After the bell rings, me and Shin get up from our chairs like rockets.
"Let's go, Hideki!" Shin grins, already rushing toward the door.
He's so fast. Like he can't wait even one more second to play.
I start walking after him, but before I go, I pause at the front of the classroom.
I turn and look around — searching.
There she is.
Emi.
She's still sitting at her desk, quietly closing her notebook.
I catch her eye and give her a small nod.
She nods back, just as small.
Then she stands and starts walking toward me.
Outside, I hear Shin shout, "Come on, Hideki! You're so sloooow!"
I laugh and call back, "Wait for me, Shin!"
And just like that… all three of us are running toward our secret playground.
When we get there — the hill behind the school, where the breeze always dances — Shin turns to Emi.
"Emi, try flying your plane," he says, with a spark in his voice.
Emi blinks.
She steps forward like she's accepting a challenge.
Then she throws her plane.
But her eyes shut tight as she lets go — like she's afraid to look.
And when she finally opens them, the plane has already landed… just a few steps away.
Barely ten feet.
Shin bursts out laughing.
"Pfft—hahaha! I knew that would happen!" he teases, pointing at the little paper plane in the grass.
Emi's cheeks puff up in embarrassment. Her face turns just a little pink.
She looks away, lips pushed together.
I try to hold in my giggle — but a tiny one slips out.
"It's okay, Emi," I say softly. "I did that too before."
She glances at me.
"Really?" she asks.
"Yeah," I nod. "Though… maybe mine went a little farther than yours. Like… three times farther?"
I chuckle, holding up three fingers.
She turns her face away again, her puffed cheeks now trying not to smile.
Me and Shin look at each other… and laugh.
"Alright, Hideki," Shin says, turning to me. "Your turn. Show us what you've got. Let's see if it's better than before — or if you're gonna fly like Emi."
Emi hears that while walking toward her paper plane. She's still pretending to be mad.
I take a deep breath.
Step back.
Remember Shin's technique — the one he showed me.
I run.
Then swing my arm high and let go.
"Fly high, Hope!!" I shout as I throw it.
The wind catches it.
It lifts.
Higher and farther than before.
I watch it, stunned.
Shin nods. "Not bad, Hideki."
Then he steps back even farther than me.
I can tell he's getting ready to really show off.
He runs fast, like he's trying to outrun the wind.
Then he throws — hard and clean.
"Fly high, NEXT TIME!!" he shouts.
And just like that… his plane shoots upward — even higher than mine.
It twists a little, then stretches far, gliding smooth and proud.
It lands deep in the field.
Shin smirks, crossing his arms. His face says: Yeah, I knew I'd win.
Then both of us turn to Emi again.
Shin points at her paper plane.
"You need to run fast," he says, walking over to show her. "Then, when your hand swings up, let it go at the highest point. Like this."
He does a slow demonstration — showing the stance, the swing, the follow-through.
Emi nods, watching carefully.
Then I step closer and say, "You need to name your plane too, Emi."
She blinks. "Huh?"
I smile.
"It gives it a power boost. A real one."
Shin nods in agreement.
"Yeah, it's a rule."
Emi looks down at her plane in her hands.
She's quiet for a second.
Then she says, "...Together."
We both look at her.
"That's the name of my plane," she says again, firmer this time. "Together."
Shin raises an eyebrow. "Whoa. First Hope… then Next Time… now Together?"
He laughs a little.
"That's a pretty cool combo."
I nod, eyes wide.
"Yeah… our planes… each one is like a story we want to tell."
Emi takes a step back, holding her plane carefully.
She takes a breath.
Then runs — faster than before.
She swings her arm just like Shin taught her.
And shouts, clear and proud:
"Fly high… TOGETHER!!"
Her plane lifts.
It flies.
It glides high — not shaky, not short.
It soars.
Upward.
Steady.
Beautiful.
Then we grab our paper planes from the grass and walk back to the top of the hill.
Shin looks at me, eyes gleaming with a new idea.
"Hey," he says, "why don't we fly them together this time? All at once. Maybe they'll soar side by side."
I nod right away.
"That's a great idea, Shin."
Emi claps her hands softly. "Yeah! Let's try it!"
So we all take a step back — just a few meters from our usual spot.
Me on the left.
Shin in the middle.
Emi on the right.
We glance at each other, all holding our planes close to our chests.
Then Shin counts, "One… two…"
And before he says three, we all take off running.
Three pairs of feet pounding the soft earth.
Three hearts beating fast with excitement.
And when we reach the edge of the hill, we swing our arms high—
And throw.
All at once, our voices echo into the wind.
"Fly high, HOPE!!" I shout.
"Fly high, NEXT TIME!!" Shin calls.
"Fly high, TOGETHER!!" Emi sings.
The paper planes lift.
They catch the breeze—
And for a moment…
They really do fly side by side.
Three shapes in the air.
Dancing together.
Twisting, gliding.
Moving toward the sky, like they know they belong there.
I hold my breath watching them.
And in my heart, I whisper:
Please… keep flying.
Please… keep us close.
Please… let this moment stay.
Even just a little longer.
All three of us watch it — heads tilted to the sky.
We don't say anything.
Not at first.
We just look at her plane and the clouds beyond it.
And in my heart…
I say something I can't explain out loud:
Hope.
Next Time.
Together.
I think…
our wishes are starting to float up into the sky.
And maybe…
just maybe…
the sun and the wind and the clouds…
can hear them too.
And carry them someplace far,
but never gone.
Just like paper planes.