An Unbelievable Sight
Morning sunlight spread softly across the quiet streets while Hiroyuki walked alone toward school with both hands buried inside his pockets.
The cool wind brushed gently against his face.
The weather felt peaceful.
The city itself felt unusually calm.
Yet Hiro's thoughts were anything but peaceful.
His shoes tapped quietly against the pavement as he slowly approached a familiar house.
Fumi's house.
The moment he reached the gate, his footsteps gradually slowed before stopping completely.
His eyes silently lingered on the closed entrance.
No movement.
No sign of her.
A small tired sigh escaped from his mouth.
"She headed to school without me again…"
His shoulders lowered slightly.
Ever since that sudden kiss—
Fumi had been avoiding him completely.
Every single time he tried talking to her, she either disappeared somewhere or immediately ran away before he could properly say anything.
At first Hiro thought maybe she was simply embarrassed.
But now—
It had already been going on for days.
And honestly?
He was beginning to panic a little.
Hiro slowly started walking again.
"What has gotten up with her…?"
His voice sounded unusually quiet.
"She walks away whenever she sees me…"
His expression slowly became conflicted.
"I wonder if I did something wrong…"
His eyebrows tightened slightly.
Then suddenly—
A dangerous thought quietly entered his mind.
"…Doesn't she love me anymore?"
Hiro instantly froze in place.
"Mmmmm??!-"
His entire face exploded red.
"NO NO NO NO WHAT AM I EVEN THINKING????!!!"
He aggressively shook his own head while continuing to walk forward.
Several nearby birds flew away from a telephone wire after hearing his sudden outburst.
"Calm down…"
"Calm down…"
But unfortunately—
His thoughts only became worse.
The image of Fumi kissing him replayed inside his mind again.
That soft warmth.
That flustered expression on her face afterward.
The way she immediately ran away afterward without even looking at him properly.
Hiro grabbed his own head dramatically.
"I wonder what's happening with her…"
"Moreover…"
His heartbeat slowly became louder inside his chest.
"…with me…"
His footsteps unconsciously slowed.
A strange warmth quietly spread through his heart.
"Did I just grow up till now… just because of her presence?"
The thought genuinely shocked him.
For years—
Fumi had always been there beside him.
Scolding him.
Cooking for him.
Dragging him around whenever he looked depressed.
Yelling at him whenever he acted stupid.
Protecting him in her own stubborn way.
His eyes slowly widened.
"What is this feeling in my heart when I think about her…?"
His face turned even redder.
"NO NO NO I HAVE TO CALM MYSELF DOWNNN!"
He continued panicking alone while walking down the empty morning street.
Then suddenly—
"Huh?"
His footsteps stopped once more.
The atmosphere around him quietly changed.
His instincts suddenly reacted toward the dark alleyways nearby.
The faint underlying shadows hidden between the narrow streets felt…
Strange.
As if someone was silently watching him from nearby.
Hiro's eyes slowly narrowed.
His body instinctively straightened slightly.
"Whoever you are…"
"There's no point on hiding, you know?"
Silence answered him.
The wind quietly passed through the narrow streets.
Then—
A familiar figure slowly stepped out from behind the alley corner.
Fumi.
Her face was completely red.
Hiro's eyes widened instantly.
"A!— FUMI SENPAI?!"
He looked genuinely confused.
"What's wrong? Why aren't you—"
Before he could even finish speaking—
Fumi immediately turned around.
And ran away.
"H-Hey wait—!"
Hiro stretched his hand toward her uselessly.
But she disappeared around the corner almost immediately.
The street became quiet again.
Hiro slowly lowered his arm.
"Sigh…"
"She ran off…"
He stared toward the empty alley for a few more seconds before scratching his head helplessly.
"What is happening with her…?"
Completely confused, Hiro slowly resumed walking toward school.
At The School
The school bell rang loudly across the building.
Inside the classroom, students quietly sat at their desks while the teacher continued writing notes across the blackboard.
The soft scratching of chalk echoed lightly through the room.
Meanwhile—
Hiro rested his chin lazily against his hand while staring outside through the window absentmindedly.
His attention had completely drifted elsewhere.
The lesson entering his ears barely registered.
I still wonder…
His eyes slowly narrowed.
When I first visited Shinn's work room…
I saw that thruster…
A strange uneasiness quietly returned to his chest.
That memory still bothered him.
Because it was not normal.
Not even remotely.
Why does he have it?
It was no ordinary thruster…
The design looked highly advanced.
Far beyond anything hobby-related.
And knowing Shinn—
There was absolutely no way he built something like that for fun.
What is the purpose of it?
Hiro quietly stared outside while the sunlight reflected softly through the classroom window.
His thoughts slowly deepened.
Shinn…
What are you up to…?
Something about it continued bothering him deeply.
As if there was a hidden truth quietly moving beneath the surface.
Then suddenly—
RINGGGGG.
The loud lunch bell echoed throughout the classroom.
Students immediately began standing up noisily.
"Finally…"
Hiro stretched slightly before standing up from his seat.
He slowly walked outside into the hallway.
The crowded atmosphere immediately swallowed him.
