Episode 1

The Girl Who Said My Name

Spring always arrived the same way.

Cherry blossoms floated through the school gates, the morning breeze carried the sound of laughter, and students hurried through the hallways as if every new semester promised a different life.

For everyone else, it was an exciting day.

For me, it was just another ordinary morning.

My name is Haru Kurosawa.

I'm seventeen years old, and if someone asked my classmates to describe me, most of them probably couldn't.

I sit in the last row beside the window.

I eat lunch alone.

I leave school alone.

Being unnoticed is easier than trying to fit in.

At least, that's what I always believed.

The classroom slowly filled with noise.

Some boys argued about basketball.

A group of girls planned their weekend.

Someone laughed so loudly that even the teacher looked annoyed.

I put on my headphones without turning on any music.

Silence was enough.

Then the classroom door opened.

"Good morning, Yui!"

Several students greeted her at once.

She smiled and waved at everyone.

Yui Shirakawa.

The most popular girl in our grade.

She wasn't the loudest person in class, but somehow everyone paid attention whenever she entered the room.

I lowered my eyes and opened my novel.

Our worlds had nothing in common.

We had been classmates for almost two years.

Not once had we spoken to each other.

The morning classes passed quickly.

When lunch break started, everyone rushed outside or gathered with friends.

As usual, I walked toward the library.

The old room smelled of paper and dust.

It was my favorite place in the entire school.

I found a seat near the window and opened the mystery novel I had borrowed the week before.

Everything was peaceful.

Until I heard footsteps.

Someone stopped beside my table.

"Excuse me..."

I looked up.

It was Yui.

"Is this seat taken?"

For a second, my mind went completely blank.

"N-No... you can sit here."

She smiled.

"Thank you."

The library became quiet again.

Neither of us spoke.

I tried to focus on my book, but reading the same sentence five times didn't help.

Then she suddenly looked at the cover of my novel.

"I've read that one."

I blinked.

"You have?"

She nodded happily.

"The ending surprised me so much that I couldn't sleep that night."

Without thinking, I answered,

"It surprised me too."

She laughed.

"So you like mystery novels?"

"I guess... they're interesting."

"Me too."

For the first time in years, talking to someone didn't feel exhausting.

It felt... natural.

The bell rang, breaking the silence.

Yui stood up and picked up her bag.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Haru."

She said my name so casually that it took me a moment to realize what had happened.

After she left, I stared at the empty chair across from me.

No one had ever remembered my name after meeting me only once.

I looked outside the window as cherry blossoms drifted through the air.

For everyone else, it was just another school day.

For me...

it was the day everything quietly began.