Chapter 4: First Day, Go To School
I opened the classroom door. Unfamiliar faces all turned to stare at me. The previously buzzing classroom fell silent, engulfed in a dominating silence. Hesitantly, I entered the room. I didn't know where my seat was. I didn't know where I belonged. As a pitiful outsider trapped in the miniature world of the classroom, I accepted it as if it were natural.
There was an empty seat. That was probably my seat. If I sat there, maybe the scrutinizing eyes of those around me would calm down a bit. I approached, getting closer and closer to my desk. There was something on the desk. It was a flower. A white flower. It reminded me of something.
"Hey, you."
Someone called out. Unfamiliar faces, people I had never met before, gave me twisted smiles.
"-So you weren't dead."
◇◆◇◆
I sat up abruptly, my upper body rising with force. Sweat covered me, soaking even my back, and my breathing was heavy. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and chuckled bitterly.
"What an ominous dream."
Today was my first day of school, and couldn't I have had a better dream? I calmed my restless heart and took a few deep breaths. The bedroom was about sixteen tatami mats in size, and the king-size bed felt too big for just one person. I descended to the floor with slow movements and picked up my smartphone, which was placed on the low table. The screen was filled with several green lines indicating a flood of notifications.
'Hina: Senpai, it's your first day of school! I'm looking forward to seeing you!
'Hina: It would make me happy if we could meet on the way home~'
Straightforward affection from my junior friend, Hina.
"SA: I feel like skipping school today, don't you?"
A mysterious and irrelevant invitation from my selfish girlfriend, Arisugawa Saki.
"Asuka: I've arrived!"
"Asuka: One minute has passed."
"Asuka: Wait, wasn't our meeting time at 7:30?"
"Asuka: Are you taking too long to get ready?"
"Asuka: Don't tell me you overslept?"
"Asuka: You missed a call?"
"Asuka: Missed call"
An impatient message from my childhood friend and girlfriend, Minato Asuka.
I threw my cell phone on the bed. The reason was clear.
"S-Sho, I'm going to be late from the first day... It's over..."
The current time was 8:00 a.m. The high school started at 8:30 a.m.
It took about thirty minutes to get from my house to the high school.
Being late on my first day... No, it's not my first day. It's just my first day to me. From everyone else's perspective, it's just a situation where someone who's been absent for several weeks is late.
...In that case, if I make my fragile health known, I might be able to get away with it.
Considering the time it would take to prepare, there was no hope of making it even if I rushed. Even if I didn't give up, the game would be over.
Should I just accept it and go back to sleep for a while?
No, no, that would be unfair to Asuka.
While I was thinking this with my slow mind, a notification sounded.
Looking at the screen, I saw:
"Asuka: Hey, you!"
"Oh no, oh no, oh no."
Driven by a sense of urgency, I quickly took off my pajamas and sent a message to Asuka saying, "Sorry, I overslept. I'm leaving now!"
As I was getting ready and taking off my clothes, my phone vibrated.
"Asuka: You idiot!"
She was so direct.
I couldn't help loosening my lips and continued getting ready, a little more hastily than before.
◇◆
"Why didn't you set an alarm?! You idiot!"
"Sorry, I'll be more careful next time!"
"There won't be a next time. You should get down on your knees and apologize to the teacher!"
"Isn't that too harsh? I'm still recovering from my illness, you know!"
I exchanged words with Asuka on the way to the high school. The scenery passing in front of me changed rapidly, and at the same time, I became increasingly out of breath. Even though I was late, it was still early in the morning, and I had originally planned to take a leisurely walk. However, Asuka had been waiting for me at the meeting place indicated on the map app, so she was late as well, and I felt guilty, so we ran together. But it was getting to be my limit.
"Asuka!"
"Huh? What is it? Why did you suddenly stop?"
I checked that my knees were laughing and made a victory pose with a smile.
"Let's give up going to school!"
*Smack!* I was slapped on the head.
