Walking down the familiar suburban streets of Uji had Raichi on a walk down memory lane. He returned from an outing with his childhood friends. It only emphasized just how much he had actually missed his hometown.

  He looked around, and a middle-aged man waved to another. As locals, most could recognize each other from time to time, given the relatively small community.

  Each step he took was a step closer to a special, cherished space of his own. A bench, under the unforgettable giant ginkgo tree, which lay untouched long before his birth. One of the last things he had laid his eyes on before leaving for Nara back in middle school, roughly two years having passed.

  On the way there, exhilaration rapidly built up inside him. It had been ages since he was able to let loose. He could read just about anywhere, yes—but the bench had a distinct air to it.

  Much to Raichi's excitement, there it was. The black reins and old bricks of the local children's park. The artificial pond with a bridge built over it, a miniature grass pitch, and a poorly built cobblestone path that led to the ginkgo tree. Something about it was amiss, however.

  There were three different benches inside the park, and two of them were occupied by families and their children.

  As Raichi looked for the third one, the bench he had been eying, he put his hand over his bangs to see, his vision being blocked by the sun.

  That's when he spotted the bench—occupied by a girl. The shadow of the giant tree loomed over her, making it hard to tell her features apart.

  Oh… someone's already here, huh…

  He didn't want to keep staring, so he let his eyes go. However, he had no intention of dropping it; he desired to sit on that bench again.

  Raichi wouldn't want to let this chance slip from his fingers, even if he had to read beside a stranger. But of course, manners were second-nature to him.

  He approached the girl after taking the cobblestone path.

  ''Um, I apologize for… disturbing your peace, but…''

  He shrank a bit upon seeing her expression close-up.

  To say the girl was down in the dumps would be an understatement.

  Whatever her reason to stop by may be, he knew it was private. And so, he took it upon himself to show her the sincerity most wouldn't show the likes of him.

  ''Are you okay?''

  The girl raised her head, her bangs no longer covering her face.

  ''I don't know.''

  Her words were raspy.

  ''...I see.'' He looked away, nervous. ''Would you mind if I sat beside you? I've missed this place dearly, you see.''

  A pause. The ginkgo leaves swung in the wind above them.

  ''Go ahead.''

  He put his weight on the bench beside the girl, placing the book he had been carrying with him between the two of them. He didn't want to pry, nor was he here to play a hero or anything like that.

  But the least he could do was not stay silent like he had gotten accustomed to doing these past years. Who knows what this girl had been through?

  Her hair was notably in shambles. Styled in a bob with twin braids falling beneath her neck, it resembled vines. Her golden yellow hairband held her bangs from falling. The girl's round glasses were askew in this position, and she had bags under her eyes.

  If it wasn't for his lackadaisical attitude after hanging out with his only friends and reconnecting with them, he frankly wouldn't care.

  For one, he would be afraid of being misjudged. But, to see someone this broken, about to collapse in his safe haven, he thought that he must bring them comfort. Therapy wasn't his strong suit, and he didn't want to offer words of honey that felt inauthentic, but he knew he had to try.

  ''I often would come here—before I moved away, that is…''

  The girl didn't respond, but Raichi was determined to probe around the edges.

  He continued.

  ''Whenever I stop by, I never forget to bring a book or two with me. To bask in the quiet of this park, home to many of my memories.''

  He could feel her eyes on him now. That was a good sign. That meant he had gotten her attention, somewhat. To be safe, he avoided looking at her himself.

  ''I heard this ginkgo tree is even older than my uncles back in Nara… and that the community has continued to preserve it for so many years, making a park around it before I was even born. That's… crazy, isn't it?''

  She nodded, finally making something remotely resembling a sound.

  The girl then spoke up, loud enough for Raichi to hear.

  ''Do you…'' She stuttered. ''Have anything you like about this particular place?''

  Looks like his attempts at making her feel at home had done the trick.

  A smile tugged at the edge of his lips.

  ''Why, I do. One of the many parts of this city that I missed was this park. When my mother explained the history of this park to me… I was nothing short of fascinated. Like a bird claiming its nest, I felt like I already belonged here.''

