The morning sun spilled a warm glow over the silent streets as I slipped out of my apartment. I'd gotten up earlier than usual, determined to dodge any chance encounters on my way to school. The last thing I wanted was an unexpected meeting that would wreck my carefully preserved solitude.
But as I turned the corner, there she was - Shiina Mahiru, standing under the gentle morning light as if she had stepped out of a dream. Her long, flowing hair shimmered like gold, and her eyes sparkled with a warmth that seemed to light up the street. She was dressed in her school uniform, ready to go to school.
Seriously? I'd rolled out of bed at dawn just to avoid her, and here she was, impossibly prepared. Don't girls usually take at least two hours to get ready?
Mahiru spotted me and waved, her smile as radiant as the morning itself. "Good morning, Aiko!" she called, her voice a gentle melody.
"Morning," I managed, trying to sound calm. "You're up early…"
She nodded, excitement sparkling in her eyes. "I didn't want to miss you. Thought we could walk to school together, like we said."
So she's excited to go to school? Heh.
Walking to school with someone else was not something I was used to, I always walked alone. "Sure, I guess we can do that," I said, trying to sound casual. Can't really refuse her can I? Our paths are the same anyway.
Mahiru's smile widened, and she fell into step beside me as we started walking. The morning air was cool and crisp, and the streets were quiet, with only a few early risers going about their day. It was a stark contrast to the usual hustle and bustle I was used to seeing on my way to school.
As we walked, Mahiru glanced at me with a soft smile. "Did you sleep well, Aiko?"
I nodded, feeling a bit awkward but strangely at ease. "Yeah, I did. Thanks."
She seemed to sense my discomfort and gently changed the subject. "The weather is lovely this morning, isn't it? It feels like it's going to be a beautiful day."
I looked up at the sky, noticing the clear blue expanse above us. "Yeah, it does."
We walked in comfortable silence for a few moments, the only sounds being our footsteps and the distant chirping of birds. It was oddly peaceful, and I found myself relaxing a bit more with each passing moment.
We walked in companionable silence until we neared the station. Mahiru's gaze drifted into the distance. "There's a cherry blossom tree at Sakura no Mori Shrine," she said softly. "I used to sit under it for hours with someone, just watching petals fall."
I glanced at her, noticing the soft smile on her face and the way her eyes seemed to look into the past. I didn't know much about the shrine or the cherry blossom tree she mentioned, but the way she spoke about it made me curious.
I thought for a moment, trying to find the right words to respond. It was clear that the memory held a special place in her heart.
"Sakura no Mori? Don't know about it, but it sounds like a really special place," I said gently "Memories like that, with someone important, can be really meaningful. I'm glad you have those moments to look back on."
In that moment, my mind flicked to my parents, the only memories I cherished. Everything else felt disposable. I wished I could see them one more time. Especially Mom.
Dad: "What about me??"
Mahiru smiled softly, her eyes meeting mine with a warmth that made me feel a strange sense of connection. "It was a long time ago, but it still feels like yesterday sometimes. The cherry blossoms were always so beautiful, and the time spent there was... magical."
I nodded. "I get it."
As Mahiru and I continued our walk, lost in the nostalgia of her memories, we turned a corner and unexpectedly came across Komi Shouko. She was standing near a small café, her cat ears twitching slightly as she noticed us. Her eyes lit up, and she waved gently, a soft blush spreading across her cheeks.
Just then, we spotted Komi Shouko by a small café. Her cat ears twitched as she waved, cheeks dusted pink.
"Good morning, Aiko," she said softly.
Young people really do wake up at dawn? I felt ancient.
I nodded in response, feeling a bit surprised by the encounter. "Good morning, Komi. This is Mahiru," I said, gesturing toward Mahiru. "She just moved in next door."
Mahiru's smile faltered for a moment as she looked at Komi, her eyes reflecting a hint of curiosity mixed with something else, perhaps a touch of jealousy? But she quickly composed herself and greeted Komi with a polite nod. "Good morning, I'm Shiina Mahiru. It's nice to meet you."
Komi nodded in response, her eyes flickering between Mahiru and me. She wrote something else in her notebook and showed it to me. "It's nice to meet you too, Mahiru."
As we stood there, I could sense a subtle shift in the atmosphere. Mahiru's initial warmth seemed to cool slightly, and I couldn't help but notice the way her eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly as Komi addressed me by my name. Must be my imagination.
