It was late in the evening, and Naoki sat at his desk, double-checking his bag to make sure everything was in place for his first day of high school.
Nishikawa Naoki, 16, First-year (starting tomorrow).
He nodded to himself, satisfied. "Alright. Just like middle school—no unnecessary contact, stay quiet, don't get involved in anything… and I'll have a peaceful path through high school!"
Leaning back in his chair, he stretched his arms and let out a quiet yawn.
Tomorrow, his life of peace would begin.
Naoki went to take a late evening shower, changed into his sleeping attire, and plugged his phone into the charger. He sat on the edge of his bed, stretching his arms before lying down.
"Peaceful time at high school," Naoki muttered to himself and sighed as his eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Again…" he murmured and sighed once more as he rolled onto his side.
With the faint hum of his phone charging filling the quiet room, he slowly drifted off to sleep.
Early morning, the alarm started ringing, but what was worse was the loud knocking on his door.
"Hey, get up! Or do you want me to come in there and drag you out?!" a nearby voice called out, irritation clear in her tone.
Nishikawa Ashido, 17, Second-year (Starting today).
"Tsk…" She clicked her tongue. "Who would've thought my little brother would end up at the same high school as me…" she muttered, clearly annoyed.
Naoki cracked the door open slightly, his face still drowsy. "You know I can hear you loud and clear, right?" he mumbled.
Ashido simply turned her back to him with a huff. "Like I care," she shot back before walking away.
Naoki sighed and smiled. "I'd be surprised if you actually got scared," he said, but Ashido just kept walking away, ignoring him.
"I'm taking a bath first!" Naoki called out as he stretched.
Almost immediately, Ashido spun around with an irritated glare. "What?! Why should you take it first?" she snapped.
They locked eyes, neither backing down.
"Yours takes hours," Naoki retorted. "I'll be done before you're even undressed."
For a moment, there was silence. Then—
STOMP STOMP STOMP.
Ashido suddenly charged at him at full speed, grabbing his ear and twisting it.
"WHAAAAAT?!" she yelled, her face red with rage. "WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!"
"Hey! HEY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! FORGIVE ME! FORGIVE ME!" Naoki whined as he struggled under Ashido's grip.
With a final twist, she finally let him go.
"Tsk…" She clicked her tongue again before stomping off to the bathroom.
Naoki sighed, rubbing his now slightly red ear. "Well, until she's done, I might as well get my things ready," he muttered.
He walked over to the window, pulling the curtains wide open as sunlight spilled into the room. Grabbing his uniform from the door hook, he laid it neatly on the bed before double-checking his bag, phone, and headphones. With everything in order, he headed downstairs for breakfast.
As he entered the kitchen, his mother glanced up from the stove.
"Naoki… why aren't you changed yet?" she asked.
Naoki sighed as he took a seat. "Ashido took the bath first, so I gotta wait," he replied, resting his chin in his palm.
Before his mother could respond, a cheerful voice rang out.
"HI!"
Naoki turned to see the youngest in the family, Nishikawa Naomi, 9, happily stuffing her face with breakfast.
"Hey, Naomi," Naoki said with a small smile.
Naomi grinned widely, barely stopping her enthusiastic eating to respond.
The room was filled with a warm, lively atmosphere. Naomi continued eating enthusiastically, her small hands gripping her utensils tightly, while their mother finished up the last of the cooking.
Naoki glanced around, then turned to his mother. "Hmm… Mom? Did Dad already leave for work?" he asked.
She nodded with a gentle smile. "Yes, he was in a hurry, like always," she said with a light giggle.
A few minutes later, the entire family—Naoki, Naomi, and even Ashido—gathered at the table for breakfast. These moments were rare, and Naoki cherished them. Mornings like this were the best part of his peaceful life.
After finishing his meal, Naoki pushed back his chair and stretched. "Alright, I'm done. I'll take a quick bath and get changed, okay? It's almost time to go," he said before rushing upstairs.
He quickly showered, dried himself off, and changed into his new uniform.
