From that moment, I began to get to know my new friends. In the midst of this new environment, surrounded by strangers, I felt nervous. I didn't know how to start a conversation. But Ren, my new friend who seemed so friendly, always initiated it. He was always curious to know more about me, and sometimes, I would throw questions back at him—about his past, dreams, and hopes for the future.
We were in the middle of a conversation when suddenly, the teacher called on a student to introduce herself in front of the class. Distracted from my chat with Ren, I quickly turned my attention to the front. Our eyes followed the girl who slowly stepped forward.
"Hello, everyone, I'm Setsuna Matsuzaki," she said, her voice soft yet clear.
Her skin was fair, her face cute, and her voice... so sweet. I was mesmerized. Out of all the girls I had seen, she had something different—something that made her stand out in my eyes. I was so focused on her that I didn't even notice Ren watching me.
"So, the pretty girl starts talking, and you can't take your eyes off her, huh?" Ren nudged me with a small laugh.
I jolted, feeling a bit nervous, and tried to hide my embarrassment. "What? No way. I was just... confused, that's all, haha," I replied, attempting to sound casual, though my face felt hot. Ren laughed even harder, making me feel even more awkward.
Our conversation continued endlessly. Ren and I kept talking as if the world around us didn't exist. We almost always missed the teacher's explanations, lost in our own discussions. But that day, our bad luck caught up with us.
"Mirai, Ren!" the teacher's voice suddenly cut through the classroom chatter. We were startled. All the students' eyes turned toward us. My heart raced as the teacher scolded us for not paying attention. With red faces, Ren and I were called to the front of the class.
The teacher decided to punish us. "You two, sing in front of the class," she ordered in a flat tone, though there was a slight smile at the corner of her lips.
I froze. Sing? In front of everyone? On the first day of school? It was embarrassing, but we had no other choice. Ren and I reluctantly sang. Our off-key voices matched the tune of the song, causing the entire class—even the teacher—to laugh. I felt so foolish, but from the corner of my eye, I saw Setsuna laughing. For some reason, seeing her smile brought me a warm feeling. My heart suddenly felt light. In that moment, I promised myself that I wanted to see her laugh again and again.
After the punishment was over, we returned to our seats. As I walked back to my desk, I glanced at Setsuna, who was still smiling. Something inside me urged me to get to know her better.
Day by day, my desire to talk to Setsuna grew stronger. Every time I saw her surrounded by her friends, doubts and hesitations filled my mind. But one day, I made up my mind. That day, I decided to approach her during the break. I walked confidently toward her desk, my heart pounding. But just a few steps away, I suddenly felt someone pull me back.
"Hey, Mirai! What are you up to?" Ren's cheerful voice rang out. I turned and saw him grinning widely. "If you're not busy, let's go to the cafeteria. I'm starving."
I stood there, disappointed, but I couldn't refuse. I had always been a loyal friend, and Ren was my best friend. So even though my heart was still set on Setsuna, I could only nod and follow him to the cafeteria, silently harboring my frustration.
"It's okay," I muttered to myself. "There's always tomorrow, the next day, or next week. I'll definitely talk to her. Definitely."