Who was that girl? Even the weight of that question couldn't fill the void in him. And the issue lay in not one, but two people to whom that question referred.

  The girl back at the park, Raichi wondered when he would see her again, if at all. She had a peculiar feel to her, as if she were tied by strings, webs which were sewn back into her, like a snake eating its own tail. Whatever burden she carried, Raichi didn't know the slightest about.

  Secondly, Yamada Yaori of class 1-B, and the girl his friends called the 'Acing Bookworm', who rose through the first year ranks with her grades. He had no read on her. None, zilch, nada. He was also told later on that she hadn't done her usual hairdo when they encountered her in the classroom. Both girls were next to a total enigma.

  Rendered into a walking corpse, his presentation to his friends wasn't the best.

  Zoning back in, Hiroshi's question of whether Raichi had gotten any sleep disappeared like paint dissolving in water.

  "Eh?" He asked.

  "No, no he didn't, Hiroshi." Nao facepalmed. "You could've given us a phone call or something."

  "And wake us up? Absolutely not. I would've closed it right in his face."

  Nao slapped Hiroshi's shoulder in anger.

  "Why would you admit to something like that?"

  "Hey! I was just telling the truth!" Hiroshi shrugged, raising his voice in defense. "Let a man have his beauty sleep, won't you?"

  Nao let out a sigh and crossed her arms in response.

  "... You idiot."

  Brutally honest as always.

  The two girls and who they were nagged him the entire night. They had a glaring detail in common, making him apprehensive. Both individuals fled upon the mention and sight of a Miyamoto novel.

  I don't get it... I don't get it at all, dangit.

  Raichi didn't question things further, as it held his train of thought back from staying stable on the tracks.

  "I didn't get a wink of sleep."

  "Hahaha! What are you, a little kid before the day of the class trip or something?"

  Raichi looked at him like Hiroshi wasn't joking.

  "I guess you can put it that way."

  "Don't take him seriously, Raicchi."

  "Well, I wouldn't be surprised... you probably need a defense attorney or something after that last week."

  Raichi groaned, wiping his eyes.

  "Oh, don't even remind me."

  Hiroshi innocently waited for an answer as if he hadn't dug the bone Raichi had just buried in his backyard.

  Nao shot Hiroshi a glare. "Way to go, dumbass."

  "Wha? What's that look you're giving me for?"

  ''Nothing."

  The entrance to Suiho High wasn't the same as it was two days ago. At the start of a new term, students weren't ready to settle back into the school mood, despite the warm embrace the building had offered.

  A student waved at the trio passing by, specifically referring to Hiroshi.

  "Good morning, Kimura!"

  He waved back at him.

  "Morning!'

  Raichi's eyes wandered over Hiroshi with a hint of disgust, as if the enthusiasm bar above him rose beyond the sky.

  "How much energy could you possibly have?"

  "Enough for a simple greeting." Hiroshi put his arms behind his head under his space pillow. "Won't judge you, though. I can understand how lack of sleep might feel for you."

  "Oh, do you now?"

  Raichi rolled his eyes.

  Nao patted Raichi on the back, reassuring him with a nervous laugh. Not that it made him feel any better.

  "By the way... " Nao scratched the back of her neck. "Since you're a transfer student, Raicchi... don't you have to see the teacher before the intercom?"

  "Oh, now that you mention it... "

  Raichi was, in fact, told to see his homeroom teacher. He was supposed to introduce himself to Miyako Nishikigi of 1-B. He did recall that his friends' classroom was 1-B, too. But he wanted to keep the class he was in a secret, as a way to surprise them.

  "Yup." He nodded. "I should be on my way then."

  "You... aren't going to tell us who it is?"

  Raichi shook his head, smirking.

  "That's a secret. You'll see soon enough."

  "Ehh?" He complained. "Not cool, dude! We wanna know what class you're in!"

  Raichi deliberately avoided Hiroshi's gaze to piss him off, instead, waving to Nao.

  "See you later, guys."

  "Don't ignore me!"

  "See you, Raicchi!"

  As he separated from his friends, he looked back at them one last time. He thought Hiroshi wasn't the type to pout like a little child, but he was on the brink of tears.

  Nao patted him on the back, too. Too bad Raichi couldn't laugh at all as he passed his way through the small groups of students on his way to the faculty room.

  It was inevitable that he would stand out as a newcomer in the second term. As expected, students looked at him like he was a wanted man, unable to help their curiosity. To be fair to them, if it were Raichi, he would be staring too. Such gazes didn't have enough meaning behind them, and so it wasn't the type he had a resentment for.

  After making his way up the row of stairs, one hand gripping the railing, he soon faced the faculty room door.

  He could make out a few people as the teachers who would be teaching him in class, not too soon. Their appearances varied, with infinite guesses as to what their personalities could be.

  However, it was clear they weren't the Nishikigi-sensei he was searching for, described as dashing and witty.

  Right as he was about to knock on the door of said room, a certain woman opened the door.

  The woman and Raichi jumped at the sight of one another.

  She corrected her glasses with the tip of her finger.

  "Well, hey there."

  "H-Hello. I was looking for Nishikigi-sensei."

  "Oh!"

  The woman glanced down at the board she had been holding, affirming with enthusiasm.

  "So you're Sato-kun, yes?"

  "Hm!" He nodded, bowing at a respectful angle. "P-Pleasure to meet you!"

  Raichi fumbled with his stuttering. It had been an immense struggle for him this past year.

  I hope I didn't keep her waiting…

  Nishikigi-sensei. Turns out the woman in front of him was his homeroom teacher in the flesh.

  "Whoa, whoa. Aren't you so formal, Sato-kun? I had been informed that you'll be here for a while. Sure, you don't need to be so arrogant like that sly fox, but take it a little easy, would you?"

  Raichi raised an eyebrow at the mention of a curious animal.

  ''Sly fox, you said?"

  "You'll meet him soon enough.'' She ignored his question. ''C'mon in, and try your best to ignore the chaos inside the staff room. We'll wait for a little while until the ceremony ends, then we'll make our way toward the classroom."

