"Usagi, Usagi!" shouted Tetsuo from the kitchen.
Usagi yawned, got up, and greeted her brother. "Good morning, big brother."
"Good morning, Usagi. Go get ready for school. It's the first day of junior high, so you'll need to make a good first impression," Tetsuo said.
Usagi nodded in agreement. "Go ahead and get ready now. Your breakfast is ready, so don't take too long, or it'll get cold."
"I'll try to get ready as fast as possible," Usagi replied as she hastily ran toward the bathroom but tripped over a wire and fell flat on her face.
"You're still as clumsy as ever," Tetsuo said, trying not to laugh.
Once they were ready, Tetsuo locked up their apartment. "I think that's everything. Let's go."
As they walked, Usagi turned to her brother. "So, big brother, how do you think you did on the entrance exams? You know those grades determine your class placement, right?"
"I'm aware of that. The exams went well. I mean, I was accepted into the school, so it can't be that bad," Tetsuo replied.
Usagi nodded in agreement. "How about you? Don't you feel nervous about being in a new environment?" Tetsuo asked.
"I'm not worried about school today. I'll be alright," Usagi said confidently.
"I'll take your word for it," Tetsuo replied. "If anything, I'm more worried about you since you haven't attended school in ages."
Usagi gazed up at the morning sun. "You'll manage," she said.
"I know you will because you always do."
Meanwhile, a girl stood beneath the cherry blossoms, watching the petals dance in the wind.
"It's already that time of year when the cherry blossoms bloom," she murmured to herself as the breeze gently played with her hair. "Amazing. The wind feels great; it's one of the best feelings when it blows through my hair."
She smiled, lost in thought. "Time sure has passed. I'm already in my first year of high school. I need to make a good first impression on my peers."
Her moment of reflection was interrupted by a growing sense of impatience. "Haruko sure is taking her time. I told her I had to leave early for a business meeting on Father's behalf. She should have been here twenty minutes ago. Does she want us to be—"
Her thoughts froze the moment she saw Tetsuo and Usagi walking by.
"Huh?! That person… it can't be. No… That's not him. It must be my imagination."
Just then, a voice called out.
"Hey, Sis! Sorry for the wait!"
Haruko approached, a concerned look on her face. "Sachiko? Are you alright?"
Sachiko blinked and quickly composed herself. "Sorry, I zoned out for a bit. Shall we get going?"
Haruko hesitated but nodded. "Yes, let's go."
Meanwhile, Usagi turned to her brother. "Hey, big brother, didn't that girl we passed just now seem familiar?"
Tetsuo shook his head. "No, not to me."
"It must have been my imagination then," Usagi muttered to herself.
As they reached their destination, Usagi turned to Tetsuo. "I guess this is where we part ways. Take care, big brother. All the best at school!"
She waved goodbye and ran toward her school gate.
"Be careful not to slip and fall!" Tetsuo shouted after her.
He sighed. "First day of high school, huh? Definitely not as nerve-wracking as I thought it would be."
At the high school entrance, Sachiko stood by the gate, waiting for someone.
"I wonder what's taking her so long. Did she oversleep again?" she muttered.
As she sighed, her eyes suddenly locked onto a familiar figure—Tetsuo.
"Wait... it's him again. The same person from this morning. He looks exactly like someone I knew long ago. I'll try talking to him."
She waited until he was closer before greeting him.
"Um… morning."
To her shock, he walked right past her without saying a word, as if she didn't exist.
Sachiko stared in disbelief. "What? Did he just ignore me? But why?"
Just then, a girl ran hastily toward the school.
"Oh crap, I'm going to be late! The first day of school… how embarrassing would that be?" she panted. "I hope Sachiko doesn't get mad at me for almost being late. I couldn't help it."
Spotting her friend at the entrance, she called out. "That's Sachiko! Hey, good morning, Sachi!"
Sachiko turned to her. "Oh, Naomi. What took you so long?"
