Prologue – Final Day

The cherry blossoms had already begun to fall.

The school was filled with noise — laughter, shouts, some quiet good byes, confessions, rejections, and the sound of farewell letters being passed between friends. It was the final day of middle school, and spring had painted everything a little too softly.

Shun Ishikawa stood near the entrance, hands in his pockets, his eyes quietly fixed on one person.

Yui Sakurai.

She was by the shoe lockers, laughing about something with a classmate. Her ponytail bounced slightly as she leaned forward, smiling — the same smile Shun had watched ever since they were kids. The kind of smile that seemed to light up everything around her.

“Still haven’t said anything?” a voice beside him asked.

Shun looked back at the source of the voice. Takashi Tanaka stood there, backpack slung over one shoulder, half-grinning. “You've been staring at her for ten minutes, dude. Just go tell her.”

Shun scoffed. “Tell her what?”

“That you’ve liked her since, what, first year?” Takashi said, nudging him with an elbow. “C’mon, if you don’t do it now you will lose her, high school’s just gonna start and boom — she’s someone else’s girlfriend.”

“I’ll pass,” Shun muttered, eyes still fixed on her. “It’s not like that.”

Takashi snorted. “Liar.”

They stood like that for a moment longer.

“Well,” Takashi said, slapping Shun lightly on the back. “Guess this is it. Meet you at high school, pal.”

Shun finally smiled, turning toward him. “Yeah. Don’t sleep through the entrance ceremony.”

“No promises.”

With a wave, Takashi jogged off.

Shun watched him go, then turned and walked toward the shoe lockers.

Yui was alone now, locking her locker. She looked when she heard his steps.

“Yo,” Shun said, scratching the back of his neck.

Yui raised an eyebrow. “That’s all I get? No grand farewell?”

“You wish.” He nodded toward the school gate. “Wanna head home?”

“Sure.”

As they walked past the gate, Shun glanced around.

“Where’s Megumi?” he asked.

“She already left,” Yui replied. “Said she had to help out at home.”

“Ah.”

Their shoes clicked against the pavement as they fell into a familiar rhythm. They’d walked this way home more times than either could count. Side by side, not always talking, but never awkward.

“So… high school,” Yui said, breaking the silence.

“Yeah. Feels weird.”

“Do you think I’ll get a boyfriend?”

Shun blinked. “What?”

“I mean,” Yui said, grinning, “middle school went like a flash. Maybe high school’ll be more exciting.”

Shun chuckled. “Any guy who ends up with you is doomed.”

“Excuse me?” she laughed, pretending to glare.

“I’m serious. Nobody can handle you.”

Yui playfully bumped his shoulder with hers. “Well, someone has to. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck walking home with me forever.”

Shun smirked. “Could be worse.”

They continued on — two childhood friends, stepping into the light of something new, their shadows long behind them.

The sun was dipping low when they reached Shun’s house.

Yui stopped at the gate, turning to face him. “Hey.”

“Yeah?”

“Summer festival. You wanna go with me and Megumi?”

Shun blinked, caught off guard. “Sure.”

“Cool,” she said, eyes lighting up. “I will text you the details. Don’t be late, okay?”

“I won’t.”

“See you then.” She waved, and started down the road toward her house.

Shun watched her go, her silhouette shrinking into the horizon, the light catching her hair just right.

He stood there for a while. Then finally, he stepped inside his house.