Spring, the time that nature blooms and the snow melts away. The birds chirp loudly inviting the toasty sunshine into the world once more.

In Sapporo, we cherish this weather the most as unlike Tokyo, we have harsh and unforgiving Winters. I don’t even remember the last time that I went to play in the snow because with that comes the responsibility of shoveling snow, cleaning up the snow on the bottom of your boots, snow snow snow I hate it.

I do however like my normal life as a second-year high school student at Ichigano High School. I’m apart of no clubs since they’re bothersome to my daily ritual which is almost number one on my list of favorite things in the world. My daily routine after school is stopping at the convenience store for a snack, then heading home to play online chess. Chess is something I adore, you need strategy and out-of-the-box thinking to get ahead of your opponent which is what I pride myself on.

I live at home with my Dad, who is a pharmacist, my Mom,who is a bank teller, and my cat Ikki. My life is very comfortable with no distractions except for—

“Yuuutaaa you won’t believe what just happened! I was in line at the vending machine and someone took the last juice! Really the nerve of some people I can’t stand when people are so inconsiderate to even ask what I wanted since I was patiently standing behind them!”

My best but loud-mouthed friend, Kasuno, awakens me from my daydreaming.

“It’s lunch break now, you have to expect people will be rushing to the drink machine, it’s your fault for not being faster” I tell Kasuno.

“That’s not fair man! You don’t even eat lunch so you sit here day dreaming during your break all care-free. How are you even a functioning soon-to-be contributing member of society?!” he exclaims loudly.

Kasuno Yatago has been my best friend ever since I moved here from Osaka. I moved to Sapporo seven years ago when I was nine years old. My parents never gave me a reason as to why we moved, something about a change of scenery. Well whatever, online chess is everywhere in the world so I’ve been happy.

I have few friends in the school but that doesn’t bother me much as Kasuno has always been there for me here. I don’t remember if I ever had friends in Osaka since my parents said to just focus on your new life in Sapporo and don’t worry about our old home. For someone who lived there until they were 9 years old I can’t seem to remember a lot of it like its all some surreal blur in my life.

“Hey hey Yuta look, its your princess Kurihara-sannnn! Isn’t she lovely today I wonder what type of perfume she has let me get a little closer and tr—ow!'”

“Shut up before I punch the other eye idiot! She would call the teacher on you if you did that.” I correct him soundly with my fist of justice.

Miya Kurihara, she has been in my classes ever since I attended this school. I’ve never really exchanged many words with her besides thanking her for picking up my dropped eraser and cliché encounters like that. As Kasuno says, I’ve liked her for the past seven years. I usually don’t like many people, but I can’t seem to ignore her radiance that pulls me towards her. She is the captain of the Track club and her kindness towards everyone makes her adored school-wide.

“You should really ask her out on a date to the coffee shop, or oooh maybe on a study session get my drift? You never know man, girls like her act all kind on the surface but could really be cold towards guys like us.”

“Kurihara-san doesn’t discriminate with things like that, that’s why she’s adored and put on a pedestal by everyone in the school. Y’know maybe if you stopped acting like a peeking pervert to all the girls here you could find someone suitable”. I swear he really is a handful sometimes. I’ve yet to find the right one for me but at least I know later in life it’ll happen for me, not sure about him…

“Tssssh ouch! Hmm you’re right, maybe it’s my time to shine then—Oww man stop punching me!”

After seven years, maybe it was time to try my luck with Kurihara-san. This thought floated through my mind as I started my daily routine entering the convenience store after school on this Tuesday afternoon.

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“Why do you always dart straight home like some heat-seeking missile everyday? You should be hanging out with your number-one person in the world old poor Kasuno-chan!” Kasuno says through a mouthful of food.

“Don’t add -chan to your name like you’re my pet or something, and I have more important priorities then trying to entertain someone who doesn’t even understand chess. I actually pity you that the frontal lobe of your brain can’t process game winning strategies”.

The next day the normal everyday bickering continued between us two in the classroom during lunch break. I’ve always wanted to eat lunch with Kurihara-san but I always end up getting stuck with Kasuno, how lucky I am.

As the bickering continues someone walks up to us with a sadistic voice:

“The two plebeians back at it again I see, doesn’t surprise me one bit. Especially you Yuta, on the outside you make everyone think you’re perfectly normal and well-liked by the class. Something about you irks me, always has”.

“Ughh what do you want Taki? You’re always hawking Yuta and I everyday, especially Yuta! He hasn’t done anything to you so why don’t you go back to the cave from which you came”. Kasuno shoots at the character.

Takigaya Hitoshi, the self-proclaimed leader of our class, 2-2. He lost the student council election last week so he’s been extra bothersome recently. For some reason he has this assumption that I’m the reason for his pain and suffering every day for the past year. Just the way he pushes up his glasses on his nose with his slicked hair to the side really pisses me off to no end.

“Do you have something to say to us oh great leader? I’m honestly not in the mood for your verbal games this morning so please take your snake-eyes to someone else’s desk it’s really disturbing”. I say while continuing to eat my lunch.

Taki furrows his brow in anger towards my remark.

“You know it’s comical, one day you just showed up to this school and thought you were heads above everyone else. That’s not the case as it would show with your one “friend””. He proudly looks down on us like he’s achieved something.

“Didn’t you lose the election? Oh wait don’t tell me you’re now the president’s second-in-command bowing down to his every wish and—“!

BANG!

Taki slams his palm on my desk and stares me in the eyes while talking in a low voice.

“Shut the hell up Yuta, one wrong move in this school and I will personally execute you. I see past your snake-like skin just wait you bastard it’s not over yet”. Taki says with anger flowing out his eyes.

Taki storms out the room while we go back to eating our lunch peacefully. Everyone looks at us for a brief moment including Kurihara-san. She looks me in the eyes and I quickly look away. How much of a coward am I anyway?

Whissttleee

Kasuno whistles under his breath after Taki left the room, that guy always brings trouble with him no wonder the school didn’t want him to be student council president.

“Well he seems to be in a shitty mood today, not like any other day now that I think about it…”.

“Uhhh it really hurts my head trying to talk with that guy, he’s nothing at all like the student council president now”.

I lay my head down on the cool desk while rubbing my temples in frustration. It’s times like this when I wish I was born with some superpower to teleport wherever I wanted, usually it would either be home or the convenience store.

“But you know what? I bet you looked reallyyy cool to Kurihara-san!” He adds in proudly.

“You call being verbally beat down by Taki looking cool? That’s insane you idiot.”

I glance back again in Kurihara-san’s direction, she’s talking to her group of friends in the corner of class. She’s categorized as one of the popular people that usually has plans on the weekends, not that I would know I just heard these things. She is different than them though with her caring personality and soft features that you can’t find anywhere else.

“Owww! Why the hell did you poke me in the eye?!” I rub my left eye in utter annoyance.

“You were looking too peaceful like you might doze off at any second man, I have to keep you alert and awake!”

“Just shut up and leave me alone right now, I’m trying to get in my mid-day snooze in before Sensei comes back alright!” I swear he’s never had any common sense since I’ve know him, I guess opposites do attract…

I try to close my eyes and power in a world-record nap before the second half of the school day starts.