The Girl Who Shines

18 November 2024, 7:25 AM

The sun crept through the curtains, hitting Natsumi’s face in a way that was just annoying enough to wake her up. Her cheek was pressed against the edge of her desk, her laptop still open in front of her, the glow of the screen showing a paused video. One headphone dangled from her ear, and she let out a groggy groan as she sat up.

Her eyes landed on the clock, and her groan turned into a gasp. “Oh crap! It’s 7:30 already?”

She shoved her chair back and scrambled to her feet, trying to shake off the sleep. Her room was a mess, but that was nothing new. There are always random books, sheets of paper, and her souvenirs lying around. She couldn’t care less about the mess right now; she was already late getting ready for school.

She quickly put on her uniform and glanced at her reflection, realizing she looked like a mess. "ugh, why do my hair look like this when I'm already late". Fixing her hair, she goes down to the kitchen where her mom is making her breakfast.

Her mom raised an eyebrow. "Stayed up late watching those time-travel videos again?"
Natsumi laughed softly. "I did… but how can I resist? It's like they pull me in, just like a time vortex!" she says while she eats her breakfast

"Alright, I’m heading out now! Bye, Mom, love you!" Natsumi called out cheerfully as she grabbed her bag and rushed out the door.

She felt the cold morning breeze brush against her cheeks, making her pull her scarf a little tighter. “It’s definitely getting chillier” she muttered to herself.

The streets were alive just like every morning, but Natsumi’s attention was soon drawn to familiar voices calling her name. “Natsumi! Good morning!”

She turned to see a couple of her classmates walking toward her, their faces lighting up with smiles. “Morning!” she replied, her usual cheerful energy bubbling up as she jogged a little to catch up with them.

“Don’t you usually get to school earlier, Natsumi?” one of them teased with a grin.

"Hey, it happens to the best of us” she replied with a shrug and a smile. “I’m allowed one lazy morning, right?"

The conversation flowed easily as they walked, bouncing between random topics: homework complaints, festival excitement, and whatever gossip was buzzing around. Natsumi chimed in here and there, her lively tone making the chatter feel effortless.

Before they knew it, the school gates were in sight. “Oh, we’re already here?” one of her classmates said, surprised.

As the bell rang in the distance, Natsumi’s eyes widened in mock horror. “Uh-oh, we’re gonna be late! let's get moving, girls!” she said with a playful urgency, grabbing one friend’s arm and hurrying toward the entrance.

As Natsumi stepped into the classroom, the familiar buzz of chatter and laughter greeted her. The lively atmosphere was as it always was before the homeroom teacher’s arrival, full of energy and noise. Several classmates turned to her with cheerful smiles and waves.

“Natsumi! Good morning!”

She returned the greetings with her usual upbeat charm, waving back and exchanging a few quick words. It was no surprise; she was one of the most well-liked students in class. Her easygoing nature and infectious positivity made her someone everyone naturally gravitated toward.

Sliding into her seat near the window in the back, she let her bag drop to the floor with a soft thud. For a moment, her gaze drifted toward the boy who always sat behind her, Izumi Fujimoto.

He was leaning back in his chair, staring out the window with that same detached look he always had. I couldn’t help but admire how he seemed completely unaffected by everything around him. There was something about him, something that had always caught her attention.

It was strange. She had known him for years, but his lonesome vibe kept her at a distance, even though she’d admired him from afar. And now, she couldn’t quite figure out why it was so easy to feel drawn to him, despite how much he kept to himself.

Before she could think any further, one of her friends leaned over her desk. “Hey, Natsumi, did you hear about the festival planning meeting later today? Everyone’s talking about it!”

Natsumi blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. “Oh! No, I didn’t. What’s the buzz about?” she asked, her cheerful tone back in full swing.

Nothing out of the ordinary happened during the classes that followed. The minutes ticked by slowly, the rhythm of the day settling into its usual pattern. But as the bell rang, signaling the end of the period, Ms. Ayane cleared her throat, standing at the front of the class, a look of mild authority on her face.

 "Alright, everyone" she began, her voice ringing around the classroom, "the cultural festival is coming up, and everyone must be involved. Make sure you’re contributing to the preparations."

The news made Natsumi smile to herself. Everyone will be involved, she thought, already picturing the lively chaos of festival preparations. It was always more fun when everyone pitched in, and the idea of being part of the team, working alongside her classmates, felt exciting. It’s going to be great.

Looking around, she could see the change in the room. Some students were already murmuring about what they'd do or what part they'd take in the preparations. There was a light buzz of conversation as everyone started to imagine what the festival would look like. Even those who usually seemed uninterested were showing signs of excitement, the energy in the room growing little by little.

The atmosphere felt lighter now, with everyone shifting from the usual class routine

Her gaze drifted toward Izumi, and she noticed him slump further into his chair as Ms. Ayane mentioned the festival preparations. Guess he's not a fan of hard work, she mused, a small amused smile tugging at her lips. It wasn’t exactly surprising, Izumi had that laid-back vibe about him.

Everyone stayed behind after school to work on the festival preparations. Natsumi naturally took charge, helping out wherever needed and making sure everything was getting done. Her upbeat energy kept the group moving, and before long, they had made a lot of progress.

As the day came to an end, Natsumi’s eyes drifted to Izumi again. He was focused, working quietly, and it struck her how well he was handling everything. He doesn’t seem to mind the work now, she thought. I wonder why he acted like he didn’t want to help earlier?

Shaking off the thought, Natsumi went back to her task, knowing they were all getting closer to finishing.

On her way home, Natsumi couldn't help but smile. "Well, that was fun. Just two more days, and then the festival!"

When she stepped inside her house, she dropped her bag with a tired sigh. "I'm home" she called out, her voice noticeably drained.

Her mom, who was in the living room, glanced over with a teasing smile. "Sounds like someone had a rough day."

Natsumi shrugged and gave a small smile back. "Not rough, just tiring." She paused for a moment before adding, "But it was fun."

Natsumi trudged up to her room, eyeing the mess scattered across the floor. "Ugh, I'm too lazy to deal with this right now" she muttered, sighing. But with a small huff, she pushed herself to change into her casual clothes anyway.

The moment she finished, she collapsed onto her bed, her body sinking into the softness like it was a fluffy cloud. A quiet smile tugged at her lips as she closed her eyes, feeling the exhaustion from the day melt away.