  There was a silence before the girl changed her position. She had been hugging her knees, trying to hide her expression.

  Her posture still slouched, she let her legs touch the ground.

  She put her hands on her lap. ''I see… I didn't know this tree was this old…''

  ''Right? So, do you have any particular fondness for this spot like I do?''

  The girl shook her head, gazing at the apartment blocks a distance away.

  ''Not really. But your hospitality is much appreciated.''

  Raichi cocked an eyebrow. ''H-Hospitality?''

  ''You said you always come to this bench in particular, didn't you?'' She let out a sigh. ''I didn't mean to take your spot. I apologize for that.''

  Raichi waved his hands in denial. ''No, no! It's not like I own this bench. I don't have a single issue with sharing it…''

  Raichi tried to assure her, but her mood seemed dim. But at the very least, he managed to make her recover. He couldn't hold back his smile.

  One of the things he wouldn't ever admit out loud was that he loved helping people with every opportunity he had. But of course, he wanted to help himself, too. So he grabbed the book from beside him, opening its spine with delicate touches.

  ''You're… going to read, aren't you?''

  She looked at him out of the corner of her eye.

  Raichi nodded. ''Yup. If you need anything, you can interrupt me at any given time.''

  ''No, I am more than thankful for all that you had to say. I won't get in your business, so please, go ahead and continue reading…''

  ''Fine by me. But don't force yourself to leave this bench, okay? It's public space, after all…''

  ''O-Okay…''

  The last thing he would want is someone having a hard time here on this bench, where he had been the happiest in his life.

  To see someone in such a sorry state would hurt him greater. He hoped her grim mood would brighten up as he kept reading, saving the option to show the book to her as a trump card.

  For the longest time, he had felt like a piece of him was missing, like a puzzle piece-shaped hole on his back. Was it something he left back in Uji? If it were, would he have found it by now?

  Raichi thought the missing piece might lie inside his love for books. He rummaged through this book many times since moving away, hoping that it might be inside.

  For it was a special copy of this specific book. Starters, this was written by Miyamoto-san, who was starting to get popular with the current generation. The writer had been digging nothing but stone for so long, and Raichi had been lucky just to get a piece of coal, a signed copy of one of his early works.

  He'd revere the day he had waited in line when he was just a little child, meeting a young Miyamoto-san in the eye. As his eyes slid over the intricate writing, out of the corner, he could see that the girl's gaze was fixated on the book too, open wide.

  Raichi let the book down.

  Wait, her face…

  ''Is… something wrong?''

  The girl, for some reason, looked at him as if she had seen a ghost, her hands clutching her skirt.

  ''Is that a Miyamoto-san book!?''

  The volume of her voice shot up, causing Raichi to close the book his hands shaking.

  ''It is! You know who Miyamoto-san is?''

  ''I–I… I have to—''

  Her eyes drooped downward onto the book and flung back up to him in seconds.

  She then sprang up from her seat like she had been shocked right back into motion.

  ''I have to get out of here! G–Goodbye!''

  ''W–Wait, Miss, are you okay?''

  She sprinted away like her life depended on it, now past the cobblestone and by the park's gates.

  ''I'm—I'm so sorry!''

  Raichi got up from his seat, watching her leave his sight now in pure shock. He examined the book in his hands, wondering,

  ''Did I… offend her somehow?''

  Raichi couldn't read. Not anymore. As he realized what he had done, a feeling of guilt gnawed at him. So much for clean slates, he thought.

  ''I made her feel afraid, didn't I?"

  He surmised that people thinking ominously of him back then weren't undoubted and lingered even now. The girl fleeing only drove the idea further.

  That void he felt in himself was aching.

  ??????

  There are many ways to eat one's food, at least for humans. And yet, it was obvious pecking at your bowl of rice wasn't a practical way of consuming it. And, Raichi's mother, Sato Emiko, seemed to be of that opinion.

  ''Quit eating your rice grain by grain, young man! You're at the dining table, not the counter of the bookstore!''

  She scolded, her hotheadedness shining through.

  ''Sorry, sorry.''

  Emiko's expression shifted, her full hands stopping her from putting a hand on his son's shoulder.

  ''What's with your appetite tonight, Raichi?''

