Chapter 3, Call of the Blossoms

(4:26 AM)

SHRIEK

Sora bolted upright in bed, gasping for air. Beads of sweat clung to his skin, the remnants of a vivid nightmare. The screech of tires, the blinding flash of headlights, and the heart-wrenching screams of his parents and himself echoed in his mind. He hurriedly scrambled out of bed and went to the shower to take a cold shower.

Sob

Barely audible sobbing sounds could be heard from the bathroom, while Sora showered. The cold water, though a bit painful at this time, felt like a needed distraction from his previous predicament.

After he showered, he quietly went downstairs not to wake anyone up, knowing the consequences. After entering the kitchen, he saw all the piled dishes from last night, and also some beer cans. He started cleaning everything up.

After cleaning, he started making breakfast for the whole family. Sora has cooked almost every meal for this family from the day he came here, so his cooking skills are no joke.

'Shit, the salt's a bit low, better fix it' Sora thought to himself 'Uncle would've butchered me if I didn't catch that sooner.' Sora gulped in fear.

After some time, he finally had made the breakfast, he took some for himself, and ate it with delight.

'Ah~ Gordon would be so proud of me' He thought to himself while complimenting himself.

Now it was time to get ready for school. Sora went up the stairs quietly. Going into his room, he took out his uniform and hurriedly wore it. 

(6:40 AM)

He was finally on his way to school, "The morning air feels as amazing as always," he said appreciating the fresh oxygen-filled air. 

A nervous flutter filled his stomach as he thought, 'I wonder if I can meet Tsubasa-san today.' The thought warmed him momentarily, a tiny spark against the vast emptiness.

"Just a few minutes of conversation," he sighed. "That's all I need sometimes. Just someone to listen, someone who doesn't judge." Sora thought with a flicker of hope.

"Maybe today I can gather the courage to ask her about those novels she likes. Maybe we could even talk outside of the library sometime."A small spark of determination flickered within him.

With this thought, Sora quickened his pace. The familiar route blurred as he pushed away the doubts and insecurities that threatened to drown his flicker of determination, and after 30 minutes he finally saw the ever-imposing school gate.

A wave of emotions washed over him. The usual dread of the day, the comforting air of the library, and a sliver of anticipation for his potential encounter with his Senpai. Sora took a deep breath, stealing himself for whatever the day might hold, and entered the school.

(8:02 AM)

Sora was in class, students started slowly filling the class, and the class got more lively, 'Not again, agh!' Sora thought, annoyed at this situation.

The classes started soon. Sora was an average student, but he liked math. Numbers behaved predictably, following clear rules unlike the tangled mess of emotions that swirled within him.

He found a strange comfort in the logic and order of equations, a temporary escape from the chaos of his life. Still, as the teacher droned on about factoring polynomials, a part of him couldn't help but steal glances at the clock, counting down the minutes until lunch and the possibility of seeing Tsubasa-san again.

The final bell for the math class rang, a welcome sound that shattered the monotony of the lesson, his mind already racing towards the library. Though he had to eat something first. The usual bread and some juice did the work perfectly. he found a quiet corner.

As he nibbled on his meager meal, his thoughts constantly drifted back to Tsubasa-san. He imagined her crimson hair and the way her eyes sparkled when she talked about books. He desperately wanted to see her, but a knot of anxiety tightened in his gut. What would he even say? What if she wasn't even at the library?

With a sigh, he finished his lunch, the leftover juice swirling listlessly in the carton. He glanced at the clock on the wall. Time seemed to be crawling by. He couldn't just sit here any longer. He gathered his things, his heart pounding a frantic rhythm against his ribs.

With a deep breath, he pushed himself out of the cafeteria and towards the library, ready to face whatever awaited him - hoping he wouldn't be met with an empty chair and a wave of crushing disappointment.

He soon reached the library, as soon as he opened the library door, the smell of old books hit him, but Sora didn't care about that, all he saw was an empty library, in the past, this would make him happy, but currently he had hoped to see someone special, waiting there for him. No flash of crimson hair to catch his eye.

'Maybe she will come a bit later…?' He thought with a flicker of hope.

He scanned the room one last time, his gaze lingering on the empty chair, 'Probably not… I mean, who would like chatting with me. I should stop being delusional, this isn't a romance novel' (Author: cough, yeah… cough) With a sigh that carried the weight of his deflated hope, he turned towards the towering shelves. 

He didn't need to be here just for Tsubasa-san today. He could lose himself in the world of fantasy, find solace in the familiar comfort of the library.

His fingers trailed across the cool worn out novel covers, a familiar routine that grounded him. Perhaps, within these pages, he'd find a reflection of his own emotions, a character grappling with similar anxieties and longings.

He pulled out a book at random, its old worn out cover whispering promises of untold stories. Settling into a secluded corner, he cracked it open, a sliver of hope flickering within him.

The library, even in its quiet solitude, held the potential for connection – with himself, with the stories, and maybe, just maybe, in some unexpected way, with Tsubasa-san.

Five minutes, Ten minutes, Fifteen minutes, Twenty minutes, and finally Thirty minutes passed, recess time was over, the bell clanged. But still his Senpai did not come…

"I guess there goes my last hope," he muttered, the words tasting bitter like coal. Anger bubbled up within him. The chat they had yesterday…

"Why did she lie to me yesterday?" he thought, the question echoing in the quiet library. Was it pity? Did she just feel pityfor the lonely kid in the corner? The sting of rejection was worse this time, poisoned by a fresh wave of betrayal.

He got up from his seat slowly, and started walking towards his class. Everything felt like a blur, which wasn't new, but still felt like salt to his wounds. 

He soon reached his class, going to his seat, and opening his bag. He found a strange folded paper.

'Hmm, I didn't have that…,' Sora confirmed to himself, and took out the paper, which read in beautiful handwriting,

[Come to the cherry blossom tree after school – Your Secret Admirer♥️♥️♥️]

'What the fuck?!?!' Sora thought to himself surprised, almosting making a weird sound, 'Is this supposed to a prank? But is there someone who cares enough to prank me?' Sora sighed.

"I'll check it out anyways" Sora whispered, with a hint of excitement.

With that, the teacher came, and the classes resumed. Sora already was bad at focusing during class, and the letter made it even worse. He could only think about the possibilities.

'Will I finally find someone?' he thought, with a nervous flutter in his stomach. 'What if it's a prank?' he worried. His mind replaying past moments of invisibility. Could this be just another cruel twist life has played on him, a way to make it even worse?

A/N: I am trying to make the chapters a bit longer, hope they are readable. Do tell me if you spot any mistakes. Like I said, I just started writing yesterday. So any sort of help is welcomed. I am trying to figure out, how to make my writing more alive, and descriptive. Since everything feels a bit too short for me. Any tips? And thanks for reading! Kindly do comment how you guys feel reading this. It motivates me to continue writing, thanks!

And, I'll try to post chapters as much as I can. Some might be too short, please bear with me.