Three days have passed since I went to the festival with Hikaru, Mizuha, and their classmates.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm3C9WStOw0
Today is the first day of the new school term. During the lunch break, I stood in the corridor facing the windows, watching the rain with Mizuha standing beside me.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyKMF7yOtS1
I turned to Mizuha. "It seems the rainy season has started."
"Yeah. We should be careful not to catch a cold."
"Oh, don’t worry about that. My foot has already healed—it wasn’t too serious"
She smiled. "Thanks to Hikaru for helping me that day."
"Yeah, Hikaru-kun really took care of you after your injury. What a gentleman he is."
I’m Takahashi Takeru. 15 years old and a first-year student in Class 1B. This is my story—one I’ve never shared with anyone.
This is Mizuha, my childhood friend. We reunited this year after being apart since my family moved away. She transferred here after her family relocated.
Despite our shared past, she doesn't seem to remember how close we once were. I know why—her mother told me what happened—but now isn't the time to bring it up.
Although Mizuha and I have a history, my feelings for her aren’t romantic. She already has someone who likes her—Hikaru, my classmate. Hikaru is well-known among the girls for his good looks, intelligence, and wealth.
Yet, he's approachable, even to someone like me. I think he and Mizuha make a great pair.
At school, Mizuha is always surrounded by her close friends: Shimizu, Eri, and Zul. Occasionally, Hikaru joins them since he and Zul have been friends since junior high. I join them sometimes but often feel I don’t fit in. Their strong bond makes me a little envious.
Recently, Mizuha’s reputation has grown after she took first place in the last midterm exams. As her childhood friend, I can’t help but feel proud of her. Still, I’ve noticed that Hikaru gets a bit uneasy when I spend time with her—not that it’s any of my business.
For now, let’s set aside the present and go back to my past. During my final junior high year at our countryside home, I talked with my parents. I told them I wanted to attend high school in Tokyo the following year, as my teacher had recommended it.
"Takeru, are you serious about wanting to go there next year?"
"Yes, Dad, I've already decided."
My mother was concerned. "Takeru, are you sure? Tokyo is a big city, very different from here. I'm worried about you being all alone."
"Don't worry, Mom, I can take care of myself."
My father leaned in. "We respect your decision, and we'll let you go, but we can't afford to give you money for your expenses."
"Yes, I know. Our family isn't wealthy. But don’t worry, I'll look for a part-time job to cover my school fees and daily expenses."
"If that's what you want, then we can't stop you."
"But honey," my mother said as she turned to my father.
"Don't worry, honey. He's going to be in high school next year. I'm sure he can take care of himself."
"Go, Takeru. But promise you'll study hard, get good grades, and change our family's fate."
I bowed my head to them. "Thank you, Dad. Thank you, Mom."
That evening, I sat on the playground with my classmate and close friend since I moved here, Hikari, having a quiet conversation with her.
"So, your parents gave you permission to go to high school next year?"
"Yeah, even though they resisted at first, I managed to convince them to let me go."
"That's great for you, Takeru-kun. I will miss you."
"You don't want to follow me to Tokyo, Hikari-chan? We can go to the same school."
"Nah, I'll pass. I really love studying here in my beloved hometown. I don't want to leave yet."
"Haha, that's really your style, huh, Hikari-chan."
"Hey, is it because you want to go to Tokyo to find her?"
"Huh, her? Who do you mean, Hikari-chan?"
"That childhood friend you used to tell me about. Wait, what was her name again? Oh... Mizuha."
"Oh, Mizuha-chan, huh! No, that's not it at all. It's not my true reason for going to Tokyo. I want to return to the place I used to live and attend school in Tokyo—that's all."
"I'm not sure if I'll meet her again there as the Tokyo area is really wide. Well, I'll be lucky if I happen to meet her again."
"Oh, I see. Hey, if you return here for vacation or something, please tell me your story in Tokyo. I want to hear about it."
