How My Gray World Shook

It was a rainy day. The current date is September 1st, 2071. Today, I am starting high school. It is surprising how I can still do daily tasks normally after what has happened.

"Ugh, clear your head!"

I slap myself to get out of my thoughts. It has been hard since my parents died. I spent most of the time with them, so how could I not forget them?

When I saw the clock read 7:20 AM, I immediately rushed out of the house.

"Crap, I'm going to be late on the first day of high school!"

am I going to be late? 

When I thought about it, it didn't matter that much. Why am I trying so hard anyway?

I slowed my pace so I could catch my breath.

"Out of the way please!"

A girl's voice spoke. As I turned around, she bumped into me.

"Woah, you should be more careful."

I prop myself up and give her a hand.

"I know!"

She took my hand and got up on her feet.

"But I have to get to school on time!"

Her determined expression left me confused.

"Huh? But what if there is no way to get in time?"

A smile grew across her face.

"Then I will try! I will try until I succeed!"

My mind felt like it discovered something huge. 

Try...until you succeed...

"Come on, hurry up!"

I felt my hand getting dragged along.

"What? Why are you dragging me along?"

"Because you wear the same uniform as my school so I suspected that we're going in the same direction!"

This girl seemed to radiate excitement.

"Speed up! The transportation point is close!"

It almost looked like she was enjoying this.

When we got to the point we both yelled:

"Mizuwara High!"

The next thing I know, we're outside the school. I check my handphone.

7:35 AM

"I'm sorry to say this, but we're late."

Her gaze didn't drop at my sentence.

"So what? We will try again tomorrow, right?"

She gave me a sweet smile that captivated me.

She is radiating colors...

"Could you please stop thinking inside of your head? It's a little creepy..."

A nervous look was on her face.

"How did you know that I was thinking of something?"

I was confused, as to how she knew.

"Uhm... you were whispering what you were thinking..."

It was clear that she was embarrassed by my thoughts. My cheeks turned red.

"U-Uhm, I-I didn't m-mean it like that! I-It's just that..." 

Sweat was dripping off my forehead.

"It's fine! Everyone thinks that I'm carefree and they're right!"

She seemed proud of her title.

"Anyways, we should hurry!"

I was dragged towards the main entrance. Once inside, we found out we were in the same class.

"You're in 1-C too? What a coincidence!"

Both of us found it amusing. My day turned from normal to eventful in just 10 minutes and became scary when we got to our homeroom teacher's class.

"You two are late on the very first day! How shameful can you be!?"

Our homeroom teacher, who looked like a typical grandpa, yelled at us. 

"I-I'm sorry! It won't happen again! I promise!"

I bow down, trying not to look at him. He made me panic.

"Yeah, me too!"

Oppositely, the red-haired girl that I came with didn't seem bothered in the slightest. It seemed like she found it funny instead.

After he gave us an angry stare, we sat in our seats. As he started the introduction, a white-haired boy walked in.

"Another one?! How can you kids be this disrespectful towards your homeroom teacher!"

The boy just gave a smile.

"I'm sorry that I'm late. It won't happen again!"

He didn't mean it and the teacher realized that too.

"Don't think that you're out of this easily! Get out! You're kicked out of class!"

I jumped at his yelling, but the boy didn't care.

"Oh, okay then. I guess I'll go watch a flying race then."

On the contrary, it seemed like he wanted this to happen. As he walked out, he gave the teacher a toothy grin.

"Agh! You kids are making me go insane!"

The teacher yelled at the class. My arms started to shake at his voice. I always jumped when a person yelled near me.

"Are you okay? You're sweating bullets!"

The girl I walked in with spoke in a whisper. It looked like she found my fear interesting.

"Yeah... I don't like it when people yell."

Yelling just brings me fear. It makes me think that I'm helpless. That it won't stop it.

"Oh."

She raised her hand and the teacher called out to her.

"Yeah, you? What do you want?! You wasted enough time already!"

"Could you please stop yelling? Some of us can't comprehend it."

Why was she doing this? Why is she being nice to me? She will surely get in trouble now!

"Sorry, but that is the discipline I use in my class! You can't complain about it, since you deserve it for being late!"

My heartbeat rose. It felt like it was going to explode.

"Now get out! I can't tolerate how ungrateful you are! You waste time and demand things! Out! Now!"

I should do something. I should help her somehow!

Without thinking, I stand up.

"Please don't throw her out! I asked her to ask for me!"

The whole time I keep my gaze downwards. I was too scared to face him.

"Alright then. You!"

The teacher pointed at me.

"Get out and don't come back!"

I started walking out when a hand grabbed me.

"I'll join him too!"

She had that determined face again.

"I don't care! STOP WASTING MY TIME!"

I thought my heart would give out at that moment, but I just walked out with the girl. When outside, I started talking.

"Why did you do that? You could have been saved if you didn't speak!"

"Well, because it didn't seem right for you to take the blame."

Her smile was somehow mesmerizing. It made my heart skip a beat.

"Anyways, I think I didn't quite catch your name."

"Oh, r-right. I'm Sako Noboru. And you're..."

"I'm-"

At that moment, the school bell rang, signaling the end of the first class.