"Don't be ridiculous! Nothing will start if you don't go to school!"
"But I can't run, my physical strength has deteriorated so much! I'm sure I could run a lot more before!"
When I replied while holding my head, Asuka fell silent.
Even Asuka, who had stopped, was out of breath and her shoulders were shaking badly.
With trepidation, I asked Asuka, who brushed her fringe aside.
"Was my athletic ability really that bad that you fell silent like that?"
"It's not that... *sigh* Oh well, let's walk. We'll be late anyway."
"I've walked so much though..."
"Do you want to run? Do you want to walk? Which one?"
"I want to rest."
"At least keep moving!"
Asuka had a grim expression on her face as if she wanted to hit me again, but this time she seemed to hesitate.
She also apologized for what happened earlier.
"By the way, I am sorry for hitting your head. It just happened."
"Oh, it's perfectly all right. In a way, it's natural to get hit."
"Oh, really? I wonder if hitting you will trigger any memories."
"My head isn't an old Showa-era TV!"
"I was joking."
Asuka shrugged and stretched.
"To be late on my first day back... What excuse should I give to the teacher?"
"Do we really need an excuse? Can't we just say that we overslept?"
"Well, you may have forgotten, but being late is frowned upon by society, you know? Even I have rarely been late since I started high school. It makes going to school feel like a chore."
Asuka turned her shoulders and I felt a sense of danger and took a few steps back. But it seemed unnecessary as she continued walking without incident.
However, with each step forward, I felt like my feet were getting heavier.
"Well, now that you mention it, walking to school late does feel kind of uncomfortable... Oh no, I'm really starting to hate it. Huh, why are my legs so heavy?"
"Well, it can't be helped. It's because you forgot to set the alarm! Seriously, how can you forget to set the alarm?"
"But you forgot to set the timer yesterday and burned the food!"
"Don't compare cooking to that! Besides, I'm actually good at cooking!"
Nevertheless, I had the feeling that the eggs that were supposed to be in the omelet were curled up and completely black.
But if I kept pressing her, she would get annoyed, so I looked around for a moment.
We had been walking along a small path by the river. I remembered this path vividly, and I felt like I could walk it even with my eyes closed.
Should I really try to close my eyes?
While I was thinking about it, Asuka suddenly spoke up.
"By the way, it's better not to tell everyone about this."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
I interrupted my thoughts and asked, and Asuka sighed as if she was annoyed.
"It's obvious, isn't it? That your memory has been erased."
I closed my mouth.
When I had casually mentioned my memory loss before, she had gotten angry and said, "You're taking it too lightly!" But in the past few days I had gotten used to it.
However, she had a point, and I had to consider what Asuka was saying.
"But you know, if we say it's amnesia, the teachers might show concern and give us some leniency in our grades. They might even forgive the lateness."
"That is too impure a motive. Besides, the teachers should already know, right? After all, they were informed when you were hospitalized. That's why I'm telling you not to spread it any further."
"Ah, I see," I replied.
At first, it would be difficult to remember the faces of my classmates.
But revealing that I had amnesia and having everyone show concern would be mentally exhausting.
"Well, yeah. Maybe I don't have to say anything."
I wanted everyone to treat me as normal as possible.
I may not be normal from the perspective of those around me, but this is normal for me right now, and my daily life has already begun.
If unnecessary rumors start spreading, it's unclear how it would affect my relationships with others. Fortunately, I'm in an environment where I can get support from Asuka, so it seems less necessary to mention it from the beginning.
"Yes, let's do that," Asuka nodded slightly in response to my answer.
"It's still mid-May, and I don't think the class groups have solidified yet."
"...Groups, huh?"
I quietly lowered my eyes.
My chest felt heavy and restless.
Even my steps felt heavier than before.
There shouldn't have been any abnormalities in my body when I was discharged from the hospital.
But now that the reality of going to school has become clear, my mood has sunk and I felt like sighing.
