What's the difference between humans and animals anyway? Is it how they are built? How they show their emotions? Or is it how each develop relationships uniquely from one another?
According to evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins— We alone on Earth can reason, can think logically, can plan for the distant future, can hold and communicate complex beliefs, can imagine worlds that never were.
In contrast to what he stated famous scientist Charles Darwin stated— There is no fundamental difference between man and the higher mammals in their mental faculties.
As a student myself I cannot comprehend what these great minds truly meant by their words, but all I can say is that animals are as beautiful as any human being. From mammals to birds, to insects and fishes, to even the smallest species that no human being can see have beauty of their own.
I say that as I look outside my classroom window, outside was a family of bird specifically the Oriental Turtle Dove feeding its hatchling. I watched with awe, sketching the scene carefully in my notebook, detailing every feather, every moment of gentle care.
"What are you doing, Hayato? Drawing birds again?"
"Its not just drawing... I'm documenting the Oriental Turtle Dove for research in the school science club." I replied, my tone calm but firm.
"If you're gonna document, why not document how you have beautiful and hot girl like me as your seatmate?" She teased with a playful smirk.
I ignored her and continued looking outside, seeing that the bird is already gone I close my sketchpad and looked at my seatmate who was still eagerly smirking at me.
My name is Hayato Shiranami.
If I had to describe myself… I'm just your average high school guy. Sure, I might look a bit above average, and yeah, I'm popular enough to be the class secretary. But the only thing I take pride in is my knowledge of animals. I may not be the smartest in class, but ask me anything about animal behavior or biology then I'll answer with confidence.
Ever since I was a kid, I surrounded myself with animal toys and documentaries. That love never faded. I've always felt a deep connection to them, even the dangerous ones. That doesn't mean I won't eat meat or defend myself from one, but instead I see animals as equals. As fellow living beings.
"Why are you staring at me? Don't tell me you've fallen for me already?"
My annoying seatmate is Mizuki Amamiya, she is the most popular girl in my school and I can attest to that. She is very beautiful and she knows that, which is why she does modeling job whenever she has the time and in our class she takes the role of the assistant secretary.
"Why would I fall for someone like you?" I answered her dryly
"Ahh...! There goes my ship!" A classmate of ours cried dramatically. "Why don't you two date already and make my dream come true?!"
The girl talking is our classmate and Mizuki's bestfriend— Kuroe Kurobane, a popular girl alongside Mizuki, though she is only popular for the wrong reasons because of her loud attitude alongside her gothic fashion. Behind Kuroe are three of her and Mizuki's friends and my fellow classmates too.
"Izumi texted me, she relayed a message from me to you that you should go to the science lab." Aoi Mizuhara help up her phone, her quiet voice barely audible.
"You better go quick Hayato, Prez and the others will return soon."Haruki Takahashi added. Known for his short temper and tough-guy image, he's actually quite caring. Beside him was Kaito Shimizu—silent, aloof, and somehow the object of many girls' admiration.
These five are the most popular in the school for various reasons; both for good and wrong reasons. One thing that stood to them though is that the five of them are the so-called models and crushes of the entire student body, Mizuki who is supposedly their leader is believed to have the largest social circle in the school.
"Got it... I'll head out now," I said, standing quickly. But before I left, I shot Mizuki a warning glare. "Don't you dare sketch yourself into my notebook again."
The so-called science club of my school has lots of members, but among them were my four other classmates and fellow club members that were infamous in the club. Well, among the three only one of them took the club seriously.
"Oh, you're finally here Hayato." Greeted by my classmate Aoi Mizuhara as she gently tend to a plant. She's always been kind and diligent, not only that but she is also my childhood friend and one of my two classmate that deserves the title of being a member in the science club whereas the others...
"Oohhh... Hayato! You're finally here!" A girl squeeled. "Quick tell me you answer ASAP! Which do you prefer, yandere or tsundere?" A member and one of my classmate asked me, her name is Miyu Aisaka an infamous otaku that only joined the science club to hang out with Aoi and I.
