You Amidst the Blossom Storm

An endless sea of cherry blossom trees are lined up down the slope on my journey to school. On the day of my middle school debut, I saw a girl whose hair matched the scenery. A picture so delicate, you wouldn’t notice her beauty if you eyed it too quickly. But once you notice her, she becomes the only thing you see.

The heartbeat-stopper I saw that day was Suzumi-chan. For the next three years I held my infatuation for her in silence. Stuck in the background as I was, I wondered if she even knew my name, despite being in the same class for all three years.

My unrequited love for her was one more reason that triggered my new goal for high school.

Before the bell would ring for the first time this school year, I located the library in which I hunted for books that could help me on my mission of becoming the most popular guy at Boushi High.

Despite the tip-top cooling systems installed in our gym—temporarily turned into an assembly room—I was sweating in buckets…

Idioms… my arch nemesis.

I was sweating buckets, not picking up on anything the principal said. Only one thing filled my mind, Suzumi-chan. I had already noticed her seated in the Class B rows. I knew all too well what I was about to do and this sweat was proof that I still hadn’t given up the fight against my nerves.

After the assembly ended, I stood by the exit with trembling knees, waiting for her to appear.

The students with human-level appeal seemingly made way on instinct for the angel descended on Earth to walk through. I wasn’t the only boy staring at her during the assembly, nor was I the only one staring at her now. She must’ve noticed my intense gaze, because she froze the moment our eyes met.

It’s now or never.

“I have something to tell you.”

Without either one of us losing the intensity in our eyes, she said, “Yes?”

On my knees, hands on the cold floor upon which my head was bowed, surrounded by quite literally everyone, I yelled as loud as my folded body allowed, “Please, please, please, go out with me!”

When I peeked up from the floor, her expression looked just like mine… on a sick day where you just can’t stop vomiting.

For the remaining days of the week, I had to endure the shame, the bitter taste of defeat, the ugly sneers and pestering pointing paired with mocking laughter. I felt like I died that day, only to be reborn as the same fool.

Even a week later, it still had no signs of slowing down. At one point, it affected my friendships. Like the time I tried sitting at the lunch table with some friends from middle school.

“Uh… How do I say this, Komiya-kun…”

Another friend picked in without daring to look me in the eyes, “Don’t sit with us anymore. You’re an embarrassment.”

And thus, I was left without friends to share lunch with. Lacking any other option, I set my sights on becoming a library dweller.

Once dismissed for lunch break, I didn’t make my move until my friends left for the cafeteria. Ignoring the stares and disturbed glances thrown at me, I managed to keep my head held high. This is fine. I reassured myself. I can handle this. Fall a couple times, stand up a couple more.

One might wonder why I would make such a fool out of myself on the first day of high school no less. Well you see, this is called rejection therapy; an approach where you try something bold, half-expecting rejection, to ease your relationship with it. That’s the gist of it.

I had taken the self-help book on exactly that topic from my backpack before I left the classroom. My eyes rolled over the blurb again whilst I nodded to myself. My theory was still on the money based on the synopsis.

Seeing roughly two-hundred pages bundled together when I flipped the book sideways, I couldn’t help but think, maybe I should’ve read the book.

As a well-mannered man, I know better than to fiddle with the pages of a library book, so instead, my fingers glided over the library sticker on the back as I walked through the hell-ways.

Standing in front of the sliding-doored library, a glimmer of intellectual brilliance shone brightly inside my dome. I could use this book one final time before bringing it back.

Rejection, rejection… my eyes desperately wandered from side to side until they came to halt on a beret atop a girl.

“Hey, hat girl!” She obediently raised her head. “Can you please open the door for me?”

Reject me… hmmmmm reject me!!

“Ah, uh… Sure.”

Whilst she opened the door, I looked at the book and saw the magical appeal of it wither away with the wind flooding out of the library windows.

“Thank you.”

She stood in the doorway and gestured to come in.

“Thank you,” I repeated.

When I walked past her, she closed the doors behind her and walked past me, towards the windows and closed them.

