First Bloom
Teenager. To me, the word ‘teenager’ felt somewhat foreign yet pleasant to say. It was a phase where someone moved on from childhood and transitioned to adulthood, just as other people had done. There were many interesting things that could be done when the existing age limit said that your childhood was slowly shifting toward a higher stage. Whether I was aware of it or not, I had inevitably begun to take the first steps into teenage life that month, coinciding with the start of senior high school.
It had been 15 years, almost 16 years, since I was born into this world, and right on that bright Monday morning I began to enter senior high school after graduating from junior high school three years earlier. Recalling those three years again caused a shiver to run down my spine. It wasn’t because of anything negative that had happened to me or in my previous life, but I felt that the three years I had spent at junior school had not made me a better person. A passive, a bookworm, not very playful, and sensitive—that was what came to mind when I remembered my past self.
“Kyosuke! Breakfast is ready!”
“Yeah!” I answered loudly.
The shout that had occurred throughout my life felt like a habit that would feel strange if I didn’t hear it directly from my mother’s mouth, like a noisy morning alarm. She would usually burst through my door as if it were a fragile barrier, approach me, and pinch my cheek or arm through the blanket to force me to wake up. But today, and of course in the days to come, that would no longer happen—I hoped.
“Isn’t this really cool?” I muttered in front of the large mirror while straightening my tie and the collar of my new uniform.
After I felt satisfied with the white-collared uniform, black pants, and black tie I was wearing, I immediately went downstairs to have breakfast together. My father and mother were already seated at the dining table with plates and glasses containing their respective preferred drinks.I was raised in this house, which I considered quite adequate and simple. Both of my parents showered me with love and attention. Besides being their only child, I was the apple of their eye. Other than that, I had no complaints except that I felt lonely sometimes since I didn’t have any siblings.
“Kyosuke Rentarou,” my father said, calling me. “How does it feel to be a senior high school student?”
“How does it feel? Of course it’s exciting,” I replied, slowly sitting down in the chair. “It’s like I understand a little about things I didn’t understand before, like thinking like an adult, for example.”
“Yes, yes, that’s how it should be. How much longer will you need to be reminded to go to bed early and do your homework?” my mother replied with a bit of teasing while serving rice and side dishes onto each plate.
I gave a slightly sharp glance from the corner of my eye toward my mother. “Even so, I got into this school through my own efforts in studying, not like the neighbor’s kid who only relied on money and empty talk. Today I also woke up by myself, you know.”
“Hey, don’t be like that. If they hear about it later, it’ll become a big deal.”
“Yeah, anyway, why are we even talking about things like that on a beautiful morning like this?” I said, letting out a slight sigh.
“Hahaha! In that case, eat quickly and be enthusiastic about your new school. Work hard in your studies, because you might be fortunate enough to be admitted to a respected college near the city at some point.” My father laughed and gave me a confident smile.
I nodded in response and started eating the food on my plate—my favorite meat and potato stew—then said goodbye and hurried to my new school.
Pink cherry blossom leaves could be seen sweeping the empty street where I was walking. There weren’t many children or teenagers around my age walking to their respective schools, perhaps because the residential complex where I lived was mostly occupied by adults, or so I thought. In reality, I also didn’t remember having childhood friends who often invited me to play around. I’m not sure if it was because I was too quiet and closed off at the time, or if they simply didn’t want to invite me. Just remembering that made me shake my head for no reason.
As usual, I passed the railway tracks, the convenience store, the local park, and several houses until my new school appeared clearly in front of me. The wide-open school gate proudly displayed a clean, neat banner that read “Welcome New Students,” as if greeting me personally. I saw many teenagers around my age walking through the gate, all looking like fresh new students. Even from the outside, the main building—which could serve as either an assembly hall or gymnasium—looked magnificent and noticeably different from my old junior high school. This school felt bigger and grander, carrying a whole new atmosphere and vibe for the fresh start I was about to make.
“Huff... Time to start from scratch again,” I muttered softly.
Taking a deep breath and filled with quiet confidence, I stepped through the gate that felt like an entrance to another world. Without delay, I was greeted by a vast, beautiful schoolyard. Trees lining the path to the main hall swayed gently in the warm spring breeze. A large fountain in the middle of the walkway added its own sense of grandeur. There was no denying that this was one of the most prestigious schools in the area, well-known for winning countless competitions and sending talented students to top universities across the country. Standing here and becoming part of it filled me with pride—especially since I had earned my place through three years of hard work and strong grades. If arrogance had been my middle name, the entire prefecture probably would have heard me shouting about it.