"Okay, sure, I promise to tell you."
Three months passed since then. A week after I graduated from junior high, my family and Hikari gathered at our local town train station to see me off to Tokyo for my journey.
My father turned to me. "Is everything ready?"
"Yes, everything is ready."
"Here, take this. Even if it's not much, use it for your expenses," my father said, handing me a small envelope. I could tell it contained money.
At first, I resisted accepting it because I had enough savings to cover my expenses, but my father insisted that I take it.
My mother then hugged me as she shed a few tears.
"Please take care of yourself, my dear. Don't forget to contact me after you arrive."
She was still worried about me.
I hugged her back. "Yes, Mom, I promise."
Hikari then handed me a bento box. "Here, this is some bento from me. Eat it during your train ride."
"Wow, a bento from you! Can't wait to taste it."
"Take care, Takeru-kun. I will contact you later, okay?"
"Understood. I’ll wait for it."
Even though we were close friends, our relationship was like family; she was like a big sister to me. We confided in each other about our problems.
"Okay, you guys, it's time for me to go. See you again," I said, waving my hand to them as I entered the train.
After entering, I opened the window and waved to them as the train started moving.
After they disappeared from my sight, I found myself thinking, Returning to Tokyo for the first time after two years... I wonder how my high school life will go, while looking at the countryside panorama outside the train window.
Two days had passed since my arrival in Tokyo, and I was inside my apartment after finding a place to rent. My phone alarm rang in the morning to wake me up. I woke up, stretched myself, stood up, and opened the window curtain.
Whoa, nice weather! Perfect for my first day at high school.
Suddenly, I got a message from Hikari. The message contained a photo of her wearing her high school uniform and making a peace sign.
"Does this uniform fit me?"
"Yes, that uniform looks cute on you."
"Hehe, you're making me blush."
"Hey, show me a photo of you in uniform too! I want to see it."
I sighed. Huh, this girl. I then changed into my school uniform, took a selfie, and sent it to her.
After finishing my morning conversation with Hikari, I made my way to school. Sakura trees blossoming in spring made my journey to school refreshing.
As I got near my school, I could see people around me wearing the same uniform as me—they were surely going to the same school as me.
As I entered the school area, I headed to the information board to check my class assignment. The area was crowded with first-year students eagerly searching for their names.
Fortunately, because of my height, I didn't need to squeeze through the throng. From my vantage point, I scanned the namelist and found my name: Takahashi Takeru, Class 1B.
After confirming my class, I made my way toward the classroom.
On the way, I suddenly bumped into a girl in the first-year corridor. The impact caused both of us to fall to the ground.
"I'm so sorry!" she said immediately, her tone concerned.
"It's okay,"
Then I noticed a pack of cookies lying on the floor near her. Thinking it must belong to her, I picked it up and handed it to her. "Here, your cookies."
"Thank you," she replied, inspecting the pack. A relieved smile spread over her face. "I'm glad it didn't break. I can give it to H*****-kun after this," she added with a cheerful smile.
Her smile caught my attention, sparking a strange curiosity about her. Before I could say anything, she stood up, brushed herself off, and said politely, "Please excuse me."
Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away.
I wonder what class she’s been assigned to. I think to myself as I continue walking down the hall, looking for my classroom.
Passing Class 1D and Class 1C, I finally found it—Class 1B. "Found it."
I then entered Classroom 1B.
The classroom was already buzzing with activity. Most of the students were seated, chatting with one another. I glanced around and noticed name stickers on the desks. After finding my desk, I sat down and observed the room.
The faces around me were unfamiliar. Some students were happily reuniting with friends from junior high, while others seemed to be meeting new people for the first time.
Suddenly, the door opened, and a boy walked in. His entrance stirred a group of nearby girls.
"Wow, it's H*****-kun!" one of them said excitedly to her friend.
I watched the girls waved and greeted him enthusiastically.
Oh, this guy must be famous.
