A lonely, sentimental boy was noticed. He was not far from Sora's table. He observed him further, as if his eyes saw him for the very first time.
It was noon. The past few days after meeting Miyuki made him feel nervous. He looked away from the noticed student and glanced forward at the board, his fingertips tapped the table, continuously, out of habit.
"Hey." A dark figure approaches behind him. Sora nervously turned around as the voice crept him out.
"I noticed you staring at me, what's up?"
"O-oh! Hahaha! It's nothing, really. My eyes tend to analyze everything that's possibly seen."
The classmate made a light expression of surprise, his mouth slightly opened. "Ah, I guess it really was nothin'."
"The name's Hiroto, by the way."
"Oh? I'm Sora. Nice to meet'cha."
Sora stood up as they both shook their hands. A new bond was created, even without its valid intention, from the beginning.
"Well... Guess we'll be heading back to our businesses, amirite?"
"Hahaha! Will do, Hiroto-san."
They both went back to their seats, as if nothing happened between them.
Hiroto sat back in his respective seat. His eyes wandered around outside, observing students, one by one. It was all just an ordinary day for him.
Two youthful girls from the same class, 2-A had just arrived.
"I'm telling you, Hana-chan! He's not real! He's a 2d character!"
"WHAT!?"
Out of shock, Hanabi made a small squeak. They just came back after Aiko's friend, Yuku Natsuko, called them over.
"B-but... Aiko-chan. He looks so real!"
"Sorry! I guess I shouldn't have shown you this art picture."
Hanabi had a devastated look on her face. Her head was then patted by Aiko, out of pity.
"Oh?"
"...hmm?"
The two classmates caught a glimpse of each other. The eyes of Hiroto met the beautiful pupils of Hanabi, they paused out of the blue.
"Hana-chan..?" Aiko called out her name, though an expected response couldn't be heard by her.
What's this? This sensation feels familiar. Had I ever encountered this approach? Running thoughts raced through her head, in a matter of milliseconds.
She snapped out, her pupils dilated back as she turned back to her waiting friend. "Mhm? Aiko-chan? What's wrong?"
Hanabi had always been known as the class's deepest day dreamer. Imaginations were like fireworks to her, just like her name, "Hanabi."
Aiko, noticing the situation, led a small grin on her face. "Heh, tell me all about it."
"Whaddya mean!?"
"Ah, you'll find out."
"Gah! Tell me...!"
"Hmm... Maybe later."
The two went back to their ordinary atmosphere, leaving the clueless Hiroto in thought. "Oh? Who is she?" He asked himself, quietly.
"So it's decided?"
"You bet!"
In class 2-B, a discussion of the football captains was held. For the future of each other's respectable classes in the upcoming cultural event.
"I got your back. You can count on me with the piano!" Said Akihisa Momiji, with a cheery tone in his voice.
"You honestly play quite well. Ever considered uploading videos on the internet?"
"Oh, hmm... My mind had always been on the smooth keys... I'll consider it."
Akihisa left with an honest response. He sat back on his seat, heading back to his studies as he flipped his past year test sheets.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the classroom...
"Hey, hey. Yuriko-chan~?"
"Hmm? Got somethin' for me? "
"Have you ever heard of the Setsuzoku curse?"
"...Setsuzoku?"
A gossip of rumors had started by the whispering Yuku Natsuko.
"Y'know... You share a lot about these rumors. It's as if you talk about them at least once a week." Mentioned Yuriko.
"Hehehe... It's only a rumor."
"You're scarin' me!"
Chills ran Yuriko's spine. Her sharp eyes illuminate a luminous presence of the uncertainty. Yuriko was getting nervous. They say rumors were not meant to be spread nor believed, but as they all say, everything has an exception.
"A-and then?"
"Whenever a pair, no matter the order, happens to walk into the same room where the Setsuzoku resides, they will..."
"They will...?"
"They will then feel the same amount of pain at the same time, at the same spot."
Yuriko sat there, out of speech. "But it's just a rumor. Don't fear." Yuku tries to stop the thriller. Even after explaining the whole gossip with a straight face, combining her deep, creepy voice.
"O-okay! Okay! That's enough!" Yuriko's expressions changed, intending to switch the atmosphere into a positive one.
Rumors spread across,
Like raindrops from the grey clouds,
Fell back to the sea,
Rising back like the sunrise,
Making and spreading anew.
Her keen ears heard the unnoticed gossip, Miyuki, in her daily life alone for most of her time in class. No one to speak nor socialize, in exception to the busy Konan. It makes her ponder if she had an extroverted side deep within her, or perhaps she's been in solitude for quite too long?
"Eek!" A sudden pain was felt from her feet, and it seems like it came from her toes. This sudden feeling has been going on ever since the first semester started. Repetitively. Perhaps the rumors were true? Various bizarre conclusions, running through her head. Made her seem the most anxious woman in the world.
She shook her head and inhaled, deeply. One mustn't come to such conclusions, she reminded herself.
Conclusions aside, she laid her head on the table, her snow white pupils continued to observe the atmosphere outside, only to see a familiar face wandering around.
"Shimazaki-san?" Miyuki noticed as she whispered his name. She got out of her seat, walking towards the oblivious Sora.
"Oh? It's you!"
"We meet again, Shirosaki-san."
They were now reunited, once again.
"What brings you here?" She asked, out of curiosity.
"I was, umm... Alone. Hide and Aishi had other things to take care of. I'm just here, roaming around. Like a ghost." He answered, with a bright face but also in a lower tune.
"Let's chat as we walk together, Shimazaki-san!"
"E-eh!? Just the two of us!?"
Sora gulped after hearing those very words, accepting the suggestion in the process. "Well, sure." He nodded.
"Oh, and you don't have to be so formal, just call me Sora."
"Then... Call me Miyuki."
They walked away from class 2-B with their restless feet. The conversation between Sora and Miyuki seemed like it could take an eternity. The possibilities of their social chattering were various.
Not only did they take a step away from class 2-B, but a step forward of their friendship together, it has sprouted like the roses in spring, after the harsh cold winter.