Have you ever gazed at the stars? You know you could never reach them, but for some reason their beauty still reaches you. Perhaps it’s the illusion of countless dots of light fighting back the endless darkness. Or maybe what’s so captivating is how different they are from anything else. There is only one place where you can find the stars.

Even if you could travel space, those stars would remain ever distant. Sure you can travel to a distant sun, but once you look beyond the sun? More stars. There is a certain… tranquil loneliness that the night sky brings. You are content to simply gaze at it’s awesome beauty. But deep down, you long to reach out and grasp that twinkling blanket, as if it were a veil blocking something even more beautiful. You might of even reached your hand out, wondering if it were that simple.

That is how Kazuki felt every time he saw Miyuki. He would never be so brazen as to think he had feelings for her. He firmly believed that inner beauty outshines outer beauty. But perhaps it was that belief that made him wonder, “Who is she?”

Of course, he knew the surface-level answer; Shimizu Miyuki. Daughter to one of the most influential political families in Japan. For all intents and purposes, she was as close to a princess you could get in modern society. Beyond that, she was attractive, smart, kind, and carried herself well. None of these traits seemed forced or ungenuine. She really was just like a princess. But something nagged at Kazuki. When he looked at her, it was like he was looking at a crescent moon. There was a lot more to her, she just kept it well-hidden.

However, just as most of us are content to gaze at the stars when the night is clear, so too was Kazuki content to admire Miyuki from afar. They did, after all, live in completely separate worlds.

“Eep! I’ve been so excited for this class! I’m so happy you’re in it too, Kazuki!” Ayaka asserted energetically.

“It’s interesting, for sure. I’ve been really eager to see if programing can be applied to other fields- like film making.” Hiroshi added. “What about you, Kazuki?” To a die hard introvert, this situation would be quite infuriating. Two energetic and talkative people, sitting themselves down without even asking. He met them just a few short minutes ago, yet they were already acting like his best friends. Luckily, Kazuki wasn’t a die hard introvert. He just… wasn’t outwardly social. So he replied, albeit in a matter of fact tone.

“Well, it's a really unique concept. It brings people from all majors and talents, and puts them in an environment where they are forced to collaborate. It’s like a good game or show. You spend hours picking up these pieces. slowly trying to figure out what is going on. Then finally, after all that hard work, everything comes together. Each part falling in-place, until the entire story is revealed.” He cleared his throat, thinking he may have gotten a little carried away with his analogy.

“Erm,” he continued, “I want to be someone that can bring all of those parts together in a satisfying way. This class is like a playground for that. And beyond that, I’ll get to witness other peoples talents too. Really this class is the whole reason I came to this college.”

Ayaka and Hiroshi stared at Kazuki blankly for a moment.

“…WOOOOWWWW! Dude that’s so deep! I totally get what you mean though! When I draw characters, It’s like every detail written about them is just a small piece of their personality. I love interpreting that into something that people can see!”

“Heh. It’s the same in coding, really,” Hiroshi started, “By themselves, each line of coding doesn’t really do anything. But you put it all together and, bam! You can just press a few buttons and you’re controlling the action of a character.”

Everyone took a moment to process their like opinions. It seemed like Kazuki was contemplating something, but just as he was about to open his mouth, an unfamiliar voice cut him off.

“What’s up, my nerds!” Kaori said. She had a tight grip around Miyuki’s wrist, who was caught off balance and off guard.

“Kiki!” Said Ayaka, jumping up to hug Kaori.

“Sup.” Came Hiroshi with a nonchalant wave.

“I’m even more excited now! I had no idea you chose this elective, too!” Ayaka said.

“Hey, Aya-chan,” Kaori replied warmly. “I saw you guys over here and I just had to introduce you to Miyuki. You should see her art! It’s soooo good!”

During this whole interaction, both Miyuki and Kazuki had slightly pensive expressions. It was very subtle, though. To them, it seemed like they were staring at each other, but to any passerby it might look like they were avoiding each other. Ayaka and Hiroshi seemed none the wiser, as they were happily catching up with their long-time friend. Kaori on the other hand, had a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

“It’s good to meet you all, my name is Shimizu Miyuki.” She said with a polite bow.

Kaori nodded along proudly with the introduction before something hit her, making her forget about her dubious plot.

“Mhm, mhm. Wait. WHAT? Shimizu?! Like that super powerful political family?!” Kaori burst.