Students chatted loudly while moving between classrooms.
Then—
"Yo, Hiroyuki!"
"Hm?"
Hiro turned around.
"Ahh, Shinn. Sho too."
Sho waved dramatically while holding his stomach like a dying man.
"Me and Shinn are on the way to cafeteria…"
His face looked completely miserable.
"Aren't you coming for lunch, Hiro?" Shinn asked casually.
"Yeah well…"
Hiro scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
"I was looking for Fumi."
Shinn blinked slightly.
"Ah… Fumi senpai…"
"I didn't really see her around."
Sho suddenly groaned loudly.
"Guys I'm starving."
He pointed dramatically toward the cafeteria direction.
"Let's go quickly before I collapse and become a tragic school victim."
Hiro sighed tiredly.
"You are so dramatic."
"Because hunger is dramatic."
In The Cafeteria
The three of them sat together near one of the cafeteria tables while trays of food rested in front of them.
"Itadakimasu!." (3x)
Sho immediately began eating dramatically at terrifying speed.
"Ohhh man! I'm extra hungry today!."
Hiro looked at him lazily.
"Seems like you used your brain too much…"
Sho immediately pointed toward him with chopsticks.
"Oh yeah that's right actually haha."
Meanwhile Shinn casually leaned back in his chair while drinking juice.
"Me and Sho were discussing about building a new Gundam model."
Hiro's attention instantly shifted.
"Hmmm… new Gundam?"
His eyes slightly lit up.
"What type?"
Shinn shrugged lightly.
"We were going to discuss with you as well."
Hiro immediately leaned slightly forward.
"What's its abilities and weapon combos?"
Sho swallowed his food before answering.
"We haven't reached up there yet."
"I see…"
The conversation slowly continued naturally while the three casually ate together.
Soon the table became filled with enthusiastic discussions.
Long range artillery.
Close combat systems.
Booster efficiency.
Transformation mechanisms.
Sho dramatically demonstrated imaginary laser attacks using his spoon while Hiro and Shinn argued over weapon balance seriously.
For the first time in years—
Hiro genuinely felt like he belonged somewhere.
Not alone.
Not isolated.
Just…
Normal.
A small peaceful feeling quietly settled inside his chest.
After lunch, the three of them slowly began walking around the school together.
The crowded hallways buzzed with conversations from nearby students.
Sho stretched dramatically while walking.
"Guys what's with this walk…"
"I feel kinda sleepy after eating lunch…"
Shinn sighed tiredly.
"Oi just get along already. Isn't it good for your digestion?"
"I'm gonna die."
"You are literally still alive."
"Barely."
Hiro quietly walked beside them while listening to their stupid conversation half-heartedly.
But slowly—
His thoughts drifted elsewhere again.
I still wonder why Fumi is behaving like that toward me…
He unconsciously glanced around the hallway.
Still no sign of her.
Meanwhile Shinn suddenly grabbed his own head dramatically.
"I wonder what type of weapons we choose for the new model though…"
"UGHHH my head is exploding."
Hiro immediately answered naturally.
"Let's go with the same weaponries that we built for Kuroi Shingen for now."
Sho nodded quickly.
"Yes he is right. We can change it in the future."
Suddenly Sho exploded with excitement.
"OH MY GOD NEW MECH!!"
"I'M GETTING GOOSEBUMPS!"
He violently shook Shinn's shoulders.
Shinn pointed excitedly too.
"I know we are not building the actual big ones but it just feels right!!!"
The three continued walking together while enthusiastically discussing weapons, designs, mechanical systems, armor concepts, and future modifications.
Their voices echoed lightly through the hallway.
For a brief moment—
Everything felt peaceful.
Then—
They noticed a crowd ahead.
A large group of students had gathered near the end of the hallway.
The atmosphere there felt strange.
Uneasy.
Sho adjusted his glasses awkwardly while trying to look ahead.
"I can't see even with my glasses on…"
Shinn stared toward the crowd carefully.
His expression slowly darkened slightly.
"…Bunch of bullies."
His voice lost its usual casual tone.
"I think they are bullying a girl…"
Hiro's expression instantly sharpened.
Then—
Shinn narrowed his eyes slightly.
"I see her shoes."
A dangerous silence suddenly appeared.
Hiro's eyes widened instantly.
He recognized them too.
Without hesitation—
"I'm going to stop them."
He immediately pushed forward.
"Oi mannn wait I'm coming also—"
Shinn followed right behind him.
Sho panicked completely.
"GUYS WAITTT WHAT ARE YOU DOINGGG"
He helplessly chased after them while nearly tripping over himself.
The surrounding students slowly stepped aside as Hiro and Shinn aggressively pushed through the crowd.
Whispers quietly spread everywhere.
The atmosphere suddenly felt tense.
Hiro's heartbeat gradually became louder.
Student after student moved aside.
Then finally—
Hiro reached the center of the crowd.
And froze completely.
His eyes widened.
But before he could even fully process what he was seeing—
Shinn saw the girl first.
And the sight instantly shocked him completely.
His pupils trembled slightly.
A sharp breath escaped from his mouth.
"…F-Fumi senpai…?"