The sun blazed over Taisho Academy as students buzzed with excitement about the upcoming school festival. Laughter echoed through the halls, feet pounded toward the open fields.
Among the students of Taisho Academy, Sakura Kageyama of Class 2-C sat quietly at her desk, flipping through a textbook.
She was a bit distant from the others, not understanding the reason for their overexcitement.
"Guys, after casting votes, we've gotten the activity with the highest vote."
Sakura looked up at the girl who stood in front of the classroom, a clipboard pressed between her arm and hips.
"Good! I bet it's the haunted house."
"Haunted house? As if! We can't do that."
"Why? That's like the coolest activity on the list."
"The book club is better."
"Ugh… better, my ass."
"Come on guys, let's hear Mei out." A guy with light blue hair smiled, standing beside the class president.
"Th-thanks…" Mei whispered, raising the clipboard over her face.
She walked to the board, picking up a marker and scribbling down some words before moving aside for the others to see.
She took a deep breath, "The activity chosen is this…" She pointed at the board.
"Wh-what?!"
"Yay~ the cross dressing maid cafe!"
"Nande?!"
"Why the cafe?!"
"Who the hell would want to come into a cafe with guys dressed as maids?"
"Ahem Ahem… I will."
"Doesn't matter anymore. It's been chosen."
Sakura stared outside the window, trying to distract herself from the continuous disturbance from her classmates.
*Ah… I've got to get to practice soon.* She sighed, her right hand under her chin.
"Well, we've got to start preparations soon. There's nothing else we can do." Haryu, the assistant class president who stood beside Mei, smiled.
"I'm gonna have to hide after all this."
After the class meeting, which took more time than she expected, Sakura grabbed her stuff and rushed to the court on the school field where the members of the female tennis club had their daily practice.
"You're late, Kageyama-san." The tennis coach looked at his wristwatch before looking back at her.
She ignored him, placing her bag on a bench and grabbing her clothes.
As she searched for her clothes, she noticed him staring.
"…class meeting," she started, her voice flat as she grabbed her clothes. "I'm changing now."
She zipped up her bag, walking towards the changing area.
He released his already clenched fists before sighing, "Ha… this girl."
He turned back to the other girls who were busy with practice.
"Come on, Haruka! That wasn't a nice serve!"
"Sorry!"
After a few minutes, Sakura walked back to join the others when she was done changing.
She brushed off the lint on her shirt while walking towards the coach.
"Kageyama-san, after today's practice, you all can have some rest in preparation for the upcoming school festival. I bet you're excited." He grinned, acting funny.
She stared at him for a while, expression blank and unexciting. She looked away, walking to join the others.
She sighed, "Just so-so."
His smile vanished, almost immediately, to avoid further embarrassment,*I… should have expected that.*
"Come on! Bam and Haruka, Kageyama and Ham, would be using that court soon!"
The girl in particular turned to the coach, panting, "Y-yes coach."
Practice for the day concluded a bit earlier than they had anticipated because of the light drizzle.
Sakura sat on a bench, watching the others who were packing up, ready to leave the field.
She gulped down a bottle of water after huming some tunes.
A girl walked towards her cheerfully, "Yo."
Sakura glanced at her, adjusting a bit.
"I'm Mayu Maeda. Nice to meet you." She grinned.
She studied her for a moment, her eyes flicking to the left, "…Sakura Kageyama."
Mayu smiled, sitting beside Sakura, *At least she didn't ignore me. That's what I call progress.*
"You're really good at tennis." Mayu started.
"I'm just so-so."
"That's not true. I've watched you since you joined us."
"…The coach said you were among his aces."
"He-he, is that so?"
"…"
"We haven't played together. We won't know yet."
*What's with her?* Sakura thought, griping the bottle softly.
"And Haruka-senpai is way better."
". ."
"Oh! Look at the time…"
Sakura looked at the screen of her phone, *Ah, that's true. I've gotta leave now.*
Mayu turned to face her immediately, "Let's walk home together."
"No." Sakura responded immediately, standing up and grabbing her bag.
"Whoa, you didn't even stop to think about it. That was too fast."
*She looks like trouble. I'd better not get involved.*
"Come on, can't you just indulge me?" Mayu asked, standing and grabbing her bag.
Sakura walked out of the court as Mayu following behind her, "Don't bother."
"Come on~ it's just a walk…"
"I'd rather not."
"Why though?"
*When would she stop following me?*
They were already outside the school compound, and Mayu wasn't planning on letting her leave alone.
"Ah! A shaved ice! Let's buy one!" Mayu shouted, running to the shop.
She ran back to Sakura after purchasing the shaved ice, "Whoa, that's cold!"
