The clear sky stretched above the rooftops. The soft morning sunlight began to filter through the gaps in the light blue curtains, slowly refracting throughout the room.
"Sis, wake up… it's morning,"
The soft yet firm voice came from a boy in a sports uniform, with messy black hair and innocent eyes full of enthusiasm. His hands slowly stretched the back of the study chair in front of him.
"Sis Hikarii…"
The shaking made the body lying on the study table start to move. The girl with long blue hair that was spread out to the side of her table slowly opened her eyes, her eyelids heavy, looking tired.
Ugh..."
He blinked a few times, trying to comprehend the situation.
"...I fell asleep?"
His eyes swept across the study table that was still filled with textbooks and colored notes. Signs of last night's struggle still remained.
"Yesterday... I studied until midnight, huh..."
"Mom said breakfast is ready," Zen added, still standing in front of the chair.
Hikari, who was still half-conscious, answered lazily, "Yeah, yeah, I'll come down later."
Zen nodded and walked out of the room. The sound of his small footsteps could be heard going down the stairs to the first floor.
After a few seconds of silence, Hikari turned to look at the clock on the wall.
"...Five past thirteen?"
She took a breath and slowly sat up straight, massaging her temples for a moment, then began to arrange the books on the table.
"I thought it was still six o'clock…"
Her drowsiness had not completely disappeared, but she forced herself to move. She took a towel, the uniform hanging on the hanger, and her toiletries.
Her steps towards the bathroom felt heavy, but she still did it with normal steps as if her body was used to it.
The sound of running water could be heard from inside the bathroom. Several minutes passed.
Meanwhile, on her now empty study table, a cell phone lying next to the desk lamp suddenly vibrated.
The screen lit up for a moment.
[Sender Name: Renji Arata]
Message: "Don't tell me you're still sleeping, huh?"
The vibrations of the cell phone stopped, then went silent again.
— — —
Approximately 19 minutes later…
The bathroom door opened, a thin steam rising for a moment before being swallowed by the morning air.
Hikari came out with her blue hair still slightly damp. She was already wearing her school uniform—a navy short skirt and a white top with a small maroon tie. Her long socks were neatly tied, and she walked towards the dressing table.
"Why… do I feel even sleepier," she grumbled as she picked up a comb.
With slow but habitual movements, she began to tidy her hair. Her blue eyes stared at her reflection in the mirror.
"First day of school... don't look tired."
She tied a small part of her hair back, letting the rest fall down as usual. After feeling satisfied, she got up and walked towards the door.
Footsteps could be heard descending the stairs.
On the first floor, the aroma of toast and scrambled eggs had already wafted throughout the house. Zen was sitting on a chair at the dining table, already halfway through his bread.
"Hikari, come here before it gets cold!" called out his mother's voice from the kitchen.
"Coming… coming…" Hikari replied, a little rushed.
She sat at the dining table while taking a deep breath. Mother placed a glass of milk in front of her and looked at Hikari with a gentle smile.
"Did you sleep well, honey?"
"If you call it sleeping well even though you passed out at the study table, maybe so…" she replied as she began to cut the bread.
Zen chuckled. "Sis Hikari studies like she's going to the world olympics."
"...Because I want to be the best," he muttered, then glanced at the clock on the wall.
There was still time before leaving. But without her realizing it, a message from someone was waiting on her cellphone above the room. And that... would change this morning completely.
After eating the last bite of her toast, Hikari took a deep breath and stood up from her chair.
"Thank you for the food!" while smiling at her mother.
Carrying the plate and glass she used, Hikari walked to the sink and put them in the sink. The sound of the plate touching the metal was heard softly.
But a moment after that, she stood still for a moment. Her eyes sparkled and her forehead frowned slightly.
"…Hm?" She looked right and left as if something was bothering her.
"Is there something… missing?"
Her hand touched the chest of her neat uniform, then reached for her pocket… empty.
She shook her head quickly and hit her own cheek lightly. "Maybe it's just a feeling."
With confident steps, Hikari closed the front door of the house while saying loudly towards, "I'm going now!"
But before the girl's hand could touch the doorknob, her mother's voice was heard from behind:
"Hikari, you left your bag behind!"
Hikari's steps stopped.
Stiff.
The atmosphere became silent for two seconds.
"...eh?"
