Chapter 1: The World Through a Window
The world outside was nothing more than a distant reality to Sora Nagi.
From his bedroom window, he watched the same streets, the same people, the same dull sky. It was routine—wake up, go to school, come back home, and lock himself away. No detours. No unnecessary interactions. No trust.
He pulled his hoodie over his head, adjusted his bag, and stepped outside. The walk to school was quiet, just the way he preferred. The sound of footsteps, the occasional passing car, and the distant chatter of students were all just background noise. He didn't care for any of it.
At school, he blended into the crowd like a shadow. No one called his name. No one looked his way. And he was fine with that. Or at least, that's what he told himself.
Until today.
It happened in a single moment—careless, unplanned.
As he turned a corner in the hallway, he collided with someone. A girl. His books fell to the floor, and for a second, he froze. His breath caught in his throat as he looked up.
She had soft brown eyes, framed by short dark hair, and a surprised expression that quickly turned into a small smile.
"Ah—sorry! Are you okay?"
Sora barely registered her words. His instinct told him to walk away, to ignore her like he did with everyone else. But something in her eyes stopped him.
That was the first time he met Nanako Shimuya.
And little did he know, from that moment on, his world would start to change.