  She gestured for her to follow him inside, whistling lightly.

  Nishikigi-sensei, huh...

  Miss Miyako Nishikigi, as an animal, might have been a pet frog. As random a description as it was, she did have an interesting appeal to her as a teacher. Her pastel sacramento green hair, tied in a ponytail at the back, looked tussled and rough. The square glasses she had on reflected her blue eyes. Describing her as casual was accurate, as she seemed to try her best to make the best of the situation.

  They entered the faculty room, passed the various staff members messing with papers and work, and sat down near her side of the room.

  The cramped position and desk of hers weren't as inviting as her attitude, although her mug full of coffee stood resolute.

  "Here we are."

  Nishikigi talked as she engaged in her task, taking off her lab coat and putting it on her chair, following a sip of her coffee.

  "Um—don't mind me asking, Nishikigi-sensei, but, " He played with his fingers behind his back. "By sly fox, do you mean Hiroshi-kun perhaps?"

  "Why, yes, I do. Are you familiar with him?"

  She put her mug down, then finally sat down properly.

  Raichi nodded.

  "I am. We're best friends, actually."

  "That's great!" She clapped her hands together. "You won't be so alone in my class, after all. Then what about your first impression of this school of ours?"

  "Um... my friends seem to be fond of this school. So far, I don't have much to say myself."

  "Your friends, huh?" She put the back of her hand on her chin. "Kimura-kun, and... ?"

  "Nao-chan."

  Nishikigi's expression spiked up.

  "Nao-chan? First-name basis, are we?"

  Raichi fidgeted, Nishikigi's teasing scrutiny catching him with his guard off. A sweat rolled down his head.

  "We're childhood friends. I met Hiroshi-kun in middle school, while I've been friends with Nao since we were little... "

  Nishikigi nodded vigorously. "I see, I see."

  She then proceeded to take a good look at Raichi, eying him up and down with her hand still on her chin.

  Raichi's eyes darted around, unable to meet her watchful gaze.

  "Then how about this... tell me a little about yourself. Nothing over the top, and you can take your sweet time."

  "Anything?"

  "Anything. I'll wait patiently."

  Hm... how would I describe myself? My life starting high school couldn't be put into mere words anymore. I can't even begin to describe how it felt. The only thing worth mentioning is what I enjoy doing...

  Raichi took some time wondering to himself, and for some reason, the image of his room popped up in his head.

  Perhaps that was because the most real he felt was when he was by himself in his room for the longest time.

  He put his words in order, determining a way to phrase his introduction.

  "I am Sato Raichi. I am a bookworm, and I spend most of my day reading and sleeping."

  Raichi overestimated himself for a second. He gulped.

  Pausing for a second, Nishikigi looked at him with subtle amusement.

  "Not half-bad, Sato-kun. But the thing is, I would advise you not to knock yourself down a peg in front of the entire class."

  "Take myself… down a peg?"

  "I don't mean to be rude, Sato-kun. And I am saying this with the best of intentions. But I think that isn't the best lifestyle, befitting of a typical hot and vigorous high schooler."

  "I–I... "

  Raichi was left speechless.

  What's worse is that it wasn't a lie. Someone his age would for sure be running outside with his friends, playing ball, and doing teenage shenanigans, plus the activities better left for inside. He wasn't like most of them.

  He didn't know where Nishikigi's judgment was headed, but he had a feeling she didn't mean harm, whether intentional or not.

  "Although... I have no right to judge, given how old I have become now, and I am aware nobody decides how one should live their life. The reason I am saying that is because I know how bad an example my class can be. I simply thought that someone this age would be spry and full of energy, just like that sly fox."

  "Well... "

  Raichi lowered his head, the light inside the windowless room casting a shadow over his eyes.

  "I am simply like that. I—wasn't like this before, really. But I know I love reading, and that part of me will never fade."

  She guiltily averted her gaze.

  It looked like Nishikigi could somehow sense the passion in Raichi's eyes.

  "I... actually think it's healthy to hold onto a valuable hobby such as yours, Sato-kun. Some high schoolers I've come to know are people who will never be bored, ever. Because their hands are always full and they have too much on their plates."

  Nishikigi's reflection visible on his eyes, he let out a silent gasp. She was complimenting him, no sweet talk or sugarcoating.

  "So you're saying... ?"

  "Yes. I think you're quite like that."

  His lifestyle, which he had come to regard as dreary for the past year or two, met Nishikigi's admiration.

  He thought it had taken a turn for the worse, but it seems that amid the dark that was his personal life, Nishikigi had found the remaining light beneath, meaning it hadn't been extinguished yet.

  "You seem like the type with the ability to entertain yourself, Sato-kun. That is the difference I see with you."

  Raichi's glee peeked through his bittersweet smile.

  "Y–You think so... ?"

  "Hm." She nodded. "You do actually remind me of a certain girl in our class. I'm sure you would get along—"

  Nishikigi's words were cut by a loud skrrk sound coming through from the speakers all around the school, with the one right above them grinding his eardrums.

  "Attention, all fellow students. This is the school council president speaking. We've entered our second term, and the opening ceremony is about to begin. Please remain seated in your classrooms or make way there as you listen closely. With a short address from our principal, we're ready to get things started."

  The same, distinct skrrk sound from earlier came through again.

  After a few seconds of silence, a tap on the mic could be heard. Following the echo of the tapping, the principal started his usual speech he would give at the start of any new term.

  That was when Nishikigi, prompting Raichi to look at her, winked back at him.

  "Way to ruin the moment, huh, Sato-kun?"

  "H-Huh?"

  Raichi tilted his head in confusion, his low social intelligence shining like a beam of light.

  "Anyway. What I was saying was that you don't seem like your typical introvert. We have someone like that in the classroom that I think you may find intriguing."

  Able to make out who she was talking about, Raichi let his gaze wander.

  He put his hands behind his back again. "Is that so...?"