“Fresh air abound, fresh air abound,” she whispered to herself before she flashed an awkward glance my way, “Don’t you think?” She added in a much louder tone, obviously pretending she wasn’t talking to herself.

I looked at the book a final time. “Maybe open the window for seven more seconds, for good luck.” With a click, the windows were opened again. She mouthed counting the seven seconds before she closed the windows again. Penguin-paced, she walked over to the desks, opened a book, neatly placing the bookmark next to it. Before she began reading, she took off her beret—

“You’re bald?!”

“What—?! I’m not bald…?” She denied, looking at her dark hair falling well over- and behind her shoulders.

“Yeah… but you look so different without the hat.”

She threw me an offended look before it turned into a wide eyed stare, “Aren’t you… the creep at first sight?”

Is that what my nickname has become…

“It wasn’t at first sight,” I was about to explain how I’ve been secretly crushing on Suzumi-chan for three years, but then again, the start of that crush was pretty much a love at first sight scenario, so I couldn’t exactly refute it. At exactly the same time, I realised it’s definitely the creep part I should sort out first.

“I’m not a creep.”

I failed to find a more suitable defence.

“Uh… I’m just going to read here, so just do something other than looking at me, please.”

This time it felt truly final. The looks the book and I exchanged felt like a farewell episode. One last dance before we separated ways for eternity.

“Hat girl.” I caught her attention, irritated, but attentive. “Can I look at you?” My voice came out a little strange, a little deeper than normal.

“Huh——???” She lifted her book off the table and tried to cover her face with it. “…Do as you wish, just stop talking to me…”

Even from behind her book I could see her flustered face. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t seem to get rejected. I figured it’s about time for a new approach.

In my pursuit of becoming the most popular guy at school, there’s a couple of things I need to add to my repertoire. First, I need to come to terms with that not everyone will like me; rejection. Second, I need to elevate my communication skills; forming connections. A third idea will spark when the hero needs it most—I grabbed a book in each hand about those topics on the first day of school and thought a third was over-kill.

I took another look at the girl, or rather, I brought my focus on her again since my eyes never really left. This time they fell on the book she was reading; quite big—not my speed, and no library sticker.

In hindsight, I had a choice of topics between her odd beret, the book itself and yet I chose the third option, the library sticker. Well, the lack thereof.

“Where did you get that?”

“…My hat?”

Again, completely on me.

“No, the book. I don’t see a library sticker on it.”

“Ah, this is from my grandfather… It’s not like I removed the sticker or anything… if that’s why you’re asking…”

Book two, My voice, my expression, a book seemingly about clear communication. I thought surely now was the moment to use it.

“That’s not where I was going with that question. Wouldn’t it make more sense if I asked ‘Did you get that from the library?’ or even a direct accusation, ‘Did you remove the library sticker?’?”

Eyes have to be twitching a whole lot to be visible to another… Her eye very visibly twitched. Reading body language is also part of my second step to becoming popular, so that was a point for me.

“I’m not trying to accuse you of anything, I’m simply trying to improve my communication skills…”

I can’t recall when or where I heard it, but doesn’t, ‘Speak your dreams or they’ll remain dreams’ sound profound?

“…because I want to become the most popular guy at school.”

She burst out into laughter. That was another point for me.

Barely breathing, she managed to get her words out, “What’s up with that? Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

This time she was tearing up. “Sorry, sorry… I just…”

“It’s fine. Humour was one of my back-up strategies for getting there.”

“Wait, didn’t you already become the most popular guy? If you count infamous as famous, I mean.”

Agreeing with her would halt my growth, my current reputation put me out there, now I just needed to flip my image around.

“This is just the start. I’ll become the most popular in the opposite sense before the end of the schoolyear. No one will be able to forget me!”

Still chuckling, she took the bookmark and neatly placed it inside of her book, she put the hat back on and stood up. “Can’t read a book when your sides hurt,” she whispered before adding an audible, “right? …Ah, I also couldn’t help but notice the book in your hand… is that what the confession incident was about?”