  ''Nothing, really.'' He shrugged. ''I just… dazed off for a second.''

  Raichi's father, Tetsuya Sato, watching the mother-son conversation as he chowed down with subtle interest, smiled in earnest.

  ''Don't forget, son.'' He chimed in. ''You're going to be helping me out with sorting the books down at the bookstore tomorrow. That is—if you really do want me to put your dearest Miyamoto-san's books in the Editor's Picks section.''

  ''I-I do!''

  Raichi raised his voice as if his father had touched a nerve.

  ''Then you'd better get all the energy you can get. It'll be a tiring day.''

  ''Okay…''

  Raichi went back to eating his rice in a normal portion.

  ''Is this how you bribe our son, dear?'' Emiko teased, grinning. ''You know, if you so wished, he would have to help us out.''

  ''I know,'' Tetsuya assured his wife. ''But I also know he'd do it for free either way. I'd prefer to reward my son's efforts…''

  ''Ohh!'' She gasped childishly. ''How sweet of you!''

  Raichi looked over at them, grimacing.

  ''I don't get any say in this…?''

  ''Nobody said that, son.''

  With his head still lingering above the clouds, Raichi's family dinner was spent gnawing at past events. And his family, ever the couple of professionals, had nothing else to talk about other than their second-hand bookshop downstairs.

  He thought he stuck out like a sore thumb among his family of literati. Raichi would find that he wouldn't be able to catch a wink of sleep that day.

  ??????

  Five days following the events at the park, he was on his way to another casual get-together with his two friends.

  As expected of him, he wasn't punctual in the least, getting himself too caught up in reading.

  There weren't a few days left until second term would be showing its ugly head. To celebrate his soon-to-be arrival at Suihō High, the gang wanted to do all sorts of things together.

  They kept me out of the loop on purpose. Was Hiroshi up to no good again?

  As he approached the corner, Hiroshi's conspicuous yellow hair caught his eye, similar to a lion's mane. When Raichi had been staring at the top of his head, Hiroshi raised an eyebrow.

  ''Oi! Do I have something on my face or what?!''

  Hiroshi's yelling across the street had Nao next to him laughing out loud.

  ''That shiny head of yours is nothing to scoff at, Hiroshi.''

  Raichi had truly missed the feeling of going outside to find warm smiles and the brightest of expressions welcoming him.

  ''Raicchi!!''

  Nao cheered, as bubbly and full of life as she always was.

  ''H–Hi…''

  Raichi had a hard time matching their energy, but tried his best shot.

  Hiroshi, the lion's mane himself, had changed his hair since the last time Raichi had seen him face to face.

  He used to resemble a sly fox, and it seemed like he went on to embrace that.

  Grown out his sandy blond hair, he left it tousled and wild, with some of it swept back to the side.

  His crimson-red eyes, sharp and cunning, had the look of a schemer with a side serving of mischief. As he did now, he smirked rather than smiled. This wicked expression of his was his trademark.

  However, under the sneaky-guy facade was the caring childhood friend he had known since middle school.

  ''Are you ready, my dude?''

  Raichi tilted his head. ''Ready for what?''

  ''Why, I was thinking of sneaking into the school today. To give you a tour of the school grounds, of course!''

  That was when Nao suddenly slapped Hiroshi on the shoulder.

  She lashed out, a crack in her voice.

  ''I told you to let that idea go, didn't I, you idiot?!''

  Nao's common sense kept the group grounded, and it was still evident. Compared to Nao, Hiroshi was a knucklehead. Despite the bond the two boys shared, Raichi's bond with Nao had a stronger foundation.

  The color blue was the best way to describe her. Her unmistakable blue bob, the side, sanguine ponytail were features that stood out in a crowd. Her turquoise, sky-colored eyes were a source of light in his life, along with Hiroshi. She also had freckles that dotted along the bridge of her nose, bringing out her tomboyish charm even more. She had donned two, distinctly colored hairpins on her bangs, which were alien to Raichi.

  ''Well…'' Raichi tried to speak up, ''I guess I wouldn't mind seeing it…''

  Nao blinked, and as if she had been triggered by a feature in her system, she crossed her arms in confidence.

