She was whimsical, mysterious, and more beautiful than anyone else I'd ever seen. As I looked up at the night sky, the stars twinkled softly around the bright, round moon. It was so large and luminous that it seemed to bathe my entire being in its silvery light. But then…
Huh?
The moon was cracking?!
Knock-knock
"Meyya, are you awake now?" Haruka's voice pulled me back to reality as she knocked on my door.
"Yeah... I am... now," I mumbled, shaking off the remnants of my dream.
I sat up in bed, rubbing my eyes before glancing at the mirror on my wall. My hair was a mess, and I looked as if I hadn't slept at all.
"Another day, another way," I sighed, dragging myself out of bed.
"Hurry up, will ya?" Haruka called impatiently from the hallway.
"Tch, go easy on me, will ya, sis?" I muttered under my breath.
'Did I really just say that out loud? OMG,' I thought, wincing.
"You little...!" Haruka fumed from the other side of the door, her patience wearing thin.
"If you're this angry in the morning, you'll never get a boyfriend," I teased with a smirk.
"Ugh... whatever," she groaned, giving up on the argument.
After that, I quickly took a bath, got dressed, and was ready to go.
"I ride with you again?" I asked as I grabbed my bag.
"Of course, you don't have a driving license until next year," Haruka reminded me, already heading out the door.
"Alright, alright," I said, rolling my eyes as I hopped into the car.
"Get your seatbelt on," she ordered, starting the engine.
"Ready," I confirmed.
With that, she drove me to school. As I stepped out of the car, I noticed a few people glancing our way, whispering and snickering.
"Ugh…" I muttered under my breath, feeling self-conscious.
"Hm? What's wrong?" Haruka asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Nah, it's nothing... Take care, Haru-nee," I said, forcing a smile.
"See you at home, Meyya," she waved before driving off to her job. I trudged straight to my class, feeling the weight of the morning already. Once inside, I slumped into my seat, resting my head on the desk.
"It's still morning, and you're already this sleepy, Himeya?" a familiar voice teased.
I raised my head to see Hiro standing in front of me, grinning.
"Leave me alone, dude..." I grumbled, not in the mood for his antics.
"What's this? Is this about the rumor?" Hiro asked, his grin widening.
"Huh? What rumor?" I asked, genuinely confused.
"You know, the one about a high school boy who gets a ride with his sugar mommy every morning," Hiro said, barely suppressing a laugh.
"That's not my sugar mommy, that's my sister, idiot!" I snapped, glaring at him.
"Huh? Whoa, that's your sister?!" Hiro's eyes widened in shock.
"…Really?"
"I mean, don't get me wrong, your sister is beautiful but… damn, dude. You never told me about this?" he said, still looking surprised.
"Dude, we just met yesterday!" I shot back, rolling my eyes.
"Oh..." He went quiet, and the classroom filled with chuckles as a few of our classmates laughed at our exchange.
Ding Dong
The bell rang, signaling the start of class.
"Come on, get to your own seat," I told him, nodding towards his desk.
"Okay, okay..." Hiro muttered, walking away.
As I turned back, I noticed Touka watching me from across the room. She smiled softly when our eyes met, and I nodded back, feeling a small flutter in my chest.
'Whoa… that smile is cute… as expected from the main heroine,' I thought to myself, trying to hide a grin.
Maria-sensei entered the classroom, her presence instantly commanding attention. She started going over the homeroom lessons.
"Alright, the next lesson will be English," she announced. "Oh, and we haven't decided on our class president yet. Who wants to volunteer?"
The room fell silent, everyone avoiding eye contact.
"Well, if no one wants to be class president, I'll just pick someone. Shin Himeya," Sensei said, pointing at me.
"Ugh…" I groaned, caught off guard.
"Don't 'ugh' me. Can I trust you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"…Fine," I relented with a sigh.
"And for the vice president... how about you, Michigami Yuka?" Maria-sensei continued, turning her gaze to a red-haired girl.
"HUH?! Why me?!" Yuka exclaimed, looking utterly bewildered.
"…I trust you with this job, Michigami," Maria-sensei said.
"…Ugh…," she sighed, barely making eye contact.
...
"Looking forward to working with you, Michigami-san," I said, trying to sound optimistic.
"Tch." She clicked her tongue in annoyance, clearly unimpressed.
'Uwahhh, completely rejected,' I thought, feeling the weight of her cold shoulder. Despite that, she was now officially my vice president in this class.
After studying until break time, I decided to take a breather and headed out of the classroom, making my way to the school rooftop. It was a place I often visited to clear my head.