  As the principal's voice blurred into the background, Raichi had nothing else to say. His mind was drawing a total blank.

  All he could do was wait for the intercom to be over, or to string things along, responding to Nishikigi.

  It didn't take long before she got up from where she was sitting, her chair scraping back.

  "We oughta get going. As the ceremony is over, I need to calm the class down. Those no-good goblins could cause quite the mishap with me absent. But, I bet they've missed me, too."

  "Is that when I need to introduce myself to the classroom?"

  "Yes." She dusted her lab coat after putting it on. "I'll call you in once I'm inside. It is showtime, Sato-kun."

  Oh boy...

  That foreboding sense of tension in his stomach, first eased by Nishikigi, quickly rose back up to his throat again. He'd tell himself not to jinx things, but he'd rather not complicate his situation further.

  The particular speaker next to them out of sync, Raichi kept watch for the principal's voice coming through. Compared to Miss Nishikigi next to him and the patience she exuded, he thought the speech was a cacophony.

  Nishikigi glanced at her wristwatch, nodded, and raised her head back up with jubilation.

  His mind raced ten steps ahead of him, so he took a deep breath, preparing for the worst.

  When the speakers made the same distinct toggling sound and the principal's voice vanished, Nishikigi slid the classroom door open.

  Akin to a colosseum's roar upon the sight of the gladiator, Raichi got whipped by the sudden noise of avid students.

  "Nishikigi-sensei!!"

  "Sensei, sensei!"

  "Quiet down, dude! Sensei's here!"

  The class was over the moon by Miss Nishikigi's mere arrival. He couldn't imagine the pride she must have been feeling, both in herself and in her class, despite her sour note about them.

  Her presence alone demanding attention, she smacked the table with her fist, shouting—

  "Settle down, boys! Before you guys go on an even bigger frenzy, you should know we have a transfer student joining us today. Try to give yourselves a good first impression, okay!?"

  Raichi felt his hair tingling when Nishikigi shouted.

  He prioritized maintaining a good image above all else. His new save had already hit the mud twice, and he didn't want it to sink to the bottom.

  "Come on in, Sato Raichi-kun."

  The second he stepped inside, the spotlight effect came into motion. He questioned the existence of said effect, considering, who wouldn't be invested in a new transfer student coming into town?

  His knees drilled into the floor once he approached the teacher's desk, gazing at his classmates.

  As Nishikigi stood in front of him, he bowed at a respectful angle, admiring the shine on his shoes.

  "I'm—I'm Sato Raichi! I'm delighted about joining you all. I hope you'll have me."

  He bit his lip like it was the volume button on the remote that was his roaring heart.

  I wish I could see the state of my posture right about now!

  "We welcome you with open arms, Sato-kun."

  "Thank you very much."

  "In that case, lets see here… " She turned toward the back of the class, nodding.. "Kindly take your seat over there."

  Over there?

  Raichi spotted the empty desk at the back, the small cupboards behind it.

  However, the person sitting in front of said desk, his blinding grin and blond hair, leered at him.

  As he made his way and sat down, he flinched like a cat, a shiver of disgust going down his spine.

  The sly fox glanced over his shoulder.

  "Why hello there, transfer-kun. Welcome to class 1-B."

  "Yeah, yeah. I appreciate your hospitality, Hiroshi-kun."

  He didn't wish to take Hiroshi seriously at this time. Even the lingering scrutiny made Raichi feel like he must shrink.

  Luckily, Miss Miyako Nishikigi was far more intriguing for most of his classmates.

  The sense that he was being watched wasn't unwarranted. His anxiety wouldn't allow him to return any of the looks aimed at him.

  Even Hiroshi returned to his own business, unlike a certain classmate to his right.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he could see said classmate, even if a little. A girl who still had her attention dead set on him.

  He was reluctant to stare directly, so he didn't dare turn his head even an inch, and he couldn't make out the possible expression on the girl's face.

  Impish smirks from his front, and eyes of wonder from his right. His first high school homeroom in Uji was stranger than he thought it'd be.

  ?? ?? ??

  This post-homeroom recess was the worst type of social environment he could ever ask for. His one saving grace, Hiroshi and Nao, went off somewhere. It was five minutes, yes, but every minute felt like an hour in introverts' special hell.

  Left alone with classmates who were busy thinking of who he could be instead of approaching him, Raichi's one desire was for it to be over.

  Not to mention the elephant in the room, the girl to his right, who seemed far too enthralled by a closed-off transfer student lying slumped in his desk.

  If this goes on, he might just go take a breather in the bathroom, because being stared at wouldn't suffice.

  Either she would cut the ice herself, or he'd have to crush it to pieces.

  Hesitating for a moment, the girl leaned toward him from her chair.

  ''I apologize, but your name was… Sato-kun, was it?''

  ''Y-Yes, that would—''

  Having found the opportunity to take a glimpse at his right, he was hit with whiplash upon recognizing the girl's identity. He hadn't even realized it.

  The whole homeroom, the girl to his right, who had been eying him up like a lab experiment—was Yamada Yaori, the Acing Bookworm, the same girl who had her braids down two days ago.

  He thought he should have been frustrated and stated his discomfort, but now knowing that it was Yaori, he didn't see the point in it.

  "Yes. And you must be... Yamada-san."

  The shy bookworm that she was couldn't hold her gaze.

  "That would be me."

  The conversation felt like it was skipping a few beats, as they both waited for the other to say something.

  His dilemma, however, was more than that. He didn't want to admit it, but the recent events held him back from speaking heart to heart.

  Yaori was talking to him now, but it didn't change the fact that she ran away at the sight of him and his friends.

  An unsolved case, one that puzzled him, held him down like shackles.

  He couldn't bottle this up. It would eat him inside.

  Gathering the little bit of courage he had, he cut the on-and-off silence.

  ''I'm sorry, Yamada-san. But—'' He couldn't say the following to her face. ''I didn't expect you to talk to me again, not after that day…''

  Having come to this meant a lot to him. If he wanted to keep his clean slate the way it is, he'd have to compromise on how he feels about these things.

