The next day.
Shuu arrived at school as usual, passing through the school gates just as the bell rang.
He wasn't trying to be early or late—he just didn't want to arrive with anyone else.
After all, things between him and Sakura had... shifted.
Just a little.
She wasn't avoiding him anymore.
But she also didn't know how to act around him, which meant the next move had to be his.
He stepped into the classroom.
And paused.
There was a girl standing near his desk—someone he hadn't seen up close before.
She had strawberry-pink hair, loosely tied in a side ponytail, and wore her uniform sloppily, cardigan sleeves pulled over her hands, skirt just short of regulation.
She was leaning over Shuu's desk, scribbling something into a notebook.
Her back was to him.
When she turned around and spotted him, she tilted her head and smiled.
"Oh? You're earlier than I expected."
Shuu blinked. "…Who are you?"
The girl grinned. "Aw, you forgot already? That hurts."
She tapped her pen on the notebook and held it up for him to see.
It was covered in crude doodles—cats, stars, and a poorly drawn caricature of someone with green spiky hair.
"See? This is you. Human husky."
Shuu squinted. "…That's supposed to be me?"
"Who else could it be?"
She slid into the seat beside his and offered a hand.
"Motoko Iura. Your adorable little sister's classmate."
Shuu stared. "You know Motoko?"
"Yep. Sat next to her all through second year. She talks about you more than she realizes."
Shuu blinked again.
Wait.
Was this girl... a background character?
He tried to recall. Pink hair… cardigan… doodles…
Ah.
Right.
She had maybe three lines in the original anime. A filler episode extra. Always seen chatting in the hallway, laughing loudly. Her name was never even mentioned.
Shuu narrowed his eyes.
"…Why are you in my classroom?"
Motoko Iura grinned again. "I got transferred. You're stuck with me now."
"Transferred… to our class?"
"Yup! They posted the change this morning. Didn't anyone tell you?"
She gave him a mock pout. "I thought you'd be thrilled."
Before Shuu could respond, the homeroom teacher entered, clapping his hands.
"Alright, everyone, we have a new classmate joining us today. Please be nice to her."
All eyes turned toward the pink-haired girl.
She stood up, gave a small wave, and flashed a smile that was more impish than polite.
"Motoko Iura. I like cats, naps, and people who don't take themselves too seriously. Let's get along~"
The class murmured in amusement and welcome.
Shuu, meanwhile, was frozen in place.
He could sense it already.
A storm was coming.
---