---

Click-clack. Ka-thunk. Ka-thunk. Click-clack. Ka-thunk. Ka-thunk.

With each turning of the wheels, the unfamiliar skyline of Kitaguchi faded into the distance behind her, and the half-remembered silhouettes of buildings she had passed beneath countless times before took its place. Kumoriyama City's center spread out below her, haloed in the golden light of the rising sun that was now floating above the water's surface. Its shimmering rays cut cleanly through the thinning veil of mist overhead, bridging ground and sky like pillars to heaven. Along the mountainside, the sakura blossoms were already in full bloom, their white and pink petals catching the light like fairies' wings as they fluttered into and out of the light, drifting wheresoever the wind would take them.

It had been raining last night when Suzuka had moved in. She had traveled light, but had sorely regretted leaving her heavy coat behind at her grandma's house in Hakodate. The fierce wind had been biting on the ferry, and by the time she had walked all the way from the docks to the cafe that was to be her new home, she had been dripping wet despite her umbrella, and her face and hands had been red.

Today was different, though. Despite the morning fog's best attempts to hide it, the sky overhead was clear and blue, and although the wind blowing upward along the shoreline was brisk, the patch of sunshine filtering through the window of the train car was warm enough to make her eyelids feel heavy.

She brushed one hand across the window glass, wiping away the condensation that had begun to obscure her view, before brushing the sleep from her eyes with the other. Try though she might to stay awake, her mind still felt half-asleep. Just a few weeks prior, she had been walking to school down unpaved roads blanketed with snow. Now, here she was, doing her best not to drowse off in the sunlight as dreamlike scenery from her childhood flowed by, block by block, before her doubting eyes.

It felt wrong to say she was "home." The word itself just didn't seem to fit her, like two pieces taken from different puzzles. Spring had come, but the winter in her heart would take a while longer to thaw. The storm had passed, but the blue it left behind was meant for somebody else. Her "blue" was somewhere else -- somewhere too transient to return to, and too distant to be reached. Even if this place had remained the same, Suzuka herself had changed. And even if she had remained the same, this place would have changed, too. Best not to hope for too much only to be disappointed, even if it was only those hopes that had brought her back here in the first place.

She could save her dreams for when she was asleep. Thumbing idly through the open binder on her lap, she reviewed the schedule again. Arrive early enough to report to her homeroom teacher's office, then introduce herself to the class. Stand, self-introduce, write her name, bow, sit down. Smiling would be the hard part, but she'd manage somehow. So long as she made quick work of it, people probably wouldn't bother her afterward with too many questions that would be hard to answer. It wasn't even like she'd come from anywhere particularly interesting, anyway. Maybe if she'd been living in Tokyo her transfer would turn some heads, but Hokkaido? Right, they'd probably leave her alone after that.

Stand, self-introduce, write her name, bow, sit down. She repeated those steps in her mind, reassuring herself that that would be all there was to it. There'd be no unexpected surprises or disturbances. I mean, even if anybody who knew her back then somehow made it to this school, they'd probably have forgotten all about her... though that was distressing in its own way, but she didn't want to think about that. Stand, self-introduce, write her name, bow, sit down. Nobody would make fun of her for just doing that much.

Somewhere amidst her worrying, her ears must have heard the intercom calling her station, her feet must have taken the initiative to disembark, and her hands must have gathered up her things as she made her way out of the south Kumoriyama station and up the winding hillside road. Her eyes were probably still too dazzled by the sakura blossoms to remember to check her own appearance and confirm her fears that the uniform she wore didn't suit her nearly as well as the other girls walking the same path, but her own anxiety had helpfully reminded her of that in advance. The ribbon was too big and girly for someone who was such a mess, the blouse too tight for someone with such wide shoulders, the skirt too short for her long legs -- it looked like she was trying way too hard, didn't it? Those two third-years up ahead were giggling about something. They hadn't looked her way first, had they? Maybe she should have worn tights instead of spats. Would that have fit in better? No, that might just have the opposite effect...

Deep breath. Stand, self-introduce, write her name, bow, sit down. Somehow, the door to the classroom was right in front of her now, and she could hear the homeroom teacher, whose name Suzuka had already forgotten, talking on the other side, going through what should have been routine re-introductions, while out the window she saw the staff moving chairs out of the gymnasium after the entrance ceremony. She had missed it herself, on account of oversleeping and then subsequently having to go to the teacher's office, but that might have been a blessing in disguise, she supposed. Having to scoot her way into the second years' seating area and sit together with a class she hadn't even met before would have been insanely awkward.