  ''W-Why?''

  She threw the simplest question his way. Truth is, he wasn't aware of it either.

  ''Isn't it obvious? Didn't you run away from us that day?''

  ''I-I!'' She put her fists in front of her chest. ''I… didn't mean to!''

  She… didn't mean to? How?

  Raichi found that hard to believe. Her pale face, when she saw him approaching—if it wasn't because she was afraid, then what other reason was there?

  Despite being aware of people judging him as off-putting and weird, he was never able to find the cause. This time, was different. He knew what the right thing to do was.

  The solution wasn't any different from the other day.

  ''Then I should apologize, shouldn't I?'' He muttered.

  ''W-What?'' She met his gaze, confused. ''Apologize?''

  ''Surely, I must have done something wrong, haven't I? I wouldn't—''

  "N–No! You haven't done anything wrong, Sato-kun!"

  For some reason, Yaori looked almost… disheartened.

  Raichi wasn't forcing himself. He just didn't want to have regrets.

  He is the one trying to apologize, and yet, Yaori looked just as guilty. There must have been something else she wanted to say.

  Yaori faced the other way, her expression ambigous.

  ''It's just that, the thought of you recognizing me gave me such a fright, despite me hoping for it at the same time.''

  He raised an eyebrow.

  ''Recognize you?"

  He felt that there was more to her story, still unable to make sense of it. Recognize her? Was he missing a piece of the puzzle? Since when did he find the rest of the pieces?

  She let out a self-deprecating laugh.

  "You don't get it, do you?"

  "I really don't, Yamada-san. Can you elaborate?''

  "Having to say this to your face is going to be embarrassing for me, b-but—'' Her eyes darted around. ''The girl on the bench, back in that park. That was me.''

  "N–No way!"

  Raichi was almost paralyzed in shock, and he bit his lip.

  It couldn't be. That messy girl, an emotional wreck, was the same person as the Acing Bookworm? They had a resemblance, sure, but—

  Yaori didn't seem like the emotionally vulnerable type, quite the opposite. It was clear that she built her reputation brick by brick.

  The image of the three girls flickered over one another as he managed to see through Yaori. The strings of the girl under the ginkgo, now tied to the same girl sitting in front of him, merged into one inside his head. Three impressions of her, turning into one complex alloy.

  The bewildered eyes of the girl under the ginkgo—the flowing chestnut-colored hair of the girl days prior—and the reputation of the Acing Bookworm of class 1-B.

  This was the real identity of the girl, Yamada Yaori, the first-years' ace and rising model student.

  Yaori tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

  "I apologize for not telling you sooner. I didn't realize you didn't know...''

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  ''I-I don't even know what to say.

  "Wouldn't blame you, Sato-kun. You probably have so much to ask, such as why I ran away.''

  "What?"

  This was one big rabbit hole, and Raichi didn't know what to do with all the paths to take.

  Yaori looked down at her hands, her expression resembling that of the park.

  ''When you, a stranger at the time, were so kind to me, I didn't know what to think, especially when I was going through such a rough time.

  Perhaps she didn't plan on such an intimate and personal reveal, but she didn't stop, and Raichi had no intention of cutting her off.

  ''It isn't that I dislike people, but that it is just how I am treated. I don't have many friends, if not any. They think that I am too proper for small talk, so they put me on a pedestal.''

  Raichi's eyes wandered around on their own, to check if any uninvited guests were listening in. As most of his senses focused on the girl in front of him, the noise around them filtered.

  "I want you to know, I really appreciated your efforts that day. You did more than just ask how I was feeling you sat down next to me. You provided such captivating stories about yourself and the park, just to make me feel less out of place. It was so strange to me.''

  Raichi's cheeks flushed once he took the compliment.

  She seemed to pick up on it, her eyes widening before she continued stating her mind.

  "Before I could decide what to do with that thought—'' She laughed again, and not in a good way. ''I realized you weren't a stranger anymore. And when I saw the Miyamoto-san novel in your hands, it felt like my heart couldn't stand still at all the little coincidences. In a panic, I left before I could process things, on both occasions.''

  Raichi could make an educated guess on where this was going, and so he asked the most appropriate question.

  "Then, I want you to tell me, Yamada-san. What changed?''

  She raised her head, startled.

  "H–Huh? What do you mean?''

  Raichi could feel the edges of his lips curling.

  "You said the idea of me being more than a stranger made you feel afraid, right? Do you still feel that way after this?''

  "I–I!" She put her hands over her face like a lid. ''I just.. realized I had to embrace that when we saw each other again, and that you would be my classmate.

  She kept her guard up as a faint tint dusted her cheeks.

  He couldn't take his eyes off her.

  Their classmates admired her for the wrong reasons. He knew from experience that it takes courage to be vulnerable. It would've been just as easy to ignore him, yet she didn't.

  She went out of her way to talk with someone whom she labeled as a recurring stranger, and trusted them with her secrets.

  He had to return that gesture anyhow.

  "Then, how about we start from here, Yamada-san?''

  "S–Start?" She laughed, her shoulders tense. "What do you mean?"

  "As friends."

  Entering this conversation, he didn't expect it to take such a drastic turn. But he finally found the reason behind these encounters. Something he had a resentment for—lack of communication.

  His friend circle was tight-knit, and if anything, the smallest for a teenager. He had long since given up hope on expanding it further.

  However, Yaori's view of him wasn't the only thing that changed.

  Her expression shifted, and she tilted her head, smiling at him with a petite glee, sunlight shooting through the window.

  The shadow of his head loomed below her chair.

  "That would make me very happy!"

  Raichi still couldn't take his eyes off her, his mouth agape.

  The hypothetical distance between them tightened. This feeling was different from anything he'd feel around Nao and Hiroshi. He didn't know how to describe it, how to put it into words.

  Most importantly, he couldn't predict in a million years that it would come from a girl he met by pure happenstance.

