Beep-beep-beep, beep-beep-beep, beep... Click.
"Ugh, mnn..."
Groaning, I reached toward the bedside table and fumbled with my phone to silence the alarm.
I tilted my head just enough to check the screen. It was slightly past seven in the morning. I could probably squeeze in a few more minutes... no, not today.
Why was today so important again? Oh, right. It was September 1st. No matter how much I wanted to crawl back under the covers, I couldn't afford to be late on the very first day of the new semester.
"Aaargh..."
My brain was sluggish, and the sheer effort of sitting up felt like a monumental task. This was easily the worst I’d felt upon waking in weeks.
I shivered as the cold draft from the air conditioner hit my skin. Instinctively, I reached out to pull something—someone—close to me, but my hand only grasped at empty air.
...Right. Her stayover was over.
Sighing as I realized things had turned out exactly as I’d feared, I squeezed out every last drop of willpower I had and stood up.
I threw open the curtains and took a long stretch, basking in the morning sunlight. Slowly, my fuzzy thoughts began to sharpen into focus.
"Yaaaawn... All right, time to wash my face."
I muttered to myself through a massive yawn, but of course, no one answered. Even if I offered a "good morning" to the room, she wasn't there to return the greeting with a smile more dazzling than the sunrise.
I needed to get ready and head to school early. If I lingered here, the silence would only drag my mood down.
§
I scooped up the cold water from the tap and splashed it onto my face. The shock did the trick, clearing away the last remnants of sleep.
I used my favorite moisturizing cleanser and dried off thoroughly with a towel.
It had been a few months since I’d started a simple skincare routine on the advice of Hashimoto and Moriyama. Fortunately, it hadn't turned out to be a passing phase; I’d actually managed to stick with it. Motivation really did make all the difference.
After brushing my teeth, I headed to the living room to figure out breakfast.
...I wasn't feeling particularly inspired this morning, so toast would have to do. I pulled two slices of frozen bread from the freezer, popped them in the toaster, and poured a glass of milk.
While waiting for the toast to pop, I opened LINE. At the very top of my chats, I sent a sticker of a dog waving "Good morning." Within seconds, the "Read" notification appeared, and a sticker of a cat yawning "Mornin'~" popped up in response.
We traded a few more casual messages, but once I asked what time she was heading to school, the replies stopped.
Just then, the toaster dinged. I set my phone aside and focused on my meal.
I sat on the sofa, placed my plate and cup on the coffee table, and pressed my hands together. I spread peanut butter over the hot toast and took a large bite. Delicious.
I’d just finished the first slice and a gulp of milk when it happened.
Ding-dong.
"A visitor? This early? Wait... could it be?"
This felt incredibly familiar—specifically, like the day after we started dating.
To confirm my suspicion, I grabbed my toast and checked the intercom monitor. I was right.
"Good morning, Tatsumi-kun♪"
"I knew it was you, Haruka... Morning."
A beautiful girl with flaxen hair fluttering in the breeze and a radiant smile on her face—Haruka Akase—was peering into the camera.
Stunning, brilliant, and kind. She was always at the top of our grade in exams, more athletic than most, and possessed a warm personality that made her popular with everyone. She was the quintessential "perfect girl."
She sat at the very peak of the class hierarchy—the girl every boy in school dreamed of dating.
And then there was me: Tatsumi Yanagida. A guy who barely had any friends, someone who was physically large but shy and introverted, a guy who had spent most of his time sinking at the very bottom of the social ladder.
Yet, currently, we were lovers, deeply in love with each other.
"I was thinking we could walk to school together... Oh, were you still eating?"
"Yeah, but I'm almost done, so it's fine. It's hot out there, so come on in... Wait, do you have your key?"
Haruka pulled a key case from her bag. She held it up to the monitor with a grin—a key identical to mine.
It was the spare key to my place that I’d given her when we visited my parents' house during the summer.
"Just let yourself in and cool off. I'll be ready in a second."
"Okay, thank you! I came a bit early anyway, so take your time!"
I trusted Haruka more than anyone, so I’d told her she could let herself in whenever she wanted, even if I wasn't home. So far, she hadn't actually taken me up on that.
I switched off the intercom and went back to the sofa. A moment later, I heard the click of the lock from the front door. Haruka skipped into the living room, looking cheerful.
"Good morning, Tatsumi-kun! It’s been so long~"
"Morning. And 'long time'? We were together until two days ago."
I beckoned her over with a wry smile. She happily sat down right next to me.
"It feels like a long time to me! During the stayover, we didn't go more than two days without seeing each other, right?"
Haruka puffed out her cheeks in a small pout, and my smile deepened.
The fact that a brand-new couple had essentially started living together and even visited my parents was a development that moved at breakneck speed... but we’d already discussed that to death, so I pushed the thought aside.
The reason I’d gone quiet was that I completely agreed with her.
"Is breakfast just toast today? I can make you something else now if you want."
"Nah, I just had a hard time getting out of bed. Didn't have the energy to cook. It's only the opening ceremony and LHR today, so I'll survive. Do you want something to drink?"
