First Day

It's my first day of college.

My biggest wish?

To find a best friend here—someone who understands me and shares my personality. But that might be hard… I'm not really an extrovert.

We walk to our classrooms, and I quietly take my seat on the second bench. Beside me is my high school friend, Amanda.

Amanda and I are very different.

She's outgoing, confident, and talks to everyone easily. With her fair skin and short hair, she stands out wherever she goes. She's also very sensitive and emotional.

And me?

I'm more childish, quiet, and only truly comfortable around people I already know. I have long hair, and I don't talk much. Maybe that's why we're not as close as we used to be.

But to Amanda… I'm still her best friend. Maybe even more than that.

She's already talking to the girl sitting next to her.

"Hey, what's your name?" Amanda asks with a bright smile.

"Ema. What about you?" the girl replies.

"I'm Amanda. And she's my best friend, Isy," she says, pointing at me.

"Oh, nice to meet you!" Ema smiles.

"You're from Dream valley High School, right?" Amanda asks.

Ema looks surprised. "Wow! How did you know?"

"I heard a lot of students here are from there."

The two of them continue chatting happily.

I watch them, unsure of what to say… or how to join in.

They seem to be getting along so well.

And me?

I don't even know how to start a conversation.

We walk to our classrooms, and I quietly take my seat on the second bench. Beside me is my high school friend, Amanda.

Amanda and I are very different.

She's outgoing, confident, and talks to everyone easily. With her fair skin and short hair, she stands out wherever she goes. She's also very sensitive and emotional.

And me?

I'm more childish, quiet, and only truly comfortable around people I already know. I have long hair, and I don't talk much. Maybe that's why we're not as close as we used to be.

But to Amanda… I'm still her best friend. Maybe even more than that.

She's already talking to the girl sitting next to her.

"Hey, what's your name?" Amanda asks with a bright smile.

"Ema. What about you?" the girl replies.

"I'm Amanda. And she's my best friend, Isy," she says, pointing at me.

"Oh, nice to meet you!" Ema smiles.

"You're from Dream valley High School, right?" Amanda asks.

Ema looks surprised. "Wow! How did you know?"

"I heard a lot of students here are from there."

The two of them continue chatting happily.

I watch them, unsure of what to say… or how to join in.

They seem to be getting along so well.

And me?

I don't even know how to start a conversation.

Soon, we became close friends—so close that we named ourselves the "EIA Gang." A bond slowly formed between us, warm and effortless. We were always together laughing, singing songs, and sharing pieces of ourselves like secrets meant only for us.

I was never really into songs like they were. I would just listen, smile, and enjoy them singing. And maybe… because of that, they shared a slightly stronger bond with each other than with me.

Two or three months passed like that—soft, ordinary days blending into each other, nothing extraordinary… yet nothing empty either.

Then one afternoon, the classroom noise was suddenly cut short.

crrrk…

The loudspeaker came alive.

"The class is dismissed. You can go home now."

A Wave of confusion spread through the room.

It was early. Very early. Almost two hours before the usual end of the day.

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