  ''In that case, we will.''

  Hiroshi pointed at her, shocked. ''Whoa, what a 180!''

  ''Hey, you came up with that idea of yours without his permission, Hiroshi… we will only look through the gates, not break inside…''

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  Hiroshi scoffed cockily.

  ''You're only saying that because Raichi would be hesitant about it.''

  ''And you're the one who didn't tell the guy what we had planned!''

  Raichi couldn't hold in his amusement, and watched happily as his two friends argued over him. Knowing that, despite all that he had been through and been witness to, his friends still thought the same of him. He felt bad about interrupting it.

  ''Actually,''

  Hiroshi and Nao turned their heads toward him, waiting for input.

  ''I'm happy as long as we have fun.''

  ''Really!?''

  Fiery passion burning in their eyes, Hiroshi and Nao put their hands out. In unison—

  ''Rock, paper, scissors, shoe!''

  It was decided then and there, the decisive winner being Nao, her rock squashing Hiroshi's scissors down to the ground, along with his hopes and dreams vanishing into thin air.

  ''Noo! Damn it!'' He dramatically fell to his knees. ''Best of three, Nao-chan! I beg of you!''

  Nao, standing proud, crossed her arms together.

  ''Noope! I won, fair and square! And I say that we visit the school anyway.''

  ''H–Huh?'' Hiroshi paused. ''If you were gonna decide on that in the end, why challenge me at all?!''

  ''Because we're not gonna break in, dummy! We'll observe from outside! I said that already, didn't I!?''

  ''Uggh.''

  It's funny… how nothing has changed at all. It makes me… happy.

  Hiroshi and Nao's bickering was music to his ears. Perhaps it was because he yearned for such old memories.

  During his time away from Uji, his isolation hit him where it hurt. But he was now with decent company—the only company he had.

  post-cool off from her victory pose, Nao tugged Raichi on the shoulder.

  ''Soo, Raicchi… anything out of the ordinary these past few days? How's getting used to Uji?''

  ''Ah.''

  Raichi's breath hitched, not used to being read like the books constantly on him.

  ''...That reaction's telling me something's up!'' Hiroshi chimed in, smirking. ''We both know you suck at lying, dude.''

  ''Hhm, hhm!'' Nao seemed to agree. ''Maybe you went to the new bakery from the other day?''

  ''You think Raichi here would be that worried over some sweets?''

  ''Hey, I was throwing a wild guess, is all!''

  Raichi struggled to compose himself. He tried to find the words or a way to describe the happenstance.

  ''Um, something happened in the park a few days ago.''

  Best he could come up with.

  However, Nao's expression remained nonchalant.

  ''Oh, that?'' She tapped a finger on her lip. ''I've heard about it. They're saying that some shady guy was seen talking to a girl at the park the other day. Kinda blew up in the neighbourhood, apparently.''

  What?!

  Raichi was frozen solid, his eyes open wide.

  Once again, he was in the crosshairs of gossip, kilometers away from the last instance of it.

  Hiroshi leaned forward. ''Were you there, Raichi?''

  No way of deflecting the situation present, Raichi admitted, his voice quiet.

  ''F-Far worse. That creep they are talking about was… probably me.''

  At first, Nao and Hiroshi brushed off Raichi's admission.

  The disbelief took a few seconds to be instilled in their mind.

  ''Huh!?''

  ''Seriously?!'

  ''I wish I were joking.''

  Raichi stared down at the concrete, unable to comprehend his role in the happenstance.

  His attempts at comforting the girl ended up making her flee, perhaps to safety, away from where she felt like she was in danger.

  All he wished to do was to make her feel okay, and according to the gossip, his attempts had the opposite effect.

  ''What do you mean? Raicchi, you better explain!''

  ''Yeah, dude…'' Hiroshi rubbed the back of his neck, half-bewildered. ''I find it hard to believe that someone like you turns out to be a creep!''

  Raichi scratched his head.

  ''I'll… tell you everything in detail. I'm not sure what happened myself.''

  He proceeded to tell the events that took place at the park from his perspective, like a witness in the courtroom. From how he approached the saddened girl, tried to ease whatever burden she had been going through, and how she mysteriously ran away the instant she saw the book in his hands…

  Minutes had passed.

