The first class began as usual.

Their homeroom teacher entered, carrying a stack of papers and her usual calm expression.

“Good morning, class,” she said, her voice firm but kind.

“Good morning, ma’am!” everyone replied in chorus, the room suddenly filled with energy.

The lesson went on smoothly, and time drifted by. But as the period neared its end, the teacher clapped her hands softly and said,

“Before you all leave, there’s one more thing — I’ll be changing the seating arrangement from today.”

A quiet wave of whispers spread through the room. Some students groaned, others cheered.

Riku didn’t really care. He leaned back on his chair, tapping his pen against his notebook. Same faces, different seats, he thought. No big deal.

But fate had other plans.

The teacher began calling out pairs of names, moving them one by one to new benches. Slowly, the room turned chaotic with scraping chairs and shifting bags.

And then, the words came.

“Riku and ........Aika"

Time froze for him.

Aika — his childhood crush. The same girl who used to walk home with him back in elementary school, before they drifted apart.

She could feel Riku’s disbelief from where he sat.

He stared blankly at the teacher, as if silently pleading for mercy.

“Ma’am, maybe—” Riku tried to speak up, but before he could finish, she waved her hand with a smile.

“Oh, don’t worry. You’ll get used to it.”

And just like that, it was settled.

Riku quietly picked up his bag and walked to the new seat, his footsteps heavy, his mind blank.

He didn’t say a word — not even when Aika looked at him with a small, uncertain smile.

The rest of the day passed in a strange blur. The usual chatter felt distant, the ticking clock louder than ever. But when the final bell rang, and everyone rushed out, something changed.

Riku walked to the parking area, trying to hide the grin fighting its way onto his face. His heart was racing, his hands shaking just a little. For the first time in a long while, he felt… happy.

He climbed onto his scooty, still smiling like an idiot.

And just before he started the engine, Aika walked past, her bag slung over one shoulder. She glanced at him — and smiled.

He didn’t notice.

this was only the beginning.

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