As each second passed, the classroom gradually filled with a gentle hum of voices—laughter here, shy introductions there. Students leaned across desks, exchanging names and stories, eager to form connections with the people they’d be spending the next year alongside. The air carried a quiet sense of new beginnings, woven with nervous excitement and the flicker of blossoming friendships.

  For Aya, those fleeting moments felt like more than just the first day of school. They felt like the quiet turning of a page—like a door she’d long kept shut had finally creaked open to let the light in.

  She sat there, her gaze drifting from one new face to another, letting the sounds of laughter and small talk wash over her like sunlight through an open window. A warmth stirred in her chest—something gentle, something she hadn’t felt in a long time.

  This wasn’t just the start of high school. It was the beginning of something more uncertain, more fragile—an age where heartaches often bloom before love, where pain teaches faster than peace. But as she sat between new friends, wrapped in the ordinary magic of shared space and simple kindness... she didn’t feel afraid.

  Not anymore.

  She wasn’t alone—and maybe, just maybe, that was enough to face whatever came next.

  While mesmerizing the view, suddenly Shiori’s face blocked her view with a smile on her face. “What’s wrong?” She asked.

  She was quite surprised, then she waved her hand lightly. “N-Nothing is wrong, I'm just enjoying the atmosphere of our classroom.” she replied with an awkward smile.

  “I see, that’s good to hear. High school life will surely be fun.” she paused, then leaned her arm on the edge of the chair. “I’ll be in your care, Aya.” she said.

  Aya smiled. “I'll be in your care as well.” she immediately replied.

  With all the positive noises and laughter in the room, the door suddenly slid open. A teacher holding an attendance notebook in her hands walked all the way through the table in front, her eyes scanning the room.

  After the students saw her, they immediately proceeded to their respective seats and sat without dragging the chair.

  She gently put the attendance notebook on the table, then her eyes were looking at the students who were completely in silence mode.

  “Good morning everyone,” she paused with a smile on her face.

  Then, without any delay, everyone stood up in unison.

  “Good morning, Sensei,” they replied in sync.

  She gestured for them to sit down, and they did so quietly.

  “How was the first day of school, everyone? Has anyone already made a friend?” she asked, her voice calm and full of kindness.

  “Yes, Sensei! We even made a group chat on LINE!” one of the girls spoke cheerfully from the middle rows.

  The teacher’s eyes widened a little, pleasantly surprised. Then, she smiled warmly.

  “I’m glad to hear that.”

  “If it’s okay with you, Sensei, we can invite you to join the group. Just tell us your account ID so we can add you!” the same girl offered, her voice full of excitement.

  The teacher let out a small laugh, waving her hand gently.

  “Thank you,” she said, pausing briefly. “But joining a student’s group is prohibited for teachers in this school. But I appreciate your invitation. Thank you.”

  She took a quick glance at her watch—still only 10:30 in the morning. A soft smile tugged at her lips as she looked back at the class.

  “I know all of you are still eager to get to know one another,” she said, her tone light and encouraging. “So after we’re done with introductions, let’s call it a day and leave the rest for tomorrow. Sounds good right?”

  There was a soft murmur of agreement from the students, a few nods, some even smiles.

  She stepped forward, her posture straight but relaxed, and offered a slight nod.

  “Then, I’ll start. I’m Aozora Aoi,” she said with a small bow. “As you can probably tell, I’m still quite young. Some of you might even be wondering if this is my first time being a homeroom teacher.” She chuckled softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “And you’re right about that..”

  That earned a few quiet laughs from the class—just enough to lighten the air.

  “But I want you all to know, I didn’t take this role lightly. I remember my own high school days—how exciting and scary everything felt, how important even the smallest moments were.” Her expression softened. “That’s why I became a teacher. Because I wanted to stand beside students during one of the most important chapters of their lives.”

  She paused, her voice growing more gentle.

  “I won’t always have the perfect answer and some of you are probably smarter than I am, but I promise you—I’ll listen, I’ll try, and I’ll grow alongside you. Just like all of you are about to grow together, in this class, in this year.”

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  A quiet stillness followed, the kind that comes not from awkwardness—but from people listening.

  Then she gestured to the far right corner of the room with an open palm and a kind smile.

  “Alright, let’s begin. We’ll start from that side—please, introduce yourself.” she began.

  One by one, the students stood in front of the class and introduced themselves. Some spoke with confidence, their voices clear, hands casually tucked in their pockets as if they’d done this a hundred times before. Others stumbled over their words, visibly nervous. A few cracked jokes that made the class burst into laughter, while some could barely whisper their names, their voices trembling as they stood before everyone.

  Aya, on the other hand, looked like she was waiting for this moment all morning. Unlike the others, she wasn’t nervous—she was excited. She’d rehearsed her introduction over and over at home, standing in front of the mirror until the words felt natural. Now, her eyes sparkled with anticipation, and her hand curled into a small fist at her side, as if to hold in all the confidence she was trying to summon.