It’s being called an incident now?

“Well, mainly, yeah.”

To avoid looking directly into my eyes, she pulled the brim of her beret down. “I don’t think reading a self-help book is what’s going to help you.”

“I thought the same thing,” I agreed. “That’s why I didn’t read it. Just the blurb.”

She laughed again, “If nothing else, at least you’re a little funny.”

Her hand gestured me to follow her through the aisles until we came to halt at the ‘Su’ section of the fiction books.

“Here,” she handed me a book titled—

“—Camarilla Twelve… that doesn’t start with ‘Su’…”

With a puzzled face, she said, “No? The author’s name starts with Su. Suwaru Miaki”

I might be a genuine idiot.

“So, what’s it about?”

Her face lit up; her smile spread wide from cheek to cheek as her eyes sparkled, “It’s about twelve powerhouses in a kingdom who are secretly trying to seize power! That’s twelve storylines interwoven into one brilliant novel series! I think you’ll discover yourself more by finding you in fiction rather than an endless heap of educational books.”

I opened the book on the final page to see how many there were. Reading my mind, she assured me.

“Don’t worry, it reads very quickly—the exciting and smoothly flowing dialogue will keep you reading until nightfall! And there’s always some kind of clever foreshadowing going on, some of it I hadn’t noticed until the third read or so, and all twelve characters seem to really have a shot at reaching their goals, although you know that ultimately only a single one can become the next ruler…” she began fidgeting with her fingers, “I’d love to talk about my favourite character, but I’d rather let you read it blind…”

Whilst listening to her, I couldn’t help but think I recognised the book. Although I certainly haven’t read it, let alone own it…

“You’re thinking you’ve seen it before?”

I nodded. “Can’t quite put my finger on it, though.”

Her face looked a little droopy all of a sudden, “The anime adaptation is getting pretty popular.”

“Great! Then I’ll watch that and pretend I read the book. That’s been my style for book reports for a while.”

Mercilessly, she swiped the book out of my hands and landed a soft blow to my dome with it. “Read it properly.”

“Okay, okay, I’ll give it a shot.”

She handed the book back, “It’s not like you can’t watch the anime, it’s really good even, just not as complete as the novels. Well anyway, if you have any questions, you’ll probably find me here one of these days.”

“Question. Why are you helping me? I’m sure you’d get picked on if you’re seen talking to me—with my current status anyway.”

“I wonder why… Well, as long as you read Camarilla, it’s fine I think. I’ve been wanting to gush about it with a fan, so I might as well turn you into one,” she smirked.

“Don’t you have any friends to turn into freaks?” That came out way harsher than I intended.

A complicated expression formed on her face, “My best friend is into it… for all the wrong reasons. Anyway, be sure to read it, okay? Come by when you’re finished… and let’s keep this inside of the library, alright?”

I nodded, turned and waved as I made a dramatic exit out of the library… Only to open the doors right after I closed them behind me.

“I need to check this out, don’t I?”

A ladybug got lost on the bottom of my hat’s brim.

“Eek! You surprised me!”

I gently picked it up between two fingers and placed the poor thing on a wayside bush.

“Stay safe, little ladybug.”

Resuming my walk to school, I saw the boy from the library on his bicycle arriving in the opposite direction.

“Ah, there he is.”

My hand covered my mouth in a heartbeat. I couldn’t believe I let words slip out of my mouth again.

It has been a couple of days since I talked to him… and it’s not like I haven’t seen him. He’s been in the library every lunchbreak, but we haven’t talked since the first time. When he doesn’t initiate a conversation, I don’t really see a reason to engage with him. Although I have to admit it makes me happy seeing him read Camarilla Twelve so diligently.

“Good mooorning!”

He seemed to be greeting some classmates as he got off his bicycle, but they all ignored him and hastily made their way through the school gates. I’m afraid it’s in my nature to pity poor things like him.

From underneath the brim of my hat, I made eye contact with him and slightly nodded my head. In the same take, he also subtly disguised a morning greeting.

