Shizuku Yaegashi
At the start of my freshman year, I was lucky. I ended up in the same class as all my close friends. Kaori, Ryutarou, even Aiko-sensei was teaching us homeroom. But the one that surprised me most was Selena.
She was the quiet girl I'd gotten to know in middle school—mostly because Ryutarou kept pestering her during judo practice. She wasn't part of any clubs, rarely talked unless spoken to, and carried herself like she was just passing through this world. Always polite, always composed. But her eyes? Her eyes were somewhere else, like she was watching something the rest of us couldn't see.
Still, once you actually got her talking, she was nice. Just… detached. Like every conversation had to pass through layers of filters before she responded. It made me feel like she wasn't just choosing her words carefully—she was deciding whether we were worth engaging at all.
Then one day, out of nowhere, she asked if she could train at my family's dojo.
I blinked. "You… want to learn kendo?"
She just nodded, as if that explained everything. And maybe, for her, it did.
I wasn't sure what to expect. But once she started, I realized she wasn't just dabbling—she was serious. Dead serious. Every movement she made had this refined sharpness, like she was remembering something rather than learning it. She picked things up unnaturally fast. Her form, her footwork, even the way she held the shinai—it all had this eerie precision, like she'd done it a hundred times before in another life.
And when she sparred? There was something in the way she moved. Calculated. Controlled. Sometimes I caught myself holding my breath.
After that, she started opening up a little more. We talked between matches, sometimes during cooldown stretches. I learned she had a dry, occasionally snarky sense of humor. One time I asked how she kept her skin so flawless after all our outdoor practice, and she just giggled behind her water bottle before saying, "I don't do anything special. Maybe I'm just built different."
Unfair. Absolutely unfair.
But every now and then, I'd catch her looking at me strangely. Not in a bad way, just… oddly intense. Like she was watching someone who wasn't quite real. There was a hunger in it. Not malicious—just wistful, like she was searching for something she'd lost. I joked once that she looked like a predator sizing me up. She smiled, tilted her head, and said, "Don't worry. I'm full."
…Yeah, I didn't sleep right that night.
Still, despite how weird she could be, she became someone I genuinely liked having around.
Meanwhile, Kaori had found her first love. Hajime Nagumo. She was absolutely smitten, dragging me along like her emotional support animal while she tried to get closer to him. And through her obsession, I somehow got introduced to anime, manga, and everything else that came with being near Hajime. I didn't expect to enjoy it, but… there were some surprisingly cute series. Especially the ones with talking bunnies or overly dramatic school festivals.
But what really threw me off was Selena talking to him.
Selena, who could go weeks without initiating a single conversation with someone outside our circle, suddenly started chatting with Hajime between classes. Quietly. Casually. Sometimes they'd stand by the window, sunlight catching in her hair, and she'd actually smile at something he said.
It wasn't flirtatious, exactly. More like she saw something in him that made her pause. Like she understood him on a level the rest of us didn't.
Kaori noticed.
She didn't say anything at first, but I could see it in the way her smiles started getting thinner whenever Selena was around. In the way her laughter got just a little louder, a little more forced. And when Selena laughed back—soft and genuine—Kaori would pretend not to hear it.
Selena never tried to make anyone jealous. That wasn't her style. But the more I watched, the more I realized she had this way of slipping past people's walls without even trying. Hajime wasn't immune. I think, deep down, he sensed it too—that she wasn't just another classmate. That there was something different about her. Something... older.
Back then, I didn't understand.
Now, after everything we've been through—after the betrayal, the Labyrinths, the blood, the monsters—I look back on that girl with the calm eyes and the flawless skin and realize:
She wasn't just quiet.
She was already somewhere else.
Kaori Shirasaki
At the start of high school, I didn't expect much to change.
Same group of friends. Same classroom. Same Selena.
Or so I thought.
Back in middle school, Selena had always been perfect. Top of the class, calm under pressure, beautiful without even trying. She didn't chase popularity—it just happened. Everyone admired her. Teachers loved her. Even Kouki, who thought he was hot stuff, barely got a reaction out of her.
She was the kind of girl who didn't need to compete because she'd already won.
And I'll admit it—watching her fall from grace that first month gave me a tiny bit of satisfaction.
She wasn't the same anymore.
Her perfect posture had a slump. Her eyes, once sharp and serene, were tired—dull around the edges, like she hadn't slept in days. She barely spoke to anyone outside our group, and even then, it was mostly Ryutarou. Probably because they'd fought a few times in the dojo back in middle school, and he didn't know how to leave well enough alone.
But even that ended fast. She quit judo and started practicing kendo with Shizuku.
Weird, right?
I asked Shizuku what was going on, and she just shrugged, said Selena had asked to train at her family's dojo. "She's serious about it," she told me. "And kind of scary when she focuses. Oh—and I think she spoke another language under her breath when she messed up the footwork."
Another language?