The main hall I entered was enormous, roughly the size of five or six convenience stores combined. The walls seemed built to carry echoes, while flags bearing the school emblem, mysterious decorative patterns, and a raised podium all seemed to look down at those seated below. Realizing just how vast the space was made me feel small in my chair. I was sure the other new students around me felt the same. When I glanced around, I couldn’t even imagine how many hundreds of us had been lucky enough to get accepted into this famous school.
“Hey, I’m Nakamura Haruaki. Just call me Aki. What’s your name?”
A boy around my age with a bright face and slightly curly short hair spoke to me. His voice was calm yet carried a firm warmth. For some reason, I immediately felt he would be easy to get along with, even though my intuition wasn’t always reliable.
“Oh. I’m Kyosuke Rentarou. Just call me Kyo. Nice to meet you, Aki.”
“Kyo…” Aki paused for a second, as if thinking. “Kyo, huh. Are you also from Shuisen Junior High?”
My eyes widened slightly. “…Yes. Looks like you’re from there too. But how do you know me? Honestly, I don’t remember ever meeting you before.”
With sparkling eyes, the boy beside me laughed with his mouth wide open. “With all those achievements, a lot of people recognize you, Kyo. You’re like a rising star or something.”
His words brought a mix of embarrassment and pride blooming inside me. Even if it sounded a bit exaggerated, it was true that a bookworm like me had often won science competitions. Maybe my quiet nature was also why I didn’t know many people and spent most of my time buried in science and math books instead.
“Hahaha…” I laughed nervously. “The ‘rising star’ part feels a bit too much. So, which class are you in? Maybe we’ll be classmates.”
“I’m in Class B, from what I remember of the announcement. How about you?”
“Class A. Too bad we’re not together, but at least we’re neighbors.”
The bell rang from the direction of the podium, signaling that the entrance ceremony was about to begin. Several teachers, school committee members, and the principal emerged from the side of the stage and took their seats. I quickly straightened my posture and faced forward solemnly.
I glanced at Aki. “In that case, please take care of me for the next three years, Aki,” I said softly, offering a small smile.
“Of course, Kyo. Leave it to me.” He replied with a confident, toothy grin.
Without realizing it, on my very first day stepping into this new stage, I had already made a friend I hadn’t expected. Given the good start I had, I hoped that my teenage years here wouldn’t be as challenging as they had been before..
***
“…It turned out to be really long, huh.”
I let out a soft sigh as I lazily slouched my body onto the table. Sitting for almost three hours while listening to motivational words and unnecessary speeches made my body feel a bit drained, maybe also because I hadn’t been exercising much. Even though it wasn’t my first time attending a welcoming ceremony like that, it still felt extremely boring, especially when I had to just sit silently without saying a single word. It felt strange when I thought about it because being quiet and not talking used to be my style. Maybe I had changed a little.
Class A was the first class, located at the very corner on the second floor, with facilities that were slightly better than the other classes according to the rumors I had heard. Carpeted floors, elegant desks and chairs, wall-mounted fans and air conditioners that were all turned off, a large whiteboard big enough to write a short story on it, and windows with red curtains pulled to the sides. From the left side of the windows, there was a view of the wide basketball and soccer field. Meanwhile, the windows on the right only showed the balcony walkway and sunlight shining into the classroom.
At a glance, I could tell that the majority of the class was filled with girls, and after counting randomly, there were only ten boys at my age. The total number of students in this class was probably around thirty, which was relatively normal compared to other classes that had almost thirty five or more according to the rumors.
“Kyosuke. Want to play together? It looks like you installed that popular online game,” Kazuki said as he approached me.
Kazuki Akamatsu was a very cheerful guy with an extremely positive vibe and slightly feminine mannerisms. He came over and looked at my tired and listless face resting on the desk. Since it was still the beginning of the school year, there would be no lessons for the whole day; instead, it was filled with introduction and bonding moments. From that, I got to know the names of some of my classmates, one of whom was Kazuki.
“You mean the one on mobile? Of course I have it. So who else are we planning to play with?” I asked him.
“Nice! After this, let’s play with Makoto, Shota, and Taro. They have it too, and since today we’re super free.” Kazuki turned around and called out to them, who were sitting at their own desks. “Hey, let’s start. We’ve got exactly five people now.”
“Maybe we should go over there. It’ll be better if we gather as five, right?” I asked Kazuki.
He turned back to me. “Oh, good idea. Let’s go.”
I quickly got up from my seat and walked toward an empty desk whose owner wasn’t using it. Two tables had been joined, and five people were ready to play.
