"Usagi, Usagi!" shouted Tetsuo from the kitchen.
Usagi yawned, rubbed her eyes, and trudged out of her room. "Good morning, big brother."
"Good morning, Usagi. Go get ready for school. It's the first day of junior high—you'll want to make a good first impression," Tetsuo said without turning from the stove.
Usagi nodded sleepily. "Go ahead and get ready now. Your breakfast is ready, so don't take too long, or it'll get cold."
"I'll try to get ready as fast as possible!" she replied, dashing toward the bathroom—only to trip over a wire and fall flat on her face. "Ow... again?!"
"You're still as clumsy as ever," Tetsuo said, tone dry as he placed a plate on the table.
Once they were both dressed and ready, Tetsuo locked the apartment door behind them. "I think that's everything. Let's go."
The early morning was cool and quiet, the sunlight cutting across the street in soft streaks. Their footsteps echoed faintly against the concrete, and the smell of grilled fish from another apartment drifted faintly into the air.
As they turned onto a broader street, the sound of sneakers squeaking and a basketball bouncing reached their ears. A few older men were playing a pickup game on a run-down public court nearby. The net was frayed, the paint faded—but the passion in their movements was clear.
Tetsuo glanced toward the court. One of the players caught a rebound, pivoted, and launched a high arc toward the hoop. The ball swished through the net without touching the rim. A soft thud followed as the ball hit the pavement and rolled.
He stared for a second, still, then looked away and continued walking.
"So, big brother," Usagi said, breaking the silence, "how do you think you did on the entrance exams? You know those grades determine your class placement, right?"
"I'm aware. The exams went well. I was accepted, so it can't be that bad," he replied flatly.
Usagi nodded. "How about you? Don't you feel nervous about being in a new environment?"
"I'm not."
"I'll be fine today. I'm not worried," Usagi said, confidently puffing her chest.
"I'll take your word for it," Tetsuo replied.
"If anything, I'm more worried about you since you haven't attended school in ages," Usagi said with a slight grin.
Tetsuo didn't respond.
Usagi tilted her head toward the sky, the sunlight warming her face. "You'll manage," she said.
"I know you will… because you always do."
Meanwhile, beneath the shade of blooming cherry blossoms, a girl stood alone, watching the petals twirl gently through the air. The breeze played with her long hair, and she closed her eyes for a moment.
"It's already that time of year when the cherry blossoms bloom," she murmured. "Amazing… The wind feels great. It's one of the best feelings when it blows through my hair."
She opened her eyes slowly, watching students pass by the school gates. "Time sure has passed. I'm already in my first year of high school. I need to make a good first impression on my peers."
Her peaceful moment gave way to mild irritation.
"Haruko sure is taking her time. I told her I had to leave early for a business meeting on Father's behalf. She should've been here twenty minutes ago. Does she want us to be—"
Her thoughts halted as her gaze fixed on two figures walking past the base of the hill, just beyond the tree-lined path that led to the main road.
"Huh?! That person… It can't be. No… That's not him. It must be my imagination."
Just then, a voice called out.
"Hey, Sis! Sorry for the wait!"
Haruko jogged up, brushing strands of hair from her forehead. "Sachiko? Are you alright?"
Sachiko blinked and composed herself. "Sorry, I zoned out for a bit. Shall we get going?"
Haruko gave her a concerned look but nodded. "Yeah, let's go."
Meanwhile, Usagi glanced over her shoulder. "Hey, big brother, didn't that girl we passed just now seem familiar?"
Tetsuo shook his head. "No. Not to me."
"Huh. Must've been my imagination then," Usagi muttered.
As they reached the school district, Usagi slowed down. "Well, I guess this is where we part ways. Take care, big brother. All the best at school!"
She waved and took off toward her school gate.
"Be careful not to slip and fall," Tetsuo called after her.
He paused at the crossroad, eyes drifting up to the school building in the distance.
"First day of high school, huh? Definitely not as nerve-wracking as I thought it would be."
Under the cherry blossom tree, Sachiko stood quietly, waiting.
"I wonder what's taking her so long. Did she oversleep again?" she muttered, brushing a petal off her shoulder.
Just then, her gaze caught someone in the school uniform walking by near the base of the hill.
Her breath caught.
"Wait... it's him again. The same person from this morning. He looks exactly like someone I knew long ago. I'll try talking to him."
She stepped forward slowly, but as he walked by alone, her timing faltered.