The male uniform consists of a well-fitted black blazer with subtle silver trim along the edges and a small embroidered school emblem on the left chest pocket. Underneath, he wears a crisp white dress shirt with a neatly folded collar and a deep navy-blue tie. His pants are dark gray, slim but comfortable, with just the right fit to allow movement. He completes the look with polished black loafers and navy socks.
With his bag slung over his shoulder, headphones resting in his ears, and his phone tucked securely in his pocket alongside his keys and wallet, Naoki stepped out of the house alongside Ashido.
The two siblings made their way to the train station, the morning air crisp and refreshing. As the train rumbled along the tracks, Naoki gazed out of the window, watching the cityscape pass by.
After a moment, he turned to his sister. "Hey… Onee? What's it like being at Ichinomiya Kita High School?" he asked curiously.
Ashido, who had been standing casually a moment ago, suddenly seemed different. Her usual rough attitude faded as she straightened her posture, her long hair cascading neatly over her shoulders. She looked like a completely different person—refined, prestigious, almost untouchable.
Without looking at him, she responded coolly, "It's nothing, really. Just keep your head down, don't cause trouble… and don't stick around delinquents."
Her words were calm, but something about them felt unusually firm—as if they weren't just advice, but a warning.
"Delinquents?! Wait… there are delinquents?!" Naoki asked, rubbing the back of his head in confusion.
Ashido sighed, clearly annoyed. "Bakaoki… of course there are," she muttered. "It's not like they don't exist, they just—ugh, listen." She leaned slightly closer, lowering her voice. "Just don't get me into trouble. I'm the Student Council Secretary, and I really don't need any headaches because of you."
She let out another sigh before standing up as the train slowed to a stop.
"And… tsk…" She clicked her tongue again before turning away and walking off without another word.
Naoki jumped off his seat and hurried after her. "Hey, at least say something!" he called out, finally catching up.
The walk to Ichinomiya Kita High School was lined with clean, peaceful streets, the morning sun casting a warm glow over the city. As they got closer, more students wearing the same uniform began appearing, some walking in small groups, others chatting excitedly about the first day.
"Uwaaa… By the way, how many students are there at Ichinomiya?" Naoki asked, glancing around at the growing crowd.
But Ashido… she was different now.
The bratty, short-tempered older sister from earlier had completely vanished, replaced by the calm, composed Student Council Secretary. Her expression was unreadable, her posture perfect—almost like she didn't even know Naoki existed.
Understanding the shift, Naoki instinctively slowed his pace, keeping a little distance.
"About 600," she finally answered, her tone cool and professional.
Before he could respond, Ashido veered off toward a small group of elegant-looking girls, who immediately welcomed her into their circle. Without even glancing back, she blended into their conversation as if she had never been arguing with her little brother just moments ago.
Finally, Ichinomiya Kita High School stood before him—a magnificent building with a huge vestibule, towering windows, and an aura of prestige. From what Naoki remembered during the open day, the school had an expansive track and field, two full-sized gyms, and even a pool. It was the kind of school that felt like it had been pulled straight out of a manga.
As he walked through the campus, he couldn't help but take in the sight of the other students—and more importantly, the beautiful girls that seemed to be everywhere. His young heart nearly skipped a beat. Am I… walking through heaven? he thought, the light, cool breeze brushing against his cheeks, ruffling his hair slightly.
But reality soon snapped back as he made his way toward his first class.
BUMP!
Naoki collided into someone, stumbling slightly before looking up. The boy in front of him had bright orange hair, one eye covered by his bangs, while the back of his hair was long and straight with a single ahoge sticking up. He was slightly taller than Naoki, and just as Naoki was about to apologize—
The boy laughed.
"What an amazing first meeting," he said, his voice dripping with a melodramatic flair, looking at Naoki as if he had just encountered a long-lost rival.
Naoki blinked in confusion.
"I'm Miyamoto Hibiki! A pleasure to meet you!" Hibiki said with another laugh.
Naoki couldn't help it—something about Hibiki's energy was contagious. He found himself laughing too.
"I-I'm Nishikawa Naoki!" he managed to reply, and the two of them kept laughing, as if they had known each other forever. It was a strange feeling, but somehow, Naoki knew—Hibiki was the kind of friend you just had to meet.
But before their laughter could continue, another figure approached.