Hikari's face immediately turned red, as if she had been splashed with hot water. She turned around slowly, looking at her mother who was standing near the stairs while pointing at the living room table—where her navy blue school bag was lying sweetly as if mocking her.
"…Ughhh, seriously?!"
Her mother chuckled softly, covering her mouth with her hand.
"Even though she's smart, that kid is often careless…" she said with a warm smile.
"Don't add any comments, mom!" Hikari grumbled, then ran upstairs like a ninja who had failed in her mission.
Her steps were hurried, almost slipping on the stairs. "Waa—almost fell!"
Zen called from the dining table, "Be careful, sis!"
Hikari opened her bedroom door with a dramatic movement, quickly grabbed her bag, then glanced at her cellphone on the table.
"Ah, cellphone…"
She grabbed it and put it straight into her bag without having time to turn on the screen.
"Thank goodness I haven't forgotten this one either…"
She glanced around her room once more like a detective examining a crime scene, then nodded in satisfaction.
With a slightly out of breath, she went back downstairs while straightening her skirt so it wouldn't wrinkle.
"I… really shouldn't be like this again on the first day…"
When she reached the door, she called out again, "I'm going!"
Her mother replied, "Be careful on the way, Hikari!"
Zen added, "Don't run on the school stairs, sis!"
Hikari opened the door and raised one hand in the air.
"If I fall too, it's the stairs!" she said with a chuckle.
The morning air greeted her face as she stepped outside. The small path in front of the house had been a familiar one since junior high school. The shady trees on the right and left sides swayed gently in the wind.
She adjusted the position of the bag on her back and started walking down the road to school, her steps light, but in her mind…
"Have to look perfect today…"
— — —
Hikari's steps along the small sidewalk filled with the shadows of the trees that lengthened along with the morning sunlight. Her uniform fluttered slowly, her bag swayed gently on her back, and her long blue hair swayed with her steps.
Even though the air was fresh, drowsiness still enveloped her slightly droopy eyes.
"Ugh… I should have gone to bed earlier last night…"
Just as she yawned softly, a cheerful voice was heard from a distance:
"Hikarii~!"
Hikari spontaneously stopped and turned towards the voice.
At the end of the street, a girl with wavy pink hair and a slender figure was waving her hand. She was wearing the same uniform, with a skirt slightly longer than Hikari's and a charming smile that radiated calmly.
"Shera!" Hikari exclaimed with a bright smile. She immediately approached her friend with faster steps.
"What a coincidence we met! I wanted to ask you something about the entrance test later…"
Shera touched her chin lightly and raised an eyebrow. "Hm? About the test? Are you worried?"
Hikari gulped, then leaned slightly towards Shera while whispering dramatically, "You know I studied until two in the morning. But I'm still not sure…"
Shera chuckled softly, then patted Hikari's shoulder lightly. "Don't worry. If you study that long, nothing will be difficult. This initial test is just to measure basic understanding."
"But, but…" Hikari looked at Shera weakly. "What are the tests about? Could it be advanced mathematics, world history, or—oh my, nuclear chemistry?!"
Shera snorted with laughter. "Hikari, this isn't a world hero selection… It's just high school."
"Ehe…" Hikari grinned sheepishly.
"They said the test is a combination of: a little math, basic logic, and general understanding. It's easy. As long as you don't sleep on your desk."
Hikari breathed a sigh of relief. "If you say it's easy… then it really is easy, right?"
She glanced at Shera with confidence. "Because you're like… a radar for exam difficulties. If you're calm, I'm calm too."
Shera smiled softly. "Yup. Besides, it's only the first day. We haven't been thrown into the real hell of lessons yet."
"Uh… don't mention the word 'hell' so early in the morning…" Hikari muttered while holding her stomach which was a little nauseous due to stress.
They walked side by side towards the school gate which was starting to be visible in the distance, among the other students who were also arriving. The morning atmosphere felt bright, but Hikari's steps were still a bit heavy.
She yawned again, and her body was a little unsteady.
Shera immediately grabbed Hikari's arm and held her. "Hey, are you okay?"
Ahaha… maybe it's the effect of staying up late," Hikari replied with an awkward smile.
Shera looked at her for a moment, then pinched her cheek lightly. "Don't force it, okay? If you faint in the middle of the test, I won't save you."
"So cruel!" Hikari chuckled.