He walked past my seat. I smiled and nodded at him; he returned a polite nod before continuing to his assigned seat directly behind mine.
After he settled into his seat, I turned around to face him. "Hey, nice to meet you. I'm Takeru," I said, extending a friendly introduction.
He gave me a small smile and replied, "I'm H*****. Nice to meet you too."
"Whoa, you're pretty impressive, huh, H*****-kun? Already famous on the first day," I said, referring to the group of girls who had been excited to see him earlier.
"Well," he started with a slight chuckle, "most of them went to the same junior high as me, so I guess they're just happy we're in the same class again."
"I bet you were really popular back in junior high."
He shrugged slightly and said, "I guess so. But honestly, being famous can feel a little uncomfortable sometimes. Standing out too much isn't always fun."
"Ah, I see, you didn't like standing out, huh?"
Suddenly, the girl I bumped into earlier entered the classroom.
Wait, she's in the same class as me?
As she passed my seat, she noticed me. "Ah, it's you from earlier! Sorry again for bumping into you."
"Don't worry about it. I didn't mind at all."
"So, we're in the same class, huh?" she said with a smile before moving toward H*****-kun's desk.
That's good. Maybe I'll get to know her better.
"H*****-kun!" she called out, clearly excited as she approached him.
H****-kun smiled at her. "Oh, A***, good morning! So we're in the same class again this year, huh?"
"Yeah! Isn't it great? We can hang out again just like last year."
As I observed their interaction, I noticed how close they seemed.
So her name was A***. They already knew each other well.
Gathering my courage, I decided to speak up. "Do you two know each other?"
Both of them turned to me. "Yeah, we went to the same junior high and have been classmates for two years now."
"Here, H*****-kun," A**** said, holding out a pack of cookies. "I made these for you, just like last year!"
"Thanks!" H*****-kun said as he opened the pack and took a bite. "Wow, this is so delicious! Looks like you've really improved since last year."
She smiled at H****-kun. "Hehe, thanks for saying that! I've been practicing to make them even better."
Once again, I found myself drawn to her smile, even though it wasn’t directed at me.
Suddenly, an announcement echoed through the classroom speakers:
"To all first-year students, please gather in the school gymnasium for the entrance ceremony."
"Oh, looks like we're being called. I'd better get ready for that. See you later, H*****-kun," she said cheerfully before joining her group of friends and heading toward the gymnasium.
As she left, I couldn't help but turn to H****-kun with curiosity. "Umm, H****-kun, are you and A***-chan... dating?"
He looked at me and shook his head. "No, not at all. We're not dating."
"But you two seemed so close earlier, almost like a couple."
H*****-kun chuckled. "Nah, we're just friends from junior high. She's always been like that—just wants to stay close."
Hearing that, I felt a wave of relief and couldn't help but smile slightly to myself.
Good, looks like I might have a chance.
He grinned at me. "Hey, what's with that look? Don't tell me—are you falling for her?"
"No, no! It's not like that! What are you even talking about, H*****-kun? Haha,"
Wanting to change the subject, I quickly added, "Hey, we should get going too, before we end up late."
"You're right. Let's head out now," he agreed, before standing up as we both prepared to leave for the gymnasium.
I then moved to the school gymnasium to join the other first-year students for the entrance ceremony. The gymnasium was packed with fresh faces, none of which I recognized. As I looked around for a seat, I found myself sitting beside a tall girl with red hair tied back in a ponytail.
Whoa, this girl's face looks scary... Is she a delinquent?
I noticed her pull a small notebook out of her pocket. Hmm, what's she doing? I wondered. Is she planning to write something?
"You've been looking at me for a while. Do you have something you want to say to me?"
My thoughts about her were wrong. I'd thought she was going to yell at me or something.
"N-No, I was just curious about what you're going to do with that notebook,"
"Oh, it's nothing special. Just my personal work," she answered, her expression softening slightly.