“No-ri-ko~”

My heart skipped a beat, I felt like a child caught snacking at night.

“Ah, Miori… morning.”

Exasperated sigh and with her legs all wobbly, she crash-landed onto my shoulder. “You don’t have any club activities today, right? Let’s go get revenge for our lack of luck yesterday…”

Yesterday? Oh, right…

“Are you sure they’re doing the sticker collaboration thing as well? It’s quite a small convenience store after all…” I worried.

“I’m sure, I’m sure! Anyway, who are you hoping for?”

“Kron! He’s been my absolute favourite ever since I picked up the first volume a couple of years ago.”

“Oh yeah, you’re a Camarilla reader. Couldn’t be me,” she stretched her arms high, “I’d fall asleep on the first page. I’m glad they made an adaptation.”

I half-nodded, because I half-agreed, “It’s a nice adaptation for sure, but I still prefer the novels… But don’t mind me, who are you trying to get?”

“Mars! He’s the hottest of the bunch don’t you think? Oh, and Meliph is also an absolute favourite… and Lucie, she’s my sleeper pick and can’t forget about Celiza, she’s definitely one of my favourites as well.”

“Quite the selection,” I chuckled. “I like all of those as well, but I don’t resonate with them as much—just Kron.”

“Strange choice.”

Scornfully, I turned my head her way, “If you’re trying to pick a fight over Kron, I’m down to debate.”

“Well, bring it on!”

We talked about our favourites until we reached the convenience store, bought the snack that has the special collaboration stickers and unpacked those the second we walked out of the sliding doors.

“Argh~ I even forgot his name… So disappointing. Who did you get?”

“Hmmm, oh, Alòr. And you?” I looked over and saw that she had gotten him as well. “Well, better luck next time…”

“Mhmm, let’s hope we get something better this time around.”

I parted ways with Miori in the hallways, since we’re not in the same class, unfortunately. On the bright side, that gives me more things to talk about on the way home.

Once I entered the classroom, familiar faces from middle school greeted me. I should probably think of them as classmates instead.

“Ishiwata-san, over here! Still got your hat on?” Watanabe asked.

Here she goes again.

I tried to nod as proudly as I could, “Who would I be without it? Haha…”

“Good morning, Nori-chan! Have you thought about your class rep pick?” asked Satou as she made a terrible attempt at winking at Watanabe—who had announced that she wanted to be our representative, which is surely why Satou asked. Either way I was planning to cast a blank vote, so I thought I might as well—

“Want me to vote for you, Watanabe?”

She clasped her hands together, “I’m begging you! Yuma from class A is going to be one and I really, really, really want to get closer to him!”

Satou chipped in, “Speakin’ of love…” a gaze full of expectation was casted my way. “Who are you in for, Nori-chan?”

I shook my head and waved the idea off, “No one. I could tell you as much about love as a shark could tell you about trees.”

“The heck?” she laughed.

When the classroom doors open, some people in the room might turn their heads. When it’s quiet or when class has started, nearly every head turns. There’s one person in our class that needs no special occasion to have all eyes turn her way.

“Oh, it’s Suzumi-chan.”

“Morning, Suzu-chan!” Satou greeted her, full of energy.

Her lips only slightly formed a smile, yet her eyes sold its sincerity. With hurried steps she walked over to us. My mouth to brain connection disappears when I’m faced with strangers, but she hardly counted as one, being my classmate and the friend of a friend—well, Satou was everyone's friend.

“Morning! What’s gotten you so full of energy this early?”

“We’re talking about love. Nori-chan is keeping her love life a secret—”

“No, hehee…” End me.

“Watanabe is really, really, really into Yuma and I’m just waiting on a handsome boy to confess to me,” with closed eyes, she flexed her biceps for some reason.

“I see, I see. I’m all up to speed now, thanks,” she giggled with her fist covering her mouth. “So…” Satou let her voice linger. “Who do you have your eyes on?”

“Let me guess, the creep?”

