A New Day

The faint light of dawn slipped through the curtains, painting pale golden lines across the ceiling.

Arata Sato opened his eyes to his quiet attic and, for a moment, forgot to breathe as he coughed awkwardly.

'Today…'

His heart gave a single, heavy thump as memory caught up with him.

‘First day at Kyousei Academy.’

His body felt oddly light, his mind clear in a way it rarely was in the mornings. He actually felt… rested.

“Of all days to wake up refreshed, it had to be this one," he muttered, a wry smile tugging at his lips.

The smile didn’t quite reach his stomach, though.

There, a tight knot of anxiety sat coiled and stubborn.

Not just because it was the first day.

Because somewhere in the back of his mind, he still remembered the entrance ceremony, the rows of students and reporters, and the familiar face he saw.

The way his mind went blank.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up. For a second, he just stayed there, elbows on his knees, fingers digging into his hair.

He exhaled slowly.

“Okay, Sato Arata,” he muttered to himself.

“Don’t freak out before you even get there.”

The small closet he used as a wardrobe creaked open to reveal something he had checked at least five times already: the pristine Kyousei Academy uniform, hanging neatly on a wooden hanger.

White shirt. Dark blue blazer trimmed with subtle silver lines. The school’s emblem glinted on the left breast pocket. Matching pants. A tie folded with almost military precision.

Arata reached out and ran his fingers over the fabric. It felt smooth, cool, and stiff with newness.

“This is really happening, huh…”

He got dressed carefully, making sure the shirt was fully buttoned, the collar straight, the tie knot reasonably neat.

He had watched two tutorial videos the night before just to make sure he wouldn’t embarrass himself.

Standing in front of the mirror, he adjusted his tie one last time. Sato Arata left for his dreams.

The school gates were an elegant ironwork design, the same emblem from his blazer reflected in the intricate metal curves.

Arata slowed instinctively, his steps faltering.

‘So many people…,” he thought.

Students in the same uniform streamed past him, talking, laughing, complaining about mornings, comparing class placements.

He was almost at the gate when a voice called out from behind him.

“Hey! You...uh, stage-freeze guy! Black hair Wait up!”

Arata stopped and half-turned, startled.

He skidded to a stop beside Arata and looked him up and down, then grinned in recognition.

It was Daiki Hiro, or as Hiro-kun as Arata remembered, as he was the one who helped calm him down after he’d very possibly seen a ghost.

“Anyway, official re-introduction time. I’m Daiki Hiro.” said Hiro-kun.

“You said you wanted to meet everyone in attire didnt you?” he added.

This time, Arata’s laugh came a little easier.

“Of course,”

Arata-kun replied.

“I dont wanna make a bad impression.“ he added.

“Plus…we’re in the same class..right??” Arata-kun whispered curiously.

Yep. Class 1-B, right?” Daiki leaned forward, glancing at the paper Arata was holding. “See? Same as me. I checked the list after the ceremony.”

Arata looked down at the crumpled printout he’d almost forgotten he was holding.

[Kyousei Academy – First Year Class Placement: 1-B – Arata Sato.]

“Ah… you’re right.” Arata-kun realized.

The courtyard spread out ahead of them, paved walkways cutting through carefully trimmed lawns and clusters of trees.

To their left, a large building with wide glass windows rose, sleek and modern. To the right, an older-looking structure with brick accents and arched windows stood like a quiet observer.

“Whoa,” Daiki breathed. “It’s even bigger up close.”

Arata turned slowly, trying to take everything in at once. It was too much. Too many people, too many directions, too many possibilities.

“What’s what?” he asked, more to anchor himself than anything else.

Daiki put his hands on his hips and nodded sagely, as if he had been waiting for that question.

“Glad you asked. Okay, see that building there with all the glass?” He pointed to the left. “That’s the Main Academic Building. Most of our regular classes will be there—math, literature, science, all the usual stuff.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Arata said.

“I’m just being realistic,” Daiki replied. “Now, that brick one over there with the fancy windows?”

Arata followed his finger.

“That’s the Old Wing. Apparently, it’s been around since the academy was founded. Some of the special courses and club rooms are inside. Also, rumor has it it’s haunted, but I think that’s just upperclassmen trying to scare us.”

“Haunted…?” Arata repeated flatly, glancing at Hiro-kun blankly.

“Hey, I said rumor. Don’t look at me like that.” Hiro-kun replied.

They started walking toward the main courtyard, letting the flow of students carry them along.

On the far side of the courtyard, another building loomed, lower but wider, the front lined with poster boards.

“What about that one?” Arata asked.

Hiro-kun’s eyes lit up.

 “Ah, that’s the Club Hall. The legendary place where first years are lured in with promises of ‘finding your true self’ and then trapped forever doing paperwork.”

“That sounds oddly personal,” Arata said.

“Nah, I just read too many manga,” Hiro-kun admitted.

“But seriously, I heard Kyousei has a ton of clubs. Sports, cultural, academic, weird niche stuff… You name it.

They drew closer, and Arata saw that the boards outside the Club Hall were plastered with colorful flyers of various clubs.

But one club made his eyes squint in disbelief.

Arata’s head started to spin as he read the name of the peculiar club. “Unravelling Mysteries”.

“This can't be real,” said Arata-kun.

“Overwhelming, right?. They basically let anyone make a club as long as 5 students agree to join.”

Hiro-kun added, “But most don't even do basic duties like filing out a form really.”

Arata scanned the club posters at insane speed, searching for one he could join.

“Relax,” Hiro-kun said.

“We don’t have to pick anything today. Usually, there’s a club introduction week. They’ll parade themselves in front of us, and we just have to sit there and get brainwashed.” Hiro-kun admitted.

“That’s also not reassuring,” Arata-kun said.

Hiro-kun continued the tour,

“Okay, moving on. That way, see the covered path? That leads to the Gymnasium and the Indoor Courts.”

“That’s where all the sports clubs gather. Basketball, volleyball, badminton, and probably some martial arts too. And beyond that is the Track and Field area and the Soccer Grounds.”

“And we have access to all of that?” Arata-kun asked.

“Yup. If you join a club. If they let ya join that is..” Hiro-kun shrugged.

Arata-kun’s face contronted into a malicious smile , one that may as well make a businessman’s crooked intents seem like a saint’s.

“Oh, they’ll have no choice but to let me join..” Arata-kun thought of ridiculous plans instantly.

Hiro-kun questioned reality as he wasn’t ready for any trouble caused by him as he dragged Arata-kun away.

Despite the anxiety knotting his stomach, despite the way the campus seemed too big and too loud, something was grounding about having someone like Daiki beside him.

As if someone who talked a little too fast, joked a little too easily, and had already stepped into the academy before Arata. He reminded him of his grandpa only..if he were a high schooler instead.

He looked ahead, toward the entrance of the main academic building, where a sign reading First Year – Classrooms 1-A to 1-D hung above the doors.

But Arata-kun wasn’t content. The academy of his dreams no longer felt as dreamy as it once had. He gazed out the window at the distant bridge as his parents’ cheerful scoldings echoed in his mind.

As he turned back toward the hallway, a neatly dressed girl carrying a stack of paperwork bumped into Arata-kun. The papers scattered across the floor as she fell.

Her eyes were deeply tired, her hair slightly disheveled. Arata-kun smiled as he caught a glimpse of the papers she had dropped.