It weaved delicately

The rattling noises of Alto’s bike’s chain can be heard traveling along the schoolyard as it goes through the snow from last night. After he parked his bicycle, he walks through the empty school corridor accompanied by the sparrow chirps from the distance, he looks around to see where it came from, and to no luck, he sighs and continues his walk.

As he walks around the corner of the corridor, he saw a girl with washed-out blond hair doing her homework right in front of her classroom. He walked past her after he glance over the text, it was the same math homework he just finished yesterday and he can’t help but to giggle for a bit and immediately stopped as she noticed it, he then walked toward the staircase.

Fuu…fuu…

After he arrived on the second floor, he was greeted by a gentle glare from the sun and he instinctively covered his eye with his arm. He turned right to walk toward his class that is on the far corner of the building, looking around at the sign of each room he came across for class 3-I.

But to no avail, there aren’t any classrooms but club rooms along his way, he thought that it must be upstairs but he still has to check in to his class so he goes straight to his classroom. Sliding the classroom door open, he finds none of his classmates has arrived yet, he then sits on the first row just beside the windows on the right, in front of the teacher's desk.

He then heard the same chirps from the sparrow before, he looks up to the window and notices an extensive filament that has a silky- very delicate texture to it, grouped together and forming a white sheet that covers the whole sky. It’s the long strand of the cloud named Cirrus.

It’s almost springtime…and that cloud looks similar…

Oh- Oh yeah! It’s Sana…I slept so well last night that I forgot about it, she said that she wanted to go on a cloud gazing together right? I better text her-

He froze as he realized that he also forgot to ask for her phone number.

Darn…it looks like I have to go and met her now- he then gets up from his chair but notices someone standing at the entrance of his classroom. Her black sailor uniform weaved delicately after she opens the classroom door, her legs are covered in black stockings, she wears a white and blue scarf on her neck, and that long wavy blue hair and cyan pupil are…

“Oh…It’s Alto! Hey!” she waved her arms on top of her head.

「Ah…Umi, it’s you.」Alto sits down and waves back.

“Of course! You’re so freaking early today! What’s up~?” Umi walks up to Alto and puts her bag and scarf on top of the desk.

「Well…I just…feel like it, I guess?」

“No way, you’re almost like- never this early you know?”

「Is it really?」

“Yeah! And you look…a lot more…less tired”

「I think I have a really good sleep last night…」

“…that’s good for you.” she looks at Alto with a gaze full of curiosity.

…

“Well, do you like…want to come over for karaoke next saturday? Miya and Yamada will also be there!” she faintly smiles while looking at Alto, while she’s holding her chin up with her arms. But…it doesn’t look like that Alto seemed to like the idea.

…ah.

「...I’m sorry, but it looks like I have to pass…I still have to help at my Aunt’s restaurant during that time.」

“I see…It really is always so busy at night…especially at the weekend” she sighs as her gaze softens, it’s like she had already expected his answer.

「Yeah…I’m sorry about that.」

“No no no, it’s alright really! You can come next time! There is still another day right?”

God…I hate it…

“Ah! Anyways, have you done the math homework!? I’m so so stuck on question 8! Do you mind if you help me with-”

It’s not okay for you isn’t it Umi? And…I can’t just…

On top of that…you came at the worst time, then…I have no choice but to help you.

Damn it…

…

As they started on Umi’s math homework, more of Alto’s classmates started to come in. Over time, Alto gets into it and started to forget what he wanted to do, and the fact that some of the other classmates started to join in, only makes him forget about it even more, at least…until the bell rang the time to the first break.

The school bell rang and echoes throughout the building, the clock on top of the classroom’s blackboard is now pointing at 9 am, the time for the first break of the day. There weren’t a lot of lectures since the final exam is already over, they’re now just completing the overdue and uncompleted assignments given by their teacher, and some of the teachers actually come to give a lecture for the uni exam, and there’s always a schedule every day, though it’s not the case for Alto’s class now.

“Oh! It’s break time already? Thanks a lot for the time Alto!”

「Don’t mention it, we also finished it right on time yeah?」

“Oh, you’re right! Well, it looks like we can actually turn it in now! Care to join me?” she closed her notebook and picks it up before getting out of her seat.

「Sure thing, though I have to do something later-」Alto sighs before doing the same thing, and he’s quite surprised when he sees Umi covering her mouth with her hands as if she’s seeing her baby walks for the first time.

「…Is there anything wrong?」

“Um! No, I mean let’s go!”

「Oh come on! You’re just making fun of me now!」

“Hahaha, I’m not making fun of you Alto!” she giggled while turning his back on Alto and walking towards the classroom door.

「You’re clearly making fun of me!」he then jogged to catch up with Umi that are already outside of the classroom.

「Jeez…Is it really that bad…-」as he exits the classroom, he sees a speck of white strand of hair in the corner of his eye, he quickly turns to his right and sees her walking down the stairs on the other end of the building.

That’s her…

“Alto, what’s wrong?-”

「Sorry! I’ve got something to do!」Alto quickly put his notebook in Umi's hands and ran away to catch up with Sana, startling the whole corridor in the process with his loud thud.

“...do you really need to run off like that…?” she turns her head to the direction Alto ran to and watched him walks down the stair.

“I wonder what is going on…I've never seen him behave like this…” She lowers her eyebrows and turned away before walking to the other end of the hallways.