Chapter 1: Signs of Momentum

THE END OF the second semester was finally in sight.

The fun event, the school trip, passed like a fleeting dream, but winter vacation was just around the corner for the second-year students. Winter was the season that reminded us of the end of the year and the parting of ways.

It's quite cold today, perhaps due to the fact that the lowest temperature is one degree Celsius.

Other students ran past me on their way to school, breathing out white clouds while talking about how cold it was. Every day, I stared at the casual scenery of daily life and carved it into my memory.

Those who live only for the moment may wonder what the point of staring at such a scene is.

But what if you knew that the scene was only available to be seen for a limited period of time?

What if you knew that you could only see this world for one more year?

Perhaps this everyday world would seem like a dazzling jewel.

While gazing at such an everyday scenery until the person I was waiting for arrived, I received a message.

[Come to the student council room after school today.]

Nagumo's message was so compelling that I had no choice but to accept it. "The student council room, huh?"

I'm not very keen on this invitation, but I can't easily refuse it considering the future.

Besides, I cooperated with him at the festival, even if there was a conflict of interest.

I replied briefly with [I understand] and turned off the screen. As I looked at the other students and the scenery again, I saw Kushida walking alone to school.

As I turned away without saying hello to her, she waved to me with a smile. I raised my hand in response, but just before we passed each other, she gave me a glaring look.

"What the...? Ever since this morning…"

She said hello to me, so I said hello to her, so why should she glare at me? I think she did that because she was sure that no one would see her face, but

I don't remember doing anything in particular to garner that.

I guess it's simply because Kushida doesn't like me…

I felt like I had been attacked with a hit-and-run.

"Sorry, Kiyotaka!"

At that moment, an out-of-breath Kei called out from the dormitory's direction and came running toward me.

"Don't worry so much. You're only a few minutes late."

"Yes, but… I mean, wasn't it cold waiting outside?"

I gave her a curious look since we had originally met in the lobby of the dorm.

"I'm fine. You still have a little bit of bedhead."

She must've been in a hurry considering I was able to find an uncharacteristic mistake and pointed it out to her.

"No, no!"

Kei held her head down in embarrassment and hurriedly tried to straighten

her bedhead with a hand comb.

But no matter how many times she tried, it always bounced back a little. "Oh my God, what am I going to do...!"

"Why are you worried about that? Hondou and Ike have worse sleeping habits."

"Don't put me in the same box with those boys! Ugh, I'm going to go to the

bathroom when I get to school…"

Kei walked away, covering the part of her bed hair with her hand in embarrassment.

Well, it wasn't a bad thing to pay attention to one's fashion and appearance.