Despite her somewhat intimidating appearance and boyish style, she didn't seem scary at all.
Suddenly, I heard whispers behind me.
"Poor that guy." "Yes, he's probably going to get beaten up by her after this."
Just great, it's the first day, and they're already spreading nonsense rumors.
Deciding to ignore them, I focused my attention toward the front of the gymnasium.
In front of my seat was a short girl with nice-looking blonde hair.
Whoa, what a cute girl.
Then my attention shifted to the tall guy sitting beside her, who was suddenly talking to her. What's with this guy? Is he a foreigner? I wondered. His face looked quite different from ours—not like a typical Japanese person at all.
The two of them kept chatting, and I couldn't help but think they must've known each other for a long time, maybe even childhood friends.
The ceremony then began as the MC started the proceedings, followed by a speech from the student council president, welcoming us first-year students.
"I hope the next three years of your high school lives will be a fulfilling time for all of you. This is your student council president, Hikawa Nana," she said, concluding her speech with a confident tone.
The MC continued, "And now, a speech from the first-year student representative, M*****-san."
"Yes," answered the person called by the MC as she stood up and walked onto the stage to give her speech.
Wait, she's our representative!?
It was none other than the same girl I'd met earlier—A****, my classmate, the girl I was curious about.
"Hey, it's her! She's the one who got the top score in our entrance exam," I heard students around me whisper.
"Yeah, not only is she cute, but she's also really smart."
Yeah, I agree with you guys. No wonder she was chosen as our representative. She's truly an honor student, I was impressed and intrigued as she began her speech.
"Fellow freshmen, today marks the beginning of our high school journey here. A journey filled with endless possibilities and opportunities."
Her words resonated with the crowd, inspiring them with her passion. The crowd listened intently to her speech.
A**** ended her speech with, "And lastly to the teachers and the seniors: We hope that you will watch over and guide us new students. Thank you, sincerely, freshman representative A****." The crowd clapped for A****'s wonderful speech.
A**** stepped down from the stage after finishing her speech. Her eyes were fixed on H***** while she smiled at him.
She really likes him.
After the ceremony, we all returned to our classroom. As A**** entered, many classmates complimented her on her wonderful speech. She thanked them politely, smiling as usual.
Then, H***** walked into the classroom, passing by A**** and her friends. A**** immediately approached him. "Hey, how was my speech earlier?"
"It was great, really wonderful. So unexpected from you, A***."
"Hehe, thanks for that, H*****-kun," she said, clinging to his arm suddenly.
"Hey, stop it! Everyone is watching," H***** said, trying to pull his arm away, but A**** just laughed playfully.
From my seat, I watched them. I couldn't help feeling a bit jealous seeing them so close.
Days have passed since then. I kept paying attention to A****. Sometimes, I tried to talk to her and get closer, but she didn’t seem very interested in talking with me. Instead, she always went to H*****, just like usual.
I really don’t stand a chance against H*****-kun.
But at the same time, I couldn’t help feeling a bit sorry for her. Even though she tried so hard to get close to H*****, her feelings never seemed to reach him. I wonder why H***** acts like that.
One day, after school, I sat on a bench in the playground near my school to rest for a bit. Suddenly, I got a video call from Hikari.
I answered the call. "Hey, Hikari, what's wrong?"
"Takeru, a guy I like from my class suddenly asked me to go out with him. What should I do?" she said, her face a little red.
"Why are you asking me? It's up to you to decide whether to accept or reject him."
"Well, this is my first time facing this kind of situation. I don't know what to do next."
"Well, if you like him, just go out with him," I suggested.
"Got it, I'll try to do as you said."
"Lucky you, huh? You've got a person you like already."
"What actually happened?"
I decided to tell her about my situation.
"I see... You like her, but she likes someone else, and that person doesn't seem to care about her feelings either. Why not leave her already and find a new girl?"
I chuckled. "Haha, I already tried, but my feelings are still attached to her."