All three of them laughed at different volumes. I laughed along to avoid the attention turning my way.

Once the laughter faded out, Satou asked again, “I’m really curious, though… Is there anyone?”

She took a step or two towards the window and let her gaze reach the clouds, “I think there was someone like that…”

Is he dead?

“…But nowadays, I don’t know. I might still be interested, but I might just be confused.”

“So there is someone, huh?” She made eye contact with Watanabe, “That’s kind of surprising.” In turn, Watanabe looked at me, “Detective! Let’s sniff out who it is!”

“I’m not a detective, you know.”

Her face instantly lost the playful spark. “Oh, right. You’re going to make a movie. How’s that going?”

The words she spoke felt more like a jab at me rather than genuine curiosity. Perhaps I should’ve just laughed when she called me a detective.

“It’s a dream of mine, but I haven’t really, you know…” Mouth and mind are losing connection, “Uh, I haven’t made any progress.”

Suzumi-chan turned away from the window, “Really? You want to make your own movie? How wonderful~”

Not a single soul seemed to ignore her soft-spoken words, even people on the opposite side of the classroom were staring. I nodded, since it wasn’t really a secret. I mentioned it during the self-introductions after all, although that doesn’t make it any less embarrassing to admit.

“Yeah,” Satou confirmed, “Nori-chan said that during the self-introductions, remember?”

Watanabe suddenly sparkled, “Ishiwata-san! You should totally give me the lead role and make Yuma-kun the male lead! Ah~ that could really end up as the greatest movie ever.”

Before I had the chance to come up with a reply, our teacher walked in and hurried everyone to their seats. When I sat down, I failed to contain my exasperated sigh.

“Psst, Ishiwata-san,” Suzumi-chan suddenly whispered from my right side. “They can be a little overwhelming at times, right? I’m still getting used to it,” she softly giggled.

“Mhmm, me too.”

“—and they wouldn’t believe me when I said I didn’t have a love life going on.”

I filled Miori in on our way home.

“You do look like a girl shrouded in mysterious secrets.”

“I don’t.”

“Instant deflection, huh.” Somehow she found amusement in our conversation. “The more you deny it, the more you confirm it. Hmmm, on the other hand, you’ve never really been into dating and stuff.”

“Neither have you—” As I finished my sentence, I realised, “Wait, I’m deflecting again.”

Her laughter echoed through the street.

Luckily her teasing came to an end at the convenience store. As soon as the automatic doors closed behind us, we opened the packages of our snacks.

“Sticker, sticker, sticker.”

“It’s like you’re casting a spell,” I laughed as I took mine out—

“—Mars!!” I yelled, loud to the point that people across the street turned their heads.

“No way! Are you for real?!” She took a look at hers, “Noooo! I got Alòr again!”

The adrenaline rush from unpacking such a popular character didn’t fade this soon, but I couldn’t just sit on one of her favourites.

“Here, you can have him if you want.”

“No way! Are you for real?” She said in a much more excited tone.

“Yup! But you can keep your Alòr…”

When we separated ways I began to wonder who the library boy would end up liking the most.

Every time I read in the library, I felt the girl, Noriko, as I heard her friend call her by the school gates, stealing glances at me. I would be a liar if I denied that her surveillance wasn’t the main driving force in finishing the book.

When I read the last word on the last page of the final chapter, I jumped out of my seat—not really knowing why.

Her eyes that occasionally, subtly darted my way were now unmistakably glued on me. I took it that she wanted me to share my thoughts.

“All done,” I told her as I walked over.

“Really?” Her eyes sparkled like before, piling on the pressure of what I should tell her. I placed the book on the counter, flipped the cover in her direction and slid it closer to her. “All done.” I panicked.

She appeared amused regardless, “And? What did you think about it?”

Pupils can dilate based on emotion, I believe, but her eyes themselves seemed to have grown thrice the size.

“I had fun reading it.”

She got off her seat and leaned closer, “Really? I’m glad! So, who are you rooting for? Hm? Hmmm?”

