Introducion
"Hurry up or we'll be late for the opening ceremony!" Rekka shouted, motioning to her friends to get a move on.
It was the first day of school, and they were running late because Mika didn't feel like getting out of bed.
Rekka had done her hair nicely for the occasion, thanks to Hikari's help—she was a pro at that kind of stuff. Every time they had plans, Hikari would coordinate hairstyles for Rekka and Mika to match their outfits.
"If someone hadn't thrown a fit, we'd be perfectly on time," Rekka added, shooting an annoyed look at her sister. "I don't feel like going to school. I'm tired. I'm staying home. I can't take it," she mocked, flailing her arms dramatically.
Mika looked at her in disbelief. She hated being seen as the vulnerable one in front of her friends, and her sister knew that—so why was she teasing her now? She hated when Rekka did that. Still, she said nothing and kept walking, staring down at her shoes as if she hadn't heard.
"I get it," Hikari sighed, noticing Mika's silence. "I didn't want to get up either. I'm really not in the mood to go back to school," she said, throwing an arm over Mika's shoulder to cheer her up.
Rekka gave a small smile and rolled her eyes.
"Alright Mimi, I'll let it slide just this once, but don't let it happen again. You can't risk making everyone else late!" Rekka scolded her sister.
Mika nodded, forcing a smile. "You're right... I'm sorry, everyone. I should've been more considerate. It won't happen again," she said quietly, fiddling with her fingers.
"Don't worry, Mimi. I don't think any of us here are really excited to go back to school," Matías said, glancing at Takeshi. "Especially some of us," he added with a smirk, giving him a playful nudge.
Takeshi glared at him. "Says the guy with straight A's in almost every subject," he shot back with a sly grin. "Mr. Perfect," he coughed into his hand, masking the jab.
Matías pretended to be offended. "Yeah, yeah, keep dreaming," he said, shaking his head with a smile.
"I'm kidding! You know you're my favorite nerd," Takeshi laughed, messing up his friend's hair.
The kids had known each other since they were little. Mika and Rekka were twins, and the rest of the group had met in their early kindergarten years. Despite the occasional fight over toys, their friendship had only grown stronger over time.
They managed to arrive just before the gates closed—they had to sprint the last bit, but it was worth it.
"I don't get why they always shut the gates ten minutes early. Don't they have anything better to do in the morning than making us wake up early?" Hikari panted, hands on her knees to catch her breath.
"They do it be—"
"Late again, Mr. Takeshi Ishikawa," interrupted Professor Tanaka, striding toward the group. He taught math and, for some reason, had a deep-seated grudge against Takeshi.
"After all the trouble you caused last year with your constant tardiness, I expected better from you after summer break. Clearly, I was wrong. Please try to be on time from now on, or I'll be forced to take disciplinary action. I'd hate to give you a warning on the first day of school—I'd rather give you a chance," he sneered, flashing a smug smile and looking down his nose at the group.
"That goes for the rest of you, too," he added, glancing at the others before walking away.
Matías and Hikari scowled.
"Bitter old man," Hikari muttered, clenching her fists. "I hate him," she said to Takeshi. "Don't listen to him—he just wants to scare you. He can't even give you a warning; we made it in time," she added, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
Matías looked at his friend, who was silent. He knew Takeshi was about to explode—and he needed to stop him before it happened in front of everyone. He grabbed his arm and turned to the others with a forced smile.
"We're just gonna hit the bathroom real quick," he said, dragging Takeshi away. The others nodded, understanding what was happening.
That left Rekka, Mika, and Hikari alone.
"Let's get going," Hikari suggested, trying to ease the tension. Mika nodded, while Rekka kept watching the boys heading to the restroom.
"I'm going to check on them," she said, walking after them.
"You should leave them alone, and besides, you can't—" Hikari started, but stopped as she realized her friend wasn't listening and had already walked off.
Hikari sighed and turned to Mika, who still hadn't said a word.
"Mimi, are you okay?" she asked, gently stroking her arm. She had noticed that Mika had seemed off earlier too.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Mika replied with a weak smile. "Just tired."
Hikari looked at her, confused.
"Are you sure? You know you can tell me anything—I'm your best friend," she pressed, worried. Mika hadn't seemed like herself for a while now, but she had never opened up about it.
"I'm okay, Hikari," Mika said with a smile. "Really, just tired. I'm not in the mood for school," she added, leaning her head on Hikari's shoulder and pretending to cry.
Hikari was caught off guard by the sudden change but gave in—she couldn't force her to talk. She smiled and patted her head.
"I get it. Too many tests, too many classes... it's brutal," she sighed. "But at least we'll have fun!"
"My parents want me to get at least 90 in every subject. I don't know how I'll manage," Mika said, lost in thought.
"You'll be fine," Hikari reassured her with a warm smile. "Ask Rekka for help—she's really good at school," she said, looking at her. Mika's face darkened, but she didn't respond—she had spotted the boys returning. Takeshi had calmed down, and they were joking together.
"You guys okay?" Mika asked sweetly. The three boys nodded.
"We should get inside—the ceremony's about to start. I just know this year will be amazing and full of change," Hikari said, beaming as she linked arms with Mika and Takeshi, heading toward the school entrance.