  The bell rang overhead, pulling him out of his daze.

  The bookworm next to him let out a playful sigh.

  "Oh, recess is already over, huh. I couldn't read at all.

  "Yeah…"

  When he returned to slumping back down on his desk, the entire time, Yaori kept her eyes on him.

  The instant he even considered looking to the right side of his vision, their eyes met, and she had this new, little smile on her.

  Um… what do I do now?

  To ignore her, or to not ignore her. To counter, or to not counter. Neither answer seemed any better, stuck between an introvert's rock and a hard place.

  Following a few classes, Raichi was already bored out of his mind.

  He was feeling a little bold, and wanted to challenge himself a little by attempting to step out of his comfort zone.

  Observing the people around, he tried to find someone who seemed approachable, a shot in the dark, so to speak.

  However, this was new territory, and it was up to him to find out whether it was laced with spikes or plain old soil.

  That in mind, he walked near the desk of one of his classmates sitting at the front, a boy he remembered the teacher calling Takahashi.

  "Hey," He approached the boy's desk from the front. "Takahashi-kun, right?"

  The boy glanced up at him, his hand on his chin, unamused.

  "That's me. What is it? Do you want something?"

  "I just… wanted to say hi."

  Takahashi first played with the pencil on his desk, then, perhaps realizing who Raichi was, put his hand through his sharp black hair.

  "Is that so? Well, hi. You're the transfer student, aren't you? Sorry, I'd rather not talk right now, do you mind?"

  "Oh, that's… okay."

  Shut down in less than four lines, he backed off a step, then another, as Takahashi continued playing with his pencil.

  I guess it can't be helped, figures.

  As the bell rang, defeated, he retreated back to his desk.

  Instead of returning to his slumped state, he brought out a book of Miyamoto-san's that he had put in his bag earlier this morning.

  As much as he'd hate to say it, his failed attempt did sting. The book he had brought out was so he could distract himself.

  He wasn't too absorbed in the book, so he could catch a few faint glances from Yaori, right before she turned away.

  Raichi could catch a faint glance from Yaori, right before she quickly turned away.

  He didn't bother to check twice this time.

  Right on cue, Hiroshi and Nao returned together, though Nao had to wave at Raichi and sit down at her desk.

  Hiroshi, his mood not as exalted as usual, called at him.

  "I'm back!"

  "Welcome back."

  He plopped back in his chair, turning toward Raichi with his brows furrowed, which caught his attention.

  "Yo, did something happen?" He raised an eyebrow. "You look down in the dumps."

  "D-Down in the dumps?"

  Hiroshi waited for a response, and his remark was one you'd expect from any concerned close friend. But for Raichi, it caught him off guard.

  He was desperate for a view of himself in the mirror, panic swelling inside him.

  Perhaps it was because he had grown accustomed to not bothering people for so long. He had been keeping his isolation under wraps, and he couldn't remember when he first started doing so.

  "Nothing happened, really."

  "If you say so, but you should know, lying is not your strong suit."

  "Shut up."

  He hoped he was overthinking. During times like these, he was prone to doing so. That line between voluntary isolation and external solitude was delicate, and Raichi didn't know which side he was closer to.

  In his inner turmoil, the pages crinkling from the right side came to a halt.

  He stopped himself from glancing toward the source, as his mind still weighed on everything else.

  ?? ?? ??

  Geez… what a first day.

  Raichi felt like his brain might turn into mush. What an emotional rollercoaster it was, he thought.

  As soon as Miss Nishikigi left, chairs successively creaked back in an uneven order, some stuffing their bag in the speed of light, others, not so much.

  Hiroshi was one of the former. He seemed to be in a hurry, looking back at Raichi with a flashy smirk.

  "Sorry dude, I've gotta go on ahead. Father urgently needs me for the tire shop. Feel free to call me if you need anything, though."

  ''Okay. See you later, then."

  With a glint in his eye, Hiroshi made a run for the tire shop. It was highly possible he might never return.

  He turned his compass around, searching for Nao, who was just approaching him, her bag gathered and ready to go.

  "Raicchi! Where did he go running off like that?"

  "Hiroshi-kun, huh. He said he had to go to his father's shop again, I think.''

  Nao pouted.

  "Ehh? And why did he tell you first and not me? He likes to keep me in the dark sometimes as a bit, that idiot…"

  "Well, that's why I wanted to ask if we're gonna walk home together."

  He didn't think it through or put much thought into it, but Nao calling him by his nickname in the classroom might turn a few heads.

  One of them, especially, was rather glaring, like a laser beam, shooting from the front row under their sharp black hair.

  "Sorry, Raicchi." She looked at the time on her phone. "A friend of mine from the other classes wanted to walk with me today. Is tomorrow fine with you?"

  "S-Sure."

  "Hooray! Then, bye-bye! Say hi to Emiko-san!''

  ''See ya.

  Raichi watched Nao go the opposite way Hiroshi took in the hall, headed for the other classroom like she said she would.

  Guess I'd better pack up and go, too.

  People started leaving one by one from the soon-to-be vacant classroom, and Raichi was done putting his stuff away. He stood up from his seat, a bittersweet smile on his face.

  That was when, out of pure instinct, he looked back towards the cupboards, seeing the bookworm herself and her eyes landing first on her desk, then at him.

  Her books were lying on her desk the same way they would be in class. She hadn't packed up yet.

  Her eyes furrowed.

  Seeing Yaori thoughtful by herself, he decided to approach her.

  Before he could even come up with what to say, Yaori's expression shifted as she spoke up.

  "Sato-kun, would you…'' She stuttered. ''like to walk with me?''

  "Eh?"

  Raichi's head couldn't comprehend the out of the box question for a second, his bag almost falling from his one shoulder.

  ''I-If you'd like, that is…''

  "Sorry, I just didn't expect it, is all!" Raichi waved his hands in denial. "I think that sounds nice, actually. Do you… have somewhere you wanted to go?"

  "I do." She nodded. "Nee-san might scold me if I'm late… but the bakery was on my mind the entire time."

