The second morning of high school dawned brighter, with clear skies and a cool spring breeze sweeping through the streets of Tokyo. Haruki Sakamoto walked toward Shinsei High School alongside Kenta, their laughter filling the air, though Haruki's mind was tangled with thoughts from yesterday.
"So," Kenta said, popping a rice cracker into his mouth, "you still thinking about your high-and-mighty princess?"
Haruki groaned. "I'm not thinking about her."
Kenta gave him a look. "Bro, you stared at her like she was the final boss of a video game."
"I did not."
"Sure. And I'm the Emperor of Japan."
Despite his denial, Haruki couldn't shake the image of Aoi Fujimura—the way she stepped out of that sleek Rolls-Royce, how the cherry blossoms danced around her like a scene from a drama. But she was far beyond his reach. A world apart.
When they reached the school gates, students were already whispering. A familiar sleek car pulled up, and the crowd instinctively parted, making way.
There she was again—Aoi Fujimura, stepping out like royalty. Her light footsteps barely seemed to touch the ground as she walked toward the entrance, expression unreadable, gaze straight ahead.
"See that?" Kenta whispered. "That's what a queen looks like. Cold, elegant, untouchable."
Haruki tried to play it cool. "Not my type."
"Liar."
They made their way to Class 1-A, where the morning chatter filled the air. Haruki and Kenta slid into their usual seats, and Haruki tried to focus on unpacking his books.
Moments later, the classroom door slid open.
Aoi walked in, calm and collected, her steps silent on the floor. Conversations hushed. She took her seat by the window, the morning light outlining her silhouette. Without looking at anyone, she opened a small, leather-bound book and began reading.
"I swear," Kenta whispered, "it's like she's in her own manga panel."
Before Haruki could reply, the door opened again. This time, the atmosphere shifted from awe to excitement.
"Ah, Kurosawa-senpai!" some girls squealed softly.
Ren Kurosawa, a second-year student and the student council vice president, strolled past the door, flashing his trademark polite smile. Tall, well-dressed, and effortlessly charming, Ren was the school's prince.
Aoi's gaze flickered up—barely noticeable—as Ren walked by.
Haruki caught it.
So, that's her type.
His stomach sank a little, though he didn't know why.
The morning classes rolled by. Math was boring, history was confusing, and literature almost put Haruki to sleep. But during break, something unexpected happened.
"Alright, pair up for the group project on environmental awareness," Ms. Tanabe announced. "I'll assign partners randomly."
A collective groan filled the room.
"Sakamoto Haruki... Fujimura Aoi."
Silence.
Haruki's heart stopped. He blinked. Once. Twice.
Aoi Fujimura slowly closed her book, her expression unreadable. She turned her calm gaze toward Haruki, offering a small, polite nod.
"Ah... y-yes," Haruki stammered, his face heating up.
Kenta almost fell off his chair laughing. "Fate, bro. Absolute fate."
After class, they met in the library, surrounded by towering bookshelves and streams of sunlight filtering through the windows. Haruki fiddled awkwardly with his pen while Aoi laid out the project outline in neat handwriting.
"I'll handle the research," she said softly, "you can work on the presentation slides."
"Uh... sure. Sounds fair," Haruki mumbled.
The silence between them stretched, heavy but not uncomfortable. For a moment, Haruki glanced at her. Up close, she didn't seem so distant. Just quiet. Focused. Maybe even lonely.
"Do you... like this kind of stuff?" Haruki asked.
She paused, then nodded slightly. "I like learning about the world beyond what I know."
Her answer surprised him. He expected something shallow. But this... felt genuine.
They worked quietly for the next hour. Slowly, Haruki's nervousness faded, replaced by curiosity.
Maybe she wasn't as unreachable as he thought.
---
Lunchtime rolled around, and Kenta dragged Haruki to the courtyard.
"So how'd it go with Her Majesty?" Kenta grinned.
"Fine," Haruki said, sitting down under a cherry blossom tree.
"Fine? That's it? No explosions? No awkward silence? No falling head over heels?"
Haruki sighed, taking a bite of his rice ball. "We talked. She's... different from what people think."
Kenta gave him a knowing smile. "That's how it starts, bro."
The courtyard buzzed with life—students laughing, sharing snacks, playing soccer on the far field. The cherry blossoms fell softly around them, blanketing the ground in pink and white.
From a distance, Aoi sat beneath another tree, eating alone with a book resting beside her. Occasionally, a student would approach, only to receive a polite smile and a gentle refusal for conversation.
Haruki watched, feeling something he couldn't quite name.
"Go talk to her," Kenta urged.
"Not yet," Haruki replied. "Maybe some other time."
---
The final bell rang, signaling the end of another day. Haruki gathered his things slowly, tired but content.
As he left the classroom, he spotted Ren Kurosawa talking to Aoi by the lockers. They exchanged a few words—pleasant, polite. Haruki couldn't hear, but he could see the subtle change in Aoi's expression. A small, genuine smile.
Something inside him twisted, though he wasn't sure if it was jealousy or something else.
"Haruki! You coming?" Kenta called.
"Yeah," Haruki snapped out of his thoughts.
They exited the school building together, passing the parked Rolls-Royce waiting patiently for Aoi. As the car door opened, Haruki glanced back one last time.
Aoi stood by the car, looking up at the cherry blossom trees. The afternoon sunlight filtered through the petals, casting a gentle glow on her face.
For a brief second, their eyes met again.
And for that second, Haruki felt the distance between their worlds shrink, just a little.
Then she turned away, stepped into the car, and was gone.
---
That evening, Haruki sat at his desk, staring at his laptop screen, the group project document open and unfinished.
He sighed, running a hand through his short brown hair.
"What am I even doing?" he muttered.
His phone buzzed. A message from Aoi:
"I finished the outline. Let me know when you're ready to combine our work."
Simple. Direct. Professional.
But somehow, his heart raced just reading it.
He smiled to himself and typed back:
"Got it. I'll start on the slides now."
Maybe high school wouldn't be so bad after all.
---
Meanwhile, across town, Aoi sat in her grand bedroom, the lights of the city stretching beyond her balcony. She placed her phone down, staring out at the night sky.
For reasons she couldn't explain, she found herself smiling.
Maybe... just maybe, this year would be different.
---
The next day awaited, with more misunderstandings, new friendships, and quiet moments beneath the falling sakura. Their story was only just beginning...