  “What are you doing, Aya?” Shiori asked, brows furrowed as she tilted her head, clearly puzzled by the scene in front of her.

  Aya turned to her with a spark in her eyes, her thumb raised like she was psyching herself up before a battle. “I’m trying not to feel nervous right now,” she declared, voice steady, but her clenched fist betrayed the fluttering in her chest. “You should do it too, Shiori.”

  Shiori blinked, then let out an awkward laugh, brushing a hand through her hair. “I-I’m good,” she said, waving off the suggestion.

  Then, without warning, she stood up from her chair.

  Aya flinched in surprise. “Eh? What’s wrong?”

  Shiori looked at Aya with a gentle smile. “It’s my turn now,” she said, her voice calm and certain.

  Without hesitation, she stepped out from her seat and made her way to the front of the class. Her posture was relaxed, each stride steady—like she was walking across a stage she already knew. There was no sign of nervousness and hesitation in her steps.

  Once she stood before the class, she turned with a bright, confident smile, her hands moving in sync with her words as if she had done this a dozen times before. The room quieted around her, drawn in by her easy presence.

  “Good morning, everyone. I know I’ve already introduced myself, but I’ll say it again— I’m Aira Shiori, 15 years old, and I’m from Kawasaki. I came from Sakura Aoba Middle School, and I chose this high school because I am one of the students who experienced the greatness of Sakura Aoba. It’s a place where I truly felt welcomed. You see, Sakura Aoba is more than just a school to me. It’s a place that values character, kindness, and personal growth over just grades or being the best. It’s the kind of place where you can grow not just academically, but as a person, too."

  She hesitated for a second, her voice growing softer as she continued.

  "I think that’s what makes this school different. It’s not about competing with everyone around you. It’s about becoming a better version of yourself. And that’s why I’m so excited to be here."

  She offered a small, graceful smile and dipped into a polite bow.

  Then came the sound—soft at first, then growing louder—applause erupting across the room. Aoi-san, standing at the front, clapped with a look of quiet awe, her eyes lingering on Shiori like she'd just watched something unexpectedly beautiful.

  With a few more bows and a warm smile, Shiori made her way back to her seat. As she slid into her chair, her eyes met Aya’s. The way Aya stared at her—wide-eyed, almost starstruck—said more than words could.

  “It’s your turn now, Aya,” Shiori whispered, her tone gentle.

  Aya nodded slowly. She rose to her feet and pulled in a long breath, letting it settle in her chest. Step by step, she walked toward the front—then halted. Her shoulders tensed. She turned her head just enough to look back.

  Shiori blinked. Natsumi tilted her head. Both of them watched, puzzled.

  Then Aya raised her hand and gave a firm thumbs-up, her face comically serious, as if she were about to face a final boss in a game. “I’ve got this,” she muttered under her breath, her voice barely above a whisper but filled with resolve.

  Shiori and Natsumi couldn’t help but chuckle, raising their thumbs too, as if saying, "Go slay it!”

  She walked all the way to the front of the class. The moment her eyes met the sea of faces, a cold sweat slid down her cheek. Her hands trembled, and her pupils wavered as she opened her mouth.

  “I-I-I-I’m T-Tachibana A—” she stammered, then winced. “Ow…” she bit her tongue mid-sentence, and her eyes welled up with tears.

  “She bit her tongue,” someone whispered from the side.

  “That’s kinda cute,” another voice said, earning a soft wave of laughter.

  Aya’s gaze darted to Shiori and Natsumi. Both of them, sitting in their seats, were gently waving their hands, motioning her to relax.

  Seeing them, Aya frowned playfully, she puffed her cheeks, and gave a smug nod as if saying I’ve got this.

  They chuckled from their seats, and gave her an encouraging thumbs-up in return.

  She took a steady breath, her chest rising slowly as her eyes scanned the room. One by one, she checked their faces—smiling, relaxed, not a trace of judgment in sight. No one looked like they were waiting for her to fail.

  They weren’t treating this like something serious or intimidating. Just classmates… waiting to know each other.

  A soft smile curved on her lips.

  “I’ve always dreamed of having friends who genuinely try their best to help each other out,” Aya began, her voice a little shaky at first. “Friends who laugh together… and share those little moments that make high school unforgettable.”

  She paused, a soft chuckle escaping as she glanced down and lightly fidgeted with the end of her ribbon. “I want to feel those happy memories for myself… in this chapter of my life.”

  Another laugh slipped through her lips—this one gentler, more natural—and it sparked a few quiet smiles across the room.

  “Thinking about it,” she continued, her eyes lifting as a faint gleam lit them from within, “it kind of feels like I’ve stepped into a fairy tale.”

  Her words hung in the air for a moment, catching the attention of several classmates. Their eyes widened—not out of surprise, but from something softer, something closer to understanding.

  With a small, graceful bow, Aya turned and made her way back to her seat. Her cheeks glowed a light pink, but her steps were steadier now, her heart just a little bit lighter.