Chapter 1 — Between You and the Falling Petals

Spring arrived quietly, as if it didn’t want to disturb anyone.

The sakura trees lining the entrance of Hoshimiya High School were already in full bloom, their pale pink petals drifting lazily through the air.

Each petal danced freely, carried by the wind, falling wherever it pleased—just like the new lives about to begin beneath them.

Sora Nishimura stood still at the school gate, her fingers tightening slightly around the strap of her bag.

So this is my new school…

Her long dark hair swayed gently with the breeze, and for a moment, she simply watched the petals fall, one by one. The chatter of students echoed around her—laughter, excited voices, hurried footsteps—but somehow, she felt separated from all of it, as if standing inside a transparent wall.

She took a deep breath.

“I’ll be fine,”

she whispered to herself.

New school. New people. New beginning.

Even if her heart felt a little unsteady.

As she stepped forward, the world suddenly shifted.

“Ah—!”

Her foot slipped slightly, and before she could regain her balance, she felt herself bump into someone.

Strong hands caught her arms.

“Careful!”

Sora’s eyes widened as she looked up, meeting a pair of warm, bright eyes framed by tousled chestnut hair.

“I— I’m sorry!”

she blurted out at the same time he spoke.

For a brief second, they stared at each other, both surprised.

Then the boy laughed softly, scratching the back of his head.

“Looks like we both weren’t paying attention,” he said with a grin.

“Are you okay?”

Sora felt her cheeks heat up.

“Yes… thank you. I’m fine.”

Sakura petals floated between them, brushing past their shoulders as if the world itself was pausing to watch.

“I’m Hayama Ren,” the boy said cheerfully.

“Nice to meet you .”

“…Nishimura Sora,” she replied, bowing slightly. “Nice to meet you too.”

Ren smiled wider.

“Maybe we’re even in the same class. Spring’s already starting off interesting, huh?”

Sora couldn’t help but smile back.

He’s… bright, she thought.

Like the sun.

Later that day, the classroom buzzed with noise and excitement. Chairs scraped against the floor, voices overlapped, and friendships seemed to form in the blink of an eye.

Ren was already surrounded by classmates, laughing as if he had known them for years.

“Spring is the best season!” he declared. “Everything feels new!”

Across the room, near the window, another boy stood quietly apart from the crowd.

Moriyama Kaito.

His dark hair fell slightly over his eyes as he stared outside, watching the sakura petals fall in silence. The laughter behind him didn’t reach his ears—or perhaps, he simply chose not to hear it.

So loud, he thought.

His gaze shifted, and for just a moment, it landed on Sora sitting near the window across the room. Sunlight filtered through the glass, illuminating her face softly, her expression calm yet distant.

Kaito looked away.

Spring…

I hate it.

As the petals continued to fall, none of them noticed how their paths had already begun to intertwine.

One girl, standing between light and shadow.

One boy, shining warmly.

And one boy, watching quietly from the darkness.

Between them, the sakura kept falling—

unaware of the story it had just begun.

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