Shizuku didn't even blink when she said it. Like it wasn't wild that our quiet, too-perfect classmate was mumbling in something other than Japanese while swinging a sword.
But whatever. Selena was clearly going through something. She didn't laugh much. She didn't hang out. She didn't even care when Kouki made a scene during PE trying to show off.
Honestly, I was fine leaving her alone. I was even happy to.
Let her brood in her corner while I focused on the one thing that mattered—Hajime.
After years of searching, I'd finally found him again. The boy who knelt in front of those thugs and protected that old lady not with strength, but kindness. That moment never left me.
And now that we were classmates? I finally had the chance I'd been dreaming about for years.
So I worked for it. I tried everything. Joined conversations he was part of. Talked about anime I didn't even like. Asked Shizuku to help me figure out his favorite shows. I waited for the right time, the right mood, the right anything.
And yet… I never seemed to get close. Not really.
He was nice. Polite. But he never opened up. Never leaned in. Never looked at me the way I wanted him to.
I told myself it was fine. I just needed more time.
Then the last month of our freshman year hit—and Selena happened.
Out of nowhere, she started talking to him.
Like, actually talking. Real conversations. Side smiles. Shared jokes. I caught them by the windows one day, laughing softly together, sunlight catching in her hair like it was some shoujo manga scene brought to life.
It made me sick.
Where was this coming from?! For months, she barely spoke to anyone but Shizuku, and even that was mostly about sword forms and dojo schedules. She didn't even seem to care about Hajime. She ignored romance like it was beneath her.
And now?
Now they talk like old friends?
I've been trying for months—pouring myself into every little moment, building up the courage to make my move—and she just shows up in the final stretch and takes the spotlight?
No.
No, I won't accept that.
Because I saw him first.
I felt something first.
I looked for him. I remembered him.
I changed myself, reshaped my interests, bent over backwards to be someone he could talk to—and she just waltzes in and takes that connection like it was waiting for her?
It's not fair.
And maybe it makes me petty, maybe it makes me jealous, maybe it makes me awful, but I don't care.
All I can think about when I see them together is one thing.
I. Saw. Him. First.
Ryutarou Sakagami
If someone had asked me about Hajime Nagumo at the start of our freshman year, my response would have been pretty simple: "Who?"
Seriously, the guy blended into the background like classroom wallpaper. He was quiet, kept his head down, ate alone, got average grades. He wasn't antisocial exactly, just… invisible. He didn't even seem to be trying, but honestly, that wasn't my business. People like him were everywhere, fading quietly into their surroundings, unnoticed and overlooked.
The only reason I noticed him at all was Kaori Shirasaki. Kaori—the bright, bubbly girl everyone liked—started hovering around him like he was made of gold. It didn't make sense. She laughed a little too loud at his jokes, tried dragging Shizuku along on missions to "accidentally" bump into him. I couldn't wrap my head around it. Why him? Was there something I'd missed?
But the real shocker came when Selena started talking to him.
Selena was always quiet and reserved, speaking mostly to Shizuku, Endou, or me. Even with us, she often chose her words carefully, rarely saying more than necessary. She used to come to judo practice—not because she was naturally talented or particularly gifted, but because she stubbornly refused to quit no matter how many times she got thrown onto the mat. She would grit her teeth, push herself up, and quietly try again. Eventually, she left without explanation and quietly moved on to kendo at Shizuku's family dojo. I never pressed her about it, knowing Selena wasn't the type to share unless she wanted to.
But then she and Hajime started hanging out. At first, it was just small conversations after class. Casual words exchanged as they walked down the hall. But soon, I caught glimpses of them eating lunch together or quietly sharing comics on the roof. It was odd because Selena didn't talk to anyone else like that—openly, easily. There was something about their interactions that felt different, like they understood each other without needing many words.
I hadn't cared about Daisuke Hiyama much either. He was a loud jerk who picked on anyone he thought was weaker, someone who thrived on causing trouble. Usually, I ignored him completely. His actions weren't my concern—until Selena gently brought him to my attention one day.
Walking quietly beside me and Endou after practice, Selena asked softly, "Ryutarou… Do you think Daisuke's been getting worse lately?"
I shrugged, caught off-guard by the sudden question. "Maybe. Why?"
She hesitated briefly before quietly adding, "Just wondering if someone might need to keep an eye on him."
She never mentioned Hajime by name, never outright said "protect him." Selena rarely spoke without meaning, and this subtle suggestion made me reconsider Hajime. If Selena, of all people, saw something valuable in him, maybe I'd overlooked something important.
Then, of course, came the taco quest.
Selena appeared out of nowhere at my locker after school. Her expression was neutral, but there was determination in her eyes. "You. Me. Endou. Food."
I stared, trying to catch up. "Uh, sure. Where?"
"Authentic Mexican tacos. Endou knows a place."
Endou, who'd arrived just then, froze in place, clearly startled. "Wait, what?"
