A Story About a Handsome Girl Having Her First Kiss Stolen by an Equally Handsome Classmate - Chapter 1: "What has happened can never be undone"

“Every Friday. When you’re delivering the printouts, could you please take a look at Mizuhara’s face?”

After school on a Friday, Wakamatsu Kaede was stopped by her homeroom teacher, Yamabe Koichi.

Wakamatsu arrived at the central entrance of the station, which had a distinctive wooden roof, and climbed the stairs to the ground. He continued walking along the familiar route to school. Opposite the 24-hour drugstore was a convenience store. He took out his smartphone and launched the map app.

I see. Indeed, Mizuhara Shizuku’s house was located on Wakamatsu’s school route.

Cross the street at the traffic light to the convenience store across the street, then turn left at the third corner. The apartment building with a black and white exterior is her home.

Upon entering the entrance, a large door blocks your path. Behind the door is a lobby with a Japanese-modern space lined with chic tables and sofas.

I rang the intercom to room 605, where Mizuhara was likely holed up, but there was no response.

Yamabe said the agreement was “every Friday at 4:30 p.m.”

“Excuse me.”

“I’m your classmate, Wakamatsu Kaede. I’ve brought some school papers.”

He introduced himself and explained his business, but there was no response over the intercom. He tried ringing the doorbell again, but there was no response. He found it difficult to press the doorbell multiple times, so he stood at the entrance. There was no heater at the front entrance. The wind that blew through was chilly.

“This is tricky…”

Just as I decided to stay there for a while, the entrance to the apartment building opened and a fresh breeze blew in. I bowed my head and said “Excuse me” so as not to disturb the residents, and moved to a corner of the entrance.

“Oh, Wakamatsu-san?”

Hearing his name being called, he looked up in surprise. The voice that spoke was Mizuhara Shizuku.

It’s been about a month since Mizuhara Shizuku stopped going to school.

When I saw my classmate again after a long time, the air around him had changed somewhat.

Her hair, which had been long enough to reach down her back, was cut short, just below her collarbone and a little above her chest. Her newly cut bangs accentuated the youthfulness of her face. Her beautiful double eyelids were on full display, and for a moment, Wakamatsu felt as if he was drawn into them.

Wow, you seem to be doing surprisingly well.

I thought that not going to school meant staying indoors and not going outside. Contrary to my expectations, Mizuhara Shizuku was well-groomed and had a plastic bag from the convenience store hanging from her arm. She had been there.

“Sorry, I couldn’t make it by 4:30 pm.”

It wasn’t until Mizuhara Shizuku bowed her head and said that I had been completely captivated by her gaze. “Take this as an apology,” she handed me the yogurt drink, and in exchange, I handed over the documents I had brought with me. Each finger on Mizuhara Shizuku’s hands was long and slender, and my eyes shifted to the back of her hand, which looked white and smooth, and the mole on her wrist caught my eye.

“Are you sure? Just take it.”

“It’s ok, I’m bored so I’ll go buy some tomorrow.”

Going shopping shows you’re in good spirits.

As I was looking at the apology gift in my hand, I was brought back by Mizuhara’s voice.

“See you, Wakamatsu Kaede.”

Mizuhara bowed and passed next to Wakamatsu. He didn’t seem to mind that his classmate was there either, as he stopped in front of the mailbox on the right side of the entrance and nonchalantly selected some mail. When he turned around to go, he was called out, “Hey.”

“If it’s too much trouble, you can just put it in your mailbox.”

“It’s not a hassle or anything like that.”

“I’m fine, tell Yamabe.”

There didn’t seem to be anything of interest in the mail, so Mizuhara carelessly folded up all the flyers he had taken out. Wakamatsu, who had completely lost track of the timing to leave, spoke up.

“Mizuhara-san, that hairstyle suits you.”

“I’m glad to hear that from you, Wakamatsu-san.”

“Haha, why is that?”

Mizuhara was talking while looking through the flyer he had folded up earlier, not knowing what to do. He ignored my calls and looked extremely gloomy, so he didn’t look like he was in a good mood at all. But at the same time, he didn’t show any of the friendly smiles I had seen in the classroom.

“I’ve always thought Wakamatsu-san was cute.”

“Huh!”

“Well, Wakamatsu-san’s face is the perfect shape, so that makes sense.”

Ah, Mizuhara is complimenting me on my hairstyle.

I suddenly feel embarrassed at myself for overreacting.

Mizuhara, noticing the end of the conversation, also folds up all the flyers and takes the collection key in his hand to unlock the auto-lock.

“You should come to school, it’s fun.”

I called out to Mizuhara as she walked. The wind blowing through the entrance made her medium-long hair flutter.

“Everyone is so kind, they’re all good people.”

“It sounds like something someone who is doing well would say.”

She stops walking and turns around. Her face has a colder expression than before. Even though their eyes meet, there is a strange sense of distance between them. For a moment, Mizuhara is at a loss for words, but she turns her back on him again and inserts the key to her apartment. Undaunted, she continues to speak.

“Why didn’t you come to school?”

“Hmm, whatever.”

“Don’t you want to meet your friends? Komazawa-san, Yamaguchi-san, etc…”

The door separating the entrance and the lobby unlocked with a clang. The warm air of the lobby, which was kept at a comfortable temperature, mixed with the cool air of the entrance. Just when you thought he would just leave, Mizuhara didn’t move until the door closed again.

“Well, it’s hard to tell for someone like Wakamatsu-san.”

Turning the key again, Mizuhara finally entered the lobby this time. The feeling that he had been pushed away by his words and attitude stirred something inside Wakamatsu. As the door closed and his classmates headed for the elevator, Wakamatsu Hanae called out to them.

“See you next week!”

A voice echoed through the air. Mizuhara disappeared without a look back, out of sight.

The door separating the completely closed lobby from the entrance seemed to be a metaphor for the emotional distance between me and her.