Confession Cherry Blossom Tree!

The school's backyard.

Afternoon sunlight filtered through layers upon layers of cherry blossoms, scattering mottled patches of light and shadow across the bluestone path.

A gentle breeze drifted by, carrying a faint floral fragrance as it swept up pink-and-white petals. Like silent snow, they danced gracefully beneath the warm spring sun.

When Natsume Chikage entered the backyard with his lunchbox, quite a few students had already claimed the stone benches or grassy patches beneath the trees in small groups, enjoying lunch on their first day of school.

His gaze wandered as he searched for a quiet corner.

Suddenly, his attention was firmly seized by the center of the backyard—

An enormous cherry blossom tree stood majestically there, its branches spreading outward like a canopy. It dwarfed every other cherry tree on campus and was clearly an ancient tree that had stood for many years.

More astonishingly, the cherry blossom tree was giving off a strange, warm yet intense glow that only he could see!

[Confession Cherry Blossom Tree]

[Quality: Blue]

[Effect: Confession success rate -20%; after a successful confession, the probability of growing old together increases by 20%!]

[Description: Beneath the cherry blossom tree—that was my youth, now long gone...]

[Synthesis Requirement: At least three pieces of equipment of the same type are required!]

Such a huge cherry blossom tree... was special equipment too?

Natsume Chikage's pupils constricted slightly as he held his breath in disbelief.

Unable to help himself, he stepped closer and reached out to stroke the rough, ancient trunk.

[You have not yet obtained ownership and cannot register this equipment!]

Natsume Chikage was not particularly surprised by that.

This cherry blossom tree had been at the school for so long. No matter how he looked at it, it could not possibly be ownerless.

Since the tree was on school grounds, did that mean he needed the school's permission to obtain it?

But then another problem arose.

Such a massive cherry blossom tree had probably been here for a very long time. The school could not possibly just give it to him for no reason.

Did he have to buy the entire school to acquire it?

Was there some other way...

Just as Natsume Chikage was deep in thought, a woman's voice suddenly came from behind him.

"Natsume, what are you doing here?"

A woman's voice called out from behind him.

Natsume Chikage turned around.

His homeroom teacher, Sakai Shion, stood amid the falling shower of petals with a simple, elegant lunch bag in hand.

She was still dressed in that crisp women's suit, black stockings encasing her long legs, her face wearing its usual meticulous expression.

"I wanted to find somewhere quiet to eat lunch," Natsume Chikage explained honestly.

"I see." Sakai Shion nodded slightly, her gaze sweeping across the noisy backyard. "Today is the first day of school, a good opportunity to become part of the group and make new friends. As your teacher, I would recommend that you interact with your classmates more."

"But since you're already here... we can discuss that later."

"I know a spot with a nice view. I occasionally eat there myself. Would you like to join me?"

Natsume Chikage looked back at the enormous, immovable cherry blossom tree.

He knew there was no way he could obtain this special equipment anytime soon.

And there was no chance of anyone else taking it away.

After all, the tree had stood here for so long. It clearly held special significance for the school.

Since that was the case, there was no need for him to rush. He could slowly think of a solution over the next three years of school.

As for the place Sakai Shion had suggested, he saw no harm in checking it out.

He had not found anywhere good to eat lunch anyway.

He withdrew his gaze and nodded. "Okay."

Sakai Shion led him around several flower beds to a secluded bench in the backyard.

The view here was open and expansive. The bench faced the enormous cherry blossom tree at the center of the yard, while also offering a full view of the surrounding school buildings and the students gathered in small groups for lunch.

A refreshing spring breeze brushed against their faces, carrying the sweet scent of cherry blossoms and dispersing the faint afternoon heat.

Natsume Chikage sat down and took in the rare sense of peace and openness. He could not help sighing. "The scenery here is really nice."

"You think so too, don't you?" Sakai Shion sat down beside him.

When her eyes settled on the sea of blooming cherry blossoms, the meticulous expression on her face seemed to soften slightly, and the tight line of her lips relaxed.

She said nothing more and quietly opened her lunchbox.

Natsume Chikage also took out his own bento.

The two of them sat quietly on the bench, taking in the scenery as they ate lunch.

While eating, Natsume Chikage thought that since the teacher was here, this was the perfect chance to ask about the cherry blossom tree.

"Ms. Sakai, how long has this cherry blossom tree in the backyard been planted here?"

"Don't tell me you became curious because you knew the rumor about this cherry blossom tree?"

"A rumor? What is that?"

Sakai Shion fell silent for a moment. She had clearly realized that Natsume Chikage knew nothing about it, but she explained anyway.

"This cherry blossom tree was planted when the school was first established. It has probably been nearly a hundred years since the school was founded.

Because the tree has been around for so long and is so beautiful, many students confess to the people they like beneath it.

There's a rumor that if the confession succeeds, the couple will grow old together or something.

But in the end, it's only a rumor. Whether anyone really does grow old with their lover—who could possibly know?"

Sakai Shion shook her head. As someone who believed in science, she clearly did not put much stock in such rumors.

"I see..." Although Natsume Chikage replied that way, his expression was somewhat strange.

Because the Confession Cherry Blossom Tree's effect really did have a chance of letting people grow old together.

Combined with the rumor, didn't that mean this special equipment had truly affected reality even without anyone using it?

This was the first piece of equipment he had encountered that could activate its special effect on its own. How fascinating...

"The school manages this cherry blossom tree now, right?" Natsume Chikage asked.

"Of course." Sakai Shion nodded slightly.

Natsume Chikage fell into thought.

Sakai Shion did not say anything else, nor did she think much of it.

She simply treated their conversation as idle chatter after lunch.

Once they had finished eating, Sakai Shion knew that, as a teacher, it was inappropriate for her to remain in the same place as a male student for too long. If someone noticed them, rumors could easily start.

Even though she usually rested here quietly for a while after lunch, today was clearly not appropriate.

With that in mind, she packed away her bento, and her meticulous expression returned.

"I have other matters to deal with. Remember to keep an eye on the time for class, and don't linger here too long."

"Mm."

After hearing his reply, Sakai Shion gave a slight nod and left without looking back.

After watching his teacher leave, Natsume Chikage did not hurry away.

Instead, he took out his phone and began typing here, planning to finish writing that novel as soon as possible.