"I’ll have some barley tea. Can I grab a glass?"
Despite me telling her to use whatever she liked, she always remained polite enough to ask.
By the time Haruka returned to the living room with her tea, I’d finished my second slice.
We chatted while finishing our drinks, until Haruka let out a small, dainty yawn.
"Hafuu... Did you see that?"
"How could I miss it? It was cute."
"Dummy."
She gave my shoulder a playful swat, her cheeks flushing slightly.
I’d seen her yawn countless times during our stayover, but she was so adorable that I honestly wanted to see it more.
Still, it was rare to see Haruka looking this sleepy so early.
"Did you have trouble sleeping last night, too?"
"Wait, 'too'? Does that mean you did? I felt so lonely after we hung up the phone last night... I couldn't really drift off."
"Ah..."
"So you were the same, Tatsumi-kun?"
"...Well, I can't say I wasn't."
"Hehe."
After a full month of saying "Good night" to my girlfriend, falling asleep holding her, and waking up to her smile, it was only natural that we’d both be suffering from withdrawal.
"I'm going to go change. Wait here for a bit."
"Fufu, okay."
I thought about retorting to her smug little smile, but I just waved and headed to my room.
Just seeing her and talking for a few minutes was enough to wash away that lingering sense of loneliness. I felt a surge of energy throughout my body.
It was almost embarrassing how simple I was... but I had a feeling Haruka felt exactly the same way.
§
After finishing our morning prep at a leisurely pace, we left the house a bit later than usual.
The sky was perfectly clear. The sun was beating down, and I was already starting to sweat, but the low humidity and a light breeze made the shade feel surprisingly pleasant.
Compared to a week ago, the weather was definitely becoming more manageable.
"Summer’s finally winding down."
"It really is. I’m just glad it’ll be cooler by the time sports festival practice starts."
"No kidding... I don't even want to imagine practicing marching under the midsummer sun."
Memories of being forced to march across the schoolyard over and over in the blistering heat during middle school flashed through my mind, making me shiver. I hoped high school wouldn't be quite that intense.
Speaking of which, I remembered what Fujimiya-san—the gal from my class we’d run into at the beach—had told me. She’d warned me to keep in shape for the sports festival.
Haruka and I had kept up with our running and stretching as instructed, so hopefully I could contribute something to the class's victory.
As we walked along the familiar route, a voice called out from behind us.
"Ah, mornin', Master! Akise-san!"
"Hamasaki? Morning."
"Good morning, Hamasaki-kun!"
We turned to see Hamasaki, the tall guy who insisted on calling me "Master," waving at us with a massive grin. He seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood.
He looked like a man whose every wish had been granted. Haruka and I exchanged a skeptical glance.
Noticing our looks, Hamasaki cleared his throat and thrust his phone toward us.
It was a LINE chat. The timestamp was last night—August 31st—and the person he was talking to was none other than Mukai-san.
"Hamasaki-kun, that’s amazing! You’re finally talking to her one-on-one...!"
"Heh, hehe... It's all thanks to the help you guys gave me!"
He looked humbled by Haruka's praise. It was just text messages, but it was undeniable progress.
Skimming the messages, it looked like Mukai-san had realized at the last minute that she’d forgotten some assignments and had reached out to Hamasaki for help. He’d jumped at the chance.
Apparently, she hadn't wanted to bother Haruka or Takamiya-san since they’d already helped her so much.
Even if it was by process of elimination, being the very next person she turned to was a huge step for him.
"Maybe that study group actually paid off."
"I was thinking the same thing! I honestly can't thank you enough for hosting that, Master...!"
"I just provided the room. Hashimoto came up with the idea, Moriyama was the one who invited you, and you were the one who worked hard to earn her trust. It’s your own effort, man."
"Ma—Master...!"
"Stop calling me that."
I gave the emotional Hamasaki a light, slightly exasperated pat on the shoulder. Haruka watched us with an amused, warm expression.
...What exactly were we doing in the middle of the street?
I felt the usual stares of envy and jealousy from the other students, but now they were starting to look at us like we were just being weird.
"...Anyway, let's just get to school."
"Right."
"Yes, sir!"
We picked up our pace and headed for the gates.
§
When the three of us stepped into the classroom, we found a crowd gathered in the corner. It looked like more than half the students already there were huddled around something.
"Morning, you two. Showing off as usual on the first day... Hey, Hamasaki, why are you tagging along with them?"
"Seriously, Hamasaki—don't go sandwiching yourself between the happy couple just because you can't get Miki to notice you. Morning, Haruka! Morning, Yanagida-kun!"
"That’s so unfair! I get grief just for walking to school with them?! Also, how did you even know—?!"
"Ahaha, morning everyone."
"Morning... By the way, what’s going on over there?" I asked, gesturing toward the crowd.
The boy and girl chatting near the door shrugged.
"Well, you'll see."
"Yanagida-kun, promise me you won't ever be as stupid as him, okay?"
"...?"
I tilted my head, confused by their exasperated tone, and went to drop my bag at my desk.
