Both of them sprinted as fast as they could, hearts pounding as the school gate loomed ahead.
"Come on, hurry!" Satsuki shouted.
"Pant—pant—w-wait—hold on!" Kuroki gasped, barely keeping up.
"Why the hell are you so slow?!" she snapped.
"H-Hey—wait!"
Suddenly, Satsuki scooped Kuroki up into a princess carry without hesitation and took off at full speed.
(Almost there… come on!)
Up ahead, a school staff member was already pulling the gate closed.
(The gate's closing!)
"W-Wait! Old dude, hold the gate open!!" Kuroki yelled.
"Please, just a second!" Satsuki shouted.
The old man ignored them and continued closing it.
(Shit… we're not gonna make it.)
(Heh… but I've got a plan.)
"Kuroki," Satsuki said calmly, "you know what to do."
"…Y-Yeah—wait, what?!"
"WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT—!"
Before he could finish, Satsuki hurled
him forward like a projectile.
"WAAAAAAAAAIT—!!!"
Kuroki slammed into the gate just as it was about to close.
"Ahhhhh—!"
THUD.
"Ow… fuck!"
The gate stopped.
Satsuki casually jogged up. "See? No other option."
"WHY DID YOU THROW ME?!" Kuroki shouted, clutching his head.
"Heh. Quit whining. Let's go."
They dashed inside and headed straight for the gymnasium.
—
(Phew… we made it on time. I guess I owe Satsuki one.)
As students gathered, whispers began to spread.
"Hey, see that girl over there?"
"Yeah… is she a model?"
"I don't know, but she's really tall and pretty."
Kuroki glanced toward Satsuki.
She stood out immediately.
Boys and girls alike were stealing glances at her, murmuring excitedly.
(That's Satsuki… always in the center of attention.)
(I guess anyone would fall for someone like her.)
(178 centimeters tall. Athletic. Good grades. And she models.)
(She's been like this since we were kids.)
Memories surfaced.
Confessions.
Love letters.
Whispers behind his back.
(And me?)
(Nothing.)
(Ah… damn it.)
Painful memories came flooding back.
Every time he thought something good was finally happening to him, it always ended the same way.
"Hey, sorry… can you give this letter to Aozaki-san?"
Every. Single. Time.
(Damn it… this is why I hate her.)
He shot her an annoyed look.
(But for some reason… she rejected all of them.)
(Honestly, I never asked why. I just
assumed it was personal.)
(Her face always looked… sad.)
Every time someone confessed to her, there was never joy.
Only guilt.
"Alright, everyone," the principal announced. "Thank you for attending the orientation. Please head to your assigned classrooms."
The orientation ended, and the students began filing out.
Soon, they all headed toward their classes—
each carrying their own expectations for the year to come.