Shera added in a calm but mischievous tone, "I'll take a picture first, then I'll help you."
"Sheraaaa!"
They both laughed together, united in the hustle and bustle of the morning filled with footsteps and cheerful sounds of the students.
And at the end of the gate ...
The magnificent high school gate towering in front of them. The building is spacious, surrounded by neat parks and tall trees that are beautiful. Students of various styles and expressions passing by, some greeted each other, some seemed nervous like they were the first time coming to school this big.
Hikari and Shera stood in front of the gate, paused for a moment.
"W-wow ..." Shera murmured with sparkling eyes.
Hikari said nothing. His feet stopped, his eyes widened staring at the breadth of the school yard and the splendor of the building in it. His mouth was slightly open, his body froze in place.
Shera turned to her while grinning. "Hikari, you're petrified like a statue. Don't tell me you have a culture of culture?"
Hikari nodded slowly, still fascinated. "This ... three times bigger than our junior high school ..."
Shera looked around and sighed. "How come our school was so small, huh? Even though this is just high school, not a university."
Hikari rolled her eyes slowly, then turned to Shera with an amused smile. "Hey. Even though our middle school is not up to half of this ... Don't forget the sweet memories there."
"Eh ... yes, yes," Shera answered quickly while grinning. "Sorry, sorry. I'm kidding."
Hikari flicked Shera's head lightly. "Basic, your tongue needs to be controlled."
"Awww, it hurts," Shera complained while stroking her flicked head.
Shera then pulled Hikari's hand. "Come on before we really become a statue here!"
He ran into the school yard.
Hikari chuckled, narrowed his eyes to see Shera's back away. "Wait, Shera! I'll come—"
But his steps suddenly stopped.
Hikari's view was shaken. The world around him began to spin. The voices of the students who were crowded seemed to move away. His feet relaxed. He held his forehead.
"W-what is this ...?" he whispered in panic.
His body was shaking forward, and his eyes began to close.
"Eh ... Hikari!?" Shera's voice was surprised from a distance.
But before his body touched the ground ...
Someone caught him.
"Are you okay?" The man's voice was calm but clear.
Hikari opened her eyes slowly. His gaze was still blurred, but someone's face began to appear. Black hair was slightly messy, his face was cold but his expression looked a little worried.
"Arata ...?" Hikari murmured barely audible.
Hikari's cheeks flushed red. His heart beat fast.
But he quickly brushed off the feeling and stood in a hurry, fixing his skirt.
"W-I'm fine! Don't get me wrong!" he said while looking away, his face was still red.
Renji Arata looked at him for a few seconds, then sighed softly.
"Staying up late until night just for learning? You always force yourself."
"E-eh?!"
Hikari rounded his eyes. He muttered to himself, panicked.
(K-kok he knows I'm staying up late because of studying?! Can he read my mind!?)
"B-not your business! Go there!" He said in a rising voice, but his face was even more red.
Renji just looked at him for a moment, then gave a faint smile. "Hmph. As usual."
At that time Shera came in a hurry, her face panicked. "Hikari! Are you okay?!"
"I ... I'm fine, really ..." Hikari answered while avoiding Shera's gaze.
Some students began to pay attention to them, small whispers were heard from various directions.
Renji saw the crowd, then stepped back. "Then, see you inside."
Without waiting for an answer, he turned and walked casually towards the school building, leaving a shadow that slowly disappeared in the crowd.
Hikari bit her lower lip. His face was still red, but he looked down slightly and muttered softly,
"…Thank You."
Renji did not answer. But before completely disappearing, he turned a little, showing a faint smile.
Shera frowned. "Hmm? You know him, huh?"
"B-not your business!" Hikari answered quickly, staring in the other direction.
Shera approached while laughing. "You're red ... Hikari, lest—"
"Shera! Silence or beaten!"
The two of them finally stepped into the school yard, one with red cheeks and another with a ignorant smile. And the first day of high school officially began.
Hikari's footsteps a little slower than before. He walked side by side with Shera, entering a large and magnificent school yard under the morning light. The sound of birds sounded louder, as if to welcome new students today.
"Shera ..." Hikari murmured softly, looking at the gate where she almost fell earlier.
Shera turned her head with a bright smile. "Hm?"
"No, just ... the wind is good, yes," Hikari said, rubbing her long hair that was gently blown.