Yet at the same time, it felt like she missed something important. Well, okay, she had missed a lot of things that were important. They all had been classmates for a whole year, right? Some speeches by the faculty and singing together to welcome the new students were only the tip of the iceberg. Wouldn't that mean they all already had their own friend groups? Forget the entrance ceremony, finding a place to sit anywhere was only going to make her stick out like a sore thumb. And in a few minutes, she was going to have to do just that! Ah, maybe she should have just called in sick this morning... No, no, no, that would just mean she'd have to do the same thing tomorrow!

Ah. The gym. Right. It was a very big building, and seemed well-maintained. Maybe they even had a basketball team. It had been a while since she had played, so she was a little out of practice, but that might be fun, if they'd have her. But knowing her luck they wouldn't have any spots on the team, or she wouldn't be good enough, or -- Anyway, she couldn't focus on that now, though, because the teacher's voice was still ringing in her ears and every moment she expected her name to be called.

How was everyone's break? Such-and-so went to Tokyo Disneyland, wasn't that nice? Apparently Yurika-chan from Class 2-C went on an overseas vacation to Hawaii. That sounded a bit intense for a simple spring break, but good for her, Suzuka supposed. Anyway, today would only be a self-study day with a few basic handouts to get everyone acquainted with the material for all their upcoming courses, so class would be dismissed early after that. But first, there was one other important bit of housekeeping. Ah. And there it was. That was her, right? Kubo-sensei -- right, that was her name -- was looking through the door right at her.

Suzuka took a deep breath, and gathered her composure. She'd been preparing for this moment all morning. She opened the door and stepped up to the front of the class, keeping her gaze on the teacher to avoid meeting the confused and curious stares of the other students, whose ranks she was about to join.

"This year, we have a new transfer student who will be joining us."

That was her cue. Somehow, despite fretting over the steps ever since the moment she had woken up, when the time came to actually perform them, she did it almost without thinking. She strode up to the blackboard, firmly grasped the chalk, and, in 33 decisive strokes, silently inscribed her name for all to see. Only when she was done did she set down the chalk, clap her hands together to brush its residue from her fingertips, and turn to face the class. Her cold blue-gray eyes panning slowly across the room, unable to focus long enough on any one individual to commit any details of their person to memory, but long enough to at least look like she was trying as she at last found the right words, and spoke.

"My name is written like 'Nagauchi,' but pronounced Osanai. Osanai Suzuka." Her voice was measured, calm, and low, as she exercised every single ounce of her self-discipline not to let any of the anxiety she felt creep into her voice. "I've recently moved here from Hakodate for personal reasons, and I'll be attending school here for the next two years. My interests are..." That was probably too much. Who even asked what her interests were anyway? It's not like she was an elementary school student anymore. It would only sound self-absorbed if she kept wasting their time going on about herself like this, so might as well just cut it short and save everyone involved the trouble.

"Well, I like sports, I guess. Anyway, I'll be in your care."

It was a bit rough around the edges, Suzuka supposed, taking a curt, sharp bow. And Kubo-sensei looked a little shocked, now that she looked at her again. Was it because she'd written out her name entirely before even speaking at all? Or maybe because she just didn't have much to say? She hadn't come off as rude, had she?

Either way, the teacher quickly cleared her throat and mastered both the situation and herself.

"Right. Well, anyway, if that's all you wanted to say, you can have a seat. Is the back alright?"

"No problem. I can see just fine from anywhere."

"Right. Then, in the back row, second from the end, next to Fuji-kun over there." Kubo-sensei motioned to an empty desk close to the window, the sort of place you'd see the protagonist sitting in a shounen manga, kicking up his feet without a care or staring out the window dramatically, acting all cool and disinterested. Well, rather than a spiky-haired main-character, though, the boy sitting there looked pretty laid-back. He had an all-too-neat bowl cut and plain black hair, and a friendly-looking face -- the kind that feels like somebody you've known your whole life. Well, it was a little early to guess at whether they'd get along or not, but right now that she was done with the talking part, she felt so relieved that it seemed like too much effort to worry about anything like that.

Sitting next to Fuji-kun, huh? It would be just like in... elementary... school...

Wait.

Waitwaitwaitwaitwait.