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Miyuki had a softer expression than normal as she entered her next class along side her new friend, Kaori. Why was this? It’s quite simple. Her interaction with Kazuki minutes before. Realistically, she knew she couldn’t call it so much as an interaction. But she still felt both happy and relieved. She was slightly embarrassed, having been caught looking directly at him, but the nod he gave her when they locked eyes— A simple acknowledgement, sure, but one that spoke volumes.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

Did he remember her from high school? If he does, would that mean that he’s been watching her, too? She tried not to get her hopes up though. In the past, no matter how hard she tried, she could never find a time to approach him. She wasn’t exactly aware of any romantic feelings towards him, but he always seemed like one of the most genuine people she had ever come across. That alone was enough to peak her intrigue.

However, Kazuki arrived at their high school during the second year. He was quite the mystery to everyone. He didn’t ignore people, and he didn’t give off negative vibes. He just, didn’t seem to think socializing was necessary. By the time he started school there, the majority of the students had become comfortable enough with Miyuki that they would approach her every chance they got. Closing any opportunity for her to approach Kazuki.

She was happy to spend time with her classmates, but something about Kazuki’s solitary life was appealing to her. She always found comfort in her alone time. She didn’t have to concern herself with expectations, nor did she have to suppress part of herself. She envied those who could bask in that solitude under the watchful eyes of the public.

What she felt towards Kazuki, however, was not envy. Just a burning curiosity. Like the urge to pet a sleeping cat, she just wanted to reach out to him. She wanted to know what his world looked like. Would her world look different from his perspective? Or was she just another person in the background to him?

That’s why his simple nod in the cafeteria meant so much. Even if he didn’t remember her from high school, she wasn’t just some person in the background. She was someone he noticed.

“This class should be really fun! We get to collaborate with different people and-” Kaori’s words bounced off Miyuki’s ears.

She wasn’t naïve enough to call this fate. She certainly wasn’t about to claim it was intentional in any way. But here, in this same class, sat Kazuki. He seemed to be passionately talking to the same people from the cafeteria. Would this be her chance to finally meet him? They never shared a class in high school. They only time they were ever in the same room was if a teacher sent her to his class on an errand. Or a few times when P.E. had more than one class in the gym.

The same apprehension gripped her though. Was it okay to try to talk to him? Would it be a bother if the popular girl dropped in out of nowhere and started chatting him up? What if rumors started? She didn’t want him, someone who seems to value solidarity just as much as her, to be robbed of it.

“…Miyuki?” Kaori had noticed her new friends changes. She actually took pride in her ability to read people. She was a good judge of character and could pick up on a lot of social subtleties. She looked at the distant expression on Miyuki’s face, following her eyes to their focal point.

Ayaka and Hiroshi? Who’s that guy? Wait… weren’t they all in the cafeteria too? She thought back to a few minutes before, when Miyuki seemed distracted during break. At the time, she assumed Miyuki was just deep in thought. But as she recalled the scene, she realized that Miyuki was staring, no, watching the same group. She recalled a rather fond expression too. Ohhh. The pieces fell into place. That’s how it is, huh? Does our dear Mii-chan have a crush? Kaori’s eyes began to light up as she started piecing together a dubious plot.

“Oh!” She tugged on Miyuki’s arm, breaking her from her distant thoughts. “It’s Aya-chan and Hiroshi! They're friends from my childhood. Come on, I have to introduce you!”

“H-huh?! Wait I shouldn’t just drop in-” Miyuki started to protest in a fluster.

It was no use though, Kaori already had ahold of Miyuki’s wrist with a grip that bellied her petite frame.

“Don’t worry! They’ll love you! Plus, that guy their talking to is kinda cute, isn’t he?” She said with a mischievous grin.

Before Miyuki had a chance to protest further, or even process what was going on, it was too late. Her brain was like a scientist, trying to work out every possible parallel universe. Does she look at him and smile? Does she avoid eye contact? She should introduce herself, right? But what if- Oh no! She looked! They made eye contact and… it’s like all of her thoughts disappeared and the world around them froze.

She’d never seen his eyes from this close. She never expected there to be so much… detail. So many lines that wove together in a complex series of vibrant shapes and colors. She was stunned. She had no idea there were so many shades of green.

A sudden yank from Kaori brought her back to reality, and she realized she had to say something.