“Kyosuke… right? Nice to meet you,” Makoto greeted, a tall and big guy who looked a bit intimidating, although in reality he was very friendly and kind-hearted.
“Ah, yes. Nice to meet you too,” I replied.
“What do you want to play as, Kyo? Is there any role you can’t do?” Miura asked. He had an athletic build with slightly defined muscles on his arms.
“I’ll just fill what we needed. I don’t think I’ll have trouble with any role,” I answered while opening the app on my phone.
Kazuki, who already looked very excited, said, “Alright, let’s just start playing. We can talk about the rest later.”
We, who had only just learned each other’s names, started playing together. Occasionally we joked and chatted about random things related to the topic or our experiences. After three rounds, the clock showed break time, so we decided to end the game and talk with each other, while Sato went out with Shota.
“Kazuki, didn’t you want to join the English club? Why did you suddenly want to join the literature club?”
“Well, it seems fun to just read books and sleep in the club room, hahaha!”
“Don’t tell me it’s because you want to follow Kyo.”
“Oops, you got me. Hahaha!”
Kazuki’s loud laughter filled the slightly empty classroom during break time. Meanwhile, Makoto just let out a small sigh of disbelief while shaking his head. Watching their banter was very entertaining because it somehow looked very contrasting with each of their personalities. When my gaze idly shifted to the opposite direction from them, a pair of eyes from a girl sitting with her friends caught me with precision.
A sweet, warm smile with wide eyes and beautiful eyelashes caught my attention. Haruka Inoue, a charming girl who made my cheeks burn and my gaze unable to look away for a moment. Long black hair that flowed down, round glasses slightly larger on her attractive eyes, smooth white skin that looked like silk, and bright thin pink lips that seemed inviting. Her calm expression wrapped with the corners of her mouth slightly lifted froze my mind. It felt like a silent greeting that made me feel comfortable, for some reason.
“Kyo. Don’t you want to go to the cafeteria?”
Makoto’s call broke my attention, and I quickly turned to him. “Oh… sorry, what was it?”
“…Spacing out? It’s still the first day, you know. Don’t tell me you’re already missing home-cooked food?” he asked, confused.
“He was staring at those girls earlier,” Kazuki chimed in. “Maybe he’s interested in one of them, right Kyo?” Kazuki smiled mischievously at me.
“You’re just making things up! It’s only the first day. Besides, a bookworm like me would never be liked by a girl,” I said, slightly rejecting Kazuki’s guess.
“You never know how a love story will begin. A tree doesn’t know where or when it will grow.” Makoto closed his eyes, shaking his head with a grin.
For a moment, I absorbed his words, which sounded like a quote from a romance novel. What he said was true, and maybe I was a bit pessimistic about myself. Three years ago was just enough time to love someone in silenceness. The feeling of how cowardly I was made the negative side I thought about become reality, and I couldn’t express anything to her back then. Without realizing it, everything had disappeared.
“That’s true too. But that doesn’t mean I have a crush on one of them, okay!”
“Yeah, yeah, calm down Romeo. Your Juliet is waiting for your passionate love confession,” Makoto said in a teasing and joking tone.
I only shook my head while letting out a small sigh. Even so, what Makoto said had some truth to it. If I wanted to change, maybe this was the right time to be braver and honest about what I felt. I couldn’t deny that Haruka slightly stirred my somewhat pessimistic heart.
Maybe this is the moment—I thought.
***
The bell had sounded about half an hour prior, and the sun was beginning to show its fading orange light. This first day had truly drained more energy from me than usual, with all the conversations with classmates and the endless introductions organized by the school. Makoto and the others had hurried home, happily ending their day in a relaxed manner at their respective houses. I strongly felt the urge to throw myself onto my beloved soft bed, but unfortunately my parents were coming home late as usual today, and stupidly enough, I didn’t have a spare house key.
The classroom had grown quiet, with only about four or five students still preparing to go home. A few bags remained on the chairs of those who had stepped out for a moment. One by one, they came back to grab their bags and hurried home, gently greeting me as they left. Just as I was about to close my eyes and let time pass, a voice from a group of girls entered the classroom.
“Weren’t you happily eating ramen earlier?”
“Oh, right! Hahaha! I rarely eat ramen, so that happened!”
Inoue Haruka, Tsubaki Yamamoto, Mitsuko Endo, and Satou Miyu—they joked around playfully before approaching their own desks to pick up their bags. They got along perfectly, like a harmonious theater group that complemented one another. On the very first day, they already looked like four inseparable friends, even when going to the restroom.
“Lessons start tomorrow, huh? Ugh… I feel so lazy. We haven’t even explored the whole school yet,” Tsubaki sighed in annoyance.