She stopped short before ever reaching her own desk. Leaning forward, she squinted her eyes and furrowed her brows, staring her seatmate down with all the intensity of a police detective identifying a suspect. It felt like her heart had skipped a beat just now, and for a moment, she had even forgotten to breathe.

The person sitting in front of her was... different from how she remembered. Taller, obviously, but his hair had been messier back then, too. And yet... and yet...! Those slim, sharp brows, those shifty-looking eyes, that ink-black hair, that name... It could only be...!

"...Oi. You're Ei-kun from Minamikawa, aren'tcha?"

Too surprised to remember how to make an expression, her nerves too worked up not to fall back on habit and play it cool, Osanai Suzuka gave perhaps the single most understated declaration of her entire life. But even as her frozen face scrambled to find the appropriate expression for her sheer bewilderment, and eventually had to settle for a look of casual surprise as the next-best alternative, somewhere out the window, the morning fog had lifted, and a clear and brilliant blue had taken its place.

Spring had come.

---

"Eikichi! You're going to be late if you don't move that slow butt of yours out the door!"

"Okay, okay! I'm coming!"

Raised voices, slamming doors and feet stomping down stairs: just a normal morning in the Fuji household.

The two-story house sitting in the most historic neighborhood of Minamikawa has seen its fair share of wear and tear over the years. From toddlers with access to permanent markers to middle schoolers playing baseball inside the house to teenagers performing over-eager kitchen experiments, there has been no shortage of excitement and chaos since the Fujis moved in. But, despite the noise and the occasional visit from the fire department, the neighbors all agree: life would be a lot more dull without the family's cheerful and vigorous presence in the neighborhood.

Coming down the stairs with minutes to spare is Eikichi Fuji, the middle child, handsomest child, and—as of today—second-year high school student. The reason for his lateness? Parting and styling his thick mop of black hair into something that says "I know how to have fun" instead of "I know how to study and not much else." Fingers careful not to touch a single strand lest he mess up all his hard work, Eikichi arranges the asymmetrical safety pin earrings that dangle from his ears. His shirt is, of course, artfully unbuttoned, and his black slacks are made flashier by the addition of a simple silver belt chain. All in all, everything is perfect for his first day.

"I swear, if you didn't spend so much time on your hair, you wouldn't be in such a rush to catch the train," says resident timekeeper and dear mother Fuji Anju, who stands at the bottom of the stairs with her hands on her hips. She huffs, hands already dangerously close to the hair Eikichi has just spent the last half-hour styling. He swats her away, moving out of range of her menacing mom-hands.

"Mom, it's fine. You know the train always leaves a few minutes late. Did you make me a lunchbox?"

"Ingrateful son of mine…" Mrs. Fuji sighs and points to the counter. "Yes, of course I did. Take something for breakfast, too. At least a piece of toast."

"Kay." Eikichi moves through the kitchen with seasoned ease, maneuvering around:
1) his mother, whose mom-hands cannot be stopped from patting him on the cheek, although she restrains herself from further damage;
2) the dining room table, where Takeru is finishing his breakfast. Eikichi stops to ruffle Takeru's hair, because it makes him mad and that's funny, before moving on to
3) his older sister, standing in front of the open fridge, who elbows him in the side, which means he must elbow back. The resulting elbow war ends in a tie and leads him to the
4) snack cabinet, where he grabs some fruit snacks and a granola bar, raising them out of reach of Rei, who makes various snatching movements. Being the tallest in the Fuji household has many advantages.

"Okay, I'm out," he calls, mostly for his mother's sake. She gives him a wave. Rei sticks her tongue out, which is about all the sibling affection Eikichi can expect from her.

Getting to the train station isn't too terribly hard, although Eikichi has to admit, he did cut it close this time. It's because he couldn't decide what earrings to wear. Gotta make a good impression—although, it's a lot easier than last year. Last year, he had to basically build himself from the ground up. All the people who called him plain in middle school, all the kids who clocked him as good for a laugh, all the teachers who expected him to lay low—he had to flip all their expectations upside-down and show them what he's really made of, who he really wants to be.

Who he is, now.

Eikichi pops in his earbuds and watches Minamikawa fade away as he munches on his breakfast. Second year shouldn't be so hard, right? As long as he gets in a class with a few people he knows. And even if he doesn't, it's not so hard to win people over. Not after you get to know them a bit. He's pretty good at that—figuring people out, sniffing out their secrets. Hey, maybe he should become a private detective in the future!

