Lying on his bed, Hikaru Kagawa unfolded the letter and began to read with mild interest. Despite the heart-shaped seal and the mystery behind its sender, the contents were surprisingly ordinary. A straightforward love letter.
The anonymous girl had expressed her admiration clearly. She described how she liked him for being cool, handsome—and most importantly—for being someone who didn't change himself to please others. Hikaru sighed. Whoever she was, he found her a little strange. He had expected something more—something cryptic or meaningful. Instead, it was painfully normal.
He scanned the letter again, hoping for a clue that might reveal her identity. But Hikaru didn't know anyone outside his class. In fact, he didn't even know the names of most of his classmates. His life was deliberately distant. As a result, her identity remained a complete mystery.
Abandoning the thought, Hikaru laid quietly on his bed. The letter slipped from his hand onto the floor. His mind wandered—not to the letter, but to Sakura Ayazawa.
He had agreed to hang out with her group, but he doubted the invitation would ever come. He didn't expect her to follow through, and he had no intention of forcing his way into anyone's circle. Unless she reached out again, he would simply forget about it.
After playing a few games on his computer, Hikaru powered it down and stepped out of his room. The apartment was quiet. Yuki wasn't home. Perhaps she had gone out with her friends again.
Yuki was nothing like her brother. Exceptionally intelligent and confident, she was enrolled in one of Japan's top middle schools. Always at the top of her class, she was popular, outgoing, and surrounded by friends. Unlike Hikaru, her phone never stopped buzzing. She was perhaps the only person Hikaru truly cared about.
As for their parents—they were almost irrelevant. Hikaru felt neither affection nor hatred for them. They were successful businesspeople, rarely home, and had left their children in the care of housekeepers for most of their lives. As Hikaru grew older, the caretakers disappeared too, and the two siblings began living completely alone.
Hikaru turned on the television. The same grim news filled the screen.
Tokyo's infamous serial killer had struck again.
Six victims. Each murder grotesque, methodical—and uniquely theatrical. With every crime, the killer left behind clues—taunting riddles that supposedly hinted at the next victim. According to police speculation, he would stop after his seventh kill. The media buzzed with panic, but no one had cracked the latest clue yet.
Hikaru changed the channel.
He scrolled through Netflix, found a half-decent film, and eventually turned the TV off. Later that evening, Yuki returned. They shared a quiet dinner. Afterward, both retreated to their respective rooms.
Hikaru fell asleep almost instantly. This was his normal—quiet, unbothered, distant.
---
The next morning, Hikaru walked into his classroom to find Ayazawa, Kiryuu, Amagiri, and Kanzaki chatting in their usual spot. He slipped into his seat without a word, expecting another uneventful day.
Midway through class, a teacher entered with an announcement. A group assignment was being introduced. Each group required five members.
In the past, Hikaru was always placed into the leftover group, awkwardly assembled from stragglers. But today, something changed.
Renji Kanzaki, a tall, athletic boy and a member of Ayazawa's group, walked over to him.
"Kagawa," he said casually, "would you like to join our group? We're one member short."
Hikaru looked up and gave a small nod. "Sure. I'll join."
The five of them—Kagawa, Ayazawa, Kiryuu, Kanzaki, and Amagiri—pushed four desks together and formed a circle.
As they settled in, Ayazawa looked over and said, "Kagawa-kun, I asked Renji to invite you. Since you said you'd like to hang out with us yesterday."
Hikaru offered a polite nod. "Thanks."
They began discussing the project. To Hikaru's surprise, he was getting along well with them. Kanzaki and Amagiri were welcoming. Kiryuu, while civil, remained distant—quietly observing rather than engaging. Hikaru sensed he was the kind of person who took time before opening up to new people.
When school ended, the group walked together outside. As they split up, Kanzaki and Hikaru found themselves headed in the same direction.
As they walked, Kanzaki spoke up. "You know, Kagawa... you're completely different from what I expected."
"Well," Hikaru replied, "I never really talked to anyone. You had no reason to know what I was like."
Kanzaki hesitated. "Have you heard the rumors?"
Hikaru narrowed his eyes slightly. "What rumors?"
"There's a weird one going around... people are saying you might be the serial killer."
Hikaru stopped walking for a moment. Then chuckled quietly. "Wow. That's... creative."
"I mean, yeah, you have a serious expression and that poker face, but it's obviously ridiculous," Kanzaki said. "People just like gossip."
"I didn't even know about it," Hikaru said. "But I doubt they believe it seriously. Probably just a running joke."
"I'll try to clear it up anyway," Kanzaki offered. "People can be dumb."
They reached the metro station. Their train lines split at different points. As Kanzaki stepped off at his stop, he waved.
"See you tomorrow!"
"Yeah. Later," Hikaru replied.
As the train pulled away, Hikaru thought to himself, Kanzaki... he's a good guy. I think I'm starting to make real friends.
It had started with curiosity—because he knew something about Sakura Ayazawa that no one else did. But now, things were shifting. Hikaru wasn't just pretending anymore. He was genuinely beginning to enjoy their company.
---
The following days passed quietly. Kanzaki greeted him each morning. Amagiri smiled often. Even Kiryuu, while still distant, occasionally exchanged words. Hikaru was slowly becoming part of the group.
Within a week, everything had changed. People in class were whispering—about how Hikaru was "different now," how he was "changing." He could hear them, but he paid no attention.
He even exchanged contact information with Ayazawa and Kanzaki. But he still hadn't discovered the identity of the girl who wrote the love letter.
---
Two days after their big assignment, a major test result was announced.
It shook the entire class.
Riku Hayashi, the ever-consistent top student, had scored an impressive 97 out of 100 on one of the hardest exams of the semester.
But he wasn't ranked first.
Someone else had gotten a perfect score.
Every eye turned to the name at the top of the results board.
Hikaru Kagawa – 100/100
Gasps filled the room. Whispers spread like wildfire. His new friends stared in disbelief.
Hikaru, for once, allowed himself a quiet smile.
There's no need to hold back anymore.
For years, he had deliberately kept his grades average, avoided people, and hidden himself from the world.
But now?
Now, he wanted to change.
Now, he was done pretending.