“This is a school, you know. Don’t think of it as a vacation spot,” Miyu replied firmly.
Haruka, with her sweet giggles, chimed in cheerfully. “We can still hang out together later. There’s still plenty of time, so relax.”
“Tch! You guys are way too positive,” Tsubaki clicked her tongue and slung her black bag over her shoulder. “Anyway, let’s go home. You’re still getting picked up later, right?”
“Yeah. My house is a bit far, so my dad will pick me up by car,” Haruka answered.
“Alright. We’re heading out first. Bye-bye!”
Tsubaki, who was loud and a bit flirty, the petite and adorable Miyu, and the quiet, ever-smiling Endo—they left the classroom while waving at Haruka, who stood by her desk. She waved back with a wide grin. Without realizing it, I kept staring at her until she noticed and turned toward me. Haruka tilted her head slightly, as if silently asking why I was looking at her so intently, but she didn’t seem angry or uncomfortable. Feeling embarrassed and awkward, I quickly looked away and closed my eyes, hoping she wouldn’t mind and that time would pass faster.
The sound of socks brushing against the carpet grew closer to my desk. Then I heard a chair in front of me being gently pulled, mixed with the soft rustle of fabric.
“Kyosuke, right?”
A bright yet gentle voice came from the chair in front of me, calling my name. I lifted my head and saw Haruka sitting there facing me. Her arms softly hugged the back of the chair, and her body leaned slightly toward me, making her expression and facial features clearly visible. For a split second, it felt like my heart stopped beating.
“Ah, yeah. Haruka Inoue, right? Is there something I can help you with?” I asked stiffly.
“Just Haruka is fine. You don’t have to be so formal. Relax, I don’t bite,” she said with a chuckle.
I never imagined I had this little experience talking to a girl; my words sounded embarrassingly awkward even to myself. Usually I wasn’t this bad when speaking with others, especially not with an attractive girl like her. But for some reason, right now it felt strange, as if something was stuck in my throat, making me nervous.
“Haha…” I let out a nervous laugh, which was followed by silence because I didn’t know what else to say.
“I know you used to be the quiet type, but I didn’t expect you to still be this quiet, hehe.”
“Ah, no, I just—wait, ‘used to’? Umm, sorry, but I don’t remember ever hearing your name or meeting you somewhere before.”
“Yeah, back then. During junior high school, I often heard about you. On Monday to Thursday afternoons after school, you would often sit at the edge of the sidewalk playing on your phone to kill time, right?”
Her confession caught me slightly off guard. It might sound overly confident, but who would have thought someone had noticed me that much, let alone by her. It felt somewhat surreal and hard to believe, considering I wasn’t popular among the girls or particularly good-looking back then.
“Oh, so we went to the same school. Did you used to sit on the sidewalk too or something?” I asked.
“No. At that time, I sat near the window in Class C. From there, you could see the sidewalk leading to the gate. I often hadn’t gone home yet in the afternoon because I was waiting to be picked up.”
I paused for a moment, trying to recall the location of Class C’s window that overlooked the school gate and sidewalk. When her name, Haruka, and Class C came to mind, I remembered a girl with a similar name.
“Ah! You’re that Haruka?!” I asked in surprise.
“Haha, yes, that’s right.” Haruka brushed the hair away from the side of her face, tilting her head toward me with the corners of her lips curving upward beautifully. “…I look really different now, don’t I?”
A faint memory of a girl from junior high school surfaced in my mind. She was someone who seemed untouched by time back then—slightly tanned skin, pale lips, and boxy glasses on her face. I had never greeted her, nor had she greeted me, but we would occasionally pass each other in the cafeteria or corridors. Haruka wasn’t a problematic or isolated student; she had good friends around her, yet she seemed somehow overlooked. It was a stark contrast to the girl sitting in front of me now.
I fell completely silent, trying to process the sharp difference in her. Her personality and appearance seemed to have flipped 180 degrees. The more I looked at her, the more unreal the contrast between her past and present felt—or perhaps I simply didn’t understand how girls took care of their appearance.
“Kyo? Is there something on my face?”
Her question snapped me out of my daze. I immediately became flustered and shook my head frantically.
“S-sorry. I just… can’t believe what I’m seeing.”
“Hmm?” She looked confused.
“I mean, you’ve changed so much that I really didn’t recognize you…” I said, a bit panicked.
“Hmmmm…?”
Haruka changed her smile into a sharp, teasing grin, trying to corner me as I stumbled over my words. Even though I knew what those thin smiling lips meant, I wasn’t going to give in right away.
