Kazami Haru was merely an ordinary person with relatively decent grades.
Normally, he didn't do anything especially eye-catching. His grades weren't exceptionally high, nor did he join any school clubs. Everything about him seemed quite average.
What made him unusual was his complete lack of interaction with classmates. He appeared to be a solitary and eccentric figure.
Yet even so, he was a hidden favorite among students at Haneoka High School.
First, his good looks and slightly androgynous aura made an impression. His sheer appearance alone could almost make people overlook his twisted and abstract personality. Then there were the online rumors that he was a prodigy pianist.
That alone kept him ranked number one on the "People You Want to ___ With" chart.
It was said that every day when he opened his shoe locker, he'd find mysterious envelopes inside.
Some were wrapped with hearts and sprayed with perfume, others were plain and ordinary. Some even had letters made from newspaper clippings like ransom notes—creepy, to say the least.
Of course, Haneoka High had many strange lists. He'd also ranked on "Top Ten Campus Legends" and "Most Likely to Pin Down," among others.
In short, he was undeniably popular.
"Why do you ask me this, Kita-san?"
Takamatsu Tomori paused at Kita Ikuyo's question, slightly furrowing her brow in confusion before responding.
"Well, I've actually always wanted to talk to Kazami-kun~ but never got the chance, so I was curious how you managed it."
"Why do you want to talk to him?"
That simple question instantly froze Kita in place.
This was the first time Takamatsu had seen this social butterfly look so awkward. Normally, Kita could respond easily to any topic, but now her flushed cheeks betrayed some secret emotion.
Tomori's pure and sincere eyes made it impossible for Kita to lie.
"Isn't it obvious? Kita-chan totally has a crush on Kazami-kun~"
"She can't resist that androgynous type—"
The teasing classmate hadn't even finished her sentence when she was silenced by someone rushing back at lightning speed to cover her mouth.
Even Gotohh Hitori, who had just walked in, was startled by the speed of Kita's reaction.
Carrying her guitar, Bocchi was nearly frightened pale.
The way Kita zipped past her made it feel like she'd suddenly decided that Bocchi's seaweed-like presence was so annoying she needed to be yanked out by the roots!
"A-A-Anyway! I just honestly want to be friends with Kazami-kun, that's all!"
"So please, Tomori-chan~ could you tell me?"
After shoving candy into her friend's mouth to shut her up, Kita returned breathlessly, hands together in a pleading gesture that made it hard to refuse her request.
Huh? Be friends with Kazami Haru?
Hearing this, Gotoh Hitori froze a little.
She never imagined that someone as outgoing as Kita Ikuyo could be struggling to talk to Kazami Haru!
Even she, a complete slug, could occasionally talk to him in dark corners.
Did that mean... she'd already surpassed Kita Ikuyo without realizing it?!
Bocchi grinned proudly at the thought and sat back down, imagining herself on the road to becoming a true socialite.
Tomori parted her lips slightly, as if recalling a memory that made her heart ache, then murmured—
"I'm not actually very close to Haru..."
Kita tilted her head, unsure if she heard that right.
In Japan, addressing someone by their first name directly is a sign of great intimacy!
Even among girls, first-name basis is reserved for close friends. Across genders, it's even rarer.
Kita's bright smile faded slightly, surprised at what Tomori had just said.
Even slow-on-the-uptake Tomori now realized she'd said something wrong, she'd called him by his first name without thinking.
Just as she was about to explain, the classroom door opened—
Kazami Haru walked in, backpack slung over one shoulder, yawning sleepily as he made his way to his seat.
Seeing him, Kita quickly moved away from Tomori's desk and pretended to chat casually with other friends, her change of expression seamless.
Gotoh Hitori was inwardly impressed by her quick recovery.
Only Tomori was left sitting in place, unable to explain herself in time.
She'd said the wrong thing...
Shaking her head to clear the fog, Takamatsu Tomori looked at her pencil case.
She had already opened her deep-blue pencil box and laid out all her penguin-themed bandages on the desk. Childish and silly, probably in hopes of catching his attention.
But Kazami Haru only glanced briefly, then walked past her without a word.
Sitting by the window in the back row, he was once again bathed in sunlight. A memory fragment flashed through Tomori's mind.
She felt a pang in her chest and clutched it tightly with both hands.
He was still that person, but no longer hers.
Even if Kazami Haru had no memory of her, Takamatsu Tomori firmly believed her feelings and memories weren't false or delusional!
Everything she experienced in that dream must have truly happened in some parallel universe.
So this time, she wouldn't be the coward she once was.