-I'm scared, aren't I?
I must be nervous.
No matter how much I think about it or try to put on a smile, in the end I'm afraid to go to school.
I think I like talking to people myself.
I even managed to have three girlfriends, that much is for sure.
But it's limited to people I have a personal connection with, like Asuka and the nurses.
I'm afraid of what people I don't know, who I don't remember, would think of me - how they would perceive me.
"Hey, is it really not possible to start school tomorrow or something?"
"Um... You..." Asuka started to speak, but blinked in confusion and stopped.
Then she looked up at me with her eyes upturned.
Her azure eyes wavered as if trying to discern the true meaning behind my words.
Eventually, Asuka's slightly stern expression softened.
"I told you, didn't I? You have me, and there are others on your side as well."
A gentle smile that gave me a feeling of reassurance.
Speaking to me in a comforting tone, Asuka turned her words around.
"Should I explain the detailed relationships between the people at the school in advance? I thought about it, but I thought it might give you preconceived notions, so I held back. If you're worried, should I explain it anyway?" Asuka asked.
"Well... I'm not sure," I replied.
"Yukou... Yukizaki High School used to have a performing arts department until recently. There are still remnants of it, and there are factions that are hard to understand. I think it would be useful to know about them," Asuka explained.
"...No, I think I'll see for myself."
Even though certain words came to mind that I wanted to delve into, I wanted to gain knowledge through spontaneous actions first. It might not be a thought process derived from my previous way of being before I lost my memories, but I had an inexplicable desire for it.
"Okay. That's good," Asuka's response seemed slightly pleased.
Was the previous me that kind of person, too?
The wind blew, and the trees swayed as if dancing, with a stronger gust than usual. But the lush green leaves never fell from the branches. Perhaps the way humans exist is the same.
"By the way, why didn't you tell me about this yesterday? Even if I wanted to know about the relationship in advance, I didn't have time to ask without this conversation," I asked a simple question, but Asuka's face showed that I had hit a sore spot.
But she quickly returned to her usual expression.
"Well... I have my own reasons," she replied.
"Oh, really?" I raised an eyebrow.
"I forgot," she said.
"...You're surprisingly forgetful," I teased with a small laugh, and Asuka pouted in dissatisfaction.
◇◆
Inside the school, just like my home and the way I walked to school, most of the memories remained. As I walked through the corridors, every change of scenery triggered a sense of déjà vu. Faded vistas gradually regained their colors. Although they were still somewhat blurred, they would become more vivid with time. Together with Asuka, we arrived near the classroom.
"Well, I'll leave you here," Asuka said.
"Huh? Why?" I protested.
"I'm in the class next door, so good luck. I'll send you a message during lunch," she replied.
"Wait a sec--" Before I could stop her, Asuka disappeared into the other classroom.
I had assumed that we were in the same class, so I stared blankly into the empty hallway. If we were in neighboring classes, she should have told me sooner. I crouched down in a half-squat position near the classroom window, making sure no one could see me.
Thump, thump. My heart raced like a tolling bell in response to the sudden crisis. It was just me. I would enter the classroom alone. This school seemed to have factions. If it was a completely unfamiliar environment for everyone, it would be different, but to be in a situation where I was the only one meeting everyone for the first time was a completely different story.
"So this is how transfer students feel, huh..." I muttered unintentionally. Since my classmates remembered me, being a transfer student must be even more difficult. I had deep respect for transfer students all over the country.
Anyway, I had to start with a greeting. The reaction I received to that greeting would probably determine my position in the class. That's why it was a scary moment, but if I continued to hesitate, nothing would happen. I stood up with determination.
Namu Amida Butsu!
With determination, I opened the door, making a sound as it swung open. As I entered the classroom, one by one, my classmates reacted and their eyes focused on me. I could feel their eyes all over my body. Amidst the intense scrutiny, I opened my mouth wide.
"Good morning, everyone!"
