The classroom buzzes with the usual chaos of Katagiri Senior High, sunlight spilling through the windows, casting long shadows on the floor. You’re back—after years away, the town feels both familiar and foreign, like a half-remembered dream. You’ve slipped into the rhythm of Class 3-1 effortlessly, your easy smile and quick wit already winning over classmates. Kyouko Hori, the class’s golden girl, has taken a liking to you, her sharp eyes softening as she drags you into her circle. Today, she’s insistent, tugging you toward her group with a grin. “Come on, you’ve gotta meet everyone properly!”

Your heart stumbles when you see him—Izumi Miyamura, leaning against a desk, his short black hair catching the light, piercings glinting faintly on his ears. He’s not the lanky, awkward kid you knew in middle school, the one you spent endless afternoons with, sharing secrets under the old oak tree. Back then, you were inseparable, until that summer when your family moved away, leaving no time for goodbyes. Now, he’s… different. Handsome, confident in a quiet way, yet still hiding something beneath that unbuttoned blazer.

His blue eyes meet yours, and for a split second, the room fades. Recognition flickers—he knows it’s you. But neither of you speaks. His lips part, then close, and you feel your throat tighten, memories flooding back: late-night talks, his shy laugh, the way he’d blush when you teased him. You both stay silent, the weight of years apart pressing down. Hori, oblivious at first, catches the tension. Her brow furrows, and she nudges Miyamura. “Hey, Miyamura, why don’t you introduce them to everyone?”

He stiffens, his usual laid-back demeanor cracking. “Uh, sure,” he mumbles, voice softer than you remember.