"…The wind feels so nice…" I murmured to myself, letting the cool breeze brush against my face.
Crunch-crunch
"Huh?!" I jumped, startled by the unexpected sound of someone eating.
...
To my surprise, a girl with striking red hair was sitting on the left side of the rooftop, her back against the railing. She was engrossed in her own world, munching away on a bag of chips as if it was the most normal thing to do during school hours. She didn't seem to notice me—or maybe she just didn't care. Her presence was calm, almost serene, in stark contrast to the noisy atmosphere below.
"What's with this red color?" I muttered to myself, squinting at the sky. I made my way to the right side of the rooftop and sat down, opening my lunch. It was my usual spot, away from the crowd, where I could enjoy some peace.
—After Eating—
"Thanks for the food, that was delicious," I said aloud, more out of habit than anything else. As I turned my head, I realized the girl who had been sitting nearby was gone. I scanned the rooftop but couldn't see her anywhere.
"…Where did she go…?"
*Creak*
The door to the rooftop opened, and the girl who usually sat behind me in class stepped through.
"Ah…"
"Ah…"
We both stood there awkwardly, neither of us knowing what to say.
…
…
"Y-yo…" I greeted her, breaking the silence first. She nodded slightly, then walked over to the right side of the rooftop—the same place I'd been sitting.
"…Miyako-san, do you usually come up here?" I asked, trying to make conversation.
"Yeah… 'cause the wind feels nice," she replied, her gaze fixed on the horizon.
"…I know, right?" I agreed, feeling the breeze brush past my face.
…
Another silence settled between us, the kind that's not entirely uncomfortable but heavy with unspoken thoughts.
"…"
"...Shin-kun, do you have a sugar mommy?" she suddenly asked, her tone casual, but her eyes sharp as she watched for my reaction.
"Wh—No! I don't! That's just my sister, you know!" I stammered, taken aback.
"Pfft… hahaha, I knew," she laughed, covering her mouth with her hand.
"You knew?"
"Well, it's a school rumor, so yeah. It's fake," she said, shrugging.
"Oh…"
"You believed it, didn't you?"
"What?"
"The rumor about me."
…
"I…"
Her expression turned sad, and she looked away.
"I knew it… you're the same as everyone," she said, her voice tinged with disappointment.
"No, I don't believe it!" I exclaimed, my voice louder than I intended.
"Huh?"
"Yeah, I don't believe anything about your rumor! You might be out at night, but that's because you have your reasons!" I blurted out, feeling my face flush. She looked genuinely surprised.
"Ah… sorry…" I lowered my head, realizing I might have overstepped. Why did I say that?
"Thank you…" she whispered.
"Huh?" I looked up to see Touka smiling—a genuine, soft smile that caught me off guard.
'HEY HEY WHAT'S WITH THAT SMILE?! IS THIS ANOTHER OF THE MAIN HEROINE POWERS?!' I panicked internally.
"I know it's the first time we're talking like this, but um... you can call me Touka," she offered shyly.
"…Y-yeah…"
"You can call me Himeya too!" I said, my voice shaking slightly.
"Yeah… I'll do that, Himeya-kun," she said with a gentle nod.
Ring-Ring
The bell rang, signaling the end of our rooftop encounter.
"We should get back to class," I said, standing up.
"Yeah…"
We walked back together, and as we entered the classroom, I could feel the eyes of a few students on us, whispering amongst themselves. Ignoring them, I went straight to my seat. Time seemed to drag, and before I knew it, the school day was over.
"Alright, time to go…" I muttered, grabbing my bag and standing up. I checked my watch, considering what to do next.
'I think I'll wander around the city.'
I headed towards the city, which wasn't far from school. Time flew by like dust in the wind, and before I knew it, it was late. As I was walking, I noticed a red-haired girl crossing my path. She didn't seem to notice me, maybe because I had my hoodie up, or perhaps she just didn't care.
I followed her discreetly, curious about where she was going. She entered a building up ahead—a hotel, of all places.
'A hotel? What's she doing here…?'
I hid behind the corner of the building, peeking out as I heard voices from the second floor. Suddenly, the girl tried to jump from the window.
"Ouch…" ???
She landed right on top of a guy I recognized immediately—Hiro.
"Are you okay?" he asked, concern etched on his face.
"Y-yeah, I'm fine…" Touka responded, wincing slightly.
"We have to run," she said urgently.
Both of them bolted, and I followed them discreetly to the square's park.
'This is… just like in the manga.'