His mind glazes over the entrance ceremony and announcements, more excited to see who's in his class this year (and if he's got a nice seat). Thankfully, everything seems to be in order in Eikichi's little world: Haru's here, and he's the sort of guy Eikichi can always count on to be honest and well-meaning. There are no hidden messages or whispering rumors with Haru; maybe that's why they hung out a lot last year. If pressed, Eikichi might even say he likes the guy! And the rest of the class isn't bad, either—they even have a transfer student. Which is always… interesting.

Wrapped up in such trivial thoughts, Eikichi is not prepared for the face that steps through the door.

The messy black hair. The stone-cold, disinterested gaze. It's a face he hasn't seen in years — and yet, it's a face he could never forget.

Eikichi has always prided himself on being hard to ruffle; he's perfected his poker face, an easy smile that doesn't give too much away. But, all his efforts are nothing against the sheer astonishment, the sheer amazement, at seeing Suzuka introduce herself to the class. If he wasn't so shellshocked, he might have laughed at the way she robotically wrote out her name, or smiled at her monotone introduction. As it is, shock does not cover the range of emotions that rush through his mind at seeing her, and his pencil slips through his fingers to bounce uselessly on the floor.

What is she doing here? She's joining the class? She's back? She's back. To stay? She's not leaving? She's back, she's staying, she's not leaving, she's here, she's here again—

Eikichi's mind spins and spins and spins until Suzuka finishes her introduction. His eyes stayed glued to her as she walks back to his row, and it's only in the seconds before she recognizes him that he regains some semblance of sanity. There's just—so much to notice. So much that's different, and so much that's the same! She's gotten a whole lot taller, and a whole lot bigger, too. Eikichi hadn't really been aware of the fact that Suzuka was a girl back then—too focused on the important stuff, like lunch and playtime and dinner—but now it's a fact that's impossible to ignore. But never mind that! He has so much to tell her.

It's with all of these emotions swirling in his chest and coalescing into something warm and fuzzy that may be called relief or joy or elation that Eikichi makes his high school debut:

"And you're Suzu-chan, aren't you? Boy, long time no see! Did you get a bit girly during your time away~?"

He tilts his head back, unable to stop the large grin currently spreading across his face. Her way of speaking is still so adorably direct, and her expressions are still so funny. His year has already been made. From here on, it's nothing but roses.

He's so, so glad she's back.

一 色 み か こ - I S S H I K I M I K A K O
一 色 み か こ - I S S H I K I M I K A K O

---

"Alright, up and at 'em!"

Mikako's voice resounded throughout the second floor of the two-story house, prompting a variety of reactions from the hallway of doors.

The first was hung with a placard in the shape of a maple leaf that read 'Kaede' in a single elaborate kanji. She'd had one in hiragana until recently, but she insisted now that only children used hiragana for their names--an insistence that made Mikako chuckle every time she thought about it. From that door came a long, low, muffled groan, and she grinned. The eldest of her siblings would have just woken up at her call, would really, really not want to stay woken up, and would subsequently be pressing to her pillow to her face and lamenting the fact that morning had come. She was starting to stay up a bit later than was probably healthy, but she was still getting roughly seven or eight hours a night; so until her sleep started to get interrupted, Mikako felt no need to step in. She was a teenager now, if only just; best to give her a bit of space.

The second door had a fairly typical deep blue name placard on it, nothing in any shape, written with a simple hiragana 'Rin.' Mikako had always thought a nice green would be better for her, her name was written as 'jade' after all, but navy blue was her favorite, and it was what she'd chosen. There was a faint scuffling from her room; Mikako knew that if she pressed her ear to it, she'd hear zippers, clips, sighs...Rin always woke up earlier than the others, and by the time Mikako called them all down for breakfast at 6:45 she was already awake, putting on her uniform--she was so proud of her seifuku now that she was going into middle school, it was adorable--and packing her bag. She'd always given Mikako the least trouble, which was nice now that Kaede was starting to be a little more of a handful.