"If you say so, then don't give up on her already. Do your best for your crush. I'm sure you'll make her your girlfriend in the future."
"Yes, you're right. I'll try my best."
It looked like our roles had switched. Hikari had called me to ask for advice, but somehow she ended up giving advice back to me instead.
May had arrived, and a week had passed since the Golden Week break. The situation was still the same—nothing had changed at all from last month.
Recently, I noticed that H***** kept disappearing from our class during lunch breaks. Where was he going? I wondered. Then, I saw A**** eating alone at her seat. Good, this was my chance. I took my bento and walked over.
"Hey, is it okay if I join you for lunch here?"
"Sure, go ahead."
We ate in silence for a while. It felt awkward, so I decided to break the silence.
"You've been eating alone recently. Where's H*****? You're not with him?"
"He's started enjoying eating lunch at his best friend's class—Class 1F," A**** replied in a cold tone.
Woah, this is the first time I’ve seen her act this cold.
"I think it started after that new girl transferred there."
"Wait, there's a new transfer student in their class? I never heard about that."
"Yes, that girl is the one everyone's been talking about. I also heard that H***** is always hanging out with her during lunch breaks. H***** seems interested in her. What's so special about that girl, anyway?" A**** said, her tone hinting at a little frustration.
I grinned at her. "Wait, are you jealous of her?"
"Jealous? Why would I be jealous of her, hmph?"
I decided to ask directly, "Then, are you planning to give up on H***** after this?"
"Haha, no way. I'm not giving up on him already. He's the person I've liked since junior high. It's way too early to give up on him."
"I see," I replied, hiding my disappointment behind a neutral tone. Her resolve to not give up on H***** stung a bit, but it only fueled my thoughts.
Then I won't give up on you, either.
"Oh, please leave when you're done eating. We're done talking," A**** said, making it clear she didn't want to talk anymore.
"Understood. Anyway, I'm glad I got to talk with you, A****," I said before finishing my lunch and quietly returning to my seat, leaving her alone.
Even for a short time, I was glad I could talk to her. Maybe this was just the beginning for me; like her, I won’t give up yet.
A few days after that, I found out that the transfer student everyone had been talking about was Mizuha—my childhood friend.
The first time I saw her again was when I bumped into her. Her face looked familiar, but she didn't recognize me at all.
Curious, I asked H***** about her name, since he was always hanging out with her during lunch breaks. H***** confirmed her name was Yuki Mizuha—the same name as my childhood friend. There was no mistake—it was her, Mizuha-chan.
Afterward, I introduced myself to Mizuha, only to discover that she didn’t remember me at all, even though I had been her childhood friend.
A lot happened after that, but slowly, I started hanging out with Mizuha and some of her classmates. Even though she didn't remember me, we still became close as friends, just like in the past.
Despite reuniting with Mizuha, my feelings for A***** didn't change. I hadn’t given up on her. So here we are.
"Takeru... Takeru-kun..."
"Huh?" I snapped out of my thoughts, startled to see Mizuha standing in front of me.
"Mizuha, you startled me."
"What happened? You spaced out all of a sudden." Mizuha said, her tone filled with concern.
"Oh, really? Sorry for making you worry. I was just remembering something from the past."
Mizuha smiled. "Really? It must've been a good memory for you, right?"
"Yeah, I guess so, haha."
"Anyway, the lunch break is over. I have to return to my class now," she said, starting to walk away.
"Wait, Mizuha, I'll walk with you. My class is in the same direction, anyway," I said, catching up to her.
"Oh, thanks. Then let's go."
The rain outside was still pouring heavily as I walked with Mizuha to her class. When we arrived at Class 1F—Mizuha’s classroom—we heard an argument happening inside.
I glanced at Mizuha; her face had turned pale. Her best friend was arguing with a classmate near her seat. Tension hung thick, punctuated by thunder outside.
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7AM2jTMrPD
To be continued… Amemonogatari II
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