The sunlight pouring through the windows was warm enough to make me sleepy. A few papers fluttered on my desk as the breeze slipped into the classroom, carrying that faint scent of autumn leaves. The kind that tells you summer's long gone, and the air's starting to feel a little softer.
Our teacher's voice broke through the haze.
"…and remember, next week marks the start of the autumn break. So, finish your assignments before then, okay?"
The word "break" spread through the class like wildfire.
Chairs scraped. Conversations erupted. It was like watching a pack of caged animals suddenly let loose.
I slouched back in my seat and stretched. Finally.
A week without deadlines or morning alarms? I could live with that.
"Oi, Hayashi!"
Inohana's voice hit me before I even looked up. She was leaning over my desk, her long hair messy as always. "You're spacing out again. You look like someone's dad who just paid bills."
I gave her a look. "I was just breathing. Try it sometime."
She blinked, pretending to be offended. "You're getting bold lately."
"Guess I learned from the best."
Before she could flick my forehead, Mika slammed her palms on my desk.
"GUYS! Did you hear that? Autumn break! A full week of freedom!"
I sighed. I could already tell where this was going.
Mika's grin was dangerous. "We should totally go somewhere! Like, a trip! Just the six of us!"
Naoko, sitting behind me with her headphones halfway on, gave her a side glance. "Last time you said that, we got drenched in the rain trying to find a haunted park that didn't exist."
"That was an adventure!" Mika shot back.
"An adventure that ended with you crying because of a raccoon," Naoko replied flatly.
"That raccoon was massive!"
I tried not to laugh but failed miserably.
Rei, who was calmly packing her books, spoke without looking up. "If you're serious, I might know a place. My uncle runs an inn near Lake Shirakawa. It's quiet, rural, and… there's an autumn festival during that week."
"Festival?" Mika's eyes literally sparkled. "Like, lanterns, food stalls, fireworks—the whole deal?"
Rei nodded. "Pretty much."
"WE'RE GOING!" Mika shouted, hands raised like she'd just found the meaning of life.
Inohana leaned back in her chair, smirking. "Hold on, we're just deciding that already?"
"Why not?" Mika pouted. "Come on, Inohana, don't tell me you wanna rot at home."
Inohana crossed her arms. "Hey, I like rotting at home."
"You're such an old lady sometimes."
"I'm literally younger than you."
"Still counts."
The two of them went at it like always, while Naoko turned the volume up on her headphones to ignore them.
Meanwhile, I noticed Hana sitting quietly by the window, the sunset catching her hair as she flipped through her notebook.
When Mika said "countryside," she looked up. "That sounds… nice," she said softly. "It's been a while since I've seen maple leaves up close."
Her voice was calm—warm, somehow. Like a soft breeze you don't notice until it's gone.
Mika pointed at her like she'd just scored a victory. "See?! Even Hana's in! That means the rest of you have no excuse!"
Naoko sighed. "I don't hate the idea. As long as there's no raccoons."
Rei smiled faintly. "I'll make sure of that."
And just like that, it was decided.
"Then it's official!" Mika declared, slapping the whiteboard with her hand. "Operation: Autumn Getaway begins now!"
I groaned. "You named it already?"
"Of course! You think I'd go into this unprepared?"
"You planned this before class even ended, didn't you?"
She grinned proudly. "Yup."
I couldn't help but laugh. Classic Mika.
The next fifteen minutes were chaos.
Mika was already listing snacks we needed to bring ("because you can't survive a trip without food"), Inohana was arguing about travel routes, Rei was sketching a rough itinerary, Naoko was pretending not to care while clearly listening, and Hana…
Hana was just watching them with that small, genuine smile.
I don't know why, but seeing everyone like that—loud, laughing, carefree—it did something to me. It felt alive.
When I looked at Hana again, she was gazing out the window. A few maple leaves floated past, glowing orange under the light.
Her expression softened. Peaceful.
It made me forget what I was thinking.
"Hayashi?" she called quietly.
I blinked. "Huh?"
"You okay? You were staring at the window for a while."
"Oh, uh… yeah." I scratched my cheek. "Just thinking about… goats."
Her head tilted. "Goats?"
"Long story."
She giggled—quiet but enough to make my chest feel weirdly light.
Inohana suddenly clapped her hands near my face. "Oi! Dreaming again? We're talking about the trip schedule!"
"Right, right." I sat up straighter. "What's the plan so far?"
"Rei's gonna call her uncle tonight," Mika said. "If there's space, we can stay at the inn for three nights. The festival's on the second day!"
"Sounds fun," I said.
"Fun?" Mika gasped dramatically. "FUN? This is gonna be legendary!"
Naoko looked unimpressed. "You said the same thing before we almost drowned in a rice field."
"Okay, THIS time it'll be legendary without near-death experiences."
"Progress," Rei said dryly, making the others laugh again.
By the time the final bell rang, the sky outside had turned soft orange, melting into pink. Students were already heading out, but none of us moved yet. We were too caught up in our small world of noise and laughter.
Eventually, we packed up and started walking down the hallway together. The sound of footsteps mixed with the wind sneaking through open windows.
"I can't wait," Mika said, stretching her arms. "Fireworks, food, yukata… the perfect combo!"
"You're more excited about eating than the actual view," Inohana teased.
"Of course! A good festival is food."
Rei smiled faintly. "I'll make a checklist tonight."
Naoko yawned. "Just make sure it's not haunted. I'm not exorcising anything."
Hana chuckled softly beside me. "I think this time, it'll be peaceful."
I glanced at her. For a second, the fading light hit her face just right—turning her hair almost golden.
"Yeah," I murmured. "Peaceful sounds good."
We reached the school gate. The wind picked up, scattering dry leaves across the ground. Everyone was still talking—joking, arguing, laughing—and I found myself just… listening.
Maybe it was the way the air smelled like wood and sea salt.
Or the way the sky slowly deepened from orange to purple.
But something about that walk made me realize how much I wanted this—these small moments, this noise, this warmth—to last.
Mika waved her hands dramatically. "Okay! Everyone meet here tomorrow morning so we can finalize the plan!"
"Tomorrow morning?" I groaned. "It's Saturday."
"Exactly! The perfect planning day!"
"Can't we just… text?"
"Nope! Texting kills the vibe!"
Inohana smirked. "You just wanna drag us out so you can buy snacks again."
"Maybe," Mika admitted proudly. "But snacks bring unity!"
"Snacks bring diabetes," Naoko muttered.
Rei laughed quietly, while Hana shook her head with a soft smile.
I looked at them—all five of them—and something inside me felt strangely full.
We weren't perfect. We argued. We teased. But somehow, we fit together.
Maybe that's why the idea of this trip felt… special.
Not just another weekend escape, but something we'd remember later—when the laughter fades and the seasons change.
As the group started to split ways, Hana turned to me.
"Hayashi," she said, her voice light. "You'll come, right?"
I met her eyes.
"…Yeah. I wouldn't miss it."
She smiled. "Good."
And just like that, she waved and walked off with Inohana.
Their laughter echoed down the road, fading into the sound of the wind and rustling leaves.
I stood there for a bit, watching them go. The sun was sinking behind the rooftops, the sky glowing like a dying ember.
A week from now, we'd be somewhere far away—under maple trees, maybe watching fireworks.
I didn't know what would happen.
But for the first time in a while, I actually wanted to find out.
"Autumn break, huh…"
I stuffed my hands into my pockets and started walking home.
"…Guess it might be something worth remembering."