!”

Before she could tell a single one, the bell rang signalling the next classes as they cleared their desks and they waved Ichika good bye.

While the afternoon dragged on, the sounds of construction continued outside the classroom windows. Sakura and Yuma glanced at the reinforced gate, getting additional plates added and newly installed cameras facing inwards as drones hoovered above. It felt like overkill for a school went through their minds.

As the final bell rang, the school drained of all its life, Sakura and Yuma made their way outside. “Are these gates made to stop a tank?” Sakura muttered as they made their way toward the exit.

Sakura waited by the gates. The reinforced steel plates towered above her, casting long shadows over the ground. "These gates are like something out of a military base," Sakura muttered, reaching out to touch the cold metal.

She grasps the marking on a bulky lock, a skull grinning from side to side, in a jester hat sends a chill down her spine.

Reo ran up to her, beaming with excitement. “Sis! This place is amazing!”

Sakura smiled, ruffling his hair. “You didn’t cause any trouble, did you?"

Reo rolled his eyes but grinned. "Of course not. I even signed up for the technology and gaming clubs!"

“Am glad you found a few clubs” Sakura flashed an approving smile.

“Those vending machines, I found out that their AI isn't that cool," Reo added. "Can’t wait to see them tomorrow." as Reo chattered away about the gaming club he had joined and the cool new vending machines that would be set up tomorrow.

As they walked home, the sleepy town’s streets bathed in the golden light of the setting sun, Sakura glanced sideways at Reo, a smile creeping onto her face. He’s growing up so fast, she thought. She ruffled his hair again, as their mother did to her before she passed, remembering her own first day at this school and how much had changed since then. Sakura chuckled. "Yeah, but don’t get too distracted. You still need to help me with dinner before Dad gets home."