  ''...That's what happened. I was so confused that I just continued to aimlessly sit on that bench for a few hours.''

  The slack-jawed childhood friends looked at one another, then looked back at Raichi.

  Hiroshi broke the ice. ''That's it?! So much for a shady guy…''

  ''Let me get this straight, she ran just from seeing a book?''

  Raichi gave a slow nod.

  ''I guess so. I still don't understand it…'' He downcast his eyes. ''I just hope that I didn't scare her off, that I made her afraid of me.''

  Hiroshi's grin faded, along with his amusement. A certain bookworm failed to read the room.

  He probed,

  ''Say that again?''

  ''Am I wrong?'' Raichi muttered under his breath. ''Maybe I really did scare her, considering that… I was weird enough to gossip about.''

  Hiroshi attempted to stop him.

  ''Ookay. That's enough.''

  He grabbed Raichi on the shoulder and, in a swift motion, dragged him in front of him, their eyes meeting.

  ''What are you—''

  Nao tried to intervene, but Hiroshi stopped her with a gesture. His voice flat, unprecented for the boisterous Hiroshi, he continued.

  ''Don't say stuff like that, Raichi-kun.''

  Nao let out a sigh. ''As much as I don't agree with your method of consoling him, I agree.''

  ''What is happening?''

  His gaze wandered over his two childhood friends, the disquieted look on their faces oblivious to him.

  ''The fact that you actually think you did something wrong pisses me off, Raicchi.''

  Nao said, unclear whether she was mad at herself or him.

  Raichi kept his eyes downcast.

  ''I was just… trying to be decent. But she still ran away, unfortunately. If it were me, I wouldn't wanna sit next to someone like me, either.''

  ''Oi, oi.'' Hiroshi karate-chopped Raichi's shoulders the instant he was done speaking. ''That's it. Don't do that. Are you insane? Think about what you're saying.''

  Hiroshi pointed an index finger at him.

  His voice commanding, he continued—

  ''That 'I'm creepy' act of yours is more than over. You're not allowed to do that just because some—excuse me, random hags on the street with too much time on their hands said something so absurd without even knowing who you are.''

  Nao's reaction suggested she was of the same opinion.

  ''He's right. You were being thoughtful, weren't you? You said you even made her comfortable enough to talk back.''

  Raichi's eyes almost teared up at the realization. He searched for Nao's face, vision blurring for a split second.

  ''You didn't chase her, nor did you force her hand." She smiled. "You respected her space but also didn't intrude. That's more than most would've done.''

  Hiroshi let go, trembling back with a loud huff.

  Like some sort of superhero, he put his hands on his hips.

  ''You're… weird sometimes, but not in a bad way. Think of it like, 'this guy reads too many romantic comedies, ' y'know what I mean?''

  Nao smacked him on the shoulder.

  ''Ow! What was that for?''

  She calmly nodded to herself, scoffing. ''As accurate as that is, you've done more than enough, Hiroshi.''

  My friends… they're just too good for me. I'm the luckiest I've ever been. I need to be more grateful.

  Raichi felt like he was being pampered, and truth be told, his friends were the one thing keeping him afloat during times like these.

  ''Thanks. It just—felt really awful. I wanted to help her, not scare her away.''

  Nao giggled, back to her zipper self.

  ''Judging by the way you described it, you likely did just that.'' She met his gaze. ''You couldn't know what she was going through, but your instincts told you to respect it. And maybe, just sitting beside her, and idly chatting with her, meant more to her than you think.''

  ''Hahaha!''

  Hiroshi slapped Raichi in the back, making him stumble.

  ''Besides, your new classmates will have common sense, unlike those aunties who saw you!''

  ''Then I'll just have to make a good first impression.''

  Nao put her hands in the air. ''That's the spirit!''

  Fidgeting, he was unable to focus on the conversations that followed.

  It was hard not to smile on the way over. That warm, tingly feeling of being loved and cared for is something he had only been experiencing from family for quite a long time.