But his heart was not as calm as his face. Arata's steps that had held his body before falling, his light smile, and his calm voice ... All of that turned back to his head. And more surprising-only in an instant, the memory he had long graved deeply returned.
[Flashback - Summer Festival, Little Hikari]
At that time, Hikari was still very small, lost in the crowd of the summer festival. Lanterns hang in the sky, and people pass around the food and game booths. Hikari, with her eyes, tried to find her mother, but the crowd was so crowded that she did not know where to go. His little heart felt anxious, and tears began to pool his eyes.
Suddenly, a voice came soothing.
"Don't cry. You will be fine," said a boy who was standing in front of him. Although his expression was flat, the child's eyes were full of warmth.
Hikari lifted his face, his eyes were still wet. "Who are you ...?" he asked in a trembling voice.
"Arata," the child answered briefly, but firmly. "I won't go until you come home."
Little Hikari looked at Arata with gratitude. "Thank you ... Arata."
Both of them then walked around the festival, looking for Ms. Hikari together. During the trip, Hikari felt calm, as if all his fear just disappeared thanks to the presence of Arata. Finally, they met with Ms. Hikari, and Hikari waved to Arata.
"Thank you, Arata!" Hikari said with a bright smile on his face.
Arata returned the wave of the hand, a small smile spread on his lips. "You're welcome. Don't forget to keep smiling, yes."
[Back to the present]
Hikari held her bag tighter. A faint smile appeared on his face, even though his cheeks looked a little red.
"I really met you again, huh ..." he murmured softly, staring at Arata who was beside him now. Although many things have changed, there are those memories that are never forgotten - the first time they met at the festival.
When they arrived at the second floor of the main building, the students began to look for their respective classes. Shera had waved, signaling that her class was different. Hikari nodded and said, "See you at rest, yes!"
Shera stuck out spoiled tongue. "Don't fall before that!"
Hikari walked to class 1-A. After opening the door, he found several students sitting. He looked for an empty seat near the window and immediately sat down.
Morning sunlight hit the table next to it which is still empty.
"Thank God, I can still sit near the window," he said quietly as he opened his bag.
But he had just arranged a book on his desk, the sound of a chair was pulled next to him.
"Yo. Looks like today you need to be saved twice, huh?"
That voice ... Hikari frozen. Slowly turned to the right, and there - with a calm face and a relaxed speech style - Renji Arata stood up while putting the bag on the table.
"A-a-arata!?" Hikari's voice rose one octave, and his body immediately stiffened.
Renji just shrugged. "Why are you shocked? It turns out that sitting next to you isn't that bad."
Hikari hurriedly turned to the window, covering his face which began to heat up. "K-coincidentally annoying ..."
"Just say you're happy."
"B-not your business!"
Renji chuckled, then leaned to his chair while staring at the sky from behind the window. "Yup. This will be a long and pleasant year."
Hikari pinched his own arm.
"Why the heck ... always he ..." he muttered, but a small smile he could not hide. Although feeling annoyed, there is a feeling that is difficult to express, a feeling that has long been hidden.
[Flashback - SD]
When the two of them sat in elementary school, the competition between Hikari and Arata heats up. Arata is always the best, number one on every test, every race, and there is always something that makes Hikari feel a little jealous. However, behind his annoyance, there is a sense of pride that continues to grow in his heart. He knew that Arata was more powerful, and even though it was painful, he could not hold back his admiration.
The days passed, and their relationship remained full of competition. However, Hikari began to feel that feeling changed. He not only wanted to defeat Arata, but also felt there was something more among the two of them.
[Farewell in SD]
When finally the separation time after elementary school graduation, Hikari stood outside of school, his eyes looked at Arata who was standing some distance from him. They no longer meet every day, and although Arata is always the best, Hikari began to feel a little lost. There is a feeling that blocks his chest.
"Arata ..." Hikari said, but his voice sounded harsh than he wanted.
Arata turned his head, a little surprised. "Hm?"
Hikari looked away, frowning. "Don't feel too proud, yes. I can also be the best someday."
Arata chuckled, a faint smile adorning his face. "I know, Hikari. I just want to see you keep trying."
Hikari stared at Arata with an inscrutable gaze. "Maybe we'll meet again in a bigger place later. But don't expect me to lose to you."
Arata smiled broadly. "I'll wait for you."
Chapter 1 End