“It’s good to meet you all, my name is Shimizu Miyuki.” She said with a polite bow.

Was that too formal? This might be the first time she ever felt so apprehensive over just meeting a few new people. When she looked up, everyone had a warm smile. Not a grin of admiration or excited sparkles in their eyes, just welcoming expressions.

“Mhm, mhm. Wait. WHAT? Shimizu?! Like that super powerful political family?!”

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Following Kaori’s outburst, the entire class’s attention was drawn to their group. They were quickly surrounded by fans of Miyuki, all eager to know the nature of their relationships and any other detail about Miyuki. Their conversation was effectively cut short.

Thankfully, after a short period of this frenzy, the professor entered the room and directed everyone to sit down. The classroom was set up like a theater, with tiered seating broken into smaller sections of five seats and a wide table, which also acted as a wall between rows.

The professor cleared his throat, catching everyone’s attention. “Take note. Where you sit today is where you’ll sit for the rest of the semester. You’ll be working in teams based on these groupings.”

Kaori exchanged glances with Ayaka and Hiroshi, her eyes reflecting a mix of amusement and disbelief. By sheer luck, or perhaps a twist of fate, Kazuki and Miyuki had taken seats beside them. All five were now bound together, not just by circumstance, but by a professor’s decree.

Once the class ended, a collective groan came from the trio of Kaori, Hiroshi, and Ayaka as they dramatically flopped onto their desks. Their exaggerated sighs of exhaustion drew chuckles from those seated nearby. Contrastingly, Miyuki and Kazuki sat with an air of composure, their faces adorned with awkward smiles.

“What the hell, that was intense.” Ayaka sated with a heavy breath.

“No joke. Is it always like that for you, Miyuki?” Hiroshi asked.

Miyuki tilted her head thoughtfully. “It’s not always like that, but yes, often enough.”

“Hey… I’m sorry,” Kaori started, looking genuinely regretful. “It just took me by surprise. But who your family is shouldn’t be a big deal.”

“No, it’s fine. I’m used to it, and I honestly don’t mind. I enjoy getting to know people.” Miyuki smiled softly.

Kaori, touched by the response, gave Miyuki a dramatic squeeze on her arm. “Mii-chan, you’re such a sweetheart!”

Hiroshi turned to Kazuki, raising an eyebrow. “How did you manage to stay out of the fray, man?”

“Yeah! You were just playing some game the whole time,” Ayaka added.

Shrugging, Kazuki replied, “Avoiding attention has just become second nature to me.” Seeing Miyuki’s apologetic expression, he quickly added, “It’s not that I dislike being around lots of people. It’s just... I’ve gotten into the habit of blending into the background.”

The others carried on with their light-hearted teasing. Amidst the conversation, Miyuki mumbled almost to herself, her voice laden with guilt, “I didn’t want to cause anyone trouble with all the attention I get.”

Kaori, with her sharp ears and even sharper intuition, caught the mumble. She leaned in, speaking softly so only Miyuki could hear. “It’s not your fault, Mii-chan. People are just naturally drawn to you.”

Brightening her tone and turning to the group, Kaori chimed in, “Hey, I have an idea! Why don’t we all get together after class to celebrate?”

“Hm? Celebrate what, Kiki?” Ayaka asked, her brows knit in curiosity.

“The forging of new friendships, of course! The three of us have been friends since elementary, but this is the first time we’ve met Mii-chan and Kazu-kun!” Kaori explained with a twinkle in her eyes.

“Kazu…kun?” Kazuki cocked an eyebrow, sounding out the unexpected nickname.

“Hey. Why does everyone get a nickname except me?” Hiroshi huffed.

“How’s Iro-kun? Because you’re so iro-tating,” Ayaka teased, a mischievous grin plastered across her face.

“Oi! What’s that supposed to mean?!” Hiroshi turned to Kazuki, seeking some sort of validation, “Right? Tell her, man.”

Trying not to laugh, Kazuki replied, “Sorry, Hiroshi. Can’t help you there.”

Their playful banter continued for a bit, the tension from earlier now replaced by a warm camaraderie. As the minutes ticked away, they came to the realization that they were due in their next classes soon.

“Alright, we should get moving. But let’s meet by the front entrance after our classes are done, okay?” Kaori suggested, receiving nods of agreement from the others.

And with that, the newfound group of friends went their separate ways, excited about the adventures that awaited them.