The first door on the left, unlike the rest, was absent of anything showing a name. It was utterly silent; because, of course, it was her room, which she left before the sun each morning to get up, wash up, eat one of her hidden stash of granola bars that she had to keep moving around because Rin had a bloodhound's nose for snacks and loved the same bars that Mikako did, make sure to get her hair nicely done--she had a lot of hair--pack her own bag, make a quartet of bentos for the family, and then finally to start on breakfast. She wondered sometimes if she should get up even earlier to have a bit more time to herself in the mornings, but then always came to the conclusion that if she did she'd need to go to bed at like, nine PM, and that was just a little too early for her. She had homework to do, friends to talk to, and manga to read, after all.

Finally, the second door on the left burst into a flurry of sound as Hiro jumped awake. He'd wanted a horse as his name placard, and a horse he'd gotten, rich brown with a bright red mane and tail the same color as his hair that Mikako had painted herself in secret. He didn't wake up early on his own like Rin did, but he was still a little kid, third year in elementary school, and they had a criminal amount of energy. Rin had been like that when she was little too, she remembered, though it hadn't been her waking them up then. It was only a countdown of seconds now until he burst out of the door, prompting another, louder groan from Kaede, and rampaged down the stairs to annihilate his serving of whatever Mikako had made for breakfast. So it would be meet, she thought as she started hopping down the stairs herself, if she was down there before he was and could make sure she gave him breakfast so he wouldn't knock a whole pan of food off the stove. Again.

She'd barely managed to get the first plate set up with a slice of pan-seared fish (mackerel this morning, salmon was always the favorite but she'd used the last of it last night), a helping of rice (praise whatever was up there for rice cookers so she didn't need to spend precious minutes watching the pot to make sure it wasn't overdone), and a bowl of miso soup (with dashi proudly made from scratch every morning!) before Hiro basically teleported into his seat and started scarfing it down. His table manners were...

Well, they were getting better?

Mikako had never been a huge stickler about such things, her own weren't anything to write home about, but his used to be so bad he used to spill rice all over the table, and it was always such a pain to clean. It was nice that he was starting to move past that.

Next came Rin, a few minutes later. Mikako turned her head from the kitchen as she sat at the dining table across from her brother, smiling. "Hey, you're already dressed. Careful you don't spill any, there's no time to wash it right now, okay?" She hadn't needed to rush to fix up a plate this time, since Rin was always way more patient than Hiro, even when she'd been the same age. So it was with a much more leisurely pace that Mikako placed the food down in front of her with one more slice of fish that Hiro's, along with a few of her favorite honey-pickled plums plopped generously down on the rice.

Her reply was a silent yawn and a nod. "Yes, aneue."

"You're weird, Rin-nee," chimed in Hiro, sticking his tongue out at her. "Nobody says aneue! It sounds dumb!" Ah, good, the perennial argument. She would bet money Hiro was the only one at the the Kumoriyama elementary school who heard that term on a regular basis, or even at all; he'd used it to describe Kaede to friends once before he'd really understood the context, and it had taken him a month and a half to forgive Rin for the ribbing and mocking that he'd subsequently received.

And then Rin would reply with an eye roll and something like--"coming from the one who calls her okaa-nee like she's our mom or something!" The bickering went back and forth between the two as Mikako looked at the clock. Time was ticking, and the oldest still wasn't down. She let out an infinitesimal sigh. Well, this happened pretty often. She made her way upstairs again and gently opened Kaede's door, and peeked around the frame. Well, at least the girl was awake, sometimes that was up in the air. It was just...very obvious that she really didn't want to be.

She jerked as Mikako's gentle voice pierced the quiet in her room. "Kaede. You really do need to get up or you're going to be late on your first day back." There was something comforting about talking to Kaede. The other two were still young, and as much as Rin protested, she really was almost like a substitute mom for them; by the time Rin was old enough to know what was going on she was nine or ten years old and starting to help around the house already, to say nothing of Hiro, who'd basically only known her as a teenager. But Kaede was old enough that to her, Mikako was always just 'nee-chan.' And that was kind of nice.

At last, she pulled her pillow from her face and opened her gummy eyes. "Ughhhhh. FINE. Why do we have to wake up so early anyway? You're lucky, nee-chan, high school starts like, way later. Getting there before eight? It's cruel and unusual punishment!"

Mikako giggled softly. "Alright, drama queen, you know I'm up way earlier than any of you. If you want to get up at 4:30 too, be my guest." Kaede grumbled, but she finally peeled herself out of bed, yawned, and plodded over to her dresser, already lifting her pajamas over the top of her head.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Thanks, I guess." Another grumble. "Now get out so I can change and brush my hair, I'll be down in a few."