It was a spirited greeting, spoken in a loud voice. Now it's your turn, a lively reply!
"............"
...No response from anyone.
This can't be true, can it? It felt like time had stopped. The theory that my greeting didn't reach anyone crossed my mind. The silence was so deafening that not a single person uttered a word. The ominous dream from this morning flashed through my mind, and I clenched my fists tightly.
Even after being away from school for such a long time, I thought someone would greet me casually if I had friends. But in the current situation, there was no sign of anyone extending a helping hand. I quickly scanned the room, hoping to find someone. My eyes met those of a girl sitting in the front row by the window. She had fiery red twin tails and purple eyes. Her prominent nose and large, upturned eyes left a lasting impression even from two meters away. If what Asuka said about the factions was true, she seemed to be the leader just by looking at her. I silently asked the red-haired girl for help.
However, she looked confused and said in a flat tone, "....What are you looking?"
There was no inflection in her voice. It wasn't the warm response I expected from someone I hadn't seen in a long time. It was clear that she didn't see me as a friend who had returned after a long absence. Still, there was no one else in the classroom I could rely on. The teacher was still absent, and my classmates just stared in silence. Since I had already approached them once, I had no choice but to face the situation head on. I quickened my pace and stood in front of the red-haired girl, bending down to her eye level.
"Good morning. It's been... a long time."
"..."
"N-No answer...?"
"...Well, sorry. Good morning?"
What was with that pause? It felt like she was saying, "Is this guy going to talk to me?" or something.
Could it be that I didn't have any friends in that classroom?
Could it be that as someone with few friends, approaching a girl in a leadership position had frozen everyone because of caste differences?
It was all unexpected, totally unexpected. I had assumed that I was an outgoing person, so I took it for granted that I would have friends.
But now that I think about it, it's not normal for a high school student to have three girlfriends. Well, that is why I was convinced that I had friends.
However, I feel like I understand why Asuka skipped the pre-explanation about relationships. There wasn't much to talk about.
Unwillingly, this possibility seems very likely. I mean, how can someone who has three girlfriends understand her personality?
It's also possible that having three girlfriends has led to neglect in other relationships.
However, neither of these possibilities is beyond speculation, and I can only hope that they don't lead to negative conclusions.
The immediate problem is that I don't know where my seat is. Unfortunately, there are three empty seats, so I'll have to ask someone.
"Um, hey. I want to be your friend starting today..."
As I said this, the previously silent surroundings became slightly restless. The red-haired girl raised her eyebrows slightly, but finally answered willingly.
"Sure. Nice to meet you."
"T-Thank you! Nice to meet you too!"
I bowed deeply. She seemed a little tough at first glance, but it's good that she seems like a nice person. Thanks to her, I can finally get to the point.
There's probably no need to speak softly, but out of embarrassment, my voice naturally became quieter.
"Hey, where's my seat again?"
"Huh?"
The red-haired girl blinked, then understood immediately and nodded.
"Oh... right, you haven't been here since we changed seats. In fact, you haven't been here since the first day of class."
When I heard the red-haired girl's words, my eyes widened.
I hadn't attended school since my sophomore year.
If that's the case, then it's understandable why everyone reacted the way they did. It's a silly story, but I hadn't asked Asuka for a clear timeframe for when I stopped going to school. If that was the case, it wouldn't be unnatural to ask her name.
"I'm Yuuki Sanada."
"Oh."
The red-haired girl replied briefly and closed her mouth.
Silence.
Silence, really?
I waited nervously for her to continue. There's no way an answer to a self-introduction would be just two words. It shouldn't be, right? Please, I'm begging you.
Perhaps sensing the silence, the red-haired girl opened her mouth again.
"I've never heard your first name. I'm Yoko Yumemaki."
As planned, she told me her name.
"Yoko Yumemaki-san, huh."
When I looked at her again, she radiated a dignified beauty. The first impression of her upturned eyes was enhanced by makeup, with deep crimson eye shadow applied to her eyelids. Because of her refined and intoxicating appearance, there's a part of me that feels slightly guarded.