A girl with short pink hair stopped in front of them, looking slightly confused. Her soft, gentle voice was almost soothing as she spoke.
"…Hibiki, are you annoying others again?"
Her tone was sweet, calm, almost too pleasant to hear.
She let out a small sigh before introducing herself.
"Riruka Maki. Please forgive Hibiki… he's really annoying," she said with a polite smile.
Immediately, Hibiki stopped laughing.
"Wh—NO I'M NOT!" he protested, looking genuinely offended.
"Oh, but you are!" Maki huffed, her annoyance clear as she twisted Hibiki's ear.
"OW OW OW! Maki, have mercy!" Hibiki whined, flailing slightly as she dragged him toward the classroom.
Naoki watched the scene unfold, an odd sense of déjà vu creeping into his mind. This felt familiar… but why?
Once inside the classroom, Naoki and Hibiki found themselves seated next to each other in the middle row, while Maki took her place at the front.
As the class settled in, Hibiki leaned toward Naoki, whispering, "Hey, Naoki."
Naoki turned to him, and Hibiki held out his phone with a grin.
"Let's exchange info so we can text each other," he said casually.
Naoki blinked in surprise. He had made a friend this fast? It was almost hard to believe! Hibiki was the kind of person who could just decide to be your friend, and somehow, it instantly worked.
"Sure!" Naoki grinned, pulling out his own phone. In just a few taps, they exchanged contact info.
The first class of the day was literature, and it didn't take long for Naoki to notice something—Hibiki loved literature.
The guy's handwriting was flawless, almost too elegant—like it was written by a girl. Every stroke of his pen looked effortless, and his notes were so perfectly organized that they could probably be printed into a study guide.
Meanwhile, Naoki… well, he wasn't bad, but compared to Hibiki, his handwriting looked mediocre at best. He could write neatly when he tried, but most of the time, his notes were a mix of half-legible words and scribbled thoughts.
Even so, as the class went on, he couldn't help but feel like this was going to be a good year.
As the literature class finally came to an end, Naoki couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation for the break. He was excited to talk more with Hibiki, especially after their surprisingly easy connection.
During break, Naoki and Hibiki chatted nonstop. Naoki quickly learned that Hibiki was a big fan of custard, anime, and, of course, cute girls. It was clear Hibiki wore his interests proudly. He also had an undeniable passion for literature, a subject he excelled at.
"I'm not gonna lie," Hibiki said with a sigh, "I think math is gonna ruin me. I hate math." He groaned and pulled out a manga from his bag, flipping through the pages casually.
Naoki, already intrigued, glanced at the cover of the manga and immediately recognized it—it was his favorite too.
"You like My Left Hand is a Dragon, But Only on Tuesdays?" Naoki whispered, his eyes widening in surprise.
Hibiki looked at him, then burst out laughing. "Of course!" he said, his voice loud and carefree. "It's such a ridiculous story, but it's amazing."
Naoki couldn't help but smile, feeling an instant bond with Hibiki. The fact that they both loved the same manga was just one more thing that made Hibiki feel like someone he was meant to meet. The break flew by, filled with manga talk, anime recommendations, and endless laughter.
As the other breaks rolled around, Rurika joined Naoki and Hibiki at their usual spot. It became clear that she and Hibiki were old friends—they knew each other well, and from what Naoki could gather, they'd been classmates since middle school.
During their conversation, Rurika revealed that she, too, had a deep love for literature, and was incredibly talented at almost everything—except for P.E. Naoki raised an eyebrow at that.
"OH, you won't believe this one time…" Hibiki suddenly burst out, grinning like a maniac. "Rurika slept through an entire class just to pass the test with a full grade. It was amazing! I'm so JEALOUS of her!"
Naoki's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait, what? She slept through the whole class?" he asked, looking at Rurika for confirmation.
Rurika, who had been trying to look composed, immediately turned bright red and looked away, clearly embarrassed by Hibiki's story. "Cut it!" she muttered, clearly not wanting to talk about it.
Naoki couldn't help but chuckle at the scene—Hibiki's loud personality clashing with Rurika's more reserved one was an entertaining dynamic to witness. It seemed like the two of them had been through a lot together.