And she was. Rin and Hiro were still arguing--they'd moved on now to Hiro saying that she wasn't going to make any friends because she was all quiet and weird and stuff--and adding the slightly incendiary Kaede to the mix talking about how Rin wasn't that quiet, Hiro was just way too loud, especially in the mornings, quite frankly did not help. As much as she tried to argue how mature she was now, it was still all too easy for her to get sucked into the squabbling. It was kind of cute.

Mikako stayed quiet as she served Kaede up and sat down to finally eat her own breakfast, watching in fascination as the argument bounced around like a three sided ping-pong table. Before too long, Kaede had snatched up her bento, rammed it into her bag, and practically dragged Rin out of the house alongside her. Evidently, she felt that she had lost the argument. Mikako chuckled. So proud, and too old to take the train with nee-chan now. They grow up so fast. She got Hiro all prepped and ready, straightened up the kitchen quickly, grabbed her own supplies (including the train-ready rinko bag containing her folded-up bike), grabbed her all-important hat, and bustled the two of them out the door. It was about 7:15, the Kumoriyama Elementary School (and the middle school) were close enough for Hiro to get there by foot with this much time, and there was plenty of time for her to get to the high school by bike. At least it was getting warmer now, even if it was still a little bit nippy. During the winter it was always such a pain.

By the time she got to to school, locked her bike to the rack, stuffed her coat and hat and shoes into her locker, and straightened her blazer into presentability, it wasn't long before the entrance ceremony would start. She slid into the gym with only a few minutes to spare, finding somewhere to sit and plopping herself down before allowing a long, slow yawn. Safe. It was a shame she couldn't go to Rin's first middle school opening ceremony, and their parents were somewhere in the Baltics right now, she thought. But that was just life.

The ceremony passed in short order, and back to the classroom she went. It'd be a pretty basic day, she thought. Get assigned seats--she was just in front of Eikichi--get textbooks, go over the class procedures, and so on, and so on, et cetera, et cet--

"This year, we have a new transfer student who will be joining us."

Oh! So maybe things would be slightly more exciting and not so basic! They didn't get many transfer students in Kumoriyama, so a new face was always nice to have, and Mikako was always looking to make new friends.

She couldn't help it, though. When the new student stepped through the door, Mikako frowned. Something about her was...weirdly familiar. Like she'd met her before or something. Something about the way her hair fell, and the expression on her face. Nothing concrete or anything, just a kind of gut intuition. But her intuition was clearly off base. If she was a transfer student, then of course she wouldn't have ever met her, and she was probably just confusing her with someone else she'd known--

"My name is written like 'Nagauchi,' but pronounced Osanai. Osanai Suzuka."

Buh?

No. That didn't make sense. That didn't make any sense! This had to be some other Osanai Suzuka, regardless of how uncommon the name was, and how her hair and eyes were the same color, and how she spoke in the same cadence and really did wear the same expression on her face. It simply couldn't be the same person. Suzuka had left years ago now to move to, god, where was it she'd said back then? Right, it was all the way up to--"I've recently moved here from Hakodate for personal reasons..."

...To Hakodate.

Oh my god. Oh my god. She was back? She was really...? Why? What had brought her back here? Personal reasons? What personal reasons?

She chanced a stealthy glance back at Eikichi, but upon seeing him, she was pretty sure she could stand there ringing a gong in his face and he wouldn't notice. She hadn't seen that look on his face in a long time. He just looked stunned. Beyond stunned, he looked like the world had just turned on its head without any notice. Which...for him, it kind of had? Mikako had been Suzuka's friend, and my god was she so happy to see her again! But Eikichi had been way closer to her. They'd spent almost every day together. The two of them were inseparable back then, and he'd been almost disconsolate once she'd left.

And then, because of course, she was sat right next to him. Really, what were the odds? What were the chances that the wonderful girl from back then would end up there again? What kind of cosmic coincidence had birthed this chance to see her closest elementary school friend after all this time? It seemed almost impossible; but clearly it wasn't, since, of course, it had actually happened! This was the kind of thing that only happened in the shoujo manga that she read whenever she got the chance! Something like this wasn't a thing that actually happened in real life!

Still, it was best to let Eikichi go first. Especially since Suzuka, you know, addressed him. Still, she could barely contain herself, and until the two of them had exchanged words, she was tapping her foot rapidly to stay calm. Then, when she could contain herself no longer, she whirled fully in her seat and let the expression of wonderment on her face plainly show.

