The passage of time is marked by the ebb and flow of day and night, and only when the leaves begin to fall do we realize how swiftly it passes. The golden leaves drifting slowly from the treetops evoke reflections on the nature of time—whether their descent matches the speed of five centimeters per second is unknown, but their sight always stirs such thoughts.
"Fallen leaves have no scent, yet each carries the essence of the tree it came from," Yukio mused as he walked through the small grove beside the dormitory, gazing up at the crisp autumn sky and the sea of gold above.
Autumn truly was magical. Every season had its own distinct character—spring brought renewal, summer delivered heat, and winter promised cold and repose. Yet autumn, with its melancholy beauty, was the only season that could so profoundly evoke the passage of time and the transformations of life.
Other seasons—be it the budding growth of spring, the blazing sun of summer, or the snowflakes of winter—rarely inspired such reflections on the fleeting nature of time.
As Yukio passed a crooked tree, the autumn breeze swirled, lifting fallen leaves into the air as though they were drawn to the graceful figure of the girl standing nearby. The leaves circled Sakura, fluttering around her like a natural spotlight.
Even someone as accustomed to beauty as Yukio couldn't help but be momentarily stunned. Today, Sakura wasn't wearing her school uniform. In fact, she never did when it came to photography sessions.
Instead, she was dressed in a flowing pale-yellow long dress, perfectly suited to the autumn season. The dress gave her the appearance of a leaf that had just fallen from the branches, imbued with a dreamy sense of melancholy, as though she might disappear from the campus at any moment.
To enhance the aesthetic, she had paired the dress with a delicate leather belt, which accentuated the warm, sunny tone of the yellow fabric, adding brightness and vitality. The ensemble exuded a romantic French charm.
She had layered a stylish coat in a color similar to the leather belt over her dress, giving her a sharp and well-defined look. The coat emphasized her tall and slender frame, enhancing her elegance.
It had to be said—when it came to coordinating outfits to maximize her own beauty, Sakura might well be the most skilled person at AN High.
"Yukio-kun," Sakura called out softly, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush. With a small, surprised gasp, she hurried toward Yukio, her steps crunching against the fallen leaves as she approached.
Sakura's physical condition was something of a mystery. It was just a short distance, yet when she jogged over to Yukio, she was already slightly out of breath, her heart racing as if she had just run an 800-meter sprint.
From Sakura's perspective, it wasn't that she was tired—it was simply because she was too nervous. Being alone with Yukio in this setting, surrounded by falling leaves, and even skipping class with a fabricated sick leave… how could it not feel like a date?
And the mere thought of "dating" Yukio-kun made Sakura's heart thunder like a drum, leaving her too flustered to speak.
"That outfit suits you well, Sakura," Yukio remarked casually. He didn't find her behavior strange. In his view, Sakura had always been like this—a little timid, like a small, cautious hamster. She seemed this way around almost everyone.
Perhaps it was his compliment that made Sakura's heart flutter with joy, easing some of her nervousness. "It… it really suits me? That's good. I just thought this outfit felt like it matched the autumn season."
After speaking, Sakura couldn't help but smile. Only she knew how anxious she had been earlier, when she left her dorm dressed like this after calling in sick.
When she opened her dorm room door, she didn't dare step out immediately. Instead, she peeked out cautiously from behind the door like a squirrel stealing fruit, sticking out half her head to ensure the hallway was empty before stepping out.
Even in the elevator, she didn't stand normally, but instead shrank against the wall, terrified that when the doors opened on the first floor, a classmate might see her dressed so differently from her usual plain self.
Now, hearing Yukio's approval, Sakura felt immense relief and joy. All the effort she had put into her outfit, the nervousness she endured, and the heart-pounding moments along the way were worth it for his simple words.
"Honestly, I think you'd look good in anything, Sakura," Yukio added. It wasn't flattery—it was a natural thought. Beautiful people always look good, no matter what they wear. That's an undeniable truth of the world.
Yukio vaguely recalled seeing a short video in his past life that tested this very idea. Someone had cut a plain black trash bag into the simplest off-shoulder dress, and the result still looked amazing when worn.
But if it were Sakura in that situation? Yukio glanced at her briefly and imagined her wearing a black plastic bag. Hmm... the bag might just tear apart under her curves, wouldn't it?
"N-no way…" Sakura's face flushed even deeper, her gaze dropping so low it was almost buried in the ground. One small hand instinctively pressed against her chest, as if trying to keep her overexcited heart from leaping out of her throat.
Was she really as wonderful as Yukio-kun said? That couldn't be possible, right? Yukio-kun was such an outstanding guy—how could he possibly see her that way?
In truth, she had always felt inferior. From a young age, because of her well-developed figure, she had been called unpleasant nicknames. Yet, Yukio never looked at her strangely; he was always so kind and gentle toward her.
I wish I could stay in Yukio-kun's warmth forever. This feeling of love had dawned on her back during the uninhabited island exam. But... was she really worthy of Yukio-kun?
Whether it was Hiyori or Ichinose, both seemed so close to Yukio-kun. She wasn't as literary and graceful as Hiyori, nor as radiant and confident as Ichinose. Maybe... maybe it was better not to hope for too much.
Just being able to spend time like this—rare, precious moments alone with Yukio-kun—should be enough to satisfy her.
"Shall we start taking photos now?" Yukio asked, glancing around. He didn't notice that Sakura, head still bowed, was lost in a tangle of complex thoughts. "I've already walked around the area twice before coming over and didn't see anyone else. It's safe."
He hadn't been wandering aimlessly or stalling for time. He was simply honoring his promise to clear the area for Sakura's photoshoot.
Due to her prominent features, Sakura had been under constant scrutiny from others since childhood. This had shaped her introverted personality, her aversion to eye contact, and her fear of being noticed.
As a result, even for something as beloved as taking selfies, she could only hide away in small, secluded corners to take them. She couldn't include the many beautiful sceneries she loved in her photos.
That was why Yukio had made this promise: whenever Sakura wanted to take pictures, he would help clear the area for her.
"Thank you for the trouble, Yukio-kun," Sakura replied softly, her voice so quiet it was almost drowned out by the autumn breeze. "It's good that no one is here. That's a relief."
Murmuring such calming words, Sakura returned to the tree where she had set up earlier. Beneath the golden canopy, a tripod and camera were already in place, meticulously adjusted for height, lighting, and sensitivity to capture the perfect shot.
Sakura set the timer and then naturally stepped in front of the lens. She raised both hands behind her head to undo the braid tied at the back. Her sakura-pink hair cascaded down like a waterfall.
Accompanied by the clear click of the shutter, the camera captured this stunning moment.
Yukio instinctively raised a hand to wipe under his nose. Thankfully, it was just a bit warm—no nosebleeds. The reason was simple: Sakura's presence was overwhelmingly striking, catching him completely off guard.
If it were an ordinary girl undoing her braid, it wouldn't have been particularly remarkable. But this was Sakura!
It was well known that raising both hands behind one's head naturally lifts the chest, and this happened to be Sakura's most pronounced feature. The exaggerated curves pushed upward created a striking silhouette, emphasized by the creases forming in her pale yellow dress. In that instant, she utterly captured Yukio's attention.
Sakura Airi—her expressions truly came alive only in the moments she stood in front of a camera. To Yukio, she looked as if she were a radiant beauty born from the swirling autumn leaves, an enchanting muse of the season.