“…What…?” I asked softly.
“It’s nothing. So, do you think I look prettier now or what?”
The question struck deep into my brain, suddenly shutting down my thoughts. A rush of heat mixed with cold spread from my cheeks to my neck and palms. In more than 15 years of life, this was the first time such a direct question had been thrown at me without warning. I could think of several possible answers, but honesty seemed the best right now.
“…You look pretty,” I said softly and clearly.
Haruka fell silent for a moment. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks. “Hehe, thank you.” She glanced up at the wall clock behind me. “It’s already 4:30. It’s time for us to head home.”
My gaze also shifted to the clock. “You’re right.” Then I turned back to her. “But it doesn’t look like you’re in a hurry to go home, am I wrong?”
“Mhm, you’re not wrong. There’s a reason I can’t tell you right now… and another reason why I don’t want to go home yet.”
Her gaze dropped downward, her expression turning melancholic. Her brows furrowed slightly, and her smile carried a quiet, small plea. I could sense that something was weighing on her mind, but it was clearly not something a stranger like me should pry into. It seemed she was holding onto something sensitive, perhaps related to her family. Whatever problem Haruka had, seeing her look sad tugged at my heart, as if I wanted to help her.
“I see…” I said softly. “Do you like the warm light of the setting sun like this?”
Haruka shook her head gently. “The sunset is certainly warm and soothing,” her eyes behind the glasses gazed sharply yet softly into mine. “Especially when accompanied by you, Kyo.”
My breath hitched. Those words hit me like lightning on a clear day, instantly catching me off guard. It was deeply unsettling yet comforting at the same time. When I looked once more into her eyes as our gazes met, I found a vulnerability there—a silent plea. It tore at my heartstrings, as if revealing that there was something behind her smile that made her uncomfortable.
That was why, as someone naïve and stubborn, I decided I would help her even if she refused.
With a calm and serious expression, I smiled gently. “If it’s okay, maybe I can know your reason, Haruka.”
Her expression shifted. First, she observed me. Then, she looked surprised. Finally, her expression returned to its beautiful, radiant state. “Thank you for staying a little longer here with me.” Haruka paused for a moment, as if preparing the words she was about to say. “Simply put, right now I don’t have anyone to talk to or vent to. Even my dad, mom, and my siblings don’t really help. It’s not that they don’t care, though.”
“It’s just that they’re too busy to have time to listen to their own child’s ramblings, right?” I replied.
“Exactly. So while I’m here, and for some reason talking to you feels comfortable, I just want this afternoon to last a little longer. Of course that’s impossible, right? Haha…” Haruka said as her gaze drifted away. Her laugh didn’t sound sincere at all.
“That’s true. It’s impossible to lengthen time because that would change the Earth’s rotation and revolution speed. But when it comes to time, there’s still plenty we can have in the future — assuming the world doesn’t end anytime soon…”
Haruka looked at me in confusion before laughing at the nonsense I spouted. “Hahaha! What is that! Your assumption is so dark.”
“That’s why, starting tomorrow, the day after, and onward—if you want, we can casually chat every afternoon in this classroom until your ride arrives. Sounds good?”
With confidence and without thinking about anything else, I made an offer that sounded quite aggressive. Who would want to spend time alone with Kyosuke Rentarou, a bookworm who didn’t even know how to joke properly? I really was stupid and ridiculous.
“Forget it… it sounds stupi—”
“I’d love to! Let’s talk about everything from A to Z every afternoon!” Haruka answered enthusiastically. Her eyes sparkled as if filled with shining stars.
“Oh… I thought you’d say ‘no’ or ‘tch’ to my offer.”
Haruka tilted her head cutely. “Because you’re a bookworm with really dry jokes?”
“Why is your guess so accurate…”
“Hahaha! I wonder why…”
The girl in front of me smiled mischievously, then stood up from the chair and walked to her own desk. She slung her black bag over her shoulder and turned back to me. The wide grin she showed this time felt different. It carried a genuine happiness, a deep relief from within. The setting sun’s orange light streamed through the classroom windows, beautifully illuminating her flowing black hair and making her face look incredibly adorable. On that day, my heart stopped beating for a moment because of her.
“Let’s go home. We don’t want the security guard to catch us here.”
With her index finger pressed against her thin lips and a playful smile behind it, Haruka ended our beautiful first afternoon conversation. Seeing her cheerfulness, sadness, the mystery surrounding her, and the kindness she radiated made me wonder if my teenage life was truly beginning here—with a feeling as if it were gently illuminated by the sun.
Warm and radiant.
***