  Her sister, huh?

  Raichi had become friends with Yaori earlier that day, and as expected, he knew nothing about her other than her fondness for Miyamoto and her love of reading.

  "You're talking about the new one not too far from here, aren't you?''

  "Yeah. Nee-san brought some pastry from there the other day, it was so good!"

  "You really think so?"

  Raichi didn't expect Yaori's sudden enthusiasm.

  The new bakery was the one Nao had mentioned in passing the other day, when he had been known as the friendly neighbourhood creep due to the way he acted toward the girl sitting at the desk in front of him.

  "Yeah! You should totally try it!"

  A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead.

  "Then, shall we go?"

  Raichi walked on ahead just until they left the classroom, and following that, the pair of bookworms left the school walking side by side.

  For once, he didn't regret stepping out of his comfort zone, despite his heart one step ahead of him.

  These suburban streets of Uji had changed since he last saw them before moving away. Having a rough re-expedition with Yaori by his side was a nostalgic feeling.

  His steps, in sync with hers, moved on their own.

  In an odd spot like this, he was rather stiff, his eyes locked onto one spot, unsure whether he should or shouldn't look elsewhere.

  Was it up to him to provide small talk? He wasn't the greatest at it. Lucky for him, he wouldn't have to find that answer himself.

  "How long have you been a fan of Miyamoto-san, Sato-kun?"

  "Oh, me?"

  Raichi admitted he should have thought about that question before she did.

  His eyes lit up—but he quickly suppressed it, clearing his throat, trying not to geek out.

  "Yeah. I was wondering what you like about Miyamoto-san and his books."

  "I've… been a fan of his works since he was a fairly new writer a few years ago." His head lowered. "His books—they brought me the comfort I thought I had been lacking for so long."

  Yaori didn't utter a word.

  She looked at him with her mouth open, vulnerable.

  "So you're like me then, aren't you, Sato-kun?"

  "H-Huh?"

  Raichi finally met her gaze.

  Her head faced the concrete below, the smile on her face full of self-pity.

  "I've only been a fan of his for less than a year, but without all those books to read… I'm afraid this past term would have been less than tolerable for me."

  The somber expression on her face made a few connections click.

  "For me, they are… an escape from reality. Something I can find comfort in."

  "I… didn't know you felt that way about them, Yamada-san."

  She was avoiding his face.

  There were many parallels to draw between her counting of books and his outlook on talk of mouth and whatnot.

  An introvert finding solace within books, where had he heard that before?

  I wonder… just how Yamada-san got her reputation as the Acing Bookworm. Something tells me… she is somewhat bothered by it. Could that also be why she sees books that way?

  "Ah–"

  He could see her flushing ears under the tied braids, sticking out like a sore thumb.

  Her blush was almost contagious, spreading through the air from her to him.

  The touching story behind her reasons for reading books would reach its end when Yaori's head rose with exhilaration.

  She redirected her gaze toward him, a wide smile on her face.

  "Sato-kun, look!" She faced the street ahead. "We've arrived!"

  Raichi followed suit.

  "W–Whoa…"

  And from afar, the new bakery came into view.

  From across the street, the brilliant beauty of the pastries by the window felt blinding. So many options, and so little money in his pockets.

  Once they approached the display window, Yaori could almost hug it like a teddy bear. Any further, and her breath would steam up the display.

  Her enthusiasm was infectious. He couldn't help but chuckle, looking at her both from the edge of his vision and through the reflection on the window.

  Yaori glanced at him, pouting.

  "What was that?"

  "N–Nothing, really."

  Her attention, fixated on him, went for the window again as she turned away, brooding.

  Raichi let out a sigh of relief.

  As he looked through the options, filtering the possibilities depending on how much money he had, he thought he might not have enough money to match what Yaori might get.

  However, she looked a little torn herself.

  She put her finger on her lip, brows furrowed.

  "Is something wrong?" He asked.

  "I don't think I'll be able to sit inside, Sato-kun." Her eyes bubbled up with tiny tears. "I might be a little late if I get the strawberry shortcake…"

  "P–Pfft." Raichi chuckled again. "You're so serious about this, aren't you, Yamada-san?"

  "Well, of course I am!"

  She pushed him on the shoulder, startling him.

  Raichi grabbed his arm as if it had been wounded on a vital spot.

  The sudden contact did catch him by surprise. He hoped his subtle blush wasn't all that visible.

  "Ow…"

  She crossed her arms.

  "A–Anyway… let's get something light!"

  "Something light…?"

  "Only if you're up for it, though. I had a small idea that came to me just now."

  Her eyes darted back and forth between the ground and him.

  Raichi tilted his head.

  "Um… would you be okay with going to the park and getting something to-go instead?"

  "To the park. You mean?"

  "Yeah." She nodded. "The one where we met. It's… pretty nearby."

  The park… with her? Back to where she first—

  His string of thought tangled together for a moment. The last time he had been there, he left with his hopes nearly crushed—his hopes of starting all over again.

  And earlier today, he learned that, quite the contrary, the girl was grateful for him.

  When the new age of his life had been turned upside down that day in the park, he was afraid of going back there.

  In that case, it would be his chance to set things right.

  His mouth working ahead of his brain, impatient, he muttered,

  "I think that sounds good." He composed himself. "I'd… like that, actually."

  Yaori's eyes illuminated again, putting her free hand in front of her chest.

  "G–Great! Then—we'd better choose what we want to get precisely!"

  Raichi chuckled. "You're right."

  She looked up at the pastries, her movements slower than they had been just minutes prior.

  'I don't really have a precise one I want just yet."

  "That's okay. I've already chosen mine, I'll wait for you."

  "O–Okay…"

  Raichi watched Yaori during the entire procedure.

  First, she hummed as she was looking at one of them, then she placed a finger on one of the others, hovering above the glass.

  Her humming didn't take long to turn into fervent singing.