It’s as if she turns into an entirely different person every time Camarilla Twelve is mentioned. Not that I mind, I even admire the passion. It unlocks the parts of me holding myself back.

“Anyone but Kron!”

As if we hadn’t been close enough to one another, she grabbed me by my tie and pulled me even closer. “Whaaaat? Why? Don’t you like Kron?” Her grip loosened, “…I was so sure you would.”

Defensively, I held my hands up, “It’s not like I don’t like him… It’s just a little complicated…”

She let go of my tie and melted into her chair. “How come?”

Here came the part I dreaded the most; sharing my feelings.

“The way he masks his trouble by acting like an idiot just… hits my home when it’s closed.”

“Hits home too close?”

I nodded, “Yeah, and every time something good happens to him, I feel really happy at first and then I feel some sense of guilt.”

Her face was painted full of pity, “Why would you feel guilty?”

“Because I feel like I don’t deserve it, but that’s just me inserting myself too much.”

Pity turned to gloom, “So you think you don’t deserve good things? That’s… sad.”

“Anyway, popularity doesn’t come easy, I need to act fast.”

Her gaze gave me the idea she didn’t agree with the topic switch, but either way, I didn’t want to let my feelings linger out in the open for another second.

I continued, “For starters, I became the class rep of class D.”

“You did? Way to go.”

With my chin held high, it’d surely seem like I adored the praise.

“Starting small is the way to go, right? No one in my class wanted to do it, so sacrificing myself is a noble thing, right?”

She nodded in agreement. “Oh, Suzumi-chan became our class rep. I believe it was mainly the boys who voted for her.”

A pause occurred, and I got lost in thought. After school, the first year class reps would gather for a meeting. Surely then I would see her again. Either the perfect opportunity for a grand act to remain in the picture, or—more my style—an actual apology and a new start. I don’t desire her forgiveness, for putting her on the spot as I made a fool out of myself, all I need is to show her what kind of guy I really am.

“…Everything alright?”

Brought back to reality, I apologized, “My bad, Noriko, just lost in thought.”

“Noriko?!” in a heartbeat, her slightly concerned face turned into a swirly eyed stare above bright red cheeks.

In the same tick of a second, a voice sounded from outside the library, “Pardon our intrusion.”

I reached for her hat without a second thought. After she was kind enough to be kind to me, I couldn’t let her suffer the same fate as I because of it. She couldn’t be seen sitting with me; I had to do something. Unfortunately, I failed to come up with a plan much better than this—

“Wha—”

—I pressed my finger on her lips, leaned but a fingertip away from her as I held her hat next to our faces on the door’s side.

“Eek! Sorry, sorry!” “Are they…?”

The door got slammed shut.

Before I got the chance to apologise, she swept her hat out of my hands, pulled it firmly over her face and left the library.

That makes two people I owe an apology to.

My heart pounced all the way up in my throat when the final school bell rang. All class reps were gathering, which in and of itself was nerve-wracking enough, yet it’s what would be happening after that which broke my spirit; a conversation with Suzumi-chan.

When I noticed her from afar, my feet moved on their own to catch up to her.

Instead of thoughtlessly relying on the vague ideas on the cover of self-help books, the past week I had been desiring to have traits of fictional characters for myself.

Brave like Meliph, genuine like Lucie and caring… like Kron.

“Excuse me, Suzumi-chan.”

I’m certain her bewildered face matched mine. Although I surely did not pull it off in a majestic way.

“…Yes, Komiya-kun?”

She knows my name?

I was about to freak out until I remembered we had been in the same class for all three years of middle school.

“On the first day of school—”

She twitched.

“—I made a fool out of myself, and dragged you into it. I want to apologise, for putting you through that… and stuff.”

Even though my apology-execution was horrible, I expected it to be much worse, which scored me half a point on my own terms.

“I have also been wanting to apologise to you.”

One of my eyebrows rose up all on its own. “To me?”

She nodded, “You said, ‘I have something to tell you,’ and I assumed it was something small, but I should have read the room and chatted with you in a more… private setting.”

