April, the season when the cherry blossoms bloomed.
The subway car swayed gently as pale pink trees flashed past the windows.
Hoshida No and the other two had passed the entrance exams. Now they were all wearing Ikuei High School uniforms, seated in the same row.
The boys' uniform consisted of a burgundy blazer, a white shirt, and dark green trousers.
The girls wore a similar style, with white pleated skirts. The design was understated, yet carried a hint of elegance.
Ichinose and Karuizawa Kei had been assigned to Class 1-B. They leaned their heads together and chatted, occasionally letting out soft laughs.
Hoshida No sat at the far right, swiping across his phone screen. The email was clear:
"Dear Hoshida No: Congratulations on passing the entrance examination for Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School. You have been accepted as a new student in Class 1-D."
He scrolled down.
"Important information for new students: Please report to the guardhouse at the school entrance. The school will issue everyone a designated mobile phone. Bringing personal electronic devices onto campus is strictly prohibited. To welcome you, the school will hold an orientation ceremony at 11 a.m. on April 1. We look forward to seeing you there."
At the next stop, they transferred to a bus bound for Ikuei High School.
Quite a few students were already on board. When the three of them got on, eyes turned their way, and they could vaguely hear whispers:
"Those two girls are so pretty."
"That guy looks like an idol."
Hoshida No noticed that Ichinose and Karuizawa Kei seemed a little uncomfortable. He straightened up and led them toward the back of the bus.
They followed him and sat down. The bus slowly pulled away.
Several more groups of students got on along the way. Two passengers caught Hoshida No's attention: an elderly man and a man in a suit wearing sunglasses.
When Ichinose saw the elderly man, she instinctively started to get up to offer him her seat. The man in sunglasses stood nearby, perfectly still.
Though he was wearing sunglasses, Hoshida No could sense his gaze sweeping over every student on the bus.
He reached over and pressed Ichinose's shoulder, then stood up himself.
"Please, take my seat." He helped the elderly man into his seat, then returned to the right of the man in sunglasses, gripped a handrail, and calmly sized him up.
Ichinose sat there in a daze, her fingers unconsciously brushing the spot where he had pressed her shoulder.
Karuizawa Kei noticed her friend's reaction. Her eyes shifted slightly, but she said nothing.
The man in sunglasses made no further move before they got off. Hoshida No frowned slightly, wondering if he had been too wary.
The three of them got off and checked in at the guardhouse.
All the way there, Karuizawa Kei didn't speak to Hoshida No. She simply linked arms with Ichinose and walked on his right.
Hoshida No wasn't used to it. Normally, Karuizawa Kei would either link arms with him or walk close beside him.
"Are you upset because I gave up my seat?"
He pulled a piece of milk candy from his pocket and held it out.
Karuizawa Kei stared at the candy in front of her, startled. Then she lowered her head and bit down on the candy—and his fingertip.
Hoshida No winced and quickly pulled his hand back. "What are you, a dog?" He glanced at his finger.
With the candy in her mouth, Karuizawa Kei gave an indistinct hum. "That's what you get for being so slow."
The milky sweetness melted in her mouth. She deliberately slowed her pace by half a step, but the corner of her eye sneaked a glance at Hoshida No's hand. His fingertip was a little red. It looked painful.
Hoshida No rubbed his finger, his face expressionless, but he thought, Her temper's still as unpredictable as ever.
He looked over at Ichinose. She was smiling with her lips pressed together, her burgundy blazer fluttering gently in the breeze.
"Kei still likes sticking close to Brother No," Ichinose said softly, her voice gentle. "She did the same thing on the bus..."
She trailed off, her cheeks turning faintly red.
Karuizawa Kei's ears warmed, and she immediately protested, "I do not! I just think he's way too easy to fool." She puffed out her chest to look imposing, but the bits of candy stuck to the corner of her mouth made her words unconvincing.
Hoshida No watched her protest a thing she clearly didn't mean and didn't call her out. He simply wiped his fingers with a pink handkerchief, then took out another piece of candy and offered it to her.
"Have another. Just don't bite my hand."
Karuizawa Kei glared at him, but still snatched the candy, peeled off the wrapper, and popped it into her mouth. "At least you know what you're doing."
She hurried over to Ichinose and linked arms with her. Her voice softened. "Honami, let's hurry up. Forget about Brother No. Let him cry all by himself in another class."
Ichinose smiled and nodded, then turned to Hoshida No. "Brother No, we'll head off now, okay? We'll come find you later."
Hoshida No nodded. The three of them added one another as friends on the white phones issued by the school, then parted at the crossroads.
Students in matching uniforms walked in pairs and small groups all along the way.
Hoshida No walked at an even pace, discreetly scanning his surroundings.
Only then did he notice how unusually many surveillance cameras the school had. There was one at nearly every corner.
He had never attended a regular school, but even he knew that not even the best high schools had this many cameras.
Could it be because there are so many violent incidents? he wondered.
He simply changed direction and started wandering around the school.
Ikuei High School covered a vast area. The central section where Hoshida No was now included the school buildings, dormitories, Student Council, library, and club building.
A library was always an important point of reference when judging a school.
The library had a simple exterior with a modern design. Inside, it was an open space decorated mainly in natural wood tones and light gray, giving it a warm atmosphere. It had three floors, all with similar layouts.
Hoshida No wasn't in the mood to read just then. He walked around the library and found cameras installed in every corner.
His suspicions deepened.
In a corner on the second floor, he found a blind spot and made a note of its location.
When he left the library, the spring sunshine was just right.
Hoshida No raised a hand to shield his eyes and took out his phone. It was 9:12—there was still plenty of time before the opening ceremony.
He followed the tree-lined path, passing the orderly school buildings and the lively club area.
Just as he was about to head toward the Student Council's separate building, a steady "tap, tap" sounded behind him.
Clear and measured. The wooden tip of a cane tapped against the stone path, standing out amid the bustle.
Hoshida No stopped and turned around.
Beneath a cherry tree not far away stood a young girl. Her skin was fair, and a beret pressed down her silver hair, which glowed softly in the sunlight. Her purple eyes gazed calmly at him.
The tapping came from the black cane in her hand.