At the same time, there was a sense of reliability and a dignified presence that suited a class leader. If she found out that I had three girlfriends, she would probably be the first to judge me.
"Don't stare at me like that."
"Sorry!"
I bowed my head again. It's natural for a leader to emerge when dozens of students gather in a classroom. If Yumemaki-san happened to be the leader, it would be very inconvenient if she disliked me. Well, assuming she's the leader...
The answer to this question came back in an instant. Yumemaki put down the mechanical pencil she was holding and leaned back in her chair.
"Everyone, be nice to Sanada-kun, okay?"
"Huh?"
A single word was uttered from the front row. With that casual gesture and the shout, almost all of the students who had been looking down turned their faces toward me. The boy sitting next to Yumemaki burst out laughing when he saw me standing up and straightening my posture.
"Wow, you have great posture. Nice to meet you, Sanada!"
With that, everyone began to speak one after the other.
"Nice to meet you!" "I'm our homeroom teacher, Atarida." "This class is great!" "Nice to meet you, please take care of us." "Maaasu!"
They stopped writing in their notebooks and said their individual greetings.
"Please take care of us! Nice to meet you! Nice to meet you!"
Feeling relieved that I wasn't disliked by the leader, I returned a cheerful greeting to each person. As expected, none of them greeted me as a long-lost friend. Unfortunately, the assumption that I didn't have any friends seemed to be correct. Fortunately, however, I didn't seem to have made a particularly bad impression.
"I didn't expect him to be so accessible." "He's quite cheerful," I could hear such positive reactions.
The classroom was full of happy students, and the atmosphere seemed pleasant. As I breathed a sigh of relief, Yumemaki tapped me lightly on the lower back.
"Your seat is here, Sanada. Right behind me, behind Takao. Takao was just teasing you about your posture."
"I wasn't teasing him! It's not like that!"
The boy named Takao protested.
With his two-block haircut and slightly disheveled uniform, he seemed to be the class spirit. His face looked a bit tough, but I could tell that he was actually a nice person.
Yumemaki didn't pay any attention to Takao's protest and slid her slender finger back, pointing to the designated spot. I lifted my heel to check the indicated place.
Behind Yumemaki's seat, someone with ash-black hair was lying face down.
"And it's next to Arisugawa-san, too."
-- What did she just say?
"Huh, Arisugawa?"
Surprised by the suddenly familiar name, I instinctively asked for clarification. Yumemaki nodded and said, "You're close, right?" Close. Even if my mouth was forced open, I couldn't say that here, but it wasn't wrong to say that we were close. After all, she was my girlfriend.
Wait, Arisugawa is in the same class as me? Why didn't you tell me?
While I was rushing through my thoughts, I heard footsteps behind me making a fluttering sound. When I turned around, the teacher entered the classroom. She was wearing a gray tracksuit from head to toe. She had long, permed hair tied back, giving the impression of a woman in her late twenties, similar to the nurse I knew.
"Sorry to keep you waiting-- Oh!"
When the teacher spotted me, she seemed slightly flustered and opened her mouth.
"Sanada-kun! Sorry, I was just getting something I forgot... Are you okay to come to school after such a long absence?"
"Y-Yes. Um, I'm really sorry for being away for so long."
"I'm glad you're feeling better. Then you'll be sitting next to Arisugawa-san. Take the empty seat over there. Arisugawa-san! Arisugawa-san!"
The teacher hurriedly called out the name.
I looked at the ash-black head, but it seemed like my self-centered friend was fast asleep.
"Arisugawa!"
In response to the more energetic call, Arisugawa's head twitched and a muffled voice of "mua" came from under her desk. Sleepily, Arisugawa Saki raised her upper body and looked as if she had fallen into a deep slumber. She must have slept quite soundly. She was an incredibly beautiful girl, even in her groggy state.