I instantly waved her apology off, “No, no, no. It’s my fault. It’s not like you could’ve seen that coming, right?”

In a cute manner, she brought her fist up as she chuckled. “I suppose that is true.”

We’re having a normal conversation!!

That realisation caused an unnatural pause. Suddenly overwhelmed by her gentle smile on her angelic face over which her bangs perfectly fell. Before I noticed the lack of conversation, her expression turned worrisome.

“Komiya-kun, is something wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, I just noticed we were having such a natural conversation that I nearly forgot I’ve been embarrassingly crushing on you for like three years, hahaha…ha?”

Why? Why did I say that?

Things got awkward again, she turned, said, “I need to hurry to the meeting,” and fled the scene—towards a room I’m also headed to. Current status: somehow, even worse.

“Say, Miori,” I tried to bring up a question as subtly as I could on our way to the convenience store.

“Shoot.”

I couldn’t look her in the eyes, hence why I averted mine to the bottom of my hat, as I lied, “There’s this friend of mine who asked me for advice, but I didn’t really know what she should do. That’s why I’m passing it on to you.”

She passionately nodded, “Bring it on!”

“She was talking to a boy—whose name she doesn’t know—and then he suddenly, super casually, called her by her first name!”

“Oh~ And how did that make your friend feel?”

I tapped my finger against my chin to sell the idea that I was thinking, “She was taken aback, but that’s not all that happened. He then pressed his finger against her lips and leaned in, super close!”

She chuckled, “At first I thought you were talking about yourself, but it really is something that happened to a friend, huh.”

I suppose I wouldn’t really believe that happening to me either.

“Don’t question my integrity, please. Let’s focus on helping my friend. What should she do or say next time she sees him?”

“He’s definitely a player. She should try to find out his first name and then—BOOM!”

I jolted, “Boom?!”

“Counterattack!” she exclaimed paired with a perfectly timed punch splitting the automatic doors open. “She should show him that two can play his game.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I’ll be sure to tell her that.”

We went about our business as usual in hopes of getting our favourite stickers. This time I felt a tinge of certainty that I’d be getting a hit. Not any hit, the one I had been hoping for all along. Once outside, I hurried to get a look at the sticker—

“—Lucie!!”

“What——?! How are you so lucky,” she opened hers, “Celiza!! No way we opened two of my top four characters on the same day!”

The happy look on her face turned me into a grandma who hands out sweets to her grandchildren at any given moment.

“Here, for the advice,” I handed her the Lucie sticker.

At the end of our first lesson, I had already drowned from the inside out. How could I possibly learn his first name? When did he learn mine? Will he even show up at the library again? And why did he lean in as if he wanted to kiss me?

“Does he treat all girls like that?”

“Ishiwata-san?”

A softspoken voice from my right wandered into my ears, painfully letting me know I once again let words slip out of my mouth.

Suzumi-chan turned my way, “Is something wrong?”

I shook my head. “I was lost in thought, I didn’t mean to say anything weird out loud… heehee…”

She signalled me to come closer before whispering, “Are you having boy trouble, too?”

Eye to eye, I lost the will to deny her assumption. Not only did she spill that she was having trouble as well, her face covered in curiosity laid my irresistible desire to indulge in gossip bare.

I faintly nodded my head, “You as well?”

Her face, flushed at my remark, was poorly hidden behind her hand as she returned a nod. She held her index finger in front of her lips as she said, “Let’s keep it a secret.”

“I need to use the restroom, I will be right back,” Suzumi-chan announced right as the break started.

“Oh, uh, sure.”

I felt myself sinking deep into thought again while she was away, but brought back to reality when nearly the entire classroom got filled with whispers.

“You’re Ishiwata-san, right?”

When I lifted my head, I was met with a boy I had never seen before—right as the library boy came into my view from behind his shoulder.

“Uh… Yeah…”

This is so sudden.

“Great! I’m Yuma, oh, and this is Komiya-san.”

Komiya… but I still need a first name for my counterattack.