Komi glanced at Mahiru and then back at me, her expression soft and understanding. She wrote in her notebook, "Are you two heading to school together?"
I nodded, feeling a bit awkward under the weight of their gazes. "Yeah, we are. Would you like to join us?"
Komi's eyes widened slightly, and she nodded eagerly, a soft smile spreading across her face. She fell into step beside us as we continued toward the train station, the three of us walking in a somewhat tense silence.
As we walked, I couldn't help but feel a sense of curiosity about the dynamics between Mahiru and Komi. There was an unspoken tension, a subtle undercurrent of emotions that I couldn't quite place. But despite the complexity of the situation, there was also a sense of peace, a quiet understanding that seemed to them together.
Hm... Weird.
Mahiru glanced at me, her eyes reflecting a mix of emotions. "Aiko, how do you know Komi?" she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of curiosity.
"We met yesterday," I replied "She lives a few streets over from me."
Mahiru nodded, her eyes flickering toward Komi before settling back on me. "I see," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
As we boarded the train, the carriage was already a bit crowded, and there were no seats available. We found ourselves squeezed in among the other passengers, the close quarters making it a bit difficult to move. I used my arms to create a bit of space, trying to make sure Mahiru and Komi had some room to breathe. Being tall and having long arms is useful.
Inside the packed train, there were no seats. I stretched my arms to give both of them space, being tall and long-limbed has its perks. The ride crackled with awkward glances and silent blushes. Mahiru watched Komi with a curious intensity; Komi, for her part, kept twitching her ears every time she looked my way.
As we stood close together in the crowded train car, I couldn't help but notice the way both Mahiru and Komi seemed to react to the proximity. Their cheeks were tinged with a soft blush, their eyes occasionally flickering in my direction before quickly looking away. It was a strange dynamic, one that I wasn't entirely sure how to navigate.
Sorry for this girls, but if I don't do this you'll both be squeezed to the death.
Mahiru stood slightly closer to me, her arm brushing against mine as the train swayed gently. I could feel the warmth of her presence, a comforting yet slightly confusing sensation. Her eyes met mine for a brief moment, a soft smile playing on her lips before she glanced away, her blush deepening slightly.
Komi, standing on my other side, seemed to be lost in her thoughts, her notebook clutched tightly in her hands. Every so often, she would glance up at me, her eyes reflecting a quiet intensity before she looked down again, a soft blush spreading across her cheeks. She wrote something in her notebook and held it up for me to see.
"It's a bit crowded, isn't it?" the notebook read, her eyes flickering toward Mahiru before settling back on me.
I nodded in response, feeling a bit awkward under the weight of their gazes. "Yeah, it is. But the next spot alot of people usually leave, so you'll have a somewhere to sit" I said, trying to offer some reassurance.
Sure enough, the car cleared out and seats appeared. We sank in, me in the middle and I inhaled sharply. Their pheromones were overwhelming.
"It's a bit more comfortable now, isn't it?" the notebook read, her eyes flickering toward Mahiru before settling back on me.
I nodded in response, feeling a bit more at ease with the space around us. "Yeah, it is," I replied, glancing at her.
As we finally approached our stop, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. The tension in the air seemed to lift slightly as the train slowed to a halt, the doors sliding open with a soft whoosh.
Komi looked up from her notebook, her eyes meeting mine with a gentle warmth. She wrote something quickly and held it up for us to see. "Goodbye, Aiko, Mahiru. It was nice meeting you," the notebook read, her cat ears twitching slightly.
I nodded "Goodbye, Komi. Have a good day," I replied.
Mahiru glanced at Komi, her eyes reflecting a mix of emotions. "Goodbye, Komi. It was nice meeting you too," she said softly, her voice tinged with a hint of sincerity.
As Mahiru and I continued our walk toward school, the morning sun casting long shadows on the pavement, we turned a corner and unexpectedly came across a new face. Standing there was a girl with an air of confidence and poise, her presence commanding yet approachable. She was dressed in the school uniform, a badge on her sleeve indicating her position in the student council.
"Alya...?" - I said with a tone of suprise.
Alisa turned to us with a confident smile, her eyes reflecting a sense of purpose. "Shall we walk to school together? Aiko~."
Can I just die already?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for reading. I don't know how many chapters I indent to have for this novel, but probably no less than 150. It will be a bit fast-paced because of that. I tend to get bored easily, so I'm trying to limit myself here.