Chapter 3 – Neighbor Trouble at School

Haruto stepped out of his apartment just as the morning sun crept between the buildings, painting the narrow street in pale gold. He adjusted the strap of his bag on his shoulder and took a steady breath.

Okay… just another day, he told himself. Go to school. Sit down. Don’t trip. Don’t embarrass yourself.

Simple enough.

Two steps later, his shoelace caught on the edge of the stair, and he stumbled forward, barely catching himself on the railing.

“…Right,” he muttered. “One day. Just one normal day.”

By the time he reached the station, Haruto was already flustered. The ticket machine beeped angrily when he inserted his card the wrong way, the turnstile nearly closed on his bag, and when he finally made it onto the train, he was shoved into a corner by the morning crowd.

City life is brutal, he thought grimly, gripping the overhead strap like it was a lifeline. How does Hana make this look so easy every day?

When he arrived at school, slightly out of breath but technically on time, Haruto straightened his uniform and walked through the gates, trying to look confident.

It lasted about five seconds.

“Hey, isn’t that the transfer kid?” someone whispered.

“The one from the countryside?”

Haruto’s ears burned. Village… again…

He kept his head down and slipped into the classroom, aiming straight for his seat. He almost made it.

“Wow,” a familiar voice said, light and amused. “You actually made it on time today, neighbor.”

Haruto froze.

He slowly looked up and met Hana’s eyes. She was leaning against her desk, chin resting in her hand, lips curved into a teasing smile. Sunlight caught in her hair, making her look unfairly bright this early in the morning.

“I—uh—” Haruto felt his face heat instantly. “Good morning.”

A couple of students nearby turned to look between them.

“Neighbor?” someone repeated.

Hana’s smile widened just a little. “Yeah. We live next door.”

The whispering started immediately.

Haruto wished the floor would open up and swallow him whole.

Class began before the curiosity could fully explode, but Haruto felt eyes on him all morning. He tried to focus on the board, but his nerves betrayed him.

During note-taking, his elbow clipped the edge of his desk.

His books slid off in a dramatic cascade, hitting the floor with a loud thud.

The room went quiet for half a second.

Then a few snickers followed.

Haruto scrambled to pick everything up. “S-sorry!”

Before he could reach the last notebook, Hana was already there, kneeling beside him. She handed it to him with a soft smile.

“Careful,” she whispered. “City floors are dangerous.”

Their fingers brushed.

Haruto froze.

It was brief—barely a second—but his heart slammed against his ribs like it was trying to escape. Hana didn’t pull away immediately either. She looked up at him, eyes bright with something unreadable, then stood smoothly.

“No more casualties,” she said lightly, returning to her seat.

Haruto sat down slowly, face burning, mind completely blank.

That just happened. That definitely just happened.

By lunchtime, he was exhausted.

He hovered awkwardly at the edge of the cafeteria, tray in hand, scanning for an empty seat. Before he could retreat to a corner, Hana spotted him.

“Haruto!” she called, waving. “Over here.”

He hesitated, then walked over as her friends made space.

“So,” Hana said as he sat down, poking at her food, “how’s city school treating you so far?”

Haruto thought about the train, the whispers, the fallen books… and her kneeling beside him.

“It’s… intense,” he admitted.

She laughed. “You’ll survive. Eventually.”

They started talking more easily as they ate. Haruto told them about growing up surrounded by fields, about waking up early to help his grandparents, about nights so quiet he could hear insects through the walls.

Hana listened closely, resting her chin on her hand.

“That actually sounds kind of nice,” she said. “Way better than traffic noise.”

Her friend smirked. “Didn’t know you were into countryside boys, Hana.”

Haruto nearly choked.

Hana raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t say that.”

“But you didn’t deny it either,” another teased.

Haruto stared intensely at his tray.

The afternoon brought group work in PE. Teams were assigned quickly, and fate—or cruelty—put Haruto and Hana together.

They were supposed to practice basic coordination drills. Haruto tried his best, but his timing was off, his movements stiff. He missed an easy catch and stumbled backward.

“Relax,” Hana said, tossing the ball back to him. “You’re thinking too hard.”

“I just don’t want to mess up,” he admitted.

She smiled softly. “Then mess up. I’ll cover for you.”

Something about that made his chest feel warm.

The bell rang before he realized it.

After school, Haruto walked out slower than usual, tired but oddly light. The day hadn’t been perfect—but it hadn’t been terrible either.

At the gate, Hana caught up to him.

“Hey,” she said, walking backward in front of him. “You did okay today.”

He smiled, shy but genuine. “Thanks… for helping earlier.”

She shrugged. “That’s what neighbors are for.”

She turned and headed toward her building, then looked back and waved. “See you tomorrow, village boy.”

Haruto watched her go, heart pounding, a small smile on his face.