The Welcoming

"I'm off"

Those are the words I yelled before the opening door as I leave my house. I went to the station and stop at the nearest station to school. I went to the convenience store that is right next to the station and bought a bento set since I didn't have time to make one a while ago. I leave the store and I heard a familiar voice from yesterday.

"Yo! Tanahashi-Kun!"

"It's morning you idiot! Is there a way to even lower your voice?!"

A loud badmouth and a chilled one, yet somehow loud. It's Nise and Chiba. 

I wave at them saying, "Good Morning, you two." Chiba returns the greeting and says "Morning, Tanahashi." while Nise is just waving his hand at me. "Tanahashi, Wanna go to school together?" Nise asks as he put his arm around my shoulder as most friends do. I gladly accepted his offer and we start walking to school. While walking, I asked them a question.

"What were you guys doing at the store?" is what I asked, then, Nise immediately respond, "I was going to buy my lunch but I'll just tag along with Miu later when she buys one." "I bought necessities, then I came across this airhorn right here." is what Chiba said while pointing at Nise being the airhorn.

I see, these two have that dynamic I guess.

In a short walk, we made it to the school gate. Our classroom is on the second floor, we went upstairs and saw Uchida holding papers, walking in the hallway. 

To get her attention, I greeted her "Good Morning, Uchida." She saw us and immediately greeted us back. Nise questions, "Those are a lot of papers, is it for the student council?" Uchida answers, "Yes. It's been hectic lately, they needed help, so I gave them a hand with it." Chiba asked Uchida, "Do ya need help, Yuuki?" then Uchida replied, "No. I'm good." with a smile on her face. 

She said, "I'll be going now. See you guys later." then left us. We made it to the classroom, and people are already there. 

Around the corner, I see Itsuki, wearing a pair of earphones watching on his phone. I went there to greet him but, he looks busy watching a game of basketball. I didn't interrupt but...Nise did.

"Itsuki! Itsuki! Good Morning!" as he tickles Itsuki around his arms.

Itsuki laughed, "Woah! Ha... Stop! Hahaha...Stop! It actually hurts."  Nise then stops and I greeted Itsuki with a "Good Morning" and he returned it as well. A little later, Uchida arrived in the classroom, then our homeroom teacher shortly after.

"Let's do the attendance", he says, and then I hear loud footsteps from the hallway, and then the door opened, making a slamming noise. "Good....morning....everyone..." an out-of-breath Kyouko-san appeared in the class. Sensei sincerely said, "Kyouko-san, please take your seat."

As she sits, Uchida questioned her, "Are you okay, Sakura?" She answered, "I just overslept, that's all." and proceeds to sit down. Then, homeroom began, and then classes started after that. I kind of got the hang of my new school, surprisingly under two days.

I turned around, then, something caught my eye. I passed a note to Uchida, while the teacher wasn't looking in our direction. The note says "Kyouko-san is sleeping, she might get caught." She returned the note to me with a response stating "Let her be." with a doodle face beside it.

She somehow didn't get caught by the teacher. Then, time passed by and lunch started. 

Uchida approached me and asked, "Tanahashi-Kun, are you going to have lunch with us?" I nodded at her. Chiba, alongside Nise, said, "You guys go first, Nise, and I gonna catch up with you guys." before leaving the classroom. Uchida then asked a favor "Can you call Itsuki, while I wake up Sakura?". I accepted her favor and went and called Itsuki. Then I went back, and Uchida seems troubled.

"Sakura, c'mon wake up."

Kyouko-san replied, "Just a bit more." then went back to snoring.

"It's already lunch, Sakura, wake up." Itsuki insisted.

.....

I said, "Kyouko-san, wake up before Chi—" before I got cut off by Chiba, who had just gone back from buying lunch, alongside Nise.  

Chiba said, "Let her sleep." and then, she suggested, "Let's just eat here, until she wakes up." Uchida asked, "Does she have lunch with her?" Chiba replied, "Don't worry, I bought extra sandwiches." 

We combined our seats near Kyouko-san and started eating our lunch while she's sleeping peacefully. Nise shouted, "Time for lun—", then we cut him off by covering his mouth, telling him to shush. Nise apologized by bowing with his hands, instead of speaking. Around 45 minutes later, Kyouko-san woke up.

With concern in her eyes, Uchida asked, "Are you alright, Sakura?", then, Kyouko-san replied, "Yes, I'm...ahhhhh-hhhhaaaa...fine." while stretching her arms, still having that sleepy voice. After a while, she stands up and asked, "How much time we got left for lunch?" Uchida answered, "Few minutes.", then Kyouko-san replied, "I'll just skip lunch, I guess."

Chiba handover the extra sandwich and said, "I know this would happen. I bought one just in case." Kyouko-san smiled and said, "You're so cute, Miu." while hugging her. Chiba snapped, "Just eat it, sleepyhead!". Kyouko-san lets go of her and show her appreciation to Chiba, "Thanks, Miu." and ate the sandwich. 

A little later, lunch is over and the teacher entered the room, and classes resumed. As time has passed by, the school has ended today but we have other plans. 

—

"Have you gathered your stuff already, Tanahashi?" Itsuki asked while the others are beside him. I nodded at him and we all went together to my house. 

We finally reached our destination and the reactions...

"It's massive!" Kyouko-san exclaimed.

Uchida compliments, "It looks modern." "It is," Chiba agreed.

Itsuki said, "It looks nearly the same as mine."

"Me too!" Nise added.

We went to the living room and I prepared some food for them, "Make yourself at home, everyone."

I went back to the living room with food and placed down the food.

"Ready...." Uchida said. I babbled, "Ready?", seemingly confused. Then she shouted, "Go!"

I hear a pop, confetti raining through the living room, and landing on me.

"Welcome to our school, Tanahashi!" They all said as they had planned it in the first place. I was astonished, can't even speak of how truly happy I am. Words can't even describe it. I'm just in shock.

Chiba suggested, "We should take a picture of it."

Uchida agrees, "This will be a good memory for us."

Nise insists, "I'll take it!"

Kyouko-san suggested, "Have Ituski take it. He is tall."

Itsuki replied, "I'll do it."

He took his phone out and told everyone, "Ready...Go!" and capture the moment that we had. "I'm going to send it on the group chat," Itsuki says. Uchida follows up, "I'll add Tanahashi-Kun on the group chat."

Then I got added to their group chat. Wow, this picture is good.

Nise said, "This will be a memory forever embedded in us!"

We ate, have fun, playing video games, until its time for them to go home. 

I shouted, "See you guys, tomorrow!" as I see them off.

"Bye, bye."

"See you also tomorrow, Tanahashi-Kun."

"Bye, bye! Tanahashi!"

"We had fun, see you tomorrow."

Kyouko-san waves her hand.

A memory will just be a memory, whether it's good or not. 

...

I wonder if they will remember me?