  Suihō High. It certainly wasn't as high-quality as it claimed to be, but calling it above average wasn't wrong. If he had stayed in Uji, he would have been studying here too, much like Hiroshi and Nao.

  From the front gates, the large school grounds had natural stone steps, as well as patches of flowers that seemed like they were regularly watered.

  And further away, the windows, which had their curtains open, somewhat offered a view of the classrooms. Upon arrival,

  Hiroshi stretched, his eyes landing on one of the classrooms.

  ''I wonder if the Acing Bookworm's still aiming for that top spot of hers? What was her full name again? Yamada something?''

  Nao's curiosity piqued.

  ''Oh yeah, you mean Yamada Yaori.'' She put her hand on her chin. ''She's the whole reason why the class average isn't so low.''

  ''You say that like it is a bad thing.''

  ''Of course not. But she did sit in front of me for a while, and I remember seeing her not actually study as much as people make her out to be. She mostly just kept reading books.''

  What are they going to say…?

  Raichi, in the dark about the identity of the girl they were talking about, kept the conversation within arm's reach.

  The conversation was starting to emit a foreboding sense of third tense.

  Hiroshi scoffed.

  ''Is that so? She is often pretty sleepy, though.''

  ''Who knows?'' She shrugged, ''Maybe it is from all the night reading binges or something.''

  Being witness to this conversation felt like he was being tickled on the wrong spot. It shouldn't bother him, yet at the same time, the way his friends were treating this girl based on her reputation like a display, felt stinging. Possibly even worse, personal.

  Hiroshi's brows furrowed. ''She also doesn't talk unless prompted, either.''

  ''Kind of cold though, don't you think?'' She kicked a rock on the ground. ''Not in like, a bad way. But more or less, unreadable.''

  ''Also, isn't she from around here?''

  ''Yeah,'' She nodded multiple times. ''I've seen her around these parts, especially the book shop. Kind of like how I always see you, Raicchi.''

  Nao referred to him just now, but didn't expect an answer.

  Hiroshi raised an eyebrow.

  ''Interesting.''

  Raichi, unable to meet his friends in the eye, hesitantly spoke up.

  ''...You guys are talking about her like she is some sort of myth.''

  He hoped his line would be enough of a sign for his friends to pick up on.

  The two friends looked back and forth at each other.

  Nao scratched the back of her neck, letting out a sigh.

  ''That's true. Guess there isn't a difficulty talking to someone when they don't talk back…''

  Hiroshi shrugged in agreement.

  ''I mean, you'd be correct. None of us is even that close, other than the usual and formal school chatter.''

  Raichi let out a sigh of relief, as his words seemed to have put a halt to the gossip before it could get demeaning.

  I wouldn't expect you two to resort to gossip.

  Ever since he had moved to Nara, from experience, Raichi had started to obsess over the meaning behind his words and actions heavily. As such, his friends talking about someone they weren't familiar with was personal, whether intentional or not.

  ''B–By the way,''

  Raichi had something else to say.

  ''Wouldn't the school be open because of club work? I think we should… try getting in regardless.''

  ''Hey… you're right!''

  Hiroshi wasted no second as he started sprinting toward the main door. Looking over his shoulder, he yelled out to Raichi and Nao.

  ''Last one there is a rotten egg!''

  ''W-Wait, dumbass!''

  Nao followed behind him, a zip in her steps.

  ''C'mon, Raicchi! I'm not letting this idiot beat me!''

  ''Right behind you!!''

  Among the trio of childhood friends, Raichi knew he had the least stamina among them. It was hard to keep the likes of Hiroshi entertained with so little enthusiasm.

  Regardless, every minute he spent with them, Raichi felt like he belonged, and that's what really mattered to him.

  At the very least, Nao later offered to become the rotten egg for Raichi's sake.

  ??????

  The next thing on Raichi's bingo card was not getting a private tour of the school early, but here he was, most of the school now memorized in his head.

  On the way, they even encountered a few of Hiroshi's pals, who left a lasting impression on him. Nao and Hiroshi wanted to leave the best for last, or so they said.

  Taking a right turn, they ran upon the class 1-B door. It was their classroom.

  ''And… here we are!''

  Nao slid the door open, amused. But upon opening the door, she took a step back, almost clashing into Hiroshi.