"Suzucchiko? You're really back? For good?"

---

The night sky was still dark when Haruto woke up with his alarm. It was 6 in the morning, and he had to wake up to make breakfast for his siblings. His mother most likely just came in a few hours ago, so Haru was in charge of getting the morning routine started. He entered the twin room, seeing their trophies and soccer memorabilia. He remembered how they jumped in utter joy when they got a Messi jersey. Though, Makito tried to play it off cool, Haru could see the glint of happiness in his eye. He went over to Chiaki, and gently shook his shoulder.

"Wake Up Chiaki, school starts today.". While he was talking, he grabbed a spare pillow and threw it at Makito, hitting him square in the face. Haru got good enough to throw it without even looking. Makito leaped out of his bed, on full alert, and mumbled something completely incoherent, probably akin to the line of 'morning bro'. Chiaki's eyes fluttered open. "Morning Nii-Chan."

"Good Morning! Go make sure your brother doesn't fall out the window again, I'm gonna get Natsuki and Yuki up. Maki, you better get to the table on time, or else all the omelette rolls will be gone."

He then made his way to his little sisters. Natsuki was easier to wake up as she most likely woke up the earliest, but Yuki needed more time. He turned on the lamp, and stirred her, giving her time to wake up on her own. Natsuki's room was already lit, so he knocked before entering "Morning little sis. It's your turn to bring in the laundry. Natsuki looked up from her book. "Can we trade? I wanna make breakfast this time."

He laughed as the last time she tried to cook, the pan caught on fire, the rice didn't get seasoned until the end, and the fish shrunk in the heat. A true culinary marvel. "We don't want the fire again. Go get the laundry, I'll be making breakfast soon."

After all the kids were awake, he quickly headed to the kitchen and immediately . It was simple, but at least warm. He made omelettes, rice, Miso and some natto. They all got their food, and quickly ran to change to their uniforms. The twins were the first to leave as they had morning practice. He handed Natsuki her backpack and helped Yuki tie her shoes and off to school they went.

As they walked out, he grabbed his camera and looked at the sunset. He pulled out his camera and aimed it at the sky, looking at the purples, pinks, blues and golden rays peeking out from the horizon. The camera clicked and he looked at it, ensuring the settings were right. He snapped more photos after adjusting when Natsuki pouted and tapped her food impatiently. "Haru Niiiii! We're gonna be late!"

He grinned at her, putting away his camera for the moment. "Coming! I just had to snap a pic of the sunrise." He quickly picked up Yuki as they started walking together to school. She was still sleepy and usually woke up when the sun rays hit her eyes, and that's when Haru would let her walk. "You always take a pic of the sunrise. How many of the same pictures can you have?"

"Hey! I don't ask you why you have so many Pom pom Purin stickers and dolls." He stuck his tongue out at her while she gasped.

"It's different ok!" She crossed her arms, puffed out her cheeks and kept marching forward. She didn't really mean it, but Haru knew the two were playing around.

"Ah yes, silly me. How dare I completely forget that Purin is King in this household."

They continued walking to school mostly in the quiet. The early mornings and the twilight were always Haru's favorite time of the day. The beautiful still, the calming quiet, and the amazing pictures he's gotten from those times of days. His goal is to one day capture that feeling in one of his photos. Once Yuki fully woke up, she got down to walk fully on her own. She reached for Haru's hand and kept up with his pace, while he made sure to slow down for her.

As they were walking to Kumoriyama Elementary school, there were a bunch of people of different age ranges, from fellow high school classmates, to adults working at local shops to even pre-school kids, all of them greeted Haru. He beamed at all of them with a smile that matched the sunlight.

Once they arrived to the elementary school, he pat the two of their heads, like he did last year. Natsuki waved "Bye Haru Nii!" She then grabbed Yuki's hand to wave at him as well. Yuki spoke up, "Bye bye." He waved at the two of them before heading off to the Kumoriyama High School.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He just made it on time for school. He probably could have made it here earlier if he didn't talk to some of the people on his way here and snapped more photos for them, but they were such good conversations. He also wished he could have gone to Yuki's entrance ceremony since it was her first day at the elementary school, but alas, he also had school. Maybe Mom will have some time to go. He took out his camera to snap a photo of the entrance, the clouds behind the school looked gorgeous and the garden at the center of the school was just in view at the corner. Students walking around campus framing the school nicely. It would definitely be a good shot for the newsletter.