"Yesterday was the last day of track camp, so I was exhausted. That's all," Naomi explained.
"Oh, okay. Let's go to the entrance ceremony."
Naomi nodded, and they made their way to the auditorium.
The principal stepped onto the stage and addressed the students.
"Good morning, everyone. My name is Daiji Sato, and I am the principal of this fine institution, Toshigawa Academy. Each of you achieved high-ranking scores on the entrance exams, and I congratulate you on your hard work. You should all be proud of making it this far. I will now hand over the podium to the student council president."
A girl stepped forward, her presence commanding the attention of the entire auditorium.
"Good morning. My name is Hitomi Yoshida, and as you know, I am the student council president. I applaud each and every one of you for qualifying to attend one of the most prestigious high schools in the prefecture. The entrance exam was a challenge for many, but all of you proved yourselves worthy."
She continued, "During your first sessions today, you will receive a handbook that includes information about the school's sports programs, the anthem, the school songs, and most importantly, the rules and regulations we all must abide by. That's all. Enjoy your first day of school."
The male students whispered among themselves, admiring Yoshida's beauty.
Meanwhile, Naomi turned to Sachiko. "Let's sit together."
Sachiko nodded and took the seat beside her.
Naomi glanced at her class assignment in shock. "Who would have thought I'd end up in the elite class, 1T? I thought I barely passed!"
Sachiko smiled. "Don't say that. You studied really hard to get here."
"You're right, but it was still surprising. By the way, congrats on ranking second in the exams! We definitely need to celebrate today. How about karaoke after school?"
Sachiko chuckled. "Sure, let's do it."
As the students chatted, Sachiko's thoughts drifted. "I don't mind coming in second place, but that guy… he looks exactly like Tetsu-kun, a boy I knew years ago. Why would he suddenly appear after all this time? I wonder…"
Her thoughts were interrupted as the teacher entered the room.
"Good morning. My name is Satomi Hayami, but you can call me Hayami-sensei. I will be your homeroom teacher for the year. Let's start with introductions. Begin from the first row."
"My name is Makoto Kurai, I'm age 15 and there is nothing special about me, just your average daily student" said Makoto as he immediately sat down and yawned.
My name is Naomi Nakamura , I'm 15 as well, my hobbies are reading , playing sports and karaoke and in the future I would like to become a professional female sprinter and my dream is to represent this country and partake in the Olympics." Said Naomi as she stand proud and confident. "You will definitely succeed with that optimism and confidence of yours." Said Hayami-sensei.
"Thank you Hayami-sensei" said Naomi gratefully.
The teacher then signaled the next student to introduce himself. Trembling and shaking due to nerves he stood up and did just that . "Um m..my name is Ka..Katsuragi Shi...Shino , I'm 15 years old nice to meet all of you" said Shino as staggered back to his seat.
One by one, the students introduced themselves. When it was finally Sachiko's turn, she stood up.
"Good morning, everyone. My name is Takahashi Sachiko. I'm 15 years old. My hobbies are makeup, cosmetics, and cooking. I aspire to become a dermatologist."
"That's a great goal. I hope you succeed," Hayami-sensei said.
"Thank you, sensei."
Finally, it was Tetsuo's turn.
"My name is Tetsuo Kawaguchi. I'm just your average teenager. I don't have a dream yet, but hopefully, I'll figure it out soon. I don't do anything special in my free time. It's nice to meet all of you."
Sachiko's eyes widened. "I was right. He really is Tetsuo Kawaguchi… the one who placed first in our class."
Hayami-sensei clapped her hands. "Now that we're all acquainted, let's begin the lesson."
"Oh, come on! It's the first day of school!" the students groaned.
"This school is the best of the best. We always start lessons on day one. Prepare yourselves!" Hayami-sensei snapped.
"Yes, Hayami-sensei!"
Makoto then sighed. "Today is going to be a long day…"