"Um… morning."
To her shock, he passed right by without even a glance, as if she weren't there.
Sachiko stood frozen in disbelief. "What? Did he just ignore me? But why?"
Just then, a girl came running down the hill path, her bag bouncing behind her.
"Oh crap, I'm going to be late! The first day of school… how embarrassing would that be?" she panted. "I hope Sachiko doesn't get mad at me for almost being late. I couldn't help it."
Spotting her friend under the tree, she brightened.
"That's Sachiko! Hey, good morning, Sachi!"
Sachiko turned, shaking off her daze. "Oh, Naomi. What took you so long?"
"Yesterday was the last day of track camp, so I was exhausted. That's all," Naomi explained between breaths.
"Oh, okay. Let's go to the entrance ceremony."
Naomi nodded, and they made their way together onto campus.
The principal stepped onto the stage and adjusted the microphone.
"Good morning, everyone. My name is Daiji Sato, and I am the principal of this fine institution, Toshigawa Academy. Each of you achieved high-ranking scores on the entrance exams, and I congratulate you on your hard work. You should all be proud of making it this far. I will now hand over the podium to the student council president."
A poised girl stepped forward, capturing the room's attention with her presence.
"Good morning. My name is Hitomi Yoshida, and as you know, I am the student council president. I applaud each and every one of you for qualifying to attend one of the most prestigious high schools in the prefecture. The entrance exam was a challenge for many, but all of you proved yourselves worthy."
She continued, "During your first sessions today, you will receive a handbook that includes information about the school's sports programs, the anthem, the school songs, and most importantly, the rules and regulations we all must abide by. That's all. Enjoy your first day of school."
The boys in the audience whispered quietly, many clearly smitten.
Naomi nudged Sachiko. "Let's sit together."
Sachiko nodded and found an empty seat beside her.
Naomi peeked at her class assignment. "Who would've thought I'd end up in the elite class, 1T? I thought I barely passed!"
Sachiko smiled. "Don't say that. You studied really hard to get here."
"You're right, but it was still surprising. By the way, congrats on ranking second in the exams! We definitely need to celebrate today. How about karaoke after school?"
Sachiko chuckled. "Sure, let's do it."
As the ceremony ended and the crowd dispersed, Sachiko's thoughts lingered. I don't mind coming in second place, but that guy… he looks exactly like Tetsu-kun, a boy I knew years ago. Why would he suddenly appear after all this time? I wonder…
Their new homeroom class was already full by the time the teacher arrived.
"Good morning. My name is Satomi Hayami, but you can call me Hayami-sensei. I will be your homeroom teacher for the year. Let's start with introductions. Begin from the first row."
"My name is Makoto Kurai. I'm 15, and there's nothing special about me—just your average daily student," Makoto said as he immediately sat down and yawned.
"My name is Naomi Nakamura. I'm 15 as well. My hobbies are reading, playing sports, and karaoke. In the future, I'd like to become a professional female sprinter and represent this country in the Olympics," Naomi said, standing proud and confident.
"You'll definitely succeed with that optimism and confidence of yours," Hayami-sensei said.
"Thank you, Hayami-sensei," Naomi replied gratefully.
The next student stood up, trembling.
"U-um… my name is Ka-Katsuragi Shi-Shino. I'm 15 years old. N-nice to meet all of you," he stammered and quickly returned to his seat.
One by one, the students introduced themselves. When it was finally Sachiko's turn, she stood up calmly.
"Good morning, everyone. My name is Takahashi Sachiko. I'm 15 years old. My hobbies are makeup, cosmetics, and cooking. I aspire to become a dermatologist."
"That's a great goal. I hope you succeed," Hayami-sensei said.
"Thank you, Sensei."
Finally, it was Tetsuo's turn.
"My name is Tetsuo Kawaguchi. I'm just your average teenager. I don't have a dream yet, but hopefully, I'll figure it out soon. I don't do anything special in my free time. It's nice to meet all of you."
Sachiko's eyes widened. I was right. He really is Tetsuo Kawaguchi… the one who placed first in our class.
Hayami-sensei clapped her hands. "Now that we're all acquainted, let's begin the lesson."
"Oh, come on! It's the first day of school!" the students groaned.
"This school is the best of the best. We always start lessons on day one. Prepare yourselves!" Hayami-sensei snapped.
"Yes, Hayami-sensei!"
Makoto slumped over his desk. "Today is going to be a long day…"