He didn't even make it thirty seconds before he heard his name called, turning around to see a friend come up. The two were in the same class last year but not this year. The two started chatting, catching up on things that happened over the break before school started. His back was turned to the entrance, leaving him unintentionally vulnerable to any sneak attacks hugs.

Arashiyama Junko
Arashiyama Junko

She breathed in, then out, and with explosive strength, exerted herself to her fullest. Quads straining, back tightening, abs hardened beneath the layers of fat that masked them. A vein bulged over her temple, teeth clenched into a grimace of a smile. For a moment, the bar, cold and unyielding, pressed against her chest, as if to squash her flat. But it was simply a pause, before she thrust it up upwards, held it up, then allowed it to drop down upon the floor once more. Even through the cushioning, the floor shook, plates clattering together as she drew in a deep, long breath.

Mornings were no longer spent in the mountains, for her obligations were too many to enable her to go on such flights of fancy to Minamikawa, but the heiress didn’t mind too much either. The estate’s personal gym had been unused until she occupied it, upgraded it, made it her own space. And now once more, she squatted deep, knuckles crackling as she gripped the bar.

Click, clack.

But it was not the dozen cast iron plates that made that sound.

…

She took tea, her mother took coffee. Outside, cherry blossom buds formed a shade that brought up the bright sunlight that filtered in through the glass wall. Hosakono, the housekeeper, had made the meal, of course, a Japanese affair that nevertheless also including a heaping pile of eggs, sausage, and bacon to support the young lady’s growth, but her mother always took it upon herself to brew something to drink. Sure, her daughter still took a tall glass of milk alongside classier beverages, but breakfast was perhaps the only meal the two still shared with each other. Lunch was separate, while dinners were taken at separate times, what with the dance studio’s hours and Junko’s own extracurriculars.

It was a precious thing. A time to hear about each other’s yesterdays, a time for mother to remind the daughter of her manners, to bask in sunlight before their paths diverged.

Click, clack.

But it was not a teacup set against a delicate saucer that made that sound.

…

Acquaintances and followers gravitated towards her as the tram made its way through the city. Some sat in silence, basking in her presence. Others spoke with each other, about the various efforts they’ve made to obtain their own goal, whether it be in their hobbies, their future professions, their physical milestones, or their love lives. Still more greeted her directly, seeking validation through her responses. So of course, she obliged. The book she read was a notebook, matching names with faces, people with their constituent hobbies, and her voice rumbled with a severe weight. Some, she praised. Others, she criticized. Still more, she questioned.

Was that their best foot forward? Was that what they truly needed? Far too many in this world lacked the ability to be self-aware, to reflect upon their own actions, especially during the tumultuous times of adolescence. The tram continued to rock, the people continued to sway. Junko remained stalwart, stable. A cairn dressed in a high school student’s uniform.

Click, clack.

But it was not the sound of wheels crossing metal rails that made that sound.

…

The first day of the third year.

The last first day she’ll have in Kumoriyama Private High.

The last festivals, the last celebrations, the last exams, the last chances.

Junko placed a hand over her heart, feeling the slow, steady, powerful throbbing within her chest. Good. There were no regrets, no anxiety. Only the recognition that this would be the last time she viewed these blossoms from this angle, the last time she could stand amongst these budding sprouts as a peer.

She would make it count.

The next generation of leaders will be raised in the Judo Club, and her fellow third years will put on a performance that would surpass their accomplishments last year. She would sharpen her academic performance such that she would earn a full scholarship from Tokyo University into their Sports Science department. She would make sure that every one she leaves behind in Kumoriyama would be in a better place than they were the year before.

Heavy, purposeful strides brought her to the final classroom she’d be sitting in, to faces that she had become familiar with over the course of the last three years.

Junko smiled, the morning light glinting prismatically over the lens of her glasses, a spring breeze from the open window playing with a strand of silver hair.

“Rise! Stand! Bow! Sit!”

Like echoes off the mountainside. Like a lightning strike to shake off the lethargy of Spring Break. Like Arashiyama Junko, who had made this call without fail for every day of her student life.

Click-Clack.

It was the sound of the gears of fate turning, promising a year like no other.

But Junko simply thought it was a student closing the window before spring allergies swept in and triggered a cacophony of sneezes unbecoming of this solemn last, first day.