"You posted carnitas last month," Selena explained calmly, eyes fixed on Endou like a detective confronting a suspect. "We're going there."
Endou sighed, shoulders slumping in resignation. "Alright, I guess."
Next thing we knew, the three of us were across town, tucked inside this small, fragrant restaurant. The scent alone made my stomach growl. Selena stepped forward immediately and ordered in flawless Spanish, shocking both me and Endou into stunned silence.
"How many languages do you speak?" I blurted out, genuinely curious.
"Enough," she replied, her expression unreadable but softened by the faintest hint of amusement.
When the food arrived, it was undeniably amazing. Spicy, savory, and flavorful—perfectly authentic. Even Endou had a rare smile, quietly savoring every bite. "This was worth the abduction," I joked lightly.
Selena's mouth twitched into a rare, quiet smile. "Not abduction. More like aggressively shared cultural enlightenment."
For a moment, sitting there with Selena looking carefree, I felt like I was finally seeing past that cool, quiet front she always put up. Ever since she changed after summer, this was the first time I saw her without that mask. She wasn't some untouchable mystery. She was stubborn, thoughtful, and in her own weird way, kind of playful. It was nice, seeing her like this. Just… being herself.
Hajime Nagumo
Ever since I started high school, my quiet, uneventful life has been completely turned upside down.
First, there's Kaori—the beautiful, popular girl who seems dead set on talking to me at every opportunity. I don't even know how it started. One day, she just began showing up. Asking about my hobbies. Laughing a little too loudly whenever I mumbled something vaguely funny. She'd follow me between classes, corner me after school, and act like we were already close friends.
The whole class noticed. Of course they did. I'm not exactly hard to miss— "that average guy sitting near the back." The moment Kaori started hovering around me, people started whispering. Some were jealous. Others just thought it was weird. I didn't know how to respond, so I mostly didn't.
Honestly? It was exhausting.
Then there's Selena.
We were in the same class all year, but barely exchanged more than a few words at first. She always sat near the window, always quiet, always off in her own world. I'd sometimes see her on the rooftop during lunch, hunched over a sketchpad, earbuds in, completely zoned out. There was something distant about her—like she didn't quite belong here, but wasn't sure where else to go.
So I never really tried to approach her.
Until one day… she approached me.
It started small. I mentioned an anime in passing, and her eyes lit up. Turned out, she was an otaku too. Like, deep in the fandom trenches. That cracked open the wall between us, and soon we were swapping series recommendations, complaining about bad translations, and debating which magical girl had the best arc. (She was wrong, by the way. I stand by my choice.)
She even tried to get me into American comics. Batman, Superman—stuff I'd never touched before. And I hate to admit it, but… they're actually well-written. Who knew Western heroes could be that philosophical? Took forever to get through some of them thanks to slow fan translations, but thankfully Selena knows English. And apparently Spanish too?
Yeah. I learned that the hard way.
One afternoon, I accidentally left her behind at the train station because I spotted Kaori—again, following me. I panicked and bolted without thinking. Five minutes later, I got a text from Selena absolutely cursing me out. In Spanish.
It was kind of impressive, honestly.
After that, she didn't talk to me for two days. I brought her melon bread as a peace offering. She forgave me… after dramatically biting its head off and making sure I knew I'd never live it down.
She's scary like that.
But even with all her quirks, talking to her feels… easy. Natural. She doesn't pressure me. Doesn't hover. Just listens and gets it. We're both used to being on the outside, so there's no pretending between us.
I did wonder, though—how did she and Ryutarou become friends? They banter like siblings sometimes. The two of them are polar opposites, but he's the only other person she really talks to outside our little circle. I've been meaning to ask, but it never feels like the right moment.
And while all this was going on, Daisuke and his goons made sure I didn't forget my place. The bullying never really stopped. Shoving me into lockers. Mocking me. "Why do so many pretty girls talk to you?" they'd sneer. "You're just some boring loser."
One time, Selena tried to step in.
She looked furious. Like, dangerous furious.
I had to beg her not to get involved. If she did, they'd only go after her too—or worse, escalate things just to prove a point. She clearly didn't like it, but she listened.
…Strangely, the bullying never happened when she was around after that. I don't know if it was coincidence, or if she said something to someone.
I haven't asked.
And Kaori? She still shows up. Still latches onto every small word I give her. I feel bad, but I don't know what to do with her attention. She's loud, flashy, emotional—all the things I'm not equipped to handle. If I talk to her too much, people get the wrong idea. If I ignore her, she just doubles down.
Honestly? I don't understand what she wants from me. We barely knew each other before high school, and now she's acting like we've been destined since childhood.
Selena doesn't stand out as much, which I'm grateful for. But somehow, she always knows what I'm feeling before I say anything. It's weird. A little unsettling. But also… comforting.
She doesn't just see me. She understands me.
And I think that's what scares me the most.