  However, the most passion in her eyes was when she was looking at the ichigo daifuku, the strawberry mochi. Making a guess based on her facial expression was like searching for treasure with a metal detector.

  "I've decided to go with this one."

  And as Raichi thought, it was the daifuku.

  "Good choice. I might also go with that one."

  She looked his way.

  "Really!? But—but why?"

  He looked back at the ichigo daifuku, the cut-up sample, hard to see under the afternoon light from above.

  "I thought…. there might be a reason why you seem to like it so much, so I wanted to get one for myself, too."

  "Oh…. I see."

  She turned her head aside.

  Then, her ears twitched like a cheery dog's. There it was—

  Her voluptuous hair made it hard to see her face, but her red ears caught his eye again, hard to ignore.

  When he turned to the display window, at first, he was observing the pastries again. But he unintentionally focused on the reflection like a camera lens. On the left side, he met her eyes through the window, catching her staring.

  He attempted to make light of the situation.

  "I can see you, y'know?"

  "P–Please don't…"

  He raised a finger in question.

  "I didn't mean to… is there something else I should be doing?''

  She kept speaking as she was facing the opposite direction; as such, Raichi had to act like the reflection on the display was the one doing the talking.

  "A–Anything else! D–Don't look at me like that, please…"

  "Fine, fine…" Raichi caved in. "It's about time we stopped occupying the display window and went inside, right?"

  "Y–Yeah, I'll be right there with you in a moment, Sato-kun."

  Raichi took tentative steps toward the door, and as he waited for Yaori to collect herself, he couldn't help but wonder what else they would be up to in the park.

  ?? ?? ??

  Their matching packages, containing matching strawberry mochi, lay clutched in their hands as they strolled down the suburban neighbourhoods.

  This time, Raichi noticed that the physical gap between them had tightened.

  The hands in which they held their strawberry mochi swayed next to one another.

  "I'm not one for strawberry… but I'll make an expection today."

  He tried to provide small talk.

  "I hope you'll like it. I personally approve of its taste, Sato-kun."

  He didn't know how to respond without making things awkward, knowing he'd manage to botch any joke if it came out of his mouth.

  However, no jokes were necessary, as the occasional silences weren't unpleasant at all.

  When Raichi tried to adjust his bag on his right hand, their hands almost brushed.

  Did she notice that?

  He snuck a look at Yaori, seeing the girl quite enjoying herself. Compared to the hindered smile she put on in school, her current state was in a different league, and it reflected on the quality of their conversation.

  The cicadas grew louder as the black reins of the park approached them. He traced his hand along the bricks, taking a brief feel of it.

  And lo and behold, the giant ginkgo tree, withstanding the sands of time like most ginkgos, stood there with its leaves wrinkling.

  Raichi was mesmerized observing it again. He knew the ginkgo was known for its longevity and ability to last, and yet this lone tree was the only one enchanting him.

  He might have been staring for too long, as Yaori giggled beside him.

  "You've been looking at the tree before we have even sat down, Sato-kun…"

  "Well, what can I say?" He chuckled. "This thing has seen me grow, through the thick and thin. Even if I don't sit down, I can't pass by without admiring it."

  "Speaking of which, when we sit down, I'd like to hear more."

  "Hmm?"

  Raichi looked back at her, confused.

  She nodded. "Yeah."

  "More… what?"

  "You seem to know a lot about this park and the ginkgo tree. I'm curious to learn more about it… and why you're so attached to it."

  Raichi's mouth gaped at the unexpected request.

  He smiled to himself.

  "I'd be more than happy to tell you all about it—once we sit down."

  Yaori clapped her hands together, laughing.

  "Great! I can't wait!"

  The two bookworms stopped in front of the park gates, exchanging a glance and a nod.

  Holding onto the straps of their bags and pastry packages, they both stepped inside, straddling along the cobblestone path that led to the bench under the ginkgo tree.

  Returning to sender, his first day of school took him back here, where he hoped to begin a fresh new start.

  His memories of his last year of middle school and the first term of high school that passed him by.

  Most of the fog was red, but he hoped that beyond the mist was a clear blue sky.

  The shadow of the ginkgo tree loomed over them, and he took a seat on the empty bench, gesturing for Yaori to sit beside him.

  She paused with her childlike wonder, but obliged. Raichi took his hand away so she could sit down.

  They didn't waste any time before enjoying their meal.

  "Are you ready to dig in, Sato-kun!?"

  A challenge it was. He decided to match her energy.

  Raichi grabbed the mochi wrapper.

  "You bet."

  On their marks, the sweets now on their lap, the two bookworms took a deep breath, clapping their hands.

  "Thank you for the food!" They said in unison.

  Rice flour covered his nails, and he took a big first bite, the chewy pale white mochi melting in his mouth.

  Strawberry goodness, bursting upon bite, was slightly tangy, and complemented the red bean paste inside.

  Safe to say, it was a delight and lovely to eat.

  Yaori gulped down her first bite as she leaned forward to face him.

  "What do you think?"

  Raichi wiped off a smear of strawberry juice.

  "So good! I've gotta eat more strawberries."

  "Told you so, Sato-kun!"

  He took another bite.

  This place had been somewhere he'd be most quiet at for the longest time. He'd have a book in his hands, perhaps a drink to go along with it, to rein in the tranquil. He had taken many steps further.

  He did have a book with him, but it was unnecessary. In its place, he had a piece of strawberry mochi.

  And the silence was anything but uncomfortable.

  Minutes passed, and they had finished enjoying their mochi, putting the wrappers in one common bag.

  Afterwards, they stood in silence for a bit. He watched the kids to the far left of the park, sliding down the slide and screaming at the top of their lungs.

  In a way, he wished he could return to those days while retaining his present wisdom. Then maybe, he wouldn't feel so envious on the inside.

  "Sato-kun, are you okay?"

  "Y-Yamada-san…" He didn't notice her until now. "It's nothing."

  "Do you… need to talk about it?''

  "I-I'm—"

  When he redirected his gaze to meet Yaori's, the empathy she was radiating made him twitch for a second.

