The final bell rang, echoing through the classroom like a soft sigh of relief. Chairs scraped, books closed, and the hum of after-school chatter filled the air. I packed my things slowly, not in a rush—because I was secretly hoping I'd catch another glimpse of her.
Yuki Shirakawa.
She moved gracefully, even when doing something as simple as putting her notebooks away. Her long white hair shimmered under the fading sunlight, strands slipping over her shoulder like threads of moonlight.
She didn't talk much during class. She didn't seem to have any friends here yet either. But I saw the way she looked out the window during breaks—like she was always searching for something beyond this world.
I stepped into the hallway, slinging my bag over one shoulder. And there she was, standing quietly by the shoe lockers, lacing up her shoes.
Should I say something?
Before I could think too hard about it, my mouth moved on its own.
"Heading home?"
She blinked, then looked at me. Her expression was calm, a little surprised—but not cold.
"…Yes." Her voice was gentle. "You too?"
I nodded, rubbing the back of my neck. "Yeah."
There was a pause. Not awkward—just soft.
And then, to my surprise, she said, "We're going the same way, aren't we?"
I blinked. "Huh? Oh—yeah, I think we are."
And just like that, we walked side by side through the school gates. Not talking much. Just walking. The evening breeze was cool, the sky turning the faintest shade of pink. Our footsteps echoed on the quiet road, and every now and then, I glanced at her from the corner of my eye.
She held her bag with both hands, her gaze forward, her hair swaying with each step. There was something peaceful about walking next to her. Like I didn't have to force conversation. Like silence was enough.
Halfway home, she suddenly spoke.
"…Thank you."
I turned to her. "For what?"
She looked ahead. "For walking with me."
My heart did a little jump. "I… it's nothing, really."
But to her, maybe it wasn't.
We stopped at the corner where our paths split. She turned to me, her eyes meeting mine for a moment.
"See you tomorrow?"
"…Yeah," I said, smiling without meaning to. "See you."
And just like that, she walked away, the wind catching the hem of her skirt as she disappeared around the bend.
The walk home had never felt that short before.