Meanwhile, on the rooftop of Sayonaki High, Reina stood with quiet authority, hands tucked into her pants’ pockets, feet firmly planted as the wind swept around her. Her new cropped, dark navy-blue Sayonaki jacket fluttered behind her, the hem dancing like a banner as she gazed down at the courtyard, where the new first-year students were gathering. Flanking her on either side were two figures. To her left stood a fairly tan-skinned boy with black hair tied into a low ponytail, locks tinged faintly with red. The sunlight cast deep shadows across his face, obscuring it in mystery—except for his sharp, confident crimson eyes. Small amber studs glinted on his ears, and he wore the Sayonaki jacket over a dark grey undershirt, black trousers, and boots. A black-to-grey pendant hung beneath his shirt, and at his side rested a silver blade, sheathed and engraved with faint red lotus markings. His left hand rested on the weapon, while his right hung loosely at his side. To Reina’s right stood Misora, still and silent, hands at her sides, her expression unreadable. The breeze tugged at their jackets and hair, strands and hems trailing behind them like flags in motion as all three fixed their eyes on the scene below.

“I see,” the boy murmured, a thoughtful smile touching his lips as he absorbed Reina’s words.

“I can’t believe it,” Misora muttered, a flicker of surprise breaking her calm façade.

“That’s right. I’d recognized those eyes anywhere,” Reina replied, her gaze locked onto a familiar form below—Aoi, being dragged into the courtyard by Ayane. Her dark-blue hair whipped behind her as she struggled to pull away, her eyes blazing with irritation. Reina’s lips curved faintly. She came, she mused, a quiet warmth stirring in her chest. And it looks like someone gave her the push she needed. she thought, noting Ayane’s bright grin.

“Looks like we’ve got some promising first-years this time,” the boy, Jin Tsukishiro, quipped with a smirk, his crimson eyes narrowing on Aoi. Misora said nothing, though her gaze softened slightly as it shifted from Aoi to the girl beside her. Ayane… she thought.

“Can’t wait to see what they’ve got in store for the exams,” Jin added, his voice low with anticipation. “Along with the looks on their faces when it begins.”

“Yeah, but it certainly won’t be what they’d be expecting,” Misora gave a subtle nod, arms now folded across her chest.

“Just don’t overdo it this time,” came a calm, silvery voice from behind them. All three turned at once. Squatting by a flower bed nearby was a figure in a plain white T-shirt and dark navy-blue pants. His hands moved deftly among the blooms—some blue, others a soft shade of lavender—tending to the roses with quiet care. He snipped a stray branch from one of the blue petals without looking up.

“Especially you, Jin,” he added with a smirk. “Most of the second-years still haven’t forgiven you for the mess during last year’s exams.”

Jin groaned. “You make it sound like I burned the place down.”

Misora raised a brow, amused. “You nearly did. You went full berserk during the Weapon Challenge.”

“Hey now! That was essential training,” Jin said, puffing out his chest as he placed his hands on his hips proudly. “Weapon handling, especially swords, is a crucial skill. They’ll thank me someday.”

“You always go overboard when it comes to sword training,” Misora said dryly, before adding, “And besides, it’s not even our show this year. Asuka and the others are running things.” Jin rubbed the back of his neck, letting out a sheepish chuckle. The male tending to the roses stood slowly, brushing his hands together before turning partially to face them. His expression was warm, his smile genuine.

“Still, it wouldn’t hurt if you two helped oversee the exams. Serving as proctors would be helpful—just… don’t be too rough with them, alright?” He grinned wide, eyes closed, teeth gleaming. Jin and Misora both straightened at once, offering small bows.

“Yes, boss,” they said in unison before heading toward the door that led back inside. Reina watched them go, the corner of her lips twitching in a small smile. Her gaze then shifted to the male, who had already turned back to the flower bed. She looked once more toward the courtyard below, her expression softening.

“You alright, babe?” he asked gently, glancing back at her.

“Yeah,” she murmured without turning, her eyes moving from the courtyard to the horizon beyond the school walls. Footsteps approached behind her. She felt a familiar arm wrap around her shoulder. Neither of them spoke. They just stood there, side by side, watching the town unfold before them, as the wind whispered through their hair and fluttered their shirts and jacket.

……….

“Ahhh~!” Ayane’s turquoise eyes sparkled as soft, breathy squeals escaped her lips. Her fists clenched with excitement close to her chest, and her gaze darted around, taking in the towering school building and the swarm of incoming first-years—both boys and girls buzzing with anticipation. A few meters to her right, Aoi stood with her hands tucked in her shorts’ pockets, a bead of sweat trailing down her temple as she watched Ayane gush.

“Finally, we’re here, Aoi! Isn’t it amazing? This is Sayonaki’s main building—the headquarters!” Ayane exclaimed, eyes wide with wonder. “I can literally feel my chest pounding from excitement!”

Aoi raised an eyebrow, shrugging. “What’s the big deal? You’ve been here before, haven’t you?” she mumbled. She did mention she had a sister here, she mused, her gaze drifting to the building’s pristine structure.

“Nineteen years and it looks brand new,” she muttered under her breath.

Ayane’s ears perked. She turned, grinning. “Of course it does! The townspeople used to help renovate it to honor the founder—up until about two and a half years ago. But even now, the students keep it in top shape.”

“Huh. I see.” Aoi nodded, her voice soft as the wind tugged at her hair and jacket, making the hem flutter behind her.

“Hey! Ayane!” a voice called out. Both girls turned to see a small group of students waving from a short distance away. Ayane’s face lit up.

