A Fresh Start

Weeks had passed since that night, and Naoko was far from ready, but time was relentless, and it wouldn't wait for her.

Naoko's eyes flickered open, and she groaned when she realized it was four in the morning. Her alarm hadn't even gone off yet.

"Four am!? Seriously?" She muttered to herself, ruffling her hair, frustrated about waking up earlier than planned. Stress had been building up in her as she worried about oversleeping on her first day of school. She had set an alarm earlier than usual, but it seemed futile as she had awakened before it even had a chance to ring.

 Fretting over the situation wouldn't change it, so she decided to get up. Naoko stepped into the shower, letting the warm water clear her mind. Once she was done, she splashed her face with cold water to help wake herself up and continued to do her daily skincare routine.

Choosing an outfit for the first day of school turned out to be more challenging than expected, especially since she hadn't received her uniform yet. After much contemplation, she settled on a white blouse, a black knee-length skirt, black stockings, and a diagonally strapped bag from shoulder to hip. She styled her long brown hair with a slight wave at the ends and arranged her bangs to give off a light, see-through illusion.

"Hmm... I think this will do. Oh, almost forgot my glasses," she muttered, relieved to be ready. After a final check of her suitcase, she heard a faint call coming from downstairs.

Descending to the kitchen, she spotted her mother, Emiko, who turned to greet her with a wide, welcoming smile. Naoko had adored her mother deeply since childhood.

"Sweetie, come and eat your breakfast!" Emiko said excitedly, causing Naoko to smile. The aroma of her favorite breakfast filled the air.

Naoko pulled out a chair to sit and eat but then noticed her father, Akihito, already at the table, stuffing his mouth full of food, which made him look like a chipmunk. She couldn't help but giggle.

"What's so funny?" Akihito asked, tilting his head to one side, cluelessly, mouth still stuffed with food.

"Pft- It's nothing Father" She responded, smiling widely with her closed eyes, suppressing her urge to laugh.

Glancing at the table, Naoko saw her favorite dish - super spicy fried chicken with miso soup on the side and a mountain of rice. Although miso soup is typically paired with dried fish, she preferred chicken. She took a spoonful and, as she chewed, her eyes lit up with delight.

"Mother, this is delicious!" she exclaimed casually, her mouth still stuffed with food. Emiko's smile brightened even more.

Lost in their conversation, time slipped away, and it was now half-past six in the morning. They had to cut it short.

"Mother, Father, I'm going to miss you both!" Naoko hugged them tightly, her tears welling up.

"I'll miss you too, sweetie," Emiko replied, planting a kiss on Naoko's forehead.

"Come on, let's go, Nao," Akihito said, his glossy eyes betraying his stoic demeanor.

"Certainly, Father!" Naoko replied happily, her eyes still slightly red from her earlier tears.

"We'll be going now, Mother," she said, waving her goodbye at the front door.

"Be careful, you two!" were the last words she heard before they boarded the car.

____________

"Father, What's my new school like?"

She asked, It was a question that had occupied her mind since 'that night'.

When they asked her if she wouldn't mind being admitted to a boarding school.

"You're curious Nao? This the first time you brought it up."

Akihito responded, intrigued at his daughter's spark of interest.

"Well, I didn't think of it that much, but since I'm going to live there for a while, I have to know about it to be prepared."

She said looking up to her father who was in the driver's seat, he smiled hearing her resolve.

She did prepare herself for this —Akihito's relief.

"Oh yeah, how far is it father? " She asked since they had not reached it yet. 

"Your new school is far from here, It's a prefecture away. So don't think about running!"

He said, jokingly threatening her, and it made her laugh out loud.

"Haha! Come on, father I won't run away! I'm sure, It's not that bad..." She replied, immediately having second guesses. 

No way... Is it that bad? If I think about it, it is! Imagining living in the same room with strangers scares me!

What if they think I'm weird?

Well, they're not wrong I am weird... 

"That's good to know. Oh, we're almost there Nao. "

They had just exited their hometown prefecture Tokyo, She had lived her life in the city of Minato where they owned a mansion in the Akasaka district.

They were entering the second prefecture Shizuoka, they needed to go to Kawanehon where the school is located deep within the mountains.

This town was not as grand as Minato, but it had its charm. 

Minato was filled with big houses and towering company offices as well as grand malls.

Kawanehon, though more modest in comparison it's still filled with houses, but the place is mostly natural since it's an underdeveloped place.

Besides that, it's a beautiful place, especially the scenery of the lakes and mountains. Zooming past the town, they turned to the road leading to the woods.