"Seriously, though, I don't know how you do it, Rurika," Hibiki continued, his voice still full of admiration. "You're like some kind of genius who can just ace everything without even trying."
Rurika just sighed and mumbled, "It's not like that, Hibiki..." but her slight blush betrayed her embarrassment.
As lunch break arrived, Naoki found himself sitting alone, eating in peace. Hibiki and Rurika had wandered off to look for something else, and Naoki was glad for the moment of quiet. But that peace didn't last long.
A loud, aggressive voice broke through the calm air, making Naoki freeze in place. He glanced over and saw a group of delinquents picking on someone from his class—someone he didn't really know by name, but he recognized the face. The poor guy was getting shoved around, and Naoki felt an uncomfortable pit form in his stomach.
At first, he just stared, wanting to mind his own business. This isn't my problem, he thought. But then, something inside him snapped.
Without thinking, Naoki stood up and marched over to them. "Hey! Stop that!" he shouted, his voice trembling slightly. It was the last thing he expected to do, but it came out before he could stop it.
The delinquents turned to him with slow, mocking smiles, clearly amused at the sight of Naoki standing there all alone.
"Ehhh? We've been caught?" one of them said, looking around at the others.
"Looks like this'll be fun," another said with a smirk.
Naoki's heart raced as the three delinquents began to circle him. They were far too tall and intimidating for Naoki to handle on his own.
What am I doing? Naoki thought, his legs frozen in place as the three boys closed in on him.
But just as he was about to turn and run, Hibiki and Rurika appeared from around the corner. They saw the situation immediately—Hibiki's eyes widened in disbelief, and he ran toward Naoki with Rurika close behind.
As Hibiki and Rurika rushed toward Naoki, the delinquents seemed to pause for a moment. They sized up the situation: three on one might be fun, but it wasn't worth the hassle when someone else was watching. With a final shove toward Naoki, they muttered insults under their breath and quickly walked away.
Naoki let out a deep sigh of relief, feeling the tension drain from his body as the delinquents disappeared. He was shaken, but it was over.
Hibiki, still tense, glanced at the retreating figures of the delinquents, his expression tight. "What was that about?!" Hibiki asked, still confused by Naoki's impulsive actions.
Meanwhile, Rurika knelt beside Naoki, her eyes scanning him for injuries. Her expression softened slightly. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice calm but full of concern.
Naoki nodded, though his heart was still racing. "I… I saw them picking on someone from our class. And I just… I don't know. I didn't want to see him get hurt." He ran a hand through his hair, still feeling the weight of the moment. "I just said they should stop, and then things escalated."
Hibiki shook his head, clearly irritated but trying to keep his cool. "Naoki, this could've turned out really bad. Next time, just pretend you're calling a teacher or something. You don't have to play the hero every time."
Naoki lowered his head, guilt creeping up on him. "Yeah… I wasn't thinking. I just didn't want to stand by and do nothing."
Rurika gave him a small, understanding smile as she helped him stand up. "You're a good person, Naoki." she Said as she helped him up.
Naoki took a deep breath, nodding slowly. "You're right. I'll be more careful next time."
Hibiki ruffled his hair with a grin. "Just don't go getting yourself hurt again, alright? You're lucky this time."
Rurika gave Naoki one last look, her eyes softening. "We're here for you, just remember that."
As the three of them walked toward the classroom, Naoki couldn't help but feel grateful for his friends—despite the mess he had gotten himself into.
As Naoki, Hibiki, and Rurika made their way toward the classroom, none of them noticed the silent observer watching from above. On the rooftop, hidden behind a low wall, a figure stood, their eyes focused intently on Naoki.
A wide, almost predatory grin spread across the figure's face, their gaze never leaving Naoki's retreating form. "That's my type," the figure muttered softly to themselves, clearly intrigued by the events they had just witnessed.
The figure lingered for a moment, watching as Naoki and his friends disappeared into the school building. They were calculating, eyes gleaming with an almost dangerous curiosity.
The click of the rooftop door echoed sharply into the empty air, a sound that seemed to linger for a moment, almost too loud in the quiet space