Whilst Yuma was speaking, Komiya pointed towards his chest, followed by a talking motion with his hand and finished with his arms crossed over each other.

Yuma suddenly rotated ever so slightly, “Komiya-san?”

He blatantly placed his hands on opposite shoulders and rubbed them as he shivered, “Little cold in here.”

When Yuma averted his gaze again, he continued by making a hands opening and closing gesture, followed by his hands forming a roof, repeating those in a manner both miraculous and ridiculous in even measure—which I reckon means book and house… the library.

Library… me… you… talking… talking again with his other hand… now both hands are talking to each other. His hands turned his way, shocking himself before they started chatting amongst themselves again. Now he’s holding a thumbs up and a thumbs down.

“Ishiwata-san?”

Yuma had been talking all this time, but I hadn’t heard a word.

“Sorry, what was that last part?”

He scratched the back of his head, “Well, we were just wondering if it’s okay with you.”

“Ah, uh… Sure.”

What did I just agree to?

“Awesome! You’re a life-saver.” He slapped Komiya on the shoulder, “Let’s bounce,” before he said one final thing, “Tell Suzumi-chan I said hi.”

Is he the boy she’s having troubles with? But isn’t he…

I looked Watanabe’s way and instantly noticed her pained gaze. Distracted by her, a whisper infiltrated my personal space, “Let’s chat tomorrow in the library.”

Reflexively, I reached for my ear. “Huh?”

Without looking back, he walked out of the classroom. Only seconds later, Suzumi-chan returned from the bathroom. Her eyes looked alert and her face slightly red.

When she sat down, I told her, “Yuma told me to say hi.”

She used both of her hands to fan her face. “Yuma…? Yuma… Where have I heard that name before?”

So he’s not the one she’s having troubles with, huh…

This time I inched closer, “He’s the one Watanabe has got an eye on.”

A silent hint of sadness fell on her face, “I see.”

In an attempt to change the subject, I went below the belt with a question unfair to ask, regarding Komiya’s feelings, but this might be the only way for me to find out.

“By the way, you know Komiya, right?”

Her face flipped back to an alert one. “Komiya Tomomi? From class D?”

That went… a little too well. “Yes—” I couldn’t tell her he was the boy trouble. “—he was here as well. But I was a little distracted and didn’t really listen to what they asked me to do, tee-hee.” I must stop doing that awkward giggle.

“Are you perhaps really smart, Ishiwata-san?”

I shook my head, “Not in particular, but I do study a lot.”

“Ah-ha! Then it must be you who will be giving the speech at the first year’s assembly.”

My jaw dropped.

After I complained about the speech-thing to Miori, I had yet another thing to complain about as we neared the convenience store, “I can’t believe the collaboration ends tomorrow,” I sighed, “If I don’t get my Kron today, I’ll buy every last snack they have tomorrow!”

“That’s the spirit,” Miori smiled as she gave me a pat on the back.

With our routine completed, I looked at the Lucie sticker I pulled with a bittersweet smile. Now I have one of my own, I thought, but still no Kron—the one I really wanted to stick on my phone cover.

“Got a Lucie,” I told her.

A confident grin spread across her face, “Showtime, luck’s not over!” She ripped the package open, “—What, no way! I got Kron!!”

If I could describe the tonal shift of my expression, it’d be the first sunray breaking through a dreary day or a rainbow forgiving a downpour.

“I can’t believe it!” I squealed.

I took my phone out of my pocket, a fingertip gliding over the empty cover, soon to be decorated with the best character ever.

A false start to summer, June’s rain showers. The overcast weather returned when I saw her smile glued to the sticker instead of one shared with me. She was keeping it. Well, it was hers anyway, but…

“I can’t believe it either! That makes four now! I wonder what I’ll put him on.” Half of those were gifts from me. Just a couple of days ago she called him a strange choice. I failed to feign a smile.

I lowered my hat, “Looks like I have a missed call from my sister, see you tomorrow.”

“Uh-huh, see you tomorrow!”

What’s this feeling?