When they reached the school around four hours or more had passed, and it was now eleven a.m.

____________ 

The boarding school Naoko had been admitted to was massive, resembling a national university in size and boasting an impressive array of facilities: a pool, a lab, a library, an archery range, a large field, a gymnasium, a dormitory, and main buildings dedicated to studies.

Moreover, it offered nearly every imaginable extracurricular activity, from the arts to sports and martial arts.

It was a dream school for anyone due to the opportunities it presented. However, it was also extraordinarily expensive without a scholarship, something Naoko was unaware of, both in terms of its facilities and reputation.

Upon her arrival, Naoko noticed two things. First, the school wasn't much different from her previous one, except for its sheer size. Second, she didn't know the way to the gymnasium for the entrance ceremony. Lost in this immense place and with the initial crowd of people who seemed like guides nowhere in sight, she sighed deeply, as if cursing her misfortune.

I can't see anyone to ask for help, all I can see are several tall buildings; roughly four stories high with some smaller or taller, shaped in a modern box design with a road filled with flowers. I'm doomed... it's only been my first day, but I'm already lost and alone she lamented.

A tall young man with sharp red eyes and black hair, wearing a black coat, had just arrived at the gates. He noticed Naoko crouching on the ground, curled up with her head down.

What a peculiar girl. he thought to himself, a smirk revealing tiny fangs creeping onto his face.

"Hey! Excuse me, what's your name?" he called out, walking toward her and invading her personal space.

Startled, Naoko frantically glanced from side to side, searching for whom he might be addressing until she realized there was no one else around. Her mouth quivered, and her face turned bright red.

Oh wait, this is so embarrassing... I look like a fool. I hope he ignores it...

Her hopes were dashed when he laughed out loud, surprising her.

"Haha, the one I asked was you," he said with a smile, and she finally realized how close they were. He crouched down to her eye level, and seeing his face up close caused her to recoil in shock and fall butt-first to the ground. Her face flushed even redder.

"You okay? You look like a tomato" he teased.

Oh...! He's so close!?

Oh yeah, what did he ask me earlier?

Hm... Aha! I got it! My name! Is it not too late to tell him now though?

Agh... Come on, me! Calm down! Just do it! I can do it!

"I'm fine, My name's Naoko Ito, what's your name?"

She braved herself to finally reply, as she took off her shoes and adjusted herself into a seiza sitting position, her back was straight and though it looked like an uncomfortable position, in contrary she looked like she was enjoying it as she sat there without being uncomfortably stiff. 

Ah~ sitting like this calms me down.

Her face radiated pure bliss, with smiles drawn all over it. He could swear he saw flowers blooming above her head.

"Heeー My name's Yuto Minamoto, nice to meet you, Nao-san!" he said boldly, a grin stretching from ear to ear. 

Did he just call me by my first name!?

This was the first time anyone other than my family called me that!

"Nao-san! I wanted to ask you why you didn't go to the gymnasium. Are you lost?" he asked, causing her to freeze as memories of her earlier distress replayed in her head. Dumbfounded, she could only nod in response.

"You can follow me; I know where it is. My elder sister and brother attended here!" He stood up and extended his hand to her. After she put her shoes on, she took his hand, and he helped her up; she was dazed at the difference his hands had from hers.

Oh, so this is how a guy's hand feels... It's big and warm.

"Hold tight, Nao," he said as he started dashing to the gymnasium while holding her hand.

She tried to keep up with his speed, even though her stamina was low, and though it hurt her hand, she bore with it.

When they arrived, worried about being late, it was as if luck was on their side; it turned out they were right on time since the speech was about to start.

There was an error with the equipment, that's why it has been delayed until now.

"Haha... We made it on time" Yuto said to Nao in relief.

Though he was out of breath and his hair was a mess, he laughed like he was alive, and it made her dazed. 

I didn't realize this before, but he has fangs...

Wait, what do I say in these moments? 'Good job!' or 'Thanks.'

This is so hard... I have to say something!

"Hahaha, thanks. I wouldn't have made it without you, Minamoto-kun" she replied to him with a monotone laugh.

Ah- my laugh sounds fake, what do I do?

"Pft- haha! You're too stiff, Nao-san!" he said, laughing at her, making her flush red.

"Wha- What's that supposed to mean!?" She responded. Though she reacted prickly at him, she couldn't help but appreciate his gesture and felt it was thanks to his joke; she responded to him without feeling awkward.

A teacher noticed, that both of them were not in position and scolded them.