From the cover of the trees, I watched as Hiro gently bandaged Touka's foot, which she must have hurt in her fall.
"Stay still…" Hiro said gently.
"...Ah… it hurts…" Touka winced.
I kept my distance, watching their conversation unfold.
"You are…?" Touka asked, her voice filled with curiosity.
"You don't know me? We're in the same class," Hiro replied, sounding a bit annoyed.
"Hmm… Are you someone with an easy face to remember?" she teased.
"That's rude! … I'm Hiro, Takamine Hiro," he said, trying to keep his cool.
"Oh… You're the one who called Himeya's sister hot," she remarked.
"Huh? No, I didn't… You know Himeya?"
"Of course, I know him, the guy with the unfazed look."
"Unfazed… pfft haha," Hiro laughed.
"I'm Touka, Miyako Touka. Everyone calls me Miya, though," she introduced herself.
…
'Should I just watch or interrupt them?' I debated internally.
"Hmm...? Isn't this Touka and Hiro?" I said aloud, pretending to stumble upon them by accident.
"Himeya? What are you doing here?" Hiro asked, looking surprised.
"I'm just taking a walk, you know," I replied casually.
"Huh? What happened to your foot, Touka?"
"Ah… This is…" Touka hesitated, glancing at Hiro.
"She fell," Hiro explained.
"Oh… Need any help, Touka?" I offered.
"…No, it's okay… I can walk home."
"I'll escort you," Hiro cut in.
"Huh?"
"I've got my bike with me," he added.
"Oh…"
'Right, Hiro already has his driving license.'
"Alright then, both of you be careful on your way, okay?" I said, trying to keep my tone light.
"Alright."
"See you tomorrow, Himeya," Touka said with a small wave.
"Yeah, see ya."
…
I watched them walk away, a sinking feeling settling in my chest.
"I guess I can't interfere… Fate…" I muttered to myself, feeling a mix of frustration and resignation.
This scene—it was like something out of the manga. I left the park, my mind clouded with jealousy, and headed home.
"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?!" Haruka's voice greeted me the moment I stepped through the door.
"I'm home…" I mumbled, not in the mood to explain.
"…" I ignored her and tried to head straight to my room.
"Himeya! Look at your sister when she's talking to you!"
I stopped and turned to meet her gaze.
"What is it…?" I asked flatly.
"…That look in your eyes…"
"Did something happen?" she probed.
"No… nothing happened," I lied.
"Don't lie to your big sis!"
"…Haru-nee…"
"C'mon, go take a bath and let's talk," she insisted.
"Yeah…" I sighed, heading to the bathroom. After my shower, I joined her in the living room.
"Now then, let's talk."
"I… I have an interest in a girl in my class…" I confessed, feeling my face heat up.
"HUH?!"
"W-what?"
"How the hell did you get interested in a girl before me?!"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, why would you try to go out with someone before your sister does!" she huffed.
"Alright, moving on… Her name is Miyako Touka," I continued, trying to steer the conversation back on track.
"Don't ignore me, dummy!"
"She's a girl with a rumor."
"What kind of rumor?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, it's not a good one," I admitted.
"What's so bad about it?"
"She's rumored to… you know, be involved with older men at night. But I know she's not really like that."
"How do you know?"
"I followed her today," I admitted.
"Uwah, Himeya…"
"Don't look at me like that! It was for proof!" I defended myself.
"Oh… okay."
"Don't just accept that so easily!"
"…Kayyy."
"When I followed her, I saw she was… in some kind of trouble, and she got hurt. I wanted to help, but then my friend showed up and stepped in."
"Oh… what's this? You're only a high schooler and you're already caught up in a love triangle? Your sister's going to be heartbroken, you know," she teased.
"…Haru-nee…" I glared at her.
"What?"
"There's also another rumor, and this time it's about me."
"What is it?"
"There's a rumor that I come to school
with a sugar mommy."
"UWAH!"
"WHAT KIND OF REACTION IS THAT?!" I exclaimed, incredulous.
"Is that about your sister?"
"Yes, Haru-nee…"
"Hmm? What's so wrong about having me around?"
"I'm just asking for advice, sis," I sighed.
"Ohh…"
"I think I'll just rest for the day," I said, feeling exhausted.
"Sure, get some sleep," she said, waving me off.
"Goodnight…"
"Goodnight, Himeya."
As I lay in bed, my thoughts kept drifting back to Touka and the events of the day. I didn't know what the future held, but one thing was clear—I couldn't just stand by and do nothing.