The classroom door suddenly slid open.
"Good morning everyone!"
A cheerful voice filled the room.
Hikari Aoyama.
Bright smile. Warm personality. The type of person who made any room feel alive.
Her two best friends followed behind her.
Mika Tanaka, the playful one.
Yui Kobayashi, the calm and thoughtful one.
"Morning Hikari!"
"Did you finish the homework?"
"Let's sit together!"
Hikari greeted everyone.
Everyone except Kaito.
Not because she ignored him.
But because she hadn't noticed him yet.
Until one day during exam results.
The teacher, Mr. Takeda, wrote two names on the board.
1st Place — Kaito Sakamura
2nd Place — Hikari Aoyama
The class gasped.
"Wait, Hikari lost first place?"
"Who's Kaito again?"
For the first time, Hikari turned around and looked at the quiet boy by the window.
Their eyes met.
And she smiled.
That was the moment everything began.