"You took your sweet time." Izumi Sakamoto added, playing her flute while dangerously perched on the windowsill. Her expression was not amused.
Looking at these two supposedly member of the Science club made me tear up a little and sighed. "Hey Aoi, are you free later?"
She froze. "Wh-why? I mean—yes! Of course!" she blurted out, blushing.
"Looks like you are having fun..." Another person said, this time it was not a member of the science club. Looking at where the voice I came it was another of my classmate and also the president of the Mathematics club in the school. "Aren't you busy right now? I heard from prez that he needs every classroom officers later."
The person talking to me is Haruki Takahashi, one thing I could say to him is that he is what my classmates considered as my rival. The two of us are constantly clashing to be the top student in the class and also being the opposite side of the same coins, with him being the smartest at Mathematics and I being the smartest at Science is what made us rivals.
"Not only me though..."I looked at the others; Aoi is dazed and just standing there for some reason, Miyu reading her mangas, and Izumi loudly blowing her flute gave me little hope for the future of the club. "Anyway, let's put aside the reason why you called me here Izumi, looks like prez is holding a classroom meeting right now, so we better hurry!"
The five of us hurriedly leave the Science Club Laboratory, we got to our classroom and it appears that everyone is already there and is waiting for my group. Inside was our homeroom teacher Ms. Ayaka Fujimoto who was standing in front of the class, Mizuki's group of popular students on the left row of table, on the middle row of the tables is our other five classmates that composes of athletes, and the right row was reserved for my group which is nerd group if that's what you would call it.
Ms. Ayaka smiled at us as we enter the classroom, the others looked at us and smiled as well.
"Looks like everyone is here." On the middle row of tables which consist of our athlete classmate someone spoke up. "Before we begin, can I ask the other classroom officers to stand in front of the class."
The person speaking is our class President Lukas Reindhardt, he is what I would describe as the model student of the school. He is both academically smart and atheletic, not only that but he is also handsome and has a good personality, truly the most perfect man alive! What makes him impressive is his skills kendo that made him incomparable to others
Beside him was another person who is a parallel to our President, her name is Elodie Moreau the class Vice President. Like Lukas, she is smart and atheletic, though she is not as popular as Lukas due to her cold and unsocial personality. She is also the captain of the archery club in our school, hence another reason why students are afraid of her.
The two people sitting on the middle row are Hinata Fujimoto our school greatest volleyball player and has competed in the national competition, along side him is Hikari Takeda who is the school representative in the track team and became known to be the fastest person in Japan.
Lastly is...
"Yo, looks like you're still stressed out with your club." A classmate spoke as he went beside me in front of the classroom, he is our class Treasurer and also a black belt in various martial arts, but beside that he is also my childhood friend alongside Aoi. "Seriously dude, you should take better care of your health..."
His name is Riku Santiago— my best friend.
"What can I say... Besides Aoi, I don't think the other qualifies as scientist..."
Ms. Ayaka sat on her desk as the five of us who are part of the classroom officers stood in front of our classmates. In order from left to right were President Lukas Reindhart, Vice President Elodie Moreau, Treasurer Riku Santiago, myself— Secretry Hayato Shiranami, and Assistant Secretary Mizuki Amamiya.
"Hey Hayato..." Mizuki whispered as she look at me with a mischievous grin. "Look at your sketchbook later..."
"Seriously... What will I do with you..."
"Mizuki... Stop teasing Hayato, he might ran from embarassment." Riku responded as he snickers
"Not you too..."
I smiled in joy as we whispered with one another, though the three of us are in different cliques we still are as close as family. The same goes for our other classmates, I looked at Ms. Ayaka and the rest of our class as everyone listened to what the President is saying cheerfully with a smile on their faces.
"I wish this moment could last forever..."
But little did I know…
This would be the last time we all laughed together.
Not as classmates.
But as family…