Cherry Blossoms and Quiet Confessions

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The light through the classroom window had that early spring softness.

A clear blue sky, with little pink cherry blossom leaves fluttering in the breeze outside. For once the sunlight came in through the window without meaning anything. It just… was.

And so was I.

Sakamoto waved vaguely at the chalkboard as today’s lecture continued. “…And so, if you trust your memory more than your senses, don’t come crying to me during my lunch break after failing next week’s quiz.”

I tapped my pencil on my desk to the rhythm of Sakamoto’s footsteps as he paced around the classroom.

Yashiro let out an exaggerated sigh from the seat behind me. “Great. Now I can’t trust my eyes, my ears, or my GPA.”

Yashiro. Same as always.

I shook my head with a smile.

⊹ ▬ ▬ ⊹ ⊹ ▬ ▬ ▬ ⊹

When class was over, I gathered my stuff and headed out into the hall. Yashiro trailed behind me. 

“Let’s go. I’m freaking starving,” he said, rubbing his stomach.

“When are you not?”

Sayuri was standing by the lockers, chatting with some of the other students. As soon as she saw me, she waved her arms wildly, then bounced over to us.

“TSUKASA!”

“Hey, Sayuri.”

“You’re just in time! Guess what I’m planning?”

“Another one of your ‘too crazy it might just work’ ideas?”

She jumped with excitement.

“An escape room!”

“Huh?”

“A school-wide escape room! We’ll have clues hidden all over the school, and each one will lead to the next. We could have people start in classrooms and work their way outside. It’s like… a living, breathing mystery! OH, OH! And maybe even something funny like somebody in a yōkai mask chasing people with fried tofu!”

I should have known.

Apparently, during the festival, her booth where students would write down their “most cherished memories” and drop them in a jar for “future generations”… kind of, well, catastrophically backfired. By the end of the day, the jar wasn't filled with heartfelt recollections, rather it was nothing but salacious, life-ruining gossip. Some of which I’m pretty sure weren’t remotely true.

And now she was already on to her next big disaster.

I guess she had a lot more time now that both she and Yashiro defected from their mysterious inter-dimensional organization… which still continued to confuse me.

At least thankfully that meant two fewer people spying on me…

Although… this might be worse.

“Isn’t that like a fire hazard?”

She hmphed. “Ok fiiiine, we can keep the back door unlocked.”

“And let me guess… you need me to carry boxes for you again?”

“Of course not!... I want you to be the one in the yōkai mask!”

I just stared at her for a second. “No thanks, I’ll pass.”

“Pleeeeaaase??”

I sighed. “Fine.”

“Yaaay! Thanks so much Tsu-kun!”

“Kinda sounds like a lawsuit,” Yashiro cut in. “But hey… at least it’ll be entertaining!”

"Oh, shut up, Yashi!" Sayuri replied, punching his arm. 

Yashiro grinned his biggest idiot grin, then nudged me with his elbow. “Hey, didn’t Miss Student Council invite you to lunch today?”

“Oh. Yeah. Right.”

Nearly forgot.

Sayuri had this habit of being a complete distraction machine whenever there was something important. 

I grabbed my sandwich and quickly began jogging to the stairs.

“Don’t keep the lady waiting!” Yashiro sang in a teasing voice.

⊹ ▬ ▬ ⊹ ⊹ ▬ ▬ ▬ ⊹

Within two minutes I'd arrived at the Student Council room. It was completely empty except for a single dark-haired girl sitting at a desk near an open window. She was already halfway through her bento. Today she seemed more… peaceful. Less unhinged and more human.

“You’re eating like a human today,” I said, sitting down at the desk in front of hers.

She didn’t look up. “That’s rich coming from someone whose diet consists of vending machine yakisoba and stale sandwiches.”

“It builds character.”

“It builds gastrointestinal issues.”

“I forgot how mean you get when you’re well-fed.”

She tilted her head with a delicate, practiced smile. “You must’ve missed me terribly.”

“Oh, definitely. The bullying, the condescension, the emotionally scarring verbal assaults.”

“Should I go easy on you? You look fragile lately.”

“That supposed to be concern or another jab?”

Minase closed her bento box with an elegant click and finally looked up at me, resting her chin on one hand.

“Keep talking, and I will submit an official report to the disciplinary committee claiming psychological harassment. I’ll even cite your bad haircut as evidence of a mental break.”

“You would weaponize bureaucracy.”

She smiled sweetly. “I invented it.”

There was a short silence after that. A truce, of sorts.

Outside the window, cherry blossoms continued to twirl in the breeze. Petals floated in through the open window, one landing on the desk in front of us. The wind was warmer now. Summer was beginning to awaken.

Minase suddenly broke the stillness.

“I’ve been thinking of resigning.”

I raised an eyebrow. “From your position as Head of State?”

She ignored that.

“From student council president...”

“Really? You? Stepping down? Are you dying?”

“Just shut up.”

I did, fearing I’d never see tomorrow if I didn’t.

Her sharp violet eyes glistened as they always did. 

She exhaled, her voice softer now. “I thought so too. But lately… I realized I was clinging to something that stopped serving me a long time ago.”

I didn’t say anything, but she went on.

“Maybe it wasn’t about running things. Maybe I just didn’t want to be left behind. Being ‘president’ meant I was somebody important. But if I have to keep playing that role even if I don’t enjoy it anymore… then maybe it’s not worth it. I guess.”

Her eyes drifted to the window. The room went quiet.

“Well,” I said, breaking the silence. “No more student council. Guess you can’t blackmail me anymore.”

“I might still keep tabs on you. For entertainment.”

“I’d be honored.”

“Plus, Sayuri said she might be interested in running for my spot.”

I nearly choked on my sandwich.

Oh F—

But before I could get down on my knees and beg for Minase to remain as president, I heard something. Not from her, or the student council room, but somewhere beyond.

A sound.

It was faint. Faint enough that you’d miss it if you weren’t paying attention. I think Minase said something like that once...

A melody, barely discernable, like a concert that was being held several blocks away.

Minase didn’t react. She was still focused on the neat little compartments of her bento, not a glint of recognition on her face.

“…You hear that?” I asked.

“Hear what?”

“…Never mind.”

She went back to eating. And I just sat there, listening.

It was so familiar. So intimate. 

I could almost see each note as they passed. The sound, it came and went like tides.

Could it be?

Was it her?

I straightened in my seat, trying to hear it more clearly.

Haruki.

She didn’t feel as distant anymore. 

Maybe somewhere out there, she was still trying to reach me. Or perhaps it was the part of us that I hadn’t separated.

The breeze came again, ruffling my hair with warm air.

I took another bite of my sandwich, listening to the sound no one else could hear.

And just for a moment. A brief, passing moment…

She was with me again.

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