(#0) Kugimiya Rei

I always thought it was boring, that everyday was the same. 
Sometimes I try to blame it on something or convince myself that this stillness was out of my control. 
But I..

Beep, beep.. be-
Click.

I glace at the time, getting dressed in school uniform.
I look through my cupboard.
I'm running out of coffee.
I grab a CalorieMate and head out the door, cycling to school.

I open the door to the auditorium and see a couple familiar faces.
Miyako Akane and Saitome Takehiko who I attended middle school with.
I briskly walked towards them and had a seat.

"Akane, good morning."
"Good morning, Yamada-kun."
"Oi, no greetings for me, Yamada?"
"Yeah, yeah, good morning Takehiko.."

"Good morning. I am Principal Kugori Watanabe and congratulations on making it into the Asahi High Of The Arts. You may face many challenges in the future but try to get along with one another."

And with that short ceremonial speech, we headed for our classes. 
I'm in classroom 2-B.
And to my surprise both Akane and Takehiko got in as well.

Akane sits a couple desks adjacent from me and Takehiko sits behind me.
He nudges me and smiles.

"Look forward to getting along with ya' this year as well!"
"Same to you."

The teacher walks towards the lecture podium and begins a roll call.
But a certain name catches my attention.
"Kugimura Reimi"

The teacher's voice echoed through the classroom, calling out the absent student's name, "Kugimura Reimi?" The silence hung in the air as the teacher moved on, marking her absent on the attendance sheet.

Curiosity piqued within Ashiya Yamada's mind. He had heard of Reimi before but had never seen her in person. She was a well known name and her enrollment intrigued him. As the class progressed, Yamada couldn't shake the nagging thought.

A week passed, and the question of Reimi's absence lingered in Yamada's thoughts. He found himself compelled to take action. After school, he decided to visit her apartment, delivering Reimi's missing assignments in person and find out what was going on.

Reimi lived in a modest apartment complex not too far from the school. As he approached the building where Reimi resided, he felt a mix of apprehension and curiosity. He knocked on the door, but there was no response. The door, surprisingly, swung open effortlessly. Hesitant but determined, Yamada stepped inside.

To his surprise, he discovered the apartment in complete disarray. Clothes were strewn across the floor, empty food containers cluttered the table, and dust had settled on almost every surface. It looked as though a whirlwind had torn through the place. Yamada couldn't help but wonder what had caused this chaos.

As he cautiously walked further into the apartment, he noticed a figure lying on the couch, completely still. It was Reimi. A wave of concern washed over him. Was she okay? He approached her carefully and called out her name, but there was no response. Worried, he gently shook her shoulder.

Reimi stirred, slowly awakening from her deep slumber. Her eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, confusion washed over her face. But as her gaze met Yamada's concerned eyes, a soft smile formed on her lips.

"Oh, Yamada-kun, you came," she murmured, her voice slightly groggy.

"The teacher told you I was coming?" Yamada set the assignments down on a table littered with dirty pots and pans.

"I brought your assignments. Are you alright? What happened here?" Yamada asked, gesturing around the messy apartment.

Reimi sat up, rubbing her eyes, and surveyed the disarray around her. "Ah, this? Don't worry about it."

Yamada couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at her nonchalant response.

"I can't just ignore it. Let me help you clean up," Yamada insisted. "Ugh.. This room reeks." Yamada pinched his nose.

"I don't really know you though.." Reimi hesitates but gives in. She finally nodded. "If you insist."

For the rest of the day, Yamada works on cleaning her apartment. He finishes cleaning until sunset, and Reimi falls asleep again in that timeframe.

Yamada carries her to her futon and tucks her in. He then goes back to his own apartment. The situation he was in just hit him when he collapsed in bed. He was cleaning the apartment of the famous actress Kugimura Reimi. Yamada tossed and turned, his mind buzzing with thoughts. He didn't sleep a wink that night.

The next morning, as Yamada walked into Asahi High, the atmosphere was charged with whispers and glances. The news of Reimi's presence had spread like wildfire among the students.

During lunch break, Yamada found himself sitting alone at an empty table, reading manga. Suddenly, he felt a presence beside him and looked up to see Reimi standing there, a hint of hesitance in her eyes.

"Mind if I join you?" she asked, holding a cute patterned bento box.

Yamada nodded, inviting her to sit down. The air between them felt slightly tense, both unsure of how to break the ice.

"Erm.. forget about what happened yesterday. I don't think I made a good first impression." Reimi says opening her lunchbox.

"Aah, don't worry about it. But I am curious, what exactly is an actress like you living in that dingy apartment?"

"I'm not very good at housekeeping and I ended up just giving up midway."

"Hey.. I don't think you so give up to that extent.." 

"Is that so?"
They finished their lunch boxes and walked home together. They briefly chatted about school and interests and Reimi eventually reached her own apartment

As Reimi was about to leave, Yamada stopped her.

".. If you want, I can help clean around your apartment from time to time." Yamada says bashfully.

Reimi looks surprised. "Really? I'd be grateful. Let's exchange LINE ID's."

Yamada fumbled for his phone as well, their hands momentarily brushing against each other as they handed their devices to exchange QR codes. Their hands lingered for a brief moment, a subtle electric current passing between them, before they pulled back, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness.

"Then, I'll see you tomorrow." Reimi grins and waves as she leaves. 

"Y-ye-" But Reimi leaves before he could finish his sentence.

In the privacy of his room, Yamada held his phone in his hands, his gaze fixed on Reimi's contact information. The screen displayed her name and a tiny profile picture. His fingers traced the edges of his phone, contemplating whether he should send a message to Reimi or wait until morning. The temptation to reach out and continue their conversation was almost overwhelming. But a part of him hesitated, fearing that he might come across as too eager or intrusive.

Time ticked away, each passing minute amplifying his internal struggle. Yamada wrestled with his own thoughts, questioning his actions and wondering if he had done enough to nurture the newfound connection with Reimi. Doubts crept into his mind, fueled by his own insecurities and fear of overstepping boundaries.

"Hey, Reimi. It was really nice talking to you today. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. Goodnight." He types and sends after hundreds of nervous reiterations.

He shuts off his phone and hopes for the best as he falls asleep.