She smiled at Sakura, handing one over to her.
"Here, I got one for you."
Sakura looked at her, and then back at the shaved ice, "I don't like that flavour."
"What…? Who doesn't like the strawberry flavour?"
*I just said I didn't…*
"Then i'll go buy you another one!" Mayu said excitedly, about to run back.
"Eh? No… I'll have it."
"Really?"
"Yeah… just don't bother me after that."
"He-he, I can't make any promises."
*What does she want from me?*
"Ah! Let's walk faster! The bus would be here in a while!" Mayu shouted, pulling Sakura with her.
"Hey!" Sakura snapped before shaking her head disapprovingly.
Mayu turned to her immediately, "Ah, sorry about that."
*Got kinda excited there.* She grinned, letting go of Sakura's arm.
"No… it's nothing." Sakura looked away, rubbing the part of her arm Mayu had held.
*More importantly…*
"What do you mean by the bus?"
"Hm? We live close to each other after all."
*Oh lord…*
◇◇◇
"Come on! We've gotta finish up before evening!" Haryu shouted, standing beside Mei.
They were finally busy with their preparations for the school festival.
Sakura stood on a chair, putting up a bell by the door.
"Uh… we're does this go again?" She muttered, staring at a flower vase.
Someone walked towards her, stopping just beside the door, "U-um… that goes by the window."
Sakura turned to the door immediately, looking down at the person who spoke to her, "Tha–"
She stared at the girl who smiled at her, the class president, Mei Fujimoto.
"Ah– I just got hurt while making some decorations."
Sakura stared at the blood dripping on the floor, memories of the past flooding into her head.
Her head went blank, and the noise made by her other classmates dulled as the only thing she could think of was the blood dripping on the floor.
"… ma-san?"
"… wrong?"
"… no idea…"
"Sakura-san…?"
"Sakura-San!!"
Sakura's breath hitched as she turned to Mayu, who had just walked into the classroom.
"What's wrong, Sakura?" Mayu asked.
She grasped Mei's arm, studying the injury on her finger.
"I…"
She opened her mouth but no words came out.
"…" She jumped down the seat, walking past Mayu and Mei.
The others in the classroom stared at her, murmuring as she left the classroom.
"Hey, Sakura, wait!" Mayu shouted before turning back to Mei, "What happened? How'd you get hurt?"
"I… A needle pricked my finger."
"Let's go to the infirmary first."
"Mmn."
Meanwhile… there was another female student sitting on a bench on the rooftop, Reina Ueda.
She stared at her face on her phone camera, her lips a bit swollen with blood on it.
"Tsk, I didn't even do anything wrong this time. Why'd they hit me?" She asked, trying to wipe the blood away.
*They haven't bothered me in a while… I thought they'd stopped because of their exams.*
Her phone buzzed just as she was about to switch it off.
She looked at the caller ID as her face twisted.
"Shit!" She shouted, about to throw her phone on the ground.
She sighed, resting her back against the wall while scrolling through the Internet.
Creak…
The door to the rooftop creaked open, a student walking in and banging the door behind her.
*What?! They also came here to find me? What's with them? Don't they have anything better to do today?* She squeezed her phone, adjusting on the bench.
Sakura slid down the door to the rooftop, sitting on her heels.
She bit her bottom lips, her hands trembling as she buried her face in her palm.
"I– didn't do anything wrong… I didn't…"
Her chest tightened as she felt a lump in her throat.
Reina relaxed, confused for a while, *What's wrong? Aren't they here?*
She stood from the bench, tiptoeing to the other side of the wall.
She peeped at the door, her eyes falling on Sakura who squatted by the door.
*What's with her?*
She stood by the wall for a while, contemplating on whether to go confront her or to just mind her business.
"Hey… are you alright?"
She took a step towards Sakura, who turned to her sharply.
She stopped in her tracks, Sakura's teary deep red eyes frightening her, *Why does she look that way?*
Sakura stood up immediately, stepping back.
*Wait a minute! Isn't she the rude girl from that time! And that other time!* Reina thought, clenching her fists.
"Hey! You probably thought I'd forget you!" Reina shouted, walking towards Sakura, who stepped back.
Sakura stared at her, her gaze blank.
She sighed, brushing past Reina, who tried stopping her.
"Hey, what's with you?" Reina asked, holding her back.
"Let go…" her voice was low, not loud, not weak… just cold.
"Huh?!"
"Tsk."
Sakura grabbed her arm, immediately pushing her against the wall.
"Ow…"
"Hey, didn't you hear me…" Sakura paused, her eyes fixed on Reina's.
"Wh-what…?" Reina asked, her lips quivering as she tried not to look away.
Sakura let go of her before walking out quietly.