Umemiya High School, Shinjuku, Japan.
"Your name please"
"Ken Ishida"
"Age"
"15"
" Registered serial number?"
"2101001178"
"Here's your ID-card, Welcome to Umemiya High, have a successful year and please ahead go ahead to the auditorium."
"Umm,…Ok"
The School receptionist was a bit surprised by the look on his face, it was the first day of school, but the newcomer was least enthusiastic and looked disinterested, she wondered why but she had to attend further students too, so she went ahead.
Ken reached the the auditorium and went in through the back door. The front rows were filled with students who were excited and talking to each other introducing themselves. Ken saw them and quietly went to the second-last row at the very back and sat there at a corner. Nobody noticed him. He opened a book from his bag and tried reading.
Gradually the hall started to fill with students except the last three rows. Speeches of student councils and teachers began.
All of a sudden there was a loud thud of the door and a girl entered the crowded hall running and panting through the front door.
"Sorry everyone" she shouted. Everyone started staring her and the hall was filled with echoes of voices. She felt embarrassed seeing all this and her face turned red.
One of the teachers Miss Yuri okinawa quickly came to her rescue and said, "the ceremony has just started, no need to worry, you can go and have a seat."
"Thank you Sensei", she said with a sigh of relief and went ahead.
She was looking for a seat in the front but all the seats appeared full, she went further back and she saw a boy sitting in a corner at the very back. She went there and sat near him as all the seats ahead were full and the remaining seats were deserted except for him.
She looked at his expression-less face and was slightly taken aback. After few minutes she looked at him and said, " Hi I'm Saki Aizawa, nice to meet you."
Ken was surprised as he didn't expect her to sit near him at the first place and now she is introducing herself too. He started to sweat as this was his first casual interaction with someone after a brief time. He was thinking that he should reply her as she introduced herself properly and remaining silent or ignoring can be a disrespect. He slowly looked towards her but kept his head held down,
"Hhhhi I'm Ken Ishida" he said and remained silent. He didn't see her hand that was extended for a hand shake. Saki took back her hand as she saw that Ken didn't look at her hand, so she did not mind that. She thought it was an awkward situation but she reminded herself that it was the first day and she also noticed him sweating so she thought he may be nervous.
Speeches continued and many students continued entering the hall after getting received at the reception. The hall was now full with people cheering the council's speeches and students talking loud. Suddenly Ken stood up and went out of the hall through the back door without anyone noticing but Saki saw this.
Ken went to the toilet and splashed his face with water from the sink, his breathing was rapid. He was having visions of people from his memories and the now present crowd of the hall and even of Saki. He stood there for ten minutes and saw someone entering the room, he calmed himself down and went outside to the corridor.
After all this while heading back to the hall, he was walking quietly taking long breaths and rubbing his left chest. He saw someone standing in front of him, he looked up and saw Saki.
"Is everything all right?"
He looked at her but didn't know what to reply so he remained silent just nodding his head indicating yes.
"I don't think you are, i can see you sweating and taking long breaths. I think we should inform someone and take you to the school clinic"
This irked him, "No! It's not required, and why do you bother?" He said in a high tone, then he saw her, her eyes were filled with tears. He was shocked seeing this, he realised his mistake and started apologising her in a panicked state, "I'm sorry I didn't mean that, I'm really very very sorry, I'm an idiot for saying that" saying this he folded his hands and apologising her bowing his head down.
Seeing him panicking so much she quickly said "I forgive you, don't worry, and why are you panicking so much, I'm forgiving you for what you said so, relax" Seeing her not being sad anymore Ken thanked her and went back into the hall. She too came back to the hall and she was analysing all the incidents in her head while Ken was sitting in the same place silent like a stone.
The Principal announced that school will start from tomorrow and grade-1 is divided into three classes. Class 1A, 1B and 1C, the division of students into each class will be random and the student list with the names and their respective classes will be displayed on the notice-board at the school entrance in the morning tomorrow. Seating arrangement will be displayed on the board inside the classrooms. There ended the opening ceremony.
Everyone stood up from their seats and started leaving. Saki looked beside her and Ken wasn't there, she looked at the crowd if he was there. From a window she looked at the school's entrance gate, there she saw Ken who was already leaving home on a bi-cycle. She wondered why he was in such a hurry to head back home. All these incidents stuck with her and made her curious and she thought he was a strange person.
Ken returned home and his mother welcomed him with a big smile asking "how was the opening ceremony? and how was the school? did you make any friends?".
"Yeah it was good" saying this he went to his room.
to be continued…