  He was against the idea of dragging her into his mess, but it was clear that he couldn't manage to control his emotions today.

  "I've… never seen someone's mood dim so randomly before. Back in class, when you tried talking to Takahashi-kun, did that get to you somehow?

  No matter how he responded, it would be a lie.

  "N-No, I'm used to it, I really am.''

  "...Don't you think being used to it makes it even worse, Sato-kun?''

  "!"

  Yaori was quite casual in her perceptiveness, leaning back on the bench. She looked straight up at the fan-shaped leaves above.

  "I apologize for butting my head in where it doesn't belong. For that, I feel I must share something in turn with you, too.''

  "S–Share…?"

  She closed her eyes as if she were sleeping, and put her hands on her lap.

  "It's about the so-called reputation I've developed. I never asked for it. I studied my head off until I couldn't be satisfied, not expecting to be treated like the ace I obliviously tried to be.''

  "Then, how did you respond?''

  Yaori rotated her head toward him, eyes open.

  "I continued to study like I always do. But eventually, people would treat me this way. I felt isolated. I already had no friends, but at that time, it struck to me that I couldn't be like them anymore. And so, I turned to books. I treated them the way they thought I should.''

  "What…?"

  Raichi tried to picture it.

  Crowds of classmates asking her questions about an upcoming test, then once it's over, leaving her be like they weren't saved by her.

  Speaking about her in third person with her standing right there.

  Putting responsibilities on her because they think she'd be perfect for the role.

  It was disgusting to think about, and it left him frustrated.

  "That's me. Yamada Yaori of class 1-B. All I want to do is succeed in my classes, and read books.'' She sounded almost disheartened.

  She shifted in her seat, closing the distance between the two of them. ''I want you to look at me, Sato-kun.''

  Hi's body moved on its own, seeing himself reflected in Yaori's glasses.

  "I can see it. You're holding yourself back, Sato-kun. I was concerned when I couldn't see the you who comforted me on this bench at school.''

  She's read through me! In one day?

  Hiroshi merely thought he was lying, and Nao was as oblivious as ever, both his longtime friends. But Yaori saw through the tinted glass.

  ''And… where are you going with this, Yamada-san?''

  ''Saying that might be highly conceited of me, so I apologize. But… I want to see it again, so I had an idea.''

  ''B-But I–'' Raichi said without thinking.

  ''I'm aware this already is your favourite bench, your safe space under this ginkgo tree, which fascinates me, too. But I want to be present as well. Because I want to return my gratitude ten times over.''

  Raichi's eyes widened, and his hands were shaking.

  Yaori had just made an offer—no, a promise to him. If any of them were to be in a predicament, they would be there for one another on this park and bench.

  He didn't know what this meant. Was the girl grateful to him for being himself? Would that be content? If he were to be given the task of being emotional support for someone, he'd stand there cluelessly. She was grateful for what came naturally to him.

  If that was all she would ask for, would it be just? If she wanted it, Raichi had no issues with giving it an attempt.

  "I don't know what to say..."

  "Do you accept?" She bit her lip.

  Raichi looked down at his hands, his life flashing in between.

  He looked up to see an old vacant classroom. When he did the same again, he had snapped back to reality, seeing a bookworm waiting for a response, eyes averted.

  Raichi let out a sigh.

  "I'm not used to someone saying things like that to me. But if you'll have me, I'd like that."

  Hearing his words, Yaori let out a small, nervous laugh.

  She released a sigh of relief, glancing away.

  "Thank god. I'm glad. I was… worried you might refuse.''

  It seemed like this bench under the ginkgo tree now had a permanent visitor, one that would go to any lengths if he were to find himself troubled.

  When offered something of this nature, his worries and self-doubt would restrain him whenever possible, causing him to think twice.

  However, if it wasn't Yaori who came up with it, if it wasn't Yaori whom he had encountered, only then would that be the case.

  The girl next to him put a whole lot of trust in him, from the get-go. So much so that she would put such a commitment on the table, it was bizarre.

  Raichi couldn't let this opportunity slip from his fingers.

  At the same time, it had just dawned upon him how close they were right now, in terms of physical distance. He wouldn't even fit a book between them if he so wished.

  Raichi's extreme self-awareness was a curse more than a blessing to him.

  Instead of living in the moment, he was often focused on the little details. Yaori seemed to contrast him in that area, he thought.

  Although, some brief observation would show that he was wrong.

  He didn't need a mirror to see how flushed he was, but for starters, Yaori was still turned away.

  She perhaps knew the great strength her hair had in concealing her expression, a technique she might have honed during her time in the classroom, which had a great weakness.

  For the third time now, her ears stuck out in between from the back, their red tint visible even under the ginkgo's shadow.

  Seeing the situation she was in, the responsibility to cut the ice was on his shoulders.

  After a beat of bashful silence, he finally spoke up.

  "In that case, it's story time, don't you think?"

  "Story time…?"

  "Yup."

  Like a dog on zoomies, Yaori's body twisted to face him, smiling brighter than ever.

  She gasped. "You mean!? Are you going to tell me about the park now!?''

  He slid back a touch. "I was… planning to? We said I would once we sat down, remember?"

  "Then please go ahead and get started,'' She cheered with her hands. ''I'm all ears!"

  "W–Wow.'' He blinked. ''I was not expecting such enthusiasm for a simple ginkgo backstory…"

  "Keep going!"

  "Okay, okay… if you say so." Raichi chuckled. "Let me start out by saying that among ginkgo trees, its longevity shouldn't be considered anything special. The story behind this one isn't too complex, but…''

  Their conversation lasted long into the following hour, and Raichi felt an immense joy talking about the things he loved.

  He hadn't imagined that the most memorable part of his first day of school would be outside its grounds.

  The day he had spent in the park with Yaori would be etched deep into his mind, an intricate memory to look back to deeper down the line of his first year of high school.

  Just this once, he would be able to enjoy the present and not let his past dwell on him, for many more days to come.