"Good morning, Arisugawa-san," the teacher greeted, and Arisugawa's lips curved into a slight smile. Then a cheerful voice answered.
"Good morning, Sensei. I had a good dream."
Her voice was like a gentle babbling brook, just like when I was in the hospital. In response to her nonchalant reply, some of the classmates chuckled. Just from that simple exchange, I was sure.
The leader of this class was probably Yoko Yumemaki, the girl with the red twintails that swayed. But the most attention-grabbing presence was...
"Oh, wait a minute. Yuuki-kun is here too. Weren't you supposed to be absent today?"
The classroom fell silent again, as if no one could interrupt the conversation between Arisugawa and me. Lost in the eerie atmosphere, I replied in a subdued voice.
"Well, I didn't think anyone would be absent..."
"Oh, really?"
It was the same voice I had found overwhelming in the hospital. But hearing it in the classroom gave me a slightly different impression. It was like hearing the murmur of a river amidst the crashing waves of male and female voices. If I concentrated to catch the faint murmur, the sounds of the waves would be pushed out of my consciousness.
"Yuuki-kun, your seat is next to mine."
She didn't raise her voice very loudly. But when Arisugawa waved her hand, she had an extraordinary presence, as if she was in a class of her own. Her ash-black hair stood out more than expected in the predominantly black-haired classroom.
However, it wasn't her hair color that enhanced her presence. In terms of hair color alone, Yumemaki, who sat right below her, was overwhelming.
Arisugawa voice echoed in my ears. Her every move and gesture inexplicably caught my attention. Unconsciously, I was drawn to her with all my senses. Arisugawa Saki has such a charm hidden in her.
...to think that she could be such a person.
To think that someone like her could be my girlfriend.
I deserve a slap, or maybe I've already received one.
"Come on, Sanada-kun. Take a seat."
"Yes."
Prompted by the teacher, I walked to my seat. ...Currently, I have very few friends in this class. But if I could have Yumemaki Yoko and Arisugawa Saki on my side, it would give me the strength of a hundred people in my school life.
As I walked to Arisugawa's side, I stopped and looked at Yumemaki.
"Ah, thank you. Nice to meet you."
"How many times do I have to say 'nice to meet you'? See you later."
Yumemaki smiled faintly and quickly looked down at her notebook. Even with just a quick glance, I could tell that her notebook was neatly organized, summarizing the most important points. It gave a glimpse of Yumemaki's diligent approach to her studies, which was somewhat surprising considering her disheveled uniform, makeup, and seemingly casual tone.
There will be many surprises from now on.
But the anxiety that had been plaguing me had been dispelled somewhat. Yumemaki, who first exchanged words with me in the classroom. Arisugawa, who introduced herself as my girlfriend during the visit before the first day of school. Thinking about the existence of these two, I took a seat at my own desk.
Second row from the window, second seat from the front.
This is Yuuki Sanada's seat.
...Anyway, I finally made it to the school.
The fear of not knowing anything slowly turned into a feeling of expectation that things might turn out better than expected. As I started rummaging through my bag, Arisugawa spoke to me in a cheerful tone.
"Even though it's been a while, you managed to be late. You're really something, aren't you?"
When I looked to my right, Arisugawa tilted her head and loosened her cheeks with a warm smile.
"I didn't do it on purpose. I just overslept."
"I see, I see. Quite promising."
Arisugawa chuckled, but then a sharp voice came from the front.
"Keep your conversations to a minimum. If you want to talk, do it later."
"Yes, teacher."
Arisugawa raised her hand with a soft smile.
The first lesson was Japanese. I quickly laid out the materials I had taken from my bag on the desk. I opened the textbook and took a pen from my pencil case. The blank notebook felt like a reflection of my own memory. I wrote my name and the date and began to copy the words from the blackboard.
This is where it starts.
All I have to do is add to it from today.
With renewed determination, I focused my attention on the class.
Post a Comment