Takamiya-san and Mukai-san hadn't arrived yet, but Hashimoto and the other guys were in the middle of the scrum.
I decided to go over and say hello—even the fact that I was proactively greeting people felt like a miracle compared to a few months ago. As Haruka and I approached, Hashimoto turned around.
"Oh, you guys finally made it. Mornin'."
"Morning. What’s the crowd for? Did someone mess up again?"
"What do you mean 'again'?! I didn't do anything! This idiot’s the one who messed up!"
Hashimoto pointed into the center of the group.
The first things I noticed were the two crutches leaning against a desk. Then, looking at the chair, I saw a male student sitting there with his arms crossed and a grim expression. His right leg was encased in a heavy cast from the knee down.
I recognized him.
"Kuriyama-kun, are you okay? That looks like a horrible injury...!"
"Aeh?! A-Akise-shan?! Uh, no, I-I'm fine! It's just a little fracture and some ligament damage...!"
"That sounds like a big deal to me..." I muttered.
Now I remembered. It was Kuriyama from the basketball club.
Driven by his admiration for Haruka, he’d tried to "defeat" me during our basketball match and had been picking fights with me in PE ever since.
Despite his rivalry, he never talked behind my back or played dirty. I actually respected that he always challenged me head-on, even if his attitude was a bit much.
Seeing a classmate with such a major injury was genuinely concerning. I knew the basketball club had a tournament over the summer; maybe it happened during a game?
Akasaka from the soccer club gave a weary laugh, sensing my thoughts.
"Don't look so worried! I mean, the injury is real, but the cause was exactly what Hashimoto said. He was just being an idiot."
"Yeah, exactly. He was messing around during practice the day before the match, tried to do a dunk, didn't see a ball rolling under his feet, and... wham! He missed the whole tournament. 'Idiot' is the only word for it."
"You guys don't have to keep saying that...! I mean, I know I'm an idiot, but still!"
Nozomi Arisawa—the gal with the black mask—explained the situation while shaking her head. I felt a phantom pain just imagining the accident.
"Well... get well soon. I'll help you carry your stuff when we have to change classrooms."
"I hope you feel better, Kuriyama-kun. If you need anything, don't be afraid to ask! As class rep, I'll do whatever I can to help!"
"Urgh... Such pure kindness is actually agonizing for my pride...! I am... truly grateful for your concern...!"
"Are you a samurai now?"
Between his usual villainous persona and this theatrical gratitude, Kuriyama seemed to really enjoy his roleplaying.
As he bowed his head dramatically, Hashimoto chimed in with a grin.
"Anyway, just focus on healing up. If you're lucky, you'll be back for the winter tournament. Heck, maybe the 'Bone Fracture Meister' himself can give you a lecture on how to live the cast life?"
"Meister...? Hashimoto-kun, have you really broken that many bones?" one of the girls asked.
"You bet! Not to brag, but back in elementary school, I managed to break one bone every season—spring, summer, fall, and winter—"
"That is literally the opposite of something to brag about."
Even Meru Hanamori looked a bit creeped out by his pride. I could only imagine what Shinohara had to deal with, having grown up with him.
Just as Hashimoto began loudly recounting his "heroic" failures, a furious voice boomed from the doorway.
"You moron, Kuriyama!! What the hell were you thinking?!"
"Geh! Fujimiya?!"
Fujimiya Ririka, the energetic PE committee gal, marched into the room brandishing a stack of printouts.
She looked absolutely livid. She stomped across the room toward the cowering Kuriyama, who was practically shaking like a leaf.
"Didn't I tell the sports club kids that I was gonna work them like pack mules for the sports festival?! And then you go and do this?! Huh?!"
"I... I have no excuse, my lady..."
"What?!"
"I'm so sorry!!"
"What is she, a mob boss?" I whispered.
My comment didn't reach Fujimiya-san's ears. Haruka moved behind her and gave her shoulder a soothing pat.
"Now, now, Ririka-chan, calm down. It’s not like he wanted to get hurt. Let’s not be too hard on him."
"Gunuuu..."
"The rest of us will work twice as hard to make up for it! Right, Tatsumi-kun?"
"Well, I was already planning on working you couples to the bone anyway..."
"Wait, what?"
"And now we're caught in the crossfire..."
I was fully prepared to do my part, but "working us to the bone" sounded ominous. I hoped she’d have some mercy on my Go-home Club stamina.
While I was being intimidated by the predatory glint in Fujimiya-san's eyes, more voices filled the room.
"Morniiing! Wait, why is everyone—Whoa! Someone’s really hurt!"
"Miki, you're too loud."
"All right, everyone get to the gym! I’m taking attendance before the ceremony, so move it!"
"Mornin', teach."
"Good morning, sir."
"Yeah, morning. If any of you guys have a free hand, help Kuriyama get over there."
"Got it!"
The room became a whirlwind of activity as everyone began to shuffle out toward the gymnasium.
Haruka and I shared a look and followed the crowd.
And so, with more noise and chaos than usual, our second semester began.
"............I won't lose either, Yanagida."
"Whoa, Oka?! You were here?"
"............"
"Don't just go silent on me."