  ''Y-Yamada-san? What are you doing here?''

  Yamada-san? Isn't that… the girl they mentioned back at the gates?

  Raichi couldn't see with Nao in the way, but Hiroshi inserted himself in front. His trademark casualty on display, he was the first to enter inside.

  ''Yo, Yamada-san? Are you already preparing for the second term?''

  The view was blocked by his two friends until Raichi shoved himself in between.

  So she is… Yamada-san, huh?

  The girl, Yamada Yaori, sat in one of the front seats by the window, was reading a book in the silence of the empty classroom before Hiroshi called out to her.

  Her head raised to meet Hiroshi's gaze, blinking. She didn't utter a word.

  He had a strange sense of deja vu upon entering the classroom. Not because he had barged in on a girl reading before, but because he had been in the exact position as her.

  From experience, he could tell right away that their presence made her feel uneasy.

  The girl clutched the book in her shaky hands.

  ''Um, no—no, not really.''

  The pages susurrated when Raichi was the one glancing at her.

  He ran his eyes over the book, and his mouth gaped at the title.

  'A novel by Miyamoto.'

  Raichi soon grasped the gist of what was going on.

  He had to leave the Miyamoto book aside for now, for Yamada Yaori's disturbed reading was a bigger priority.

  ''I apologize if we startled you.'' He bowed at a relative angle. ''I'm Sato Raichi, and I will be joining this school as a transfer student this upcoming term. These two wanted to show me around the school today. I hope we aren't bothering you.''

  For some reason, however, the girl visibly seemed like her heart sank.

  She looked up at him like she had seen a ghost, her lips trembling.

  ''No, not at all! It's—It's okay! I was just about to wrap up. I'll be going now. Excuse me!''

  ''Y–Yamada-san?''

  Yaori hurried past them, panic in her steps as she avoided gazing at him. The door closed shut with a loud thud.

  With that, Raichi and his two friends were left in the wake of silence following Yaori Yamada's swift exit.

  Raichi thought that they had barged in like they owned the place, causing her to be bothered.

  This was the second time a girl had run in his bookwormly presence, and frankly, it left him wondering in thought.

  He had slight doubts as to whether his clean slate had its corner stained in dirt back at the park, but now, he was certain of it. His mind went back and forth between the Miyamoto book Yaori had been reading, or that she bolted the instant she saw him, not unlike how the girl at the park did.

  Nao let out a sigh seconds later.

  ''Great. We made the school's top student dip on us like that. I apologize, my surprise got the better of me.''

  Hiroshi shook his head.

  ''It's okay. It was either that or her just leaving quietly, maybe even more uncomfortable than how she was just now.''

  Nao turned her attention to Raichi, sitting by the window.

  ''Well, this is our classroom. What do you think, Raicchi?''

  He couldn't meet his friends' gaze again.

  In a world of his own thoughts once more, he waited for Yaori to appear down in the courtyard. He knew she would at some point.

  The words coming out of his mouth, indifferent to what Nao just said, he responded.

  ''It's alright. I think I'll enjoy my time here.''

  Just as he was about to turn his head from the window—

  Down below, the Acing Bookworm sprinted away as fast as she could, her apprehensive arms swaying in front of her.

  He watched her as she halted to look back up at the window, their eyes meeting. In that split second, Raichi felt like time had been paused.

  The girl swiveled the other direction afterward. She resumed her jog as Raichi watched her fade out of sight from the classroom window.

  Someone like Yamada-san… feels way out of my reach. Every time I try to change, the result is the same. People keep looking at me through that same tainted lens.

  Hiroshi prompted Nao over to his desk.

  ''Yo, Nao-chan! You think my gum under the table is still there from last term?''

  Nao turned back at him, brows furrowed.

  ''...That's disgusting, Hiroshi. They would have cleaned it up by now.''

  ''Then let's see!''

  As Nao approached Hiroshi and his desk, Raichi's head wandered elsewhere.

  Sitting down in this vacant window seat, he observed the outside school grounds as he thought about what his second term here in Uji would be like.

  He didn't have a clue, and it all rode on his hopes of it not being like last time.