“Those are my middle school friends! Let’s go say hi!” she said before jogging off toward them. Aoi didn’t follow. She lingered, watching Ayane laugh and greet the group. A pang of gloom tugged at her chest. Guess I’ll just take a stroll, she decided, turning away.

“I’m glad you guys came too,” Ayane grinned with her eyes closed before reopening them to her left side to meet an empty space. “Huh?” she muttered, expecting to see Aoi next to her. She turned around, her eyes darting everywhere, trying to catch Aoi’s figure. “Where’d she go?” she wondered aloud. 

……….

Aoi walked among the crowd of first-years, her eyes flitting from face to face. The girls wore a variety of dark or jean pants, skirts, or shorts like hers, with cropped or full-length jackets over different colored undershirts. Hairstyles and colors varied wildly. The boys sported dark trousers or jeans—some wore hoodies instead of undershirts underneath the uniform jacket.

I can’t wait to see what the exams are like, she overheard one boy say, his fists clenched in excitement. It’s probably gonna be rad, but I’m gonna do my best, A nearby girl, hand on her hip and a confident smile on her face, chimed in. Aoi hummed thoughtfully, eyes drifting to the ground. The exams, huh… she pondered, slowing her pace. Her gaze gradually lifted—and paused. Not far ahead stood a silver-haired girl, her profile delicate and poised, eyes closed as a pink-haired girl chatted animatedly in front of her. Even from the side, there was something striking about her. Whoa... she’s pretty, Aoi mused, her steps unconsciously halting. The girl began to turn. A glint of light caught on a delicate hairpin clipped to the left side of her long, soft, flowing hair. Her full appearance came into view—Sayonaki jacket worn over a crisp white mandarin-collared blouse, a black pleated skirt brushing just the tops of her thighs, knee-high socks leading into sleek, black high-top boots. Her violet eyes opened—and locked with Aoi’s. Surprise flickered across the girl's face. Aoi blinked, mirroring the expression. Then, the girl smiled softly and gave a small, elegant bow before turning and walking away.

Aoi tilted her head, brows knitting slightly. What… was that all about? The moment lingered in her mind for a beat, before a thought struck her—Wait… I’ve wandered off way too far. A picture of Ayane’s panicked face popped into her head. Damn it, she’s probably freaking out. She sighed and slowly began to turn.

Better head back— “Oof!” Her face collided straight into someone’s chest, a hard one, causing them both to stumble back a step.

“Owowowow…” she muttered softly, eyes clenched shut as she held her nose in pain. Slowly, she fluttered her eyes open—and her gaze widened. In front of her stood a boy who looked around her age. His tousled, medium-length chestnut brown hair framed his face, the fringe curving slightly over his right eye. He, too, hissed quietly from the impact, opening his eyes in slow motion to reveal deep chestnut irises that glimmered faintly in the sunlight. The soft rays highlighted his fair skin, giving his features a gentle, handsome glow. He wore the Sayonaki uniform jacket, a plain white shirt beneath, and black pants. Aoi blinked, caught off guard, before trying to gather herself.

“Oh, sorry, I—”

“Out of my way!” His voice cut sharply through the air as he brushed past her, jamming his shoulder hard into hers. She stumbled sideways, barely catching her footing. Stunned, Aoi spun slightly to glance back at him. The boy glanced over his shoulder, locking eyes with her for a brief moment. His expression unreadable, he scoffed under his breath before turning away. His black-and-white sneakers scraped softly against the ground as he walked off. Aoi stood frozen for a second, then clicked her tongue.

“Tch. What a jerk,” she muttered. Just then, she heard her name being called—followed by rapid, heavy breaths. Turning, she spotted Ayane sprinting toward her. “Ayane…” she said, watching as the brown-haired girl stopped in front of her, bent over with her palms on her knees, struggling to catch her breath.

“Where were you?! You just disappeared out of nowhere! I’ve been looking all over for you!” Ayane scolded between gasps, still catching her breath. She straightened up, hands planted firmly on her hips, as Aoi stood with her usual calm expression.

“I just went for a little stroll,” Aoi said with a light shrug. “No need to worry. Besides, I figured I’d give you some space to catch up with your friends.”

Ayane huffed, clearly not satisfied. “Still, I should’ve tagged along with you.” She let out a soft sigh, then smiled as she opened her eyes again. “I really do appreciate you giving me time to reconnect with my middle school friends, but you shouldn’t wander too far alone around here. Even I get turned around with all these crowds. So… let’s stick together from now on, ‘kay?” Her toothy grin caught Aoi off guard. Aoi’s eyes widened slightly, a small gasp slipping past her lips.

“Man, I would’ve loved to introduce you to them…” Ayane sighed, giving a small shrug of her shoulders.

“It’s fine,” Aoi said quietly.

“Huh?” Ayane blinked, looking at the blue-haired girl beside her. Aoi had turned slightly, her profile now facing Ayane. A soft pink hue colored her cheeks.

“There’s no need for that. It’s not a big deal,” Aoi murmured, scratching her cheek with her index finger. “I’ll meet them another time.” Ayane’s lips curled into a soft smile, then a small giggle escaped her. She casually stepped to Aoi’s right and nudged her with her elbow.

“Wow, Aoi… You’re blushing, you know~” she teased playfully. Aoi flinched, whipping her head toward her with a flustered expression.

“S-Shut up!” she hissed, swatting at Ayane’s hand. Ayane just laughed, clearly amused.

“Come on, it’s not a bad thing to feel that way. Loosen up a little,” she giggled, nudging Aoi playfully.

Aoi scoffed. “W-Whatever—” But before she could finish, a sharp shove